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# Nan Corbitt Allen

Nan Corbitt Allen blog

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## Posts

- [Flying Zebras](https://nancorbittallen.com/flying-zebras/) - By Nan Corbitt Allen I first saw it on the local news. A pet zebra had escaped from its owners’ fenced back yard and was at large somewhere in rural Middle Tennessee. The six-day search for “Ed” netted almost nothing. A few sitings of him dashing into the woods after running along an interstate were
- [Anchors…Away](https://nancorbittallen.com/anchorsaway/) - By Nan Corbitt Allen Hebrews 6:18-19 “God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Yeah, I know the
- [FROM HERE TO ETERNITY](https://nancorbittallen.com/from-here-to-eternity/) - We have arrived at the last section of this writing, at least for now. But before we begin, I’m afraid I have another confession to make — the title of this project is incorrect. Life is not really a blink, it is forever. Once you are born, you will never cease to exist. This “life”
- [Dennis Allen's “Living Intentionally.”](https://nancorbittallen.com/dennis-allens-living-intentionally/) - From Dennis’ Life is But a Blink: Living Intentionally. The next chapter in Dennis’ “Life is But a Blink” writings isn’t complete, but he had made notes on the subject “Living Intentionally.” I will respectfully try to recreate these thoughts from what he left behind. He begins… Living Intentionally: Choosing to Live an Intentional Life
- [Life Is But a Blink: Family](https://nancorbittallen.com/life-is-but-a-blink-family/) - As I write this section, I happen to be at the beach. Nan and I have always loved going to the panhandle region of the Florida gulf coast, and it just so happens that we have stolen a few days this week to enjoy a favorite experience of ours. We have also taken our entire family
- [4. From Dennis' Life is but a Blink#4 RELATIONSHIPS ](https://nancorbittallen.com/4-from-dennis-life-is-but-a-blink4-relationships/) - ============================================ No road is long with good company. Turkish Proverb I’d like to start this section in reverse order. Rather than starting with comments about how to have a good relationship, let’s begin when relationships go sour. Ideally we want to all get along in life with no problems, but life is not always ideal.
- [From Dennis' Life Is But a Blink](https://nancorbittallen.com/3-its-all-about-menot/) - 3. IT’S ALL ABOUT ME…NOT ============================================ Andy Rooney (1919-2011) was an American radio and TV writer, especially known for his appearances on the CBS show 60 Minutes. The thing I remember most about him was his “Rooneyisms.” Look it up, he has written a bunch of clever sayings. One of my favorites is: Life is like
- [From Dennis' "Life Is But a Blink"](https://nancorbittallen.com/from-dennis-life-is-but-a-blink/) - 2. DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? ============================================ “Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?” “Wasting” a day is not a sin. As a semi-retired guy, it’s kinda nice to occasionally sleep a little later, and then to take a nap midday. But it troubles me, and
- [Life Is But a Blink](https://nancorbittallen.com/life-is-but-a-blink/) - I have vowed to never write anything on this blog unless I had something of value to say. For the last year, I didn’t feel as though I had anything of worth to share. I have been writing, though. My latest book Fresh from the Table: A Devotional Journey Through Jesus’ Farewell Address has just
- [Passion or Purpose](https://nancorbittallen.com/passion-vs-purpose/) - My brilliant and beautiful 17-year-old granddaughter raised an interesting question about life the other day. She wrote her thoughts in an essay for school. The subject is about passion versus purpose. With her permission I am including parts of her essay in this blog post. “Is my passion my purpose? The textbook definition of passion
- [SINK OR SWIM](https://nancorbittallen.com/sink-or-swim/) - I loved to swim when I was a kid. Pretty much every day in my preteen and early teen years I would walk or ride my bike to the community pool and stay until it closed. I even went early some days and took lifesaving classes just so I could be in the water. This
- [Power of a Song](https://nancorbittallen.com/power-of-a-song/) - Her name was Alice Barbara. Not Alice or Barbara, but Alice Barbara (maybe two words or just one, I don’t know). She wore ruby red lipstick and nail polish to match. She also sported corsages or glittery brooches on her taffeta dresses sometimes. Though I figured she was pretty old, her hair was jet black,
- [What Are You So Afraid Of?](https://nancorbittallen.com/what-are-you-so-afraid-of/) - (Table Talk 2) The after dinner speech (at the Passover) started with a message about fear. Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1a) Most translations use the word “troubled” here in this verse, but The Message paraphrase puts it this way. “Don’t let this rattle you.” In other words, don’t be
- [Table Talk](https://nancorbittallen.com/table-talk-2/) - There is so much that we cannot comprehend right now, and unfortunately, it’s our nature to try to figure things out and control them. That doesn’t mean we should stop asking or seeking. In fact, it means that we should keep searching and discovering, realizing that we’ll only discern in faith what He wants us
- [Afterlives, Chapter 4](https://nancorbittallen.com/afterlives-chapter-4/) - For Michelle He Who Has Ears… In the Garden of Gethsemane there was an altercation at the arrest of Jesus. In defense of the Lord, Simon Peter drew his sword and cut off the right ear of one of the temple guards who served the High Priest. All gospels report this but only John names
- [Afterlives, Chapter 3](https://nancorbittallen.com/afterlives-part-3/) - For Michelle Have you ever built a sandcastle? If so, hold that thought. I’ll come back to it later. Here’s the afterlife story I’ll focus on from John 8: As he (Jesus) was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They
- [Of Such Is the Kingdom](https://nancorbittallen.com/for-such-is-the-kingdom/) - Afterlives, Chapter 2 For Michelle I was blessed with two sons. Though they’re adults now with families of their own, I still remember many times their childlike behavior was endearing. As little boys, they each had their heroes. Mickey Mouse, MacGyver, Teenager Mutant Ninja Turtles, Luke Skywalker, and other unreal figures. Once when we went
- [Come and See](https://nancorbittallen.com/come-and-see/) - This past week our daughter-in-law passed away after fighting for almost five years with cancer. She asked me once if I could write something about Bible people who met Jesus and then were never the same. She and I decided to call it “Afterlives.” I’m just getting around to writing this, but I know that
- [The Mighty Right Hand](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-mighty-right-hand/) - “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 This is only one place of many in scripture that mentions God’s right hand. I’ve often wondered why this characteristic
- [I Know a Guy](https://nancorbittallen.com/i-know-a-guy/) - I have a feeling that if I hadn’t grown up in the Bible Belt, going to church every Sunday, learning Bible verses and influenced by the faith of my forefathers, I would be questioning God’s existence and work in the world constantly. I’ll admit I know so very little about faith; even though I embrace
- [Speak to Me](https://nancorbittallen.com/speak-to-me/) - How does God communicate with mere mortals? In the Old Testament, God’s voice was audible to some people. Samuel, for instance, heard God calling him in the middle of the night, and at first he didn’t recognize it. Finally, when it was clear that a human voice wasn’t calling him, he realized the direct communication
- [Play on Words](https://nancorbittallen.com/play-on-words/) - Have you ever felt like you’ve hit a brick wall? A dead end? Maybe it’s in a career path. Maybe in a relationship or a project. I find myself at this point in my writing journey. When I expressed that feeling to a friend, she asked me if I knew the difference between a dead
- [Delayed Response](https://nancorbittallen.com/delayed-response/) - On November 22, 1963, a headline read: “President Kennedy Slain By Assassin.” It was a history-changing event. Those of us who were alive then remember where we were when we heard the news. I was in 5th grade and the principal came into our class and called my teacher outside. Then it was announced that
- [What Do We Know?](https://nancorbittallen.com/what-do-we-know/) - It happens every four years. Well, not always. Sometimes it skips a year, but there’s an equation for that I have not committed to memory. Our planet takes roughly 365.25 days to orbit the sun. But not exactly. It takes Earth approximately 365.242189 days=365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds, to go around
- [NOTE TO SELF](https://nancorbittallen.com/note-to-self/) - My husband is a planner—a list maker. And I’m glad about that because for 50 years he has kept us on track and on time. Calendarizing our lives has been one of his greatest contributions to the family. Items such as “put out the trash,” “change the air filters,” “make reservation for____,” “have tires rotated.”
