Free Grace Conversations

A few weeks of weeding has made a stupendous change in the look of your one-tree orchard. The fruit tree is finally beginning to grow. You've diligently dug up any weeds that are hardy enough to make it through the layer of mulch. Things are beginning to look respectable in your fledgling fruit garden. Aunt […]

The wind whistles outside your bedroom window and the roof creaks with the howling blast. You sit up in bed and peer toward the clock. It’s dark, as is the entire house. Outside, a fierce crack punctuates the screaming bluster. You sneak to the window, as if the storm might discover you're out of bed.  […]

You’re standing at your kitchen sink staring out at the lawn. What a splendid scene. The sun is smiling down; the grass is still shrouded with dew; the tool shed door is wide and tools are flying out. Wait, what? You set your coffee cup down next to the sink and start toward the exit.  […]

"That's how it's done," Loola says from her garden chair. She's watching you remove weeds with your trusty hand shovel. The place that has been wild for so long is beginning to look respectable. For weeks now, you've removed weeds with careful yet thorough digging. "What a difference weeding makes!”  "Yeah. It's starting to look […]

“I’m going out of town for a few days,” Loola says over the phone. You flip pancakes on the stove-top skillet. You pinch the phone between your shoulder and your ear.  “Where are you going?”  “I’m going to see my son,” she says. “He never comes to town. He’s become too important.”  “Well, I’m sure […]

For a week, Aunt Loola has been visiting each morning. She likes her coffee hot and dark. She comes armed with instructions for you. You’ve seen little progress so far, but at least you’re getting your hands dirty.  “What should we do next?" you ask.  “It’s time to do something about these weeds,” Loola says.  […]

“So, when are we going to start working on my garden?" you ask.  "Are you sure you're ready?" Aunt Loola asks as she sets her tray down on the table. The line at the buffet was long, and your stomach is growling.  "Yeah, I'm ready. Why wouldn't I be?" you say as you set your […]

"I'm going to church. Do you want to come?" Aunt Loola says over the phone early Sunday morning. You're beginning to expect calls and visits before the sun is up, but you're a little nervous about her invitation.  “I’m not sure that—” “I want you to hear what Preacher has to say. He told me […]

As you drive toward home, you and Aunt Loola continue to talk about Cravis and his strange garden.  “How did you get to know him?" you ask.  “We used to be—” Aunt Loola pauses. It’s rare for her to be at a loss for words. “Cravis and I used to be very close.”  “Really?”  "This […]

You put the car in park in front of an old, dilapidated-looking house. It could be the scene of a blockbuster horror film. There are holes in the roof. Wood rot marks the siding. The door hangs askew. Despite the horrid state of the untenable home, you notice a garden that fills the entire front […]