Kim's Ramblings

When my daughter was young, we were active in a local church. We tried to teach her to have a relationship with the Lord and pray regularly. She has always been a kind-hearted and loving child, and frequently felt led to pray for her friends and family. Animals have always been a part of our family, and we’ve always treated them with kindness and care. So it was not surprising to me that she often prayed for a beloved pet. At one point, a Sunday School leader told her she should not pray for animals, only for people. She was confused, and I was disheartened, to put it mildly. It was and still is my belief that a loving and caring God understands the heart of a child. The lesson we were trying to teach was that you can take all of your cares, concerns, and worries to the Lord. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition and thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” If we devalue the prayers of a young child, h

           As I stepped onto the porch, I noticed the package leaned against my door. Curious, I grabbed the padded envelope and carried it inside. I tore it open and squealed when I saw the trademark black and silver packaging.   The new Kat Von D lipstick and gloss duo!             I dialed my best friend Julie. “Thank you! You shouldn’t have; but thank you!” I gushed as soon as she answered the phone.             She laughed. “What are you talking about?”             “The lip duo kit. It delivered today. It’s the perfect shade too. I can’t wait to wear it.”             “Why are you thanking me? I didn’t send you anything.”             “Seriously? We were just talking about this exact product Friday. You seriously didn’t send it? But then who did?”             “I don’t know, but it wasn’t me. Maybe you have a secret admirer,” Julie teased.             “Well if so, they’ve got good taste. And a good eye for color. It’s Coco Rose.”             “I’m jealous,” she chuck

            Terri awoke to stabbing pain behind her right eye. She raised her hand to her temple, felt a slight tug, and blinked at the IV needle in her wrist. Fighting to focus her heavy-lidded eyes, she could see the double layers of clear tape that held it neatly in place. What? Where am I?             “Where am I?” she croaked, the sound barely audible through her dry, irritated throat. Her parched lips stuck to her teeth. She raised her head a few inches and looked around, seeing no one. Bright light glared in the small cubicle where she lay on a gurney surrounded by beige curtains.             She could see that she was in a hospital. The fog in her brain, sore throat, and pain told her something had happened. Something bad. She fumbled around the edge of the bed for a call button, but found nothing. “Hello? Nurse? Anybody!” The fog was moving back in, and she fought to stay awake. What’s going on? What happened? The light grew dimmer and she slipped into the dark. S

The cactus died today. Following just a week after the loss of the cat, it seemed sadder than necessary. Though she never really cared for the cactus, she'd learned to love the cat. The double loss drove home the fact that there is not one single living thing left that has ever lived in this house. Other than her, of course. The recent ones she knew of first-hand. The sweet little old lady died from a sudden aneurysm. The gruff but kind-hearted old man grieved himself into a heart attack not a year later. Earlier inhabitants are all gone too - cancer, car wreck, even a suicide. Maybe not suspicious, but certainly unnerving when she thinks about it. Especially if the thinking about it occurs in the middle of the night, when sleep plays hide-and-seek and old houses creak and groan. Distant thunder grumbles. She fluffs her pillow and turns it over for what must have been the hundredth time. She ignores the red numbers glowing from the clock on the nightstand.  She doesn’t eve

I’m Not Allergic                         “Be careful! You know what that is.” Mom took a step back and pointed to some prolific vines in my overgrown flower bed.             “Oh, it’s okay. I’m not allergic. It’s never bothered me at all.”             “Well, I break out just walking by. I have a terrible reaction. You can’t imagine how awful. You should wear gloves when you work around it, just to be safe.”             We continued our tour of the neglected yard, listing everything I needed to get accomplished. We said our goodbyes. I waved as she pulled out of the driveway, then grabbed my clippers and hoe.             Before long, I could feel sweat tracing down my back and torso. I hummed tunelessly as I snipped, clipped, pulled and dragged. I was as out of shape as these flower beds, so I knew this was going to be a long process. But I was determined to get at least the first bed cleared out before collapsing for the day. Sweat poured down my face as I carried the

       I have been writing for as long as I can remember. After being recognized for my writing during school and college, I spent several years working in bookkeeping and raising a family, which left little time for reading and writing.       Now days, I make time to pursue my passion for words. I write poetry, short stories, and essays, usually with one or more rescued animals offering their assistance. I am also working on, or at least threatening to work on, two novels, however those may have to wait for retirement. I enjoy entering writing contests as a way to stretch my creative muscles and try new types of writing. My husband Gary and I challenge each other by competing in some of the same writing contests. Our win ratios are pretty close .       My poetry and short stories have won several local, state, regional, and national contests, most notably the 2015 Lucidity Ozark Poetry Retreat Grand Prize.  A few of my short stories and poems have been published in anthologies, a

        Autobiography A daughter, a mother, a poet A writer, a dreamer of dreams A wife, a sister, a best friend She's so much more than she seems. Confidante, comforter, caregiver Teacher who makes time to play Encourager, lover, leader Who will she be today?