- [New Bible.com devotional plan.](https://nancorbittallen.com/new-bible-com-devotional-plan/) - Over the last few months, I've been writing for this app...Bible.com. You can subscribe to it and see my other devotional plans and hundreds of writers who have also contributed here. I have over 15,000 subscribers now and you're invited to be one of them. https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/43655-everything-i-know-i-learned I'm still writing: devotionals, nonfiction pieces and novels. Stay
- [The Traveling Band](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-traveling-band/) - They appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared into thin air. With the lack of facts about who they were and why they were a part of the scene surrounding the birth of Christ, many legends have grown through the centuries about the enigmatic wise men (also called the Magi). Here’s all we know from
- [Just in Time for Christmas](https://nancorbittallen.com/just-in-time-for-christmas/)
- [The Tradition Still Stands](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-tradition-still-stands-2/) - “All rise!” When a presiding judge enters a courtroom, the bailiff insists that we stand to our feet and remain standing until the judge is seated. This is out of respect for the dignity of the robe. We stand when we pledge allegiance to our flag and when we sing our national anthem out of
- [The Tradition Still Stands](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-tradition-still-stands/) - “All rise!” When a presiding judge enters a courtroom, the bailiff insists that we stand to our feet and remain standing until the judge is seated. This is out of respect for the dignity of the robe. We stand when we pledge allegiance to our flag and when we sing our national anthem out of
- [Merry Christmas](https://nancorbittallen.com/merry-christmas/) - My latest YouVersion plan has just gone live. Check out this 5 day devotional series. ] https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/42084-holy-night
- [My Latest Devotionals](https://nancorbittallen.com/my-latest-devotionals/) - My next plan on YouVersion has gone live. Check it out and follow me on this journey. Blessings to you all. https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/41634-for-all-shes-worth
- [Hidden Treasure](https://nancorbittallen.com/hidden-treasure/) - Before there was Amazon.com, there was the Sears and Roebuck catalog. Some of you remember it. The Big Book came early once a year and sometime in the fall the Christmas Wish Book would arrive. Oh, the joy! I would sit for hours and covet every item in there. That was our way, in my
- [Hang In, Hang On](https://nancorbittallen.com/hang-in-hang-on/) - Here in Middle Tennessee, we’ve had a lovely fall. The changing of the leaves has produced some beautiful vistas this year. Out our back door are a few deciduous trees. One tree, a maple, I think, was particularly lovely. Most afternoons, we’d sit outside and marvel at its beauty…until a strong wind sent most of
- [Count Your Blessings](https://nancorbittallen.com/count-your-blessings/) - In early 1941, our country was only a few months away from being drawn into World War II after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. President Roosevelt, in his State of the Union address, was adamant that the USA not cower to “war lords” or to the pagan interests of oppressive regimes. Strong language
- [Life Is Too Short...](https://nancorbittallen.com/life-is-too-short/) - Life Is Too Short… How would you finish that sentence? Here are some responses I found: “The only rule is don't be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in.” Paris Hilton “Life is too short to live on low-fat everything.” Actress Kristin Scott Thomas“Life is too short to
- [It Is Well](https://nancorbittallen.com/it-is-well/) - “Saved alone…” That’s the news on the telegram sent by a grieving wife to her husband, Horatio Spafford. Spafford was a successful lawyer in Chicago in the mid-1800’s. During the great Chicago fire of 1871, Spafford lost a lot of property he had owned. The stress of the loss prompted Horatio and his family to
- [True Heroes](https://nancorbittallen.com/true-heroes/) - What do people think about when they hear your name? Well, if your name is Sybil Ludington they probably look confused or shrug in indifference. But when your name is Paul Revere, images come to mind of a dramatic, solitary, heroic, midnight, horseback ride made to warn the American patriots that “the British are coming.”
- [Who's In Charge?](https://nancorbittallen.com/whos-in-charge/) - Who believes that our country is in trouble? Who thinks that the whole world is in chaos? These are rhetorical questions so no need to answer. I believe most of us feel as though the world is in a mess. Whenever I feel this way, I try to go to a place that is orderly.
- [The Soft Spot](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-soft-spot/) - I literally live in a war zone. Actually, my house sits on a Civil War battleground. I can see a large 19th century house called “Oaklawn” outside my back window. It is where Confederate General John Hood camped out with his soldiers on November 29, 1864. The war had raged for years, and both the
- [Teachers Rock!](https://nancorbittallen.com/teachers-rock/) - Mrs. Woodham was my second-grade teacher. She was kind and patient and would answer even the most childish questions. She was smart and she knew how to impart to her second graders the things they needed to know from the textbook and from many other sources. And when we disobeyed direct orders, she disciplined us.
- [See the Fox?](https://nancorbittallen.com/see-the-fox/) - There’s a fox in our neighborhood—maybe two. And I don’t mean that metaphorically. There’s a real red fox...roaming around. Do you know how I know this? Hearsay. I’ve never seen the fox even though there are many in the community who have seen it and even taken pictures of it. My husband has seen it,
- [A New Horizon](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-new-horizon/) - When I started this blog, it was 2012. Since then I’ve made almost 200 blog posts under 4 different categories. Now it’s time to “kick it up a notch,” as Emeril says. I felt led, back in the summer, to focus on my writing. I had been teaching others to write (which I loved and
- [The Spice of Life](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-spice-of-life-2/) - When was the last time you were looking for something and ended up finding something else—maybe something you thought was lost? I know I have. We were watching a TV show recently on historical world events. One of the topics, called “The Age of Discovery,” was about “The Silk Road.” Basically The Silk Road was
- [What Matters?](https://nancorbittallen.com/what-matters/) - Late 18th century British missionary to India, William Carey, translated during his life the entire Bible into six different languages and interpreted parts of it into 29 more languages and dialects. He was relentless in pursuit of his calling—to minister to people in a spiritually dark place. His life was not easy by any stretch of
- [It’s the Little Things](https://nancorbittallen.com/its-the-little-things/) - I almost cried when I saw them. I did do an audible gasp right there in the Winn Dixie. Imagine, me, a grown woman of advanced age ecstatic to see—unfrosted blueberry Pop Tarts. For years I have been searching store shelves and even the internet to find these delicious to-go breakfast pastries that I ate
- [An Uncertain Sound](https://nancorbittallen.com/an-uncertain-sound/) - Remember when churches had organs—pipe or electronic? They were often the mainstay of corporate worship. They still exist in some places, but not like in years past. My husband served many years ago as a music minister in a church that was located just outside a major American military base. Well, on some Sunday evenings,
- [The End of the Roll](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-end-of-the-roll/) - Remember when we used to put real film into real cameras? Those little rolls of celluloid that had “leaders” that you must load correctly into the camera, otherwise they wouldn’t wind right? And sometimes we realized that we had a few more frames left on a roll that we didn’t want to waste, so we
- [Why Sit Here…?](https://nancorbittallen.com/why-sit-here/) - There’s a great story in 2 Kings 7 about some lepers who sat outside the city gate day after day, existing on whatever crumbs they could beg. As outcasts because of their disease, they were not allowed inside. It seems that the city (Samaria, capital of Israel at the time) was surrounded by an enemy
- [I See You](https://nancorbittallen.com/i-see-you/) - I feel like I’m invisible sometimes—well, maybe more often than sometimes. I’ve walked up to an automatic door and had it not open for me. I’ve tried to use a motion-sensitive faucet and towel dispenser in a restroom with no response whatsoever. And with people I know, I can walk past them, and they don’t
- [A Wise Pursuit](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-wise-pursuit/) - Wisdom, Montana—Population 132—Elevation 6,000+feet. Last week, we were in Wisdom with some friends who live several miles away. I wondered, while there, how the town got its name. When I got home, I found out that Lewis and Clark got to this part of the “Great Unknown” (basically anything west of the Mississippi) and found
- [Hiding Places](https://nancorbittallen.com/hiding-places/) - Our oldest son was born checking out the world. Not crying much at all, but looking around at the newness of the delivery room. His inquisitive spirit was never dampened either. From the time he was mobile, he was intent on exploring his world. He’d crawl, he’d climb, he’d run…in fact, often
- [The Great Goose](https://nancorbittallen.com/1320-2/) - In my last blog post, I said I had not seen the fox that some say is roaming our neighborhood. And no, I still have not seen it. Yet. However, I see other wildlife regularly here in our community. There is a small lake at the entrance to the subdivision and, even in the dead
- [To Chase a Cheerio](https://nancorbittallen.com/to-chase-a-cheerio/) - For some, like me, cereal is a breakfast staple. I can’t help it. It’s just easy to fix and I like the taste. Some brands are even fortified with essential vitamins and minerals and, of course, milk is a basic and a necessary source of so many good things. Right? When I was a kid,
- [Hard Lessons and the Scars They Leave Behind.](https://nancorbittallen.com/hard-lessons-and-the-scars-they-leave-behind/) - A few weeks ago, I sliced the end of my finger off. Completely off. It bled and bled and bled. A lot. Anyway, when it started to heal (it’s almost there) I realized that the print on that finger will forever be changed. Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe not. Either way, it’s forever different
- [Two Halves Don’t Always Make a Whole](https://nancorbittallen.com/two-halves-dont-always-make-a-whole/) - Mike and Cindy met on a blind date. A mutual friend had set them up. The friend had told Mike a little bit about Cindy. He said, “She’s really beautiful, she’s smart, she’s sweet and I think you’d make a great couple. But,” he added, “she has really big feet and she’s quite sensitive about
- [Hop Out](https://nancorbittallen.com/hop-out/) - A modern urban myth, “The Frog in the Kettle” has been told many ways and for many purposes. But most agree that it is an allegory for life. The basic story goes that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it’ll jump out, but if the frog is put in lukewarm water and
- [Where Have All the Churches Gone?](https://nancorbittallen.com/where-have-all-the-churches-gone/) - Hey everyone. This is an article I wrote a while back and it was published in a couple of newspapers. However, I haven't ever shared it on my blog. Here goes: Where have all the flowers gone/Long time passing/ Where have all the flowers gone/Long time ago? Remember this protest song recorded by the trio
- [Where Did You Park?](https://nancorbittallen.com/where-did-you-park/) - Goofy 5. Mickey 10. These were rows of parking designations we used to find at Disney parks. There were signs with an iconic cartoon character on them and then a number so we could remember generally where we left our car when we entered. If we could remember that one character and that one number,
- [Patting Ourselves on the Back](https://nancorbittallen.com/patting-ourselves-on-the-back/) - I’m preparing to substitute teach a Sunday school class this week. The lesson is from 1 Kings 18 and 19. You may or may not know this story, and I’ll admit it isn’t one that I learned as a child. It is a great biblical story with a profound lesson, nonetheless. Elijah was a prophet
- [Words to Live By](https://nancorbittallen.com/words-to-live-by/) - Every year or so, a few of my friends from long ago reunite. We all grew up in the same small Southern town and have known each other since infancy. One of the last times we got together we reminisced about Friday night football games, Sunday morning church, family dinners, and pre-teen campouts, and we
- [Marco. Polo.](https://nancorbittallen.com/marco-polo/) - Remember the game Marco Polo? We played it at the pool almost every day of the long, hot summers in Southeast Alabama. It’s basically a call-and-response game—on land called Blind Man’s Bluff. The point is there’s an outcast, the “it,” who with eyes closed, calls out “Marco.” The others play by responding “Polo.” “It” must
- [Back to Oz](https://nancorbittallen.com/back-to-oz/) - I never saw the movie Wizard of Oz until I was a young adult. Not once. Even though the movie was released in theatres long before I was born, it would be shown on TV once a year on Wonderful World of Disney which happened on Sunday nights. But during my growing up years, we
- [Etched in Stone](https://nancorbittallen.com/etched-in-stone/) - Down here in the South, family is really important. That’s why family reunions are often major annual events. A few summers ago, I went to my family reunion in L.A. (Lower Alabama) held at the “mother church” where there was food (to the tenth power), hugs, kisses, and, for me, reacquaintance with long lost cousins.
