Hearty congratulations to singer/songwriter and former TCW cover girl Sara Groves on the July 13 birth of her daughter, Ruby Cate Groves. Ruby joins big brothers Kirby, six, and Toby, three. Check out TCW’s 2006 interview with Sara, “The Gift of Doubt," as well as our sister site’s coverage of this thought-provoking artist.

How many talents had I let burn out?

I was mingling at a party a few Friday nights ago when I encountered the strangest get-to-know-you question anyone had ever asked me: “What extracurricular activities were you involved in at high school?”

As I thought back to my student days, I vividly recollected nerve-twisting auditions, repetitive rehearsals, and triumphant concerts. “I was involved in orchestra,” I answered.

“Andrea plays the flute,” a longtime friend volunteered.

“Well, I used to,” I corrected quickly. The oft-repeated words of an instrument-shop owner whose store I’d frequented returned to me: If you don’t practice, you can’t say you play.

And I hadn’t practiced in ... months? years?

Andrea Bianchi, Assistant Editor
Before joining the staff of TCW, Andrea served as assistant editor of free e-mail newsletters from ChristianityToday.com, parent website of TodaysChristianWoman.com, and freelanced for some of TCW's sister publications. When she isn't rereading classics from her days as an English major at Wheaton College or borrowing books on grammar from the public library, Andrea sneaks a guilty peek at her numerous subscriptions to fashion and beauty magazines. So her weakness for high heels is unsurprising. And although she's endured an occasional stumble, she enjoys wearing those rakish shoes when she catches movies alone at the theater or searches Chicago's many suburban restaurants for the best vegetarian dishes (which contain no vegetables—and plenty of chocolate).

My humble Sunday morning home has turned out to be a surprise blessing

They talked about it being a sacrifice.

Those of us who decided to be part of our church’s new satellite location would give up the comforts of our modern building, complete with banks of windows and a cool steeple, in a chi-chi Chicagoland suburb.

Instead we’d meet at a tired community center in the one-block downtown of a nondescript ’burb. We’d gather there for a year or two—until the nearby building we purchased underwent a transformation from a business into a church.

How my friend and I celebrate the joys of life.

When you look at my friend Sue and me, you’d never think either of us is a feather-boa-wearing kind of gal. Feather boas suggest “Diamond Lil” actress Mae West batting her eyelashes and coyly purring, “Come up and see me some time, big boy!” No, Sue and I are two middle-aged, married soccer moms. Flamboyant we are not. But when my birthday arrives—or Sue’s—things do get interesting.