Exploring the Jungle - a Column by Mary Lott

“Kudzu!” A long time ago, my daughter and her friend, both GRITS — that is, girls raised in the South — giggled together in a classroom when they first heard about the invasive vine with the funny name. But I’m pretty sure everyone in the southern U.S. has dealt with…

It was the worst thing I have ever done to my skin. There was no way I could get over to my dad’s that evening with this stuff on my face. The lower third of my face was blue! I was trying out a new product for removing some excess…

Da-dahda-da! Off goes the blasted alarm on my husband’s phone at 7:45 a.m. How I hate it. I didn’t get more than a wink of sleep. I tossed and turned, first under the covers because I was too cold, then with one leg and then the other poking out because…

I looked around the yard in dismay after walking through the rotting wooden door of our screened-in back porch to assess the challenges before me. The backyard of our Alabama home didn’t look like this when my husband, Mike, and I left it last summer for our work in Indonesia.

I made a decision on June 5, 1972, that has affected the rest of my life. Actually, that one decision rippled outward and affected many people worldwide, including my children, extended family, and students from six continents. On that day, my husband, Mike, and I stood before our families and…

I left the doctor’s office feeling deeply conflicted, wondering whether I had made the right decision. I didn’t even look at the orders for a blood test before stuffing them into the back of my car seat. I had reached the end of my tolerance. I had just said no…

A performance that stands out in my musical career is the Auburn High School versus Opelika High School football game of Nov. 14, 1969. It’s not the marching band’s musical skill that I recall, but that night’s extremely low temperatures. All our instruments were affected. A trombone player…

I parked my car with a feeling of déjà vu. This was my sixth trip to the hospital this year. I wanted to wait to be seen by my medical team, but my fever kept rising, so I decided to go to the emergency room. It was the first time…

My husband, Mike, and I started our stewardship of the family home in 2004. Mom had died earlier that year and Dad wanted to provide a home for his wandering child. The house was stuffed with family treasures. Since Mom had been a hoarder in her latter years, there was…

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. I enjoy getting together with like-minded believers to worship God. The teaching from the Bible, the sermon, is the best part, although standing to sing praises to the triune God brings a sublime joy to my heart. However, cold agglutinin disease…