- [<em>Small Potatoes and Tuesdays @ the Piggly Wiggly</em>](https://nancorbittallen.com/small-potatoes-and-tuesdays-the-piggly-wiggly/) - Small Potatoes and Tuesdays @ the Piggly Wiggly Several years ago I published a book by this title. It was a memoir that followed a thread of everyday happenings that impacted my life and the profound lessons learned. Today I start a new blog series with the same theme. Small Potatoes and Tuesdays @ the
- [17. The Ultimate Selfie: Getting to the Core, part 2 - FINAL CHAPTER](https://nancorbittallen.com/17-the-ultimate-selfie-getting-to-the-core-part-2-final-chapter/) - Hello readers. Thanks for following me and my journey into discovering who you really are. This is the last post in this series, but I plan to continue with the blog on another topic. Stay tuned. God bless you all! If you’re still confused about who you are, it may be that you don’t know
- [<a>16. Ultimate Selfie: Getting to the Core</a>](https://nancorbittallen.com/16-ultimate-selfie-getting-to-the-core-2/) - Let’s face it, during your lifetime… You will get older… You will get hurt…. You will be overlooked… You could lose your influence…. You could lose your security…. You could lose your passion… Then what? When your sense of worth is dependent on your appearance and youth, your intellect, your strength, your significant other, you
- [<strong>15. Ultimate Selfie Purpose 4: What We’ve Accomplished</strong>](https://nancorbittallen.com/15-ultimate-selfie-purpose-4-what-weve-accomplished/) - There are four purposes for posting selfies on social media—to show the world: 1) how we look, 2) who we’re with, 3) where we’ve been, or 4) what we’ve accomplished. This post begins the fourth item on that list: What We’ve Accomplished. Failure-to-success and rags-to-riches stories abound. Basketball great Michael Jordan tells audiences that he
- [<strong>14. Ultimate Selfie Purpose 3: Where We’ve Been</strong>](https://nancorbittallen.com/14-ultimate-selfie-purpose-3-where-weve-been/) - A great story in the New Testament is such a good example of Jesus’ power to forgive even the most heinous sins. When a woman, who was caught in the act of adultery, was brought to Jesus this is what He did: Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. When they
- [<a><strong>13. Ultimate Selfie Purpose 3: Where We’ve Been</strong></a>](https://nancorbittallen.com/13-ultimate-selfie-purpose-3-where-weve-been/) - There are four purposes for posting selfies on social media—to show the world: 1) how we look, 2) who we’re with, 3) where we’ve been, or 4) what we’ve accomplished. This post begins the third item on that list: Where We’ve Been Tropical sunsets. The Eiffel Tower. The Grand Canyon. A fancy restaurant. These are
- [12: Ultimate Selfie Purpose 2: Who We’re With](https://nancorbittallen.com/12-ultimate-selfie-purpose-2-who-were-with/) - “I’m from the other side of the tracks.” “I’m from a poor family.” “I don’t even know who my father is.” “I was an accident.” These are lies that we are often told that make us feel unwanted, unworthy, or devalued. A couple of young ladies that I know had been told similar lies. One
- [11. Ultimate Selfie Purpose 2: Who We’re With--All Alone on a Saturday Night…](https://nancorbittallen.com/ultimate-selfie-purpose-2-who-were-with-all-alone-on-a-saturday-night/) - …or for me it was a Sunday afternoon, and it was my birthday—my 19th birthday. It was one of the worst days of my life. I was a sophomore in college, and my dad had died a few months before, at the ripe ol’ age of 51. Everyone in our family was reeling from the
- [10. ULTIMATE SELFIE - Who We’re With: White-Picket-Fence-Syndrome](https://nancorbittallen.com/10-ultimate-selfie-who-were-with-white-picket-fence-syndrome/) - The cliché “beauty is only skin deep” was revised in my generation to add “but ugly is to the bone.” I heard a retort to news that a girl at my school had excelled academically to the point that she could skip a grade was, “Yeah, but she’s ugly and she’ll never get married.” What?
- [<strong>9. Ultimate Selfie-Purpose 2: Who We’re With</strong>](https://nancorbittallen.com/9-ultimate-selfie-purpose-2-who-were-with/) - Remember earlier in this series I proposed four purposes we find for posting selfies on social media—to show the world: 1) how we look, 2) who we’re with, 3) where we’ve been, or 4) what we’ve accomplished. This post begins the second item on that list: Who we’re with. Not long ago, at a conference,
- [<strong>8. Body of Lies, part 2</strong>](https://nancorbittallen.com/8-body-of-lies-part-2/) - The human body was built to change. We all know this. A healthy infant seems to grow almost overnight the first year; and for the rest of the human’s life, changes are inevitable. For all women, it seems, their bodies change with every birthday. Those changes are quite normal and part of the Intelligent Design
- [7. How We Look: Body of Lies](https://nancorbittallen.com/7-how-we-look-body-of-lies/) - When I was growing up, the Miss America Pageant was a big TV night. While my mother shampooed and pin-curled my hair for church the next day, the whole family watched the pageant. It was our chance to see the faraway (at least from South Alabama) glamorous Atlantic City and 50 of the country’s most
- [6. How We Look: part 3](https://nancorbittallen.com/6-how-we-look-part-3/) - The first time I saw Katherine, I was captivated. She was twenty-something, blonde, ever-perfect smile and a gregarious spirit. It was impossible not to like her. She and her husband, Jay, were friends of our 20-something son and daughter-in-law, and we learned more about her through our visits to the Los Angeles church where they
- [5. The Ultimate Selfie: How We Look-Part 2](https://nancorbittallen.com/5-how-we-look-part-2/) - The idea of what is beautiful varies from culture to culture. America has the largest cosmetic market in the world bringing in almost 54 billion dollars a year. Hair care products have long been hot in the marketplace, but now skin care has almost passed it in total revenue. Cosmetic surgery continues to grow as
- [<strong>4. The Ultimate Selfie: How We Look</strong>](https://nancorbittallen.com/4-the-ultimate-selfie-how-we-look/) - “Because I’m worth it.” That’s a slogan that was launched in the 1970s by the cosmetic line L’Oreal of Paris. The “revolutionary” idea was that women do indeed have fundamental value (which at that time was a rather novel idea); therefore, pampering ourselves with beauty products was a sign that we have discovered and deserve
- [2. Who Are You?](https://nancorbittallen.com/1044-2/) - Identity theft isn’t a new concept. It’s been around a long time and Satan is the instigator. It started on the sixth day of the creation sequence. “God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!”(Genesis 2:7) We were the
- [3. The ME Generation](https://nancorbittallen.com/3-the-me-generation/) - In the last 100 years, pollsters and sociologists have tried to classify generations of people—Americans in particular. One group, Pew Research Center, has categorized the generations this way: The Silent Generation—born between 1928-1945 The Baby Boomers – born between 1946-1964 Generation X – born 1965-1980 Millennials – born 1981-1996 Generation Z (or Post Millennials)– born
- [1. Introduction to Series: The Ultimate Selfie](https://nancorbittallen.com/introduction-to-series-the-ultimate-selfie/) - When was the last time you bought something with a stick-on price tag, got it home, and found out how almost impossible it is to get that price tag off? You soaked it, you rubbed it, you used fingernail polish remover and still a sticky residue remained. That’s the way we often feel about ourselves
- [What’s Your Excuse?](https://nancorbittallen.com/whats-your-excuse/) - “My dog ate my homework.” The well-worn classic grade school excuse. This present student generation has a new take on that: “My computer crashed and it didn’t save my paper.” (I've heard that one a lot from teaching college students.) Here are a couple of the excuses I hear when someone tries to explain why
- [Consider the Clock](https://nancorbittallen.com/consider-the-clock/) - “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1 We have a clock. Well, we used to have a clock in our bedroom. It was lovely and decorative and it was perfect for a blank space on our wall. However, as long as I can remember that clock
- [Don’t Steal My Thunder](https://nancorbittallen.com/dont-steal-my-thunder/) - I’m sure you’ve heard this phrase. It means to take someone else's idea, using it for your own advantage, or to preempt someone else’s rhetorical impact. (Another literary word for this is plagiarism, which, unfortunately, I see sometimes while grading college essays.) I digress. Most adages, like this one, have curious origins. This saying came
- [This Really Happened](https://nancorbittallen.com/this-really-happened/) - Years ago, when we were serving in a small country church, a lady stood up in the Wednesday night prayer meeting and requested prayer. It was not for herself, she said, but for Laura. Seems Laura was going through a difficult time and needed God’s touch. Well, the church member went on to describe Laura’s
- [Perfect Peace](https://nancorbittallen.com/perfect-peace/) - “I really enjoy reading your blob,” an elderly lady told me once. I thanked her, but didn’t correct her—that it was a “blog” and not a “blob.” But as I walked away that day I thought, “Maybe what I write is a blob. Just like my meandering thoughts, my writing sometimes comes across as a
- [What Can I Bring?](https://nancorbittallen.com/what-can-i-bring/) - I’m from the South and there are certain things that we say and do that are, well… uniquely southern. For instance, recently someone asked me to a meal at her house. I accepted and then immediately asked, “What can I bring?” I always ask this, and almost always, the answer is “Just bring yourself.” This
