• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • The words
  • The writer
  • The work

Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

spring

Saturday smiles: birthday reflections edition

May 4, 2013

So, it’s my birthday.

I ran Week 1, Day 3 of Couch to 5K this morning. (My dad: “You’re 35 and can still run?” Har-dee-har-har)

I perused the local treasures at a garage sale down the street and sampled the coffee at my favorite neighborhood roaster.

The kids played outside while I sat on the porch and finished the novel I’m currently reading.

A friend stopped by with a gift and the smell of the lilacs she clipped from the bush at her house is filling my house with my favorite springy scent.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We ate lunch on the porch and the boy fell asleep watching “Toy Story.”

I finished the novel.

I washed some dishes because if I took my birthday as a vacation, we’d be eating off the table and with our hands for the next two days.

We’re back outside.

The sun is shining.

Our bills are paid.

My husband doesn’t know it yet, but I think we’re going out to eat tonight.

Not all is right with the world but today I believe it will be.

Today, I am 35.

And in some ways, I feel life is just beginning.

Filed Under: holidays, Saturday smiles Tagged With: birthday, spring, turning 35

Saturday smiles: Hodgepodge edition

March 2, 2013

I wish all my smiles posts had a theme. Or maybe I don’t because I like variety. The spice of life, you know.

So, here’s the smile-makers from this week.

I sold two articles. Even after years of seeing my name in print on an almost-daily basis, I still get a thrill out of someone wanting to pay me for something I’ve written. Looking forward to sharing the articles with you in a few months, for one, and later this year, for the other.

I read two really great books this week: Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall and So Shines the Night by Tracy Higley. I’ll be reviewing both later in the month. If you’re looking for some good inspirational suspenseful romantic fiction, these books have a little bit of all of that and are worth the splurge.

Sometimes I read fiction, and have to finish a book no matter the time of night, to know that things work out all right in the end. When I feel like that’s not true of my life, fiction gives me hope.

So do songs like this one. My husband and I both cried watching this video.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8jilr8qsYU]

And as usual, the kids came up with some doozies this week.

Me: I’m so glad your grandparents are coming in a week.

Isabelle: So you can leave.

Me: Yes. So I can leave.

Corban: You didn’t get us any juice!

Me: Oh my goodness. Am I fired?

Corban: Noooo. Moms and dads don’t get fired.

And while we were discussing what was in the eggplant casserole, the kids came up with their own casserole combinations.

Isabelle: I would use broccoli, bacon, salt and pepper.

Corban: I would use pencils, coins and Mommy’s head.

Remind me not to let the boy anywhere near the kitchen.

And it’s March, which means spring is coming soon.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI, for one, can’t wait.

Filed Under: Saturday smiles Tagged With: freelance writing, jj heller, march, new christian fiction, reading good books, spring, what kids say

  • « Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • …
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Page 7
  • Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Photo by Rachel Lynn Photography

Welcome

Hi. I’m Lisa, and I’m glad you’re here. If we were meeting in real life, I’d offer you something to eat or drink while we sat on the porch letting the conversation wander as it does. That’s a little bit what this space is like. We talk about books and family and travel and food and running, whatever I might encounter in world. I’m looking for the beauty in the midst of it all, even the tough stuff. (You’ll find a lot of that here, too.) Thanks for stopping by. Stay as long as you like.

When I wrote something

May 2025
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Jun    

Recent posts

  • Still Life
  • A final round-up for 2022: What our December was like
  • Endings and beginnings … plus soup: A November wrap-up
  • A magical month of ordinary days: October round-up
  • Stuck in a shallow creek
  • Short and sweet September: a monthly round-up
  • Wrapping the end of summer: Our monthly round-up

Join the conversation

  • A magical month of ordinary days: October round-up on Stuck in a shallow creek
  • Stuck in a shallow creek on This is 40
  • July was all about vacation (and getting back to ordinary days after)–a monthly roundup on One very long week

Footer

What I write about

Looking for something?

Disclosure

Lisa Bartelt is a participant in the Bluehost Affiliate Program.

Occasionally, I review books in exchange for a free copy. Opinions are my own and are not guaranteed positive simply due to the receipt of a free copy.

Copyright © 2025 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in