100 Words

Honoring Our Children’s Work

August 22nd, 2026
Mollie T. Cox

When I viewed the items below at the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery in Washington DC this week, I was more impressed with the preservation than the items.

Who saved this boat made by a 12-year-old boy in 1835? The boy? His parents? Who was next? How many hands touched the boat during the past 191 years?

Girls practiced the stiches needed to make and mend clothes

Who saved these sewing samples made by a nine-year-old girl in 1882? The girl? Her parents? Who was next? How many hands touched the sewing samples during the past 144 years?

One son used soap cartons to make drawers for his brother. I kept it over 25 years before it became too worn.

The soap box mini dresser—made with care, love and creativity—is dear to my heart. I like to think that the objects at the Renwick’s State Fair Exhibition were saved for the same reason. The people who loaned the 1835 boat and the 1882 sewing samples to the Smithsonian never met their creators, but they honored family history, the children, and the people who loved them.

I wonder if the items’ stories were also passed down?

Decisions, God's Faithfulness

The Blessing of Showing Up

August 15th, 2026
Mollie T. Cox

If you don’t go, you won’t have the story to tell.

The advice above resonated with me because I’m an introvert in a family of introverts. Not only do I have to convince myself to show up, but I have to convince others.

I’m usually glad when I go and regret the times I don’t, but one place I didn’t want to be brought a story I have told.

During August 2003, my mother was in intensive care. Hard, necessary decisions about her care had to be made. I didn’t want to be present at those conversations. I didn’t want others, known to be contentious and irrational, to be present either. Cowardly, I prayed that God would remove the situation. My back up prayer was that if I went, others wouldn’t. God said no to both.

I expected maturity from one relative and received more. He showed wisdom and backed it with Scripture. The usually difficult relatives were thoughtful and respected others’ opinions. My mother’s doctor gave a perspective I have thought about repeatedly and seen to be correct. The unexpected, sweet unity was a blessing that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss. A story worth showing up to receive.

Relationships

The Joy of Errands

August 8th, 2026
Mollie T. Cox

When visiting friends … I always find it more interesting to run errands with them …
Melissa Kirsch, NY Times

Errands with friends is a new trend. It’s good to know I’m not weird. My favorite memories of friends and family include running errands.

My neighbor Mary and I made a Target run for a small bookcase. Over a decade later, I look at that bookcase and remember standing in the Target aisle and her reasons why white was a better choice than the teal I had my heart set on.

My friend Kathy and I walked miles together and shared many a meal. My fondest memory is a Costco run. We shared a basket. The clerk asked, “Are you friends?” We looked at each other and laughed.

The only thing I remember about Kim’s visit to Texas is our grocery trip. She marveled that I could drive a stick. She gave up.

When my son calls while he runs errands, I trace his route in my mind. When we visited him in Colorado Springs, I enjoyed accompanying him on errands more than visiting the Garden of the Gods.

Let’s run some errands together.

God's Faithfulness, Relationships

Evil For Good

August 1st, 2026
Mollie T. Cox

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
1 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

It may be hard to repay evil with blessing, but shouldn’t it be easy to repay good with good? Apparently not.

If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.
Proverbs 17:13 (ESV)

For years, our family read a chapter of Proverbs after dinner. With thirty-one chapters, we read the one that corresponded to the day of the month. Therefore, I’ve read Proverbs chapter 17 many times.

However, I recently saw Proverbs 17:13 differently—as a call to prayer. I love people who have returned evil for good, and as the decades rolled by, I have seen evil not depart from their households.

I’m especially concerned about someone who returns good by tossing evil like confetti. I care deeply about this person, so I want her to know our gracious God who is slow to anger, abounding in mercy, and ready to forgive. Prayer is my best weapon against her evil.

I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

Family, Parenting, Relationships

A False Narrative

July 25th, 2026
Mollie T. Cox

The movie I Tonya dramatized the 1994 assault on Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan and its aftereffects. The screenwriter said the film was about

Things we tell ourselves in order to … live with ourselves … how we change the narrative and then want that to be the narrative.
Steven Rogers

This is devastating to those having a false narrative imposed upon them. Some friends and I are in that group.

Yet, I have done the same. I told friends that my parents rarely read to me as a preschooler, and few picture books were in our home. I spoke the truth, I thought, until I poured over letters my grandmother had saved. (See here.)

Mollie calls her new Mother Goose book Mommy Goose.

Mollie knows the Three Billy Goats Gruff by heart.

letters to my grandmother

My false narrative is minor but still unfair to my parents.

How do we fight back? Prayer is the best offense once the false narrative is held tightly. We can prepare by telling the stories and showing the photos that contradict the seeds being planted by the enemy of our souls who wants to divide people, especially families.