- [Unity vs. Harmony](https://nancorbittallen.com/unity-vs-harmony/) - I love music. Always have and always will. My mother told me that I could hum the tune to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” before I could talk. Part of my affection for the art is hereditary (my dad sang in a gospel quartet) and the other part is just an inborn ability that I was
- [What Do You Say?](https://nancorbittallen.com/what-do-you-say/) - I went out to eat this week. As the waiter handed me a menu, I thanked him. When he brought me my food, I thanked him. When he handed me the bill, I thanked him. And when I paid him, he thanked me. This exchange brought back the words of my parents. When I was
- [The Fear Not Factor](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-fear-not-factor/) - It was called Infantile Paralysis and though I don’t remember it, since I was only two years old, my sister and I actually had this virus—the virus we now know as polio. A few months after we had the virus, the vaccine became available and was distributed, subsequently eradicating the disease. Even though my sister
- [He’s Got This](https://nancorbittallen.com/hes-got-this/) - Just a few days ago, for almost a week, we were SNOWED in. As I write this, the temperature outside is a balmy 70. I recently saw a funny meme about our unpredictable weather here in Tennessee. It said our region actually has 12 seasons. They are, or so it says: WinterFool’s SpringSecond WinterSpring of
- [A Lesson in Futility](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-lesson-in-futility/) - The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile. Psalm 94:11 It’s winter. It’s cold. All of the deciduous trees in our yard are naked and much of the wildlife has either migrated or hunkered down to keep warm. Except the bluebirds. And a few sparrows. A couple of days ago, I was sitting in
- [The Real Thing](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-real-thing/) - I have several trinkets in my jewelry box. Most of them I hardly ever wear. I’ve never been much for baubles and dangly things anyway. But last Sunday, while I was getting ready for church, I had a few minutes to browse through my collection and find some “adornments” for the day. I had a
- [Pause to Refresh](https://nancorbittallen.com/pause-to-refresh/) - “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” (John 7: 37-38) The little South Alabama town where I grew up in the 1960s has a natural phenomenon that was responsible for some of my most delicious
- [Watch the Children](https://nancorbittallen.com/watch-the-children/) - I hear this phrase a lot. But one I’ve personally never used to refer to babysitting or keeping children. Watching them was not something I considered the essence of the assignment. I don’t know. I don’t think that just to hover over a child and observe them would be worthy of the job. Anyway. Recently
- [Hold the Fort](https://nancorbittallen.com/hold-the-fort/) - “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 Did you ever build a fort as a kid? Sure you did. Everybody did. Sometimes it was with your bed covers after you were supposed to be asleep. Sometimes it was a crude combination of various materials in the family room. It might have been a
- [Nobody’s Perfect](https://nancorbittallen.com/nobodys-perfect/) - He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29 We found a treasure chest in our garage. It was a small wooden box that looked like a miniature version of what pirates search for at the bottom of the sea. Inside this chest, we rediscovered lots and lots of coins
- [A Truly Silent Night](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-truly-silent-night/) - The Germans started it. The Great War, the War to End all Wars (now known to us as World War I) had been raging for five months in late 1914. On one side were Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and others. On the other was France, England, Russia, and later the United States and others.
- [A Charlie Brown Christmas](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-charlie-brown-christmas/) - I’ve been watching a lot of Christmas movies this season. It always helps me get in the Christmas spirit. One of my favorite movies is A Charlie Brown Christmas. This season there was talk of taking this movie off the market (streaming and network showings). Too religious, they said. Too “old school” they said. But
- [HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS](https://nancorbittallen.com/home-for-the-holidays/) - “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10) If you are traveling by airplane for the holidays, this story might have more significance than others. Man had been fascinated with flight since the beginning of time. As far back as the ancient Chinese in
- [Following the Dust](https://nancorbittallen.com/following-the-dust/) - Recently on a family vacation, I took my first ride in a UTV(utility task vehicle) which is a four-wheeler two-seater version of an open off-road recreational vehicle. We (Dennis and I) had helmets, goggles, masks, seatbelts, and much trepidation as we were instructed to trail a line of other UTVs ahead of us. We were
- [Poof! Just like that.](https://nancorbittallen.com/poof-just-like-that/) - All people are like grass and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. (Isaiah 40: 6) Did I mention that I love fall? I really do. The colors, the crisp air, even the pouty overcast days are wonderful in my opinion. Last week, my husband and I were on our back porch watching
- [Ties That Bind](https://nancorbittallen.com/ties-that-bind/) - First, forgive me for my silence on this blog. I haven’t forgotten my readers or my mission. I just took a little break to teach some of what I know about creative writing to college students. Although Dennis and I are retired from our full-time jobs, we’re still teaching online. Now I have more mental
- [Like A Robert Redford Double Take](https://nancorbittallen.com/like-a-robert-redford-double-take/) - Even a child is known by his doings… Proverbs 20:11 Everyone is known for something. A physical attribute. A personality trait. A character element. A power. A weakness. A quirkiness. A good or bad deed. When someone you know is mentioned in conversation, you might think or say, “Oh, he’s that guy/girl who...” Well, I
- [The Apple of His Eye](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-apple-of-his-eye/) - Keep me as the apple of Your eye;Hide me in the shadow of Your wings… (Psalms 17: 8) It’s fall—and it’s also my favorite time of year. The crisp air makes it perfect for viewing the changing leaves and sitting by the fire—and buying freshly harvested apples. I love apples. My favorites are Arkansas Blacks and Stayman Winesap.
- [Know It All](https://nancorbittallen.com/know-it-all/) - “Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God’s fool—that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid.” (1 Cor. 1:18-21 The Message) I overheard a conversation recently between a mother and her (approximately ) 8-year-old son. SON: Mom, do you know
- [Just Whistlin'](https://nancorbittallen.com/just-whistlin/) - I’m a whistler. I admit it. But I come by it honestly. My dad was a whistler, too. In fact, the family could locate him in the house or in the yard just by following the sound. Maybe he’d be rendering a Southern Gospel tune, a hymn, or a ‘40s classic, but we always knew
- [Everything I Learned About Friendship...](https://nancorbittallen.com/everything-i-learned-about-friendship/) - …I learned from the Ya-Yas. Not from the Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, although that’s a fine read. I’m referring to my own self-named group of oldest and dearest friends. See, when I was 4 years old, our family moved from one small South Alabama town to another 40 miles away.
- [The Most Powerful Place in the World](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-most-powerful-place-in-the-world/) - Disneyland might the happiest place on earth, but the home is by far the most powerful place. I’m working on the book version of this blog and the more I read and study on the concepts and developments of self-worth, the more I realize that this is true. The home holds great power. Here’s a
- [The Ebb and Flow of Influence](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-ebb-and-flow-of-influence/) - It’s hard to say which was the most traumatic—when my first son left for college or when the last son flew the nest. Since I only have two children, I didn’t get the comparison of middle child attrition. When number one son left, I grieved for weeks. Part of the sadness was because, well, he
- [The Ultimate Selfie](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-ultimate-selfie/) - Recently I had my college English composition students write “process” essays that describe a how-to situation. One of the topic options I gave them was “How to Take an Amazing Selfie.” From those who chose that topic, I learned a lot of valuable information on how to make myself, LIKE, look AMAZING to LIKE my
- [AM I OLD? MAYBE NOT!](https://nancorbittallen.com/am-i-old-maybe-not/) - I asked my college English Composition classes recently to write definitions of abstract concepts, like “love, success, and home.” I got some interesting and insightful answers. Then I asked them to define “respect.” At least one-third of them mentioned how it applies to revering and honoring the elderly (like me). I asked them why they
- [I Feel Old](https://nancorbittallen.com/i-feel-old/) - This is Barbie if she had aged normally. Back in the 70s there was a Clairol hair dye commercial that said, “You're Not Getting Older—You're Getting Better," and the ad went on to imply that even though I was getting older, I could look younger if I used their product.
