Recently I had a conversation with a friend who admitted she is looking forward to the holidays and, truly, next year. She's had a rough few months and needs some joy and a fresh start. Same. And, from conversations with others, I know we aren't alone. It seems so many people are up against so … Continue reading Advent 2018 Wk1 – Hope
Category: Bible Study
Mighty Love
The first time I saw Yosemite Valley it snowed. I had accompanied my boyfriend (now husband) and his family on a cross-country skiing weekend a short drive from Yosemite. Having never been, they decided I must see it. The snow itself was beautiful but, as it fell from the sky, it obscured the view. I … Continue reading Mighty Love
It’s Complicated
One of the lessons from history that repeatedly presented itself during our recent trip to Washington D.C. was just how amazingly complex humans are. People can do fascinating things--like deciding it must be possible to fly like a bird and, within less than ten years, producing not only working airplanes but aviation schools. People can … Continue reading It’s Complicated
Hold On
It’s exceedingly easy to bolt (or, rather, drag yourself) out of bed, to hustle-bustle the family out the door--to school and to work, to the gym or to walk the dog--and into the day. One thing leads to another, until you have to get dinner on the table, get the kids on to homework or … Continue reading Hold On
Greatness
[Since I don’t post when I’m away from home, this week I’m going to post some of the content I wrote while on vacation…] “Do you think this makes one too many visits?”, my mom asks as we’ve ‘lost’ the teenagers again in the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “No,” I reply, “never too many visits. The … Continue reading Greatness
Overflow
The Friday before the Monday C19 left for college out-of-state, neighbors we hadn't met posted on social media that they were giving away a full-size bed, a few years old with limited wear-and-tear, with an almost-new mattress. Free. That morning, C19 had awoken in the twin-over-full bunk beds he'd had since childhood. We asked if he'd … Continue reading Overflow
Favorite Things
Sing along... Raindrops on roses And whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favorite things While I'm a big fan of dew-dropped roses and kittens, my favorites list includes different items: My family, my marriage (coming right up on 25 years!), … Continue reading Favorite Things
Keep Focused
Does the word psychosomatic still have a negative connotation? It used to be that if someone accused you of having a psychosomatic illness, they meant it was "all in your head." In other words, change your thinking and your illness will disappear. But we know so much more now about the mind-body connection. The mind … Continue reading Keep Focused
Getting to Know You
If you want to get to know me but you only invite me to large group gatherings and never have time for a chat over a cuppa joe, you might describe me as awkward, or unfriendly, or cold. I hope I'm not truly awkward, unfriendly, or cold. However, as an introvert, large group settings are … Continue reading Getting to Know You
What’s the News?
A couple years ago, I decided I needed to curtail my practice of ending each day with the first fifteen minutes of the 10 pm newscast. For most of my adult life, I watched the news before bed. But gradually I realized that I wasn’t sleeping soundly, that images or issues from the news wound … Continue reading What’s the News?