Uncategorized – Sarah Dixon Young

Guiding Lights

Flowers in the Desert, Part 2

In the Atacama Desert, three plant species can give us a tutorial on blooming in drought. Llareta, an evergreen perennial, cannot grow in shade. It only grows about 1.5 cm per year, but lives to be about 3,000 years old. The plant’s leaves grow into a dense mat close to the ground, where theContinue reading “Flowers in the Desert, Part 2”

Flowers in the Desert

Thousands of tourists flocked to the driest desert in the world last year to see its rare bloom. The Atacama Desert on the western coast of South America boasts 500 species of flora, even though some weather stations in the desert have never recieved rain. It is known as the driest place in theContinue reading “Flowers in the Desert”

Known by their Fruit

Your identity feeds your actions. I am a mom, therefore, I do laundry and cook meals. I am a writer, therefore, I sit down with my notebook and pencil everyday. I am a teacher, therefore, I plan lessons and grade papers. You get the idea. How we identify ourselves plays out in ourContinue reading “Known by their Fruit”

Memorize the Word

My brother-in-Christ, James, memorized Psalm 91 before he became a Christian. He was struggling with opposition, and his mom encouraged him to memorize Psalm 91 and say it whenever he was afraid. One day, he recited the whole Psalm for his neighbor, who invited James to come to church. James went. He heardContinue reading “Memorize the Word”

Auld Lang Syne

When Robbie Burns wrote down the lyrics to “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788, he captured one of Scotland’s national treasures. Scots had been singing versions of the song for two hundred years, but once it was written down, they could carry it with them anywhere. And they did. They immigrated in largeContinue reading “Auld Lang Syne”

The Fruit of Light

As I write this, it is the shortest day of the year. Where I live in North Dakota, that means that it will be dark for 15 hours and 44 minutes of the day. It makes the Christmas lights twinkle all the more bravely. In winter, it is also difficult to come by good fruit.Continue reading “The Fruit of Light”