- [Tears to Joy](https://nancorbittallen.com/tears-to-joy/) - My friend, Dr. Natalie Flake Ford, a faculty member in the School of Psychology and Biblical Counseling here at Truett McConnell University, has experienced heartache in her life that has led to struggles with self-worth. I asked her to write about her experience with her husband’s suicide and she graciously agreed. Thanks, Natalie! “Can you
- [A Crying Baby on An Airplane = A Bad Mom](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-crying-baby-on-an-airplane-a-bad-mom/) - A toddler throwing a tantrum in the grocery store = a bad mom. A teen who breaks the rules or the law = a bad mom. An adult child who abandons the faith and your moral standards=bad mom. Those of us who have been blessed with children have felt like failures when our kids
- [The Mommy Factor](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-mommy-factor/) - When I began this blog For All She’s Worth, I mentioned that the inspiration for the content came from my reading 1 Peter 3:6. We are Sarah’s daughters, it says. (Sarah of biblical fame, of course.) Like many people, I wanted to know a little bit about my ancestry, so, if I’m Sarah’s daughter, then
- [“Take a Pill and Call Me in the Morning”](https://nancorbittallen.com/768-2/) - In my last post, I admitted to battling clinical depression for the last few years, and that my exhaustive search for answers led me to a certain medication and to a deeper prayer life. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback on the subject, but I know that there have to be some negative
- [Pardon My French...](https://nancorbittallen.com/pardon-my-french/) - …but I always called it “The Whiny-Butt Disease.” To me, people who suffered from depression were just chronic complainers, especially the women. They were spoiled “delicate flowers” whose basic constitution was fueled by neediness. They were just demanding attention. They were crippled by their own insecurities. They had “daddy” issues or whatever. It was
- [Half...and Half](https://nancorbittallen.com/half-and-half/) - As I was preparing to sing at a friend’s funeral this week, I was reminded that the loss of a spouse to death is something I’ve never experienced (thank God!). Neither have I been divorced nor lived an adult life without a spouse. (Again, thank God!) So, I can only imagine the despair that losing
- [When the Glass Slipper Falls Off](https://nancorbittallen.com/when-the-glass-slipper-falls-off/) - Several years ago, two of my friends, Karla and Claire, wrote a great book entitled When the Glass Slipper Doesn’t Fit or When the Silver Spoon is in Someone Else’s Mouth. These were real life experiences that explored the notion that life doesn’t always turn out the way we plan. I love the book and
- [White Picket Fence Syndrome](https://nancorbittallen.com/white-picket-fence-syndrome/) - At the dinner table one night I, as a young teen, was sharing news that a girl at school had excelled academically to the point that she could skip a grade. The response? “Yeah, but she’s ugly and she’ll never get married.” What? This message screamed at me. In fact, it was ingrained in me
- [No Cake for You](https://nancorbittallen.com/no-cake-for-you/) - Birthdays were always big deals in my growing up years. Always a party. Always presents. Always cake. Since my mother wasn’t very good at baking the traditional layer cake, she would bake her sure-thing pound cake and put the traditional white icing with pink and green decorations on the outside. Of course, everybody knows that
- [Hall of Mirrors](https://nancorbittallen.com/hall-of-mirrors/) - Statistics[i] show that one fourth of the women in America have been sexually molested as children. Though nowadays there are laws and groups that are supposed to protect children from such abuse, it is still rampant primarily because most children do not tell anyone about it – ever. Sometimes there is disclosure but many years
- [You've Changed!](https://nancorbittallen.com/youve-changed/) - When I was helping plan a 30-year college sorority reunion a few years back, one of my “sisters” declined the invitation saying that she had gained 30 pounds since college and didn’t feel good about herself. She was ashamed of her body, she said. Thirty pounds in thirty years. I assured her that we had
- [Body of Lies](https://nancorbittallen.com/body-of-lies/) - When I was growing up, the Miss America Pageant was a big TV night. While my mother pin-curled my hair for church the next day, the whole family watched the pageant. It was our chance to see the faraway (at least from South Alabama) glamorous Atlantic City and 50 of the country’s most beautiful girls.
- [Beauty Power](https://nancorbittallen.com/beauty-power/) - “Social media may be fueling plastic surgery trends, docs warn.” This was a headline on my news feed this morning. The article says, “…in 2017, 42 percent of plastic surgeons from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) reported patients sought cosmetic procedures to look better in selfies, Instagram, and Snapchat.”[i] I was outraged
- [Keeping Up Appearances](https://nancorbittallen.com/keeping-up-appearances/) - “Because I’m worth it.” That’s a slogan that was launched in the 1970’s by the cosmetic line L’Oreal of Paris. The “revolutionary” idea was that women do indeed have intrinsic value; therefore, pampering themselves with beauty products is a sign that they have discovered and deserve the right to flaunt that worth. The TV ad was born
- [INTRODUCTION](https://nancorbittallen.com/introduction-2/) - I believe that every person is born with two price tags. One, placed by its Creator, is indelible as if tattooed on its soul. It says, “priceless,” “immeasurable,” “precious.” This price tag cannot be removed or altered. It is permanent. The other tag can fluctuate wildly—especially in women. Most of the time, this variable can
- [A New Thang](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-new-thang/) - For my faithful readers, let me say "thank you" for following my blog over the past 5+ years. Chasing Bimini was my theme and the point of the over 100 entries was catharsis--meaning they were just so I could vent—an attempt to get something off my chest. So many of you were kind in responding with encouragement
- [I Got Nothing](https://nancorbittallen.com/i-got-nothing/) - What do you say when you feel you have nothing to say? That’s the question I’ve asked myself for the last several months, and why I haven’t posted anything on this blog for so long. Forgive me. It’s not that my life has been uneventful. A lot has happened. Within the last few months all
- [My View From Here](https://nancorbittallen.com/my-view-from-here/) - Mountaintop. Most of the time we use this term to describe highpoints of life—the pinnacles of emotion, the successes in life. It is often accompanied by feelings of euphoria. So then the valley often describes loneliness, despair—the pits! But I see those terms differently now. For three years, we literally lived on a mountaintop--Leadpole Mountain.
- [This Little Light of Mine](https://nancorbittallen.com/this-little-light-of-mine/) - We couldn’t have found a better light show if we had been in New York City, on the mall in Washington D.C. or on Main Street at DisneyWorld. On July 4th, we were with our sons and their families in a suburban Nashville subdivision. Just after dark we began feeling the percussive presence of fireworks,
- [THE LEAGUE](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-league/) - I teach a class in Creative Writing: Nonfiction at the college. This is the first time it’s ever been taught at the school; it’s the first time I’ve ever taught it, although I did take the class as a part of my master’s degree. The class is small—only three students—all seniors and all male. Among
- [The Roar and Silence of a Crowd](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-roar-and-silence-of-a-crowd/) - Two events were separated by 15 hours and less than two miles, and I attended (and thoroughly enjoyed) them both. Last Friday night, we went to hear the Atlanta Symphony pay musical tribute to film score composer extraordinaire John Williams. It was an incredible experience! Then Saturday, we went to Bobby Dodd Stadium to watch
- [Anyway](https://nancorbittallen.com/anyway/) - Simple. It was one of the words I heard used often during a recent weekend spent with old friends from high school. “Those were simple times.” “We had simple goals.” “I simply loved that moment in my life.” As my friends and I reminisced about Friday night football games, Sunday morning church, family dinners, and
- [Life Is A Mist](https://nancorbittallen.com/life-is-a-mist/) - Almost every morning I open my bedroom curtains and behold the magnificent layers of mountains, hills, and valleys that seem to go on forever. However, sometimes like this morning, a thick fog is hanging across my backdrop, and I can see nothing but a white mist. Thank goodness most of the time the fog doesn’t
- [Taking the Plunge](https://nancorbittallen.com/taking-the-plunge/) - It’s been a hot summer here in the North Georgia Mountains. At times during the heat I resurrected and relished memories of the place where, as a child, I learned to swim. It was called Lake Geneva, a public entertainment complex just out of the city limits with a pool that was fed by the
- [Bimini Found!](https://nancorbittallen.com/bimini-found/) - There were two speeds. Slow and comatose. Two temperatures. Hot and hot with a breeze. In my original post in this blog “Chasing Bimini”, which began February 2012, I introduced the notion that I had been looking for the perfect destination in life for a long time. I imagined that place to be Bimini, which at first I
- [Oh, the Lessons of Summer!](https://nancorbittallen.com/oh-the-lessons-of-summer/) - It’s that time again! Churches all over the globe are planning an event we know as Vacation Bible School. VBS (as it’s been called for over a century in America) is alive and well, and still doing what it was originally designed to do: teach children the Bible. I fondly remember VBS at my home
- [Celebrate in Real Time](https://nancorbittallen.com/celebrate-in-real-time/) - A TV ad in the '80's for instant coffee instructed us to “Celebrate the Moments of Our Lives.” I’ve never been a fan myself of the drink mix they advertised, but I still like their slogan—and I’m learning how to celebrate “moments” as I’ve gotten older. Last weekend, I celebrated the receipt of my Master’s degree
- [Running to Keep Up](https://nancorbittallen.com/running-to-keep-up/) - I was a late bloomer. When and where I started to school there was no public kindergarten, so my first school experience was first grade. I began in Florida where children had to be six-years-old by January 1st in order to be eligible. My early December birthday made me a candidate. But when I began
- [Good and Faithful Servant](https://nancorbittallen.com/good-and-faithful-servant/) - I was in the 6th grade when my daddy summoned me out of Sunday School class one Sunday. I thought I was in trouble! Waiting out in the hallway was Bro. Dewitt Pickering, the minister of music at my church, and he said he needed a favor. The main pianist had called in sick and
- [Beginning of the End](https://nancorbittallen.com/beginning-of-the-end/) - On February 9th I started my last class for my master’s degree in English and Creative Writing. The class is a capstone in which I will write and submit my master’s thesis. Students in the class have a choice of constructing an anthology of adapted writings already submitted in this program with additional cohesive transitions,
- [Hiding In the Dark](https://nancorbittallen.com/hiding-in-the-dark/) - It happened AGAIN! A few months ago I wrote about losing my purse. For hours I had searched and searched and searched all over my house. I knew it was here but somehow it wasn’t to be found. Unfortunately my cell phone was in my pocket and not in its usual pouch in my purse,
- [My Blind Spot](https://nancorbittallen.com/my-blind-spot/) - The retina specialist warned me that the longer the name of the disease the less doctors know about it. That was right before he told me that I had Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy—a paracentral scotoma. Yeah. Me neither. Basically it’s a blind spot. Caused by the stoppage of blood flow to a small part of my
- [An Old Word for a New Year](https://nancorbittallen.com/an-old-word-for-a-new-year/) - When Dennis and I got married, one of us (I think it was him) had a poster that we hung on the wall of our first apartment (…it was the ‘70’s). The poster was of a poem called “Desiderata.” I had forgotten about it until recently Dennis mentioned it, so I looked up the source
