Author Archives: Donna Coulson
Defining Joy
Joy is an interesting hmmm…not sure what noun to use here…endeavor? gift? emotion? Really, maybe I should scrap this topic and choose something else, because now that I’m thinking about it, I’m not at all sure what joy is. My Merriam-Webster says it is “happiness that comes from success, good fortune, or a sense of … Continue reading
Anoles and the Art of House Painting
Anoles, the tiny lizards who live at my house, are small little guys. The largest, most formidable ones are maybe five inches long nose to tail-tip. The fattest one I’ve ever seen was less stout than my index finger. I’ve talked about these creatures before, and I hope you aren’t tired of them, but they … Continue reading
Sufficient Grace
I’ve been thinking this week a lot about the verse in 2 Corinthians 12:9 where God says to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” It seems to me that there are a lot of ways to absorb this verse, and from where I’m sitting this moment, … Continue reading
Froggy Friends
I found a new painting project last week, and I’m happy (and proud) to say that I got started on Monday and finished on Friday. Karl was a bit worried about this project, I think he had doubts about whether I had the patience and skills to do it well (that isn’t unfair, my track … Continue reading
Signs of Progress
There’s something so satisfying about weeding the garden. When you start, there’s a problem. When you finish, everything is neat, tidy and pristine. It’s the same with cleaning. Start – dirt and mess. Finish- shiny and smelling good. Painting is a joyous task. Start with ugly, end with glossy. Being able to see the fruit … Continue reading
New Coat of Paint
Now that we have a new front door and the roof is nearly on, tasks of somewhat lesser importance can be begun. This past week, I took on a task myself that I’ve always been just a mere helper on before, but this time I was It! That task was painting the exterior of the … Continue reading
Love in Action
I’m tired today, but not nearly as tired as the fourteen people Karl and I took to the airport this morning at six AM to catch a flight home. That dozen-plus-two worked hard this week, and they leave behind some real progress in the hurricane recovery and restoration for Frederiksted Baptist Church and the home … Continue reading
Lizard Lessons
One of the things I’ve learned about since I first came to the Caribbean is lizards. At first, I was enamored with the large iguanas. They are so prehistoric, Godzilla-like. I liked them at first, mostly because of their novelty. But then the novelty wore off and I learned how destructive they are – in … Continue reading
Can You See It?
Sometimes on clear days we can see Puerto Rico from our house. There’s about a ninety mile stretch of open water between us and them, and if the clouds are somewhere else and the humidity is low, we can see the coastal outline on the horizon. It’s one of those cool things that happen – … Continue reading
Too Many to Count
I’m counting my blessings, so I really don’t have time to blog today. There are so many of them. Amidst a continuing parade of wrinkles and hurdles, this week has reminded me how loved I am both from heaven and from earth. Last week, our dear friend Greg and his son Cade came to our … Continue reading