- [The Perfect Stranger](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-perfect-stranger/) - Forty years ago today, I married a total stranger. I know, most people say they married “their best friend” but Dennis and I can’t make that claim. We had only known each other for six months and half of that time we lived in different states. So, though we weren’t total strangers we had a
- [Stepping Out, Ringing Out](https://nancorbittallen.com/stepping-out-ringing-out/) - I’m really stepping out of my comfort zone! I used to play the piano okay in my youth, but since I married an excellent pianist 40 years ago, I haven’t had the need to play much—until now. I made the mistake of telling Dr. Becky Lombard who teaches piano at Truett-McConnell College, that Dennis and I
- [I'm a Happy, Happy, Happy Meal](https://nancorbittallen.com/im-a-happy-happy-happy-meal/) - Last weekend Dennis and I were part of a songwriters’ retreat. On Friday morning we were given an assignment – to quietly, individually read a very familiar story and then to answer a few questions that would lead back to the group discussion on spiritual disciplines. Here’s the story we were to read from Luke
- [So Close and Yet...](https://nancorbittallen.com/so-close-and-yet/) - I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have 3 more classes to take to finish my master’s – 15 hours to go out of the required 36. Trust me, I’m counting down every one. (By the way, I should graduate May 2015 with a Master of Arts in English
- [Cheap Substitutes](https://nancorbittallen.com/cheap-substitutes/) - As a newlywed (almost 40 years ago) I wanted so much to excel in my role as wife. Having grown up on the “Leave To Beaver” model, I desired to learn to be the domestic goddess that June Cleaver would be proud of – minus the string of pearls, the fitted shirtwaist dress with matching
- [A Real Good, Feel Good Place](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-real-good-feel-good-place/) - (Not long after we moved here, I was asked to submit stories and articles for the White County News, the local weekly newspaper here in Cleveland. Many times I will re-purpose my “Chasing Bimini” blog and they publish it. This week I decided to write something specifically for them. So, now I'm going the other way - sharing this
- [Give Of Your Best](https://nancorbittallen.com/give-of-your-best/) - A couple of generations ago, it wasn’t unusual that payment for goods and services was done in trade. In fact, I’ve heard that my grandfather who was a pastor, a schoolteacher, and an insurance agent occasionally got paid in chickens – live chickens. That tradition has pretty much since died out officially. (Now we have direct
- [Watch This!](https://nancorbittallen.com/watch-this/) - “Hey Nana, watch this!” If I heard that phrase once over the last two weeks, I’ve heard it a hundred times. Most of my blog buddies know that our sons live on either ends of the country and we live in Georgia, so it’s rare when we all get together. Over the Fourth of July
- [Distant Rumble](https://nancorbittallen.com/distant-rumble/) - It’s hard to find a church these days that has an organ in its sanctuary. I miss that sound sometimes. Forty years ago, however, every church had an organ of some kind. Some were the big pipe organs but most of them were small electronic ones. It was with this kind of organ that our
- [The Little Things](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-little-things/) - My daddy was a banker all of my life. And in our little South Alabama town the bank was closed on Thursdays – all day - and half a day on Saturdays. (In fact, the whole town closed down on Thursdays if I remember correctly.) Anyway, if Daddy was going to go fishing (which he
- [The Healing Power of Time](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-healing-power-of-time/) - Sixteen days ago my husband, Dennis, had his left knee joint replaced. The second one will be done in July. What took years to create such damage through arthritis, and what took an hour to surgically replace (yes, an hour with a marvelous surgeon) is now taking weeks to heal. Oh he’s doing great –
- [My D 'n' E](https://nancorbittallen.com/my-d-n-e/) - I haven’t played in a hand bell choir in many years, but when a Truett student asked me to sub in to the campus bell choir he directs, I had to agree. (I don’t think I was his first choice – maybe his last, but I digress.) It was assigned bells D5 and E5 and
- [They're Back!](https://nancorbittallen.com/theyre-back/) - Remember the squirrels? The ones from last blog? Yeah, those squirrels - the ones that tore three holes in our screens to help themselves to birdseed left on the porch? Yeah, those screens. The ones we spent most of a Saturday replacing? Well, either we dreamed we replaced the screens or the critters came back
- [Consider the Squirrel](https://nancorbittallen.com/consider-the-squirrel/) - I had an altercation with a squirrel yesterday. He (or she), with the help of some buddies I guess, had gnawed through the screen on our back porch and helped themselves to some birdseed that we had mistakenly left there. We returned from out of town to find the aftermath - seed scattered everywhere, big
- [The Balance](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-balance/) - Typing Class kept me out of the Beta Club in high school. The standard for getting into the club was pretty stiff. You had to make all A’s one semester and then maintain an A/B average for the rest of your high school career. (We didn’t keep grade point averages way back then.) The only
- [I Know That Voice](https://nancorbittallen.com/i-know-that-voice/) - There was a story in my master’s class required reading about a modern-day shepherd intern whose job was to take a large flock of sheep up into the mountains for better water and grazing during the hot, dry summer months. The shepherd learned that during this mountain journey, lambs are still quite small and often
- [Gingerbread World](https://nancorbittallen.com/gingerbread-world/) - Our first snow of the season came yesterday around noon and lasted all day. It wasn’t a blizzard; just slow and steady – creating an optic white plush blanket over our world. This morning the white against the brown wood of our deck looks so much like a gingerbread village that I can’t help but
- [It Was There All the Time!](https://nancorbittallen.com/it-was-there-all-the-time/) - One day last week I looked for my purse for over an hour. It wasn’t that I needed to go out somewhere – a trip that would require car keys and a driver’s license that permanently reside in the purse. I was merely looking for something else that I was sure I had placed there.
- [Time Warp](https://nancorbittallen.com/time-warp/) - It was torturous but it was necessary. The week before Christmas I found myself engaged in my least favorite activity of all things- waiting in a long, slow-moving check out line at a department store. I had to get those last minute items for the holidays and this was the only time and place to
- [Mistletoe Kisses!](https://nancorbittallen.com/mistletoe-kisses/) - On our drive home from Nashville this weekend, I couldn’t help lamenting (again) the barrenness of the deciduous trees along the way. But then I started to notice the plentiful clusters of mistletoe in many of those trees. Then I remembered my daddy shooting down the mistletoe every Christmas from an old oak tree in
- [Uncommon Ground](https://nancorbittallen.com/uncommon-ground/) - What do a clothespin, a half-used tube of toothpaste, a nightlight bulb, a rubber sink stopper, and a golf ball have in common? Nothing that I can see. Recently I was searching for something, which I still haven’t found, and there they were – these five seemingly random items waiting patiently in a drawer. Being
- [Depth Perception](https://nancorbittallen.com/depth-perception/) - I love the fall. And up here on Leadpole Mountain it’s been especially gorgeous. The locals say that the weather conditions haven’t been ideal this year to produce great foliage colors, but you won’t hear me complain. I can’t imagine a prettier view than the one from my back deck overlooking the Nacoochee Valley and
- [Night Visitors](https://nancorbittallen.com/night-visitors/) - Up here in the beautiful north Georgia mountains I have God moments everyday – several times a day, in fact. The Nacoochee Valley is turning into a patchwork quilt that, like I predicted, Yonah –our signature mountain - would soon pull up around her before winter. The leaves are slower to turn this year, the
- [Demise of the Meat and Three](https://nancorbittallen.com/demise-of-the-meat-and-three/) - I just got up from a dinner meal that I cooked for my hubby and myself. It consisted of meat and a side. (There was a dipping sauce for the meat but I would never count that as a side – only a compliment.) Somewhere in the middle of the meal I realized that something
- [Lady Yonah](https://nancorbittallen.com/lady-yonah/) - She slept in this morning, (it was a little foggy) but she is usually up long before I am. Every morning she greets me and in the evening she signs off promising to see me again in the morning. Throughout each day we smile at each other just because we can. Her face is turned
- [Readers Beware](https://nancorbittallen.com/readers-beware/) - Last Monday I started my first class on a long road to my Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing. I got a good grade on my first assignment, so now my readers should prepare to be WOW-ED! The textbook for this class is entitled Rhetorical Grammar and as you might imagine…it…is…riveting. And after just
- [Back To Mayberry](https://nancorbittallen.com/back-to-mayberry/) - If you’ve been following this blog for while, you might remember a post I made early on about the small town I grew up in. Geneva, AL. It was a wonderful place to grow up. It was my “Mayberry”. For those of you too young to remember The Andy Griffith Show on TV in the
- [Under Yonder](https://nancorbittallen.com/under-yonder/) - We’ve had a lot of rain this summer in the Deep South. And, of course, we’ve complained about it – as much as we complained about the summers of drought. And on those days when intense storms would announce their approach with dark, ominous clouds hovering above the horizon, I’d think of my grandmother
- [Gettin' All The Good](https://nancorbittallen.com/gettin-all-the-good/) - Bazooka Bubble Gum used to cost a penny a piece. And it had a comic strip inside the wrapper! As a kid I could make a quarter’s worth last several days. Of course, I’d chew each piece until it vulcanized in my mouth before I’d spit it out or add another. I wanted to make
- [The Spice of Life](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-spice-of-life/) - The count down has begun! In less than two weeks we’ll be making the big move. After 26 years in the same city, we’ll be heading out for our newest frontier – North Georgia! But before we drive away there’s still a lot to do. Packing! Most of it is done but there are a
- [X Doesn’t Always Mark the Spot](https://nancorbittallen.com/x-doesnt-always-mark-the-spot/) - It’s amazing what you find when you pack up your belongings to move. “Hidden treasures” rise out of nowhere and with each one rediscovered comes one of three usual responses: 1. “So, that’s where that went…” 2. “What is this anyway?” 3. “Ah…remember this?” The first two responses are usually followed with the immediate disposal
- [Flying High](https://nancorbittallen.com/flying-high/) - When I was a kid I got the idea (probably from Highlights magazine or from Weekly Reader) to build my own kite. And in the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer with nothing better to do, I tried it. I gathered the suggested materials - lightweight paper and balsa wood, strong nylon string and light
- [Neither Here Nor There](https://nancorbittallen.com/393/) - Anybody remember the Limbo? It was a dance-game we used to play at parties when I was a kid. Participants would bend over backwards so they could scoot under a horizontal stick held off the ground - all without touching the stick or falling on their backsides. (We played this after we tired of Twister
- [The Little Pirate](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-little-pirate/) - I never meant for it to happen. In fact, I had guarded against it. I never wanted to totally give my heart to even one more person. My world was perfect. My heart was full. But at first sight of my first grandchild, a girl no less (five years ago today, June 14th) I caved.
- [Hurry Up and Wait](https://nancorbittallen.com/hurry-up-and-wait/) - A boy named Jim shot me in the leg with a BB gun when I was ten. I dared him to do it - not to shoot me - but to try and shoot my bike tires as I rode by him really fast. We had nothing better to do on a fine, long summer
- [True Love](https://nancorbittallen.com/true-love/) - Ah, the Emerald Coast of Florida. How I love thee! I’m sorry. I tend to wax poetic when I’m at the beach. I can’t help it. It affects me mightily from beginning to end of each trip and then some. With the first whiff of heavy salt air, my blood pressure and heart rate reduce
- [Time…That Old Deceiver](https://nancorbittallen.com/timethat-old-deceiver/) - It was a regular Sunday morning and the church did what it usually did…gather for corporate worship at 11 o’clock. Traditionally at the high and holy hour, the organist would chime eleven times while the choir entered the loft just before they were to sing the “call to worship”. For years the timing had worked
- [Don't Let Go](https://nancorbittallen.com/dont-let-go/) - April 18, 1972 – 41 years ago today I faced life’s first curve ball. It was a Tuesday evening and I was in my freshman college dorm room getting ready to go to a Bible study. My roommate and hometown friend, Patti, got a phone call. She said very little, hung up the phone, and
- [Off the RADAR](https://nancorbittallen.com/off-the-radar/) - It’s actually an acronym. R Adio Detection And Ranging RADAR systems use radio waves to determine the presence and location of certain objects. They are used today mostly to track aircraft, ships, and even weather. However, RADAR doesn’t have a long history. The technology was just coming into practical use by the military late into
- [I'll Be Seeing You](https://nancorbittallen.com/ill-be-seeing-you/) - Wednesday was tough. After almost a year of having the grandkids and their parents living with us, the book closed on that chapter of our lives when we put them all on a plane where they will spend the next three months traveling and working in Europe. After that, they plan to move back to
- [Are You As Wise As A 5th Grader?](https://nancorbittallen.com/are-you-as-wise-as-a-5th-grader/) - At the end of almost every school year my sons would bring home a sack full of miscellaneous art masterpieces, essays and worksheets that they had created throughout the year. I don’t know why the teachers sent these treasures home on the last day instead of during the year, but most of the time they
- [A Fine Tune](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-fine-tune/) - The first TV Dennis and I ever bought in early marriage was really state-of-the-art at the time. It was color, had an on-and-off button instead of a knob, and it weighed a ton. No remote control, of course. We changed the channels by getting up, walking to the set and turning the dial to the
- [Into the Wind](https://nancorbittallen.com/into-the-wind/) - They’re loud and demanding and messy. I AM NOT talking about my grandchildren. I’m talking about seagulls. Last week we were on the Gulf Coast of Florida taking a few days of R & R before we were to lead a choir retreat nearby. We spent a couple of days just sitting on the beach
- [That's Just Crazy](https://nancorbittallen.com/thats-just-crazy/) - Ladies and Gentlemen…children of all ages…. We went to the circus Saturday – THE circus - Ringling Brothers/Barnum and Bailey Circus at the arena in Nashville. It was truly the “Greatest Show On Earth”, at least by my standards. The grandkids seemed to be appropriately entertained. But it was we, the four adults, who were
- [Harold](https://nancorbittallen.com/harold/) - Yesterday, my 4-year-old granddaughter pulled me close and whispered, “Nana, I love God”. It truly warmed my heart to hear her say it. And then she added, “Both of ‘em”. I was a little confused. “What do you mean by 'both of ‘em'? There’s only one God.” She answered, “You know, God and Jesus”. Oh.
- [I Read Someone Else’s Mail](https://nancorbittallen.com/i-read-someone-elses-mail/) - When I was in school, especially in the upper grades, we learned how to write letters. I remember practicing writing different kinds of letters, formal and informal, noting where the heading, the date, the address, the body, the salutation, and the signature went on the page. Unfortunately, the use of written letters, stamped and sent
- [Not a Creature Was Stirring](https://nancorbittallen.com/not-a-creature-was-stirring/) - “A mere trifle.” That’s how Clement Clarke Moore referred to the little poem he wrote for his children on Christmas Eve, 1822. Initially titled “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” it has become known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” or sometimes “The Night Before Christmas”. Clement Clarke Moore was a brilliant scholar who, after earning
- [The Best Gift of All](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-best-gift-of-all/) - Her name was Marlena and she was introduced to me on the first of the school year (3rd grade, I think). She and her family lived in a rental house right next to the elementary school. She must have moved away after that year because I can’t remember her in any of the other grades.
- [Scene Changers](https://nancorbittallen.com/scene-changers/) - I found Baby Jesus in my Christmas stocking this morning. Not the real One, of course, but the one that had been missing for a couple of days from my tabletop Fontanini nativity scene. I’m pretty sure the one who put it there was my 4 ½ year old granddaughter, Brileigh. I’m letting the grandchildren
- [Some Nerve](https://nancorbittallen.com/some-nerve/) - I never thought of Dr. Z (short for Zimmerman) as a man with a sense of humor. As our dentist for over 25 years, he was always quiet and unassuming. Soft spoken. Small hands. This morning I was sitting in his chair for him to affix a new crown on my 2nd molar and he
- [The Midterm](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-midterm/) - This was a test. I’m sure of it. A couple of weeks ago I got an email saying that the internal hard drive that came with my year-old computer was being recalled. Some defect that could make it potentially crash was a possibility. I was instructed to back up my hard drive to an external
- [Here An Hour, There An Hour](https://nancorbittallen.com/here-an-hour-there-an-hour/) - Spring forward. Fall back. I don’t get it. I’ve never really understood why we observe Daylight Saving Time, but like almost everybody else in the world, I’ve observed it every year. This fall (when I changed all the clocks in the house – again) I decided to do some research to find out where this
- [Masquerade](https://nancorbittallen.com/masquerade/) - Halloween. It’s the only time of year that we’re not only allowed, but encouraged to pretend to be someone else. No matter what you think of the idea of Halloween because of its pagan origins, you have to admit it’s fun to dress up and pretend to be someone else just for one night. You’re
- [Deciduous](https://nancorbittallen.com/deciduous/) - That’s the word for today. (Yeah, it’s another word that my husband with the master’s degree brought to my attention.) It came to his mind as we were traveling the circuitous roads of North Georgia last week. Deciduous, which means "falling off at maturity", is mostly used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose
- [Circuitous](https://nancorbittallen.com/circuitous/) - Circuitous. It’s a cool word. Dennis used it one day and I had to look it up. (He has a Master’s degree and I don’t.) Anyway, I like the word but I haven’t found a good way to use it in ordinary conversation. But I will use it here to impress my readers as I
- [Smitty](https://nancorbittallen.com/smitty/) - It’s October 5th as I begin writing this - my mother’s birthday. Though she’s been gone for over 20 years I still think of her often and especially on this day. My mother was a plainspoken, simple lady. Not simple as in not smart, but simple as in she wasn’t complicated. No pretense. No frills.
- [A New Day, A New Way](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-new-day-a-new-way/) - It’s a sign of the times. A few nights ago, I was out on our deck looking at a bright crescent moon with my granddaughter, Brileigh, age 4. I said, “Look at the moon. Isn’t it beautiful?” She looked for a moment and answered, “Yeah, but where’s the little boy that sits in the moon
- [Crimson Stain](https://nancorbittallen.com/crimson-stain/) - Geneva, Alabama, my hometown, sits at the junction of two rivers so the surrounding earth is one of the last stops for sediment deposits before the rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico. The soil underneath the whole town is mostly hard, dense red clay. Our street wasn’t paved for most of my growing up
- [Holy Pep Talk](https://nancorbittallen.com/holy-pep-talk/) - If our family is together in a public place and a child is misbehaving, chances are one of us will turn to the others and say, “Looks like somebody needs a ham sandwich.” If you’re within earshot and don’t know the story behind this statement, you would think us crazy. So here’s the story: When
- [The Sacred Word](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-sacred-word/) - Miss Mary Dell Ard was my fourth grade teacher. She was an old-fashioned schoolmarm. Never married, she dedicated her life to teaching children. She called every student “precious” even though she may be at the same time applying the rod to the child’s backside. Her oak desk was huge (at least it was to this
- [Changing Tides, Shifting Purpose](https://nancorbittallen.com/changing-tides-shifting-purpose/) - Who would dare drive directly into the path of a hurricane? WE WOULD! Last Wednesday with Isaac bearing down on the Florida Gulf Coast we packed up the babies (and their parents) into a rented van, and headed toward an active Category 1 hurricane. Hey, we had booked the house and the van months before
- [A Delicate Balance](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-delicate-balance/) - We all have rocks in our heads. Really. Deep inside our heads, in our inner ears, we have tubes (or canals) and in those tubes there are tiny calcium crystals (sometimes called “ear rocks”) that communicate with our brains – telling us that we are upright, lying down, falling down, upside down, or whatever. But
- [Driving Through A Wall](https://nancorbittallen.com/driving-through-a-wall/) - Imagine our surprise. After a few seconds driving our rental car through the gates of the walled Italian city San Gimignano, we realized that the ancient cobble stone streets were meant for pedestrians only. Yeah, there were probably signs somewhere that forbade vehicles from driving on these historic pathways but my Italian was marginal at
- [Contrary Winds](https://nancorbittallen.com/contrary-winds/) - The closest I’ve ever gotten physically (or emotionally) to Bimini is when we took a weeklong trip to Nassau in the Bahamas. A few years ago both sons and their wives were living on opposite ends of the country from each other…and us. Los Angeles and New York City. We are in Nashville. Dennis and
- [White Noise](https://nancorbittallen.com/white-noise/) - I sleep soundly these days and mostly it's because of a small device called a Sound Machine. It looks like a tiny alien spaceship that landed on my bedside table. When I turn it on, I can select from several sounds that are guaranteed to soothe me into serenity. There’s the sound of the ocean,
- [Gravity Pulls](https://nancorbittallen.com/gravity-pulls/) - What’s the difference between faith and fear? Everything. They are direct opposites. Most experts agree that we all have some innate fears, things we’re born with. Fear of falling is one of them. And if the fear of falling is innate, is not the faith that gravity pulls us down inborn as well? Faith and fear
- [Measuring Stick](https://nancorbittallen.com/measuring-stick/) - “Nana, how much do I weigh?” I turned to see that 4-year-old Brileigh was holding a yardstick up next to her body. I smiled and explained, or tried to, that if she wanted to measure her weight, she’d need to step on the scales. Height is measured in inches, I said, and the yardstick would
- [Same Difference](https://nancorbittallen.com/188/) - What’s the difference between a rut and a groove? Nothing. When you look up each of these words in the dictionary, the first definitions are identical: a narrow channel or path in a surface. They appear to be synonymous. But you hardly ever use “groove” in the same way as you do “rut”. In fact,
- [This Means War...and Love](https://nancorbittallen.com/this-means-war-and-love/) - I have a new military strategy that I’m thinking of sharing with the Pentagon. It’s like this: Whenever our country is in conflict with another, we unleash one hundred 18-month-old children into the enemy camp. Hear me out. This is biblical. God confused Israel’s enemies several times in history. We studied one in Exodus recently
- [To Be A Mockingbird](https://nancorbittallen.com/to-be-a-mockingbird/) - Every morning when Dennis and I are at our kitchen table eating our Special K and reading the newspaper, we hear a familiar sound. It’s a mockingbird sitting on our chimney going through his morning ritual – singing a through-composed song from start to finish. Because the chimney feeds into the fireplace in our kitchen,
- [A Way With Words](https://nancorbittallen.com/a-way-with-words/) - I am a word geek. I admit it. I like to study word origins. That’s why I wrote a book called The Words We Sing that came out last year. I took 50 words and phrases that we sing as lyrics at church but hardly use otherwise and defined them in today’s context. (You can
- [What A Voice](https://nancorbittallen.com/what-a-voice/) - Have you ever been to a wrestling match? I don’t mean “rasslin’” like they do on Saturday night at the Farm Center. I’m talking about a legitimate competitive sport recognized by the high school and collegiate associations – and the Olympics. I’m told that there are several styles: Greco-Roman and Free Style among them. I
- [What Lies Beneath](https://nancorbittallen.com/what-lies-beneath/) - Our boys wanted roller blades for Christmas one year. Having made several trips to the ER with them already, we talked them out of roller blades and into skateboards. Somehow we reasoned that a skateboard would be a safer choice though I’m still not sure. Come Christmas morning they were thrilled! They had gotten what
- [Self Sabotage](https://nancorbittallen.com/self-sabotage/) - Mama said it this way, “Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.” That’s kind of like saying, Don’t jump out of the frying pan into the fire…I think. I’ve never tried either pursuit but I think I get the gist. In a moment of desperation, think before you act. When I was six
- [God's Pleasure](https://nancorbittallen.com/gods-pleasure/) - My 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Woodham, was a saint. She loved to teach and I loved her. She had a delightful laugh and you could see the joy dancing in her eyes when any student accomplished a skill she was teaching them. All we had to do was stay within the lined paper when we
- [Blasting to the Past](https://nancorbittallen.com/blasting-to-the-past/) - I was having lunch with some old friends not long ago. These were OLD friends. By that, I mean we’ve known each other all our lives. We literally grew up together. As expected the table conversation centered on our past. There were a few recollections that were painful but mostly our memories of those days
- [Standing O](https://nancorbittallen.com/standing-o/) - It was a first for me. Last week I was brushing my teeth. (No, that’s not the first I’m talking about.) I was halfway through my Quad-pacing Sonic Care regimen when I looked in the mirror and saw two hyper-blue marble-sized eyes looking back. I was being watched. Crosby, my 18-month-old grandson had slipped into
- [Chasing Significance](https://nancorbittallen.com/chasing-significance/) - I actually saw a sitting American president once. In fact I was almost close enough to touch him. But there were big men and black suits I was sure would try to stop me. It was 1978 and Dennis and I were in Washington, D.C. for just a little vacation. On Sunday morning we attended
- [Smell Those Roses?](https://nancorbittallen.com/smell-those-roses-2/) - If you’ve been following me on this search for the next perfect spot just over the horizon, you may think that I’m leading up to a killjoy quote or philosophy. That I’ll say, “stop and smell the roses,” “bloom where you’re planted” or “be thankful for what you have” instead of dreaming and aspiring to
- [The Innocent Crush](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-innocent-crush/) - A few months ago, our oldest son, Mark, told us that a new stage musical he had co-written was going to have its first “reading” at a small theater in New York city where he and his wife, Kelly, live. The show is called Garage Band and one of the actor/singers who would be in
- [Christmas In Bimini](https://nancorbittallen.com/christmas-in-bimini/) - Dennis and I play a four-hand, one-piano duet of the classic “Sleigh Ride” every Christmas. The tradition began many years ago when we were to perform at a ladies’ Christmas luncheon. We weren’t really great then (even after a lot of practice) but we’re really not good now playing it only once a year for
- [Wishful Thinking](https://nancorbittallen.com/112/) - Our son, Mark, was almost three years old when his brother, Drew, was born. After a couple of weeks of the baby’s colicky nights and fretful days, Mark announced, “That baby is making me nervous.” We were all a little unnerved and exhausted at that point. But one afternoon when I was finally able
- [Myth of the Greener Grass, Part 2](https://nancorbittallen.com/myth-of-the-greener-grass-part-2/) - There was a book by Dr. J. Allan Petersen entitled The Myth of the Greener Grass. Its subtitle is: Affair-Proof Your Marriage, Restore Your Love, Recover Your Dreams. From its title and subtitle, you can guess what it’s about. It’s full of case studies of marriages that were in trouble or failed and why. The
- [The Myth of the Greener Grass](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-myth-of-the-greener-grass/) - "The grass is always greener over the septic tank." Erma Bombeck So why do we long for that which we do not have? One theory is that we are just built with restless spirits, that we are “prone to wander” as one hymn writer put it. And the theory is perhaps true to some extent.
- [The Real Bimini](https://nancorbittallen.com/88/) - “Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.” Ernest Hemingway from The Old Man and the Sea Bimini is comprised of three major islands: North, South and East Bimini. Population of the islands is around 1,600 residents. These coral islands are
- [The Truman Show Effect](https://nancorbittallen.com/the-truman-show-effect/) - Remember the movie The Truman Show? It starred Jim Carrey and Laura Linney. The movie was actually filmed near my hometown, at Seaside, Florida. But anyway, in the movie the main character, Truman Burbank, lives and works and seems happy in his life. After all, it is idyllic in the truest sense. It is safe
- [My Mayberry](https://nancorbittallen.com/my-mayberry/) - I grew up in Mayberry. My hometown, Geneva, Alabama at one time listed its official population as 5,000 people. However, I think this was a little bit of a stretch. Okay, if you counted the farmers and their families that lived beyond the fringe of the city limits…and a few of their cows, too, you
- [My Perfect Spot](https://nancorbittallen.com/my-perfect-spot/) - “A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” Mark Train Why Bimini? Well, one day it just rolled off my tongue perhaps as I stumbled into my ten-year-old son’s room and beheld the sight and the smell of his room a foot-deep in filth that had risen there in just a few short hours
- [Introduction](https://nancorbittallen.com/introduction/) - Sometime early on in my life I think I was bitten by the “angst bug.” It left a welt on my spirit that’s been itching me ever since and I can’t seem to get any relief from it. I don’t remember a time that I wasn’t looking beyond where I was right then only to

## Pages

- [Homepage](https://nancorbittallen.com/) - Nan Corbitt AllenAward-winning writer. Mother. Follower of Jesus. Available Books Get In Touch Scroll Down About the authorNan is a three-time Dove Award winner. Her lyrics and dramas have been performed all over the U.S. and the world. She has also written the Christian novel, Asylum, which was the feature fiction selection for Crossings Book
- [Contact](https://nancorbittallen.com/contact/) - Contact Nan (615) 347-5152 dennisnan@me.com Follow On Facebook Reach Out
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- [Happy New Year! May this be the best year yet.](https://nancorbittallen.com/ultimate-selfie/) - For my New Year’s resolution for 2022 (besides the usual of losing weight and exercising more) I will be launching a new direction in my blog. Though I’ve alluded to it earlier, I’ve decided to publish here, in small bites, my musings about a topic that I’ve struggled with all of my life. Value. Worth.

## Categories

- [Chasing Bimini](https://nancorbittallen.com/category/chasing-bimini/)
- [For All She's Worth](https://nancorbittallen.com/category/for-all-shes-worth/) - Helping Women Discover Their Value
- [The Ultimate Selfie](https://nancorbittallen.com/category/ultimate-selfie/)
- [Small Potatoes and Tuesdays @ the Piggly Wiggly](https://nancorbittallen.com/category/small-potatoes/)

## Tags

- [Nan Corbitt Allen](https://nancorbittallen.com/tag/nan-corbitt-allen/)