I was walking a gravel driveway in Texas talking to my hubby at home in Illinois when he suddenly discovered that our sweet Shorkie had passed away. It was a shock to […]
Despising the Dishes
It’s not that I don’t love a beautiful table. I do. Really I do. I have white dishes just so I can create a table setting for any season just by adding […]
You’re A Good, Good Father
That song. You know–the one you can’t get it out of your head–and yet, you don’t really want to. “You’re a Good, Good Father, it’s Who You are…” “…And I’m loved by […]
Tell Your Story
My story is not a dramatic one, but it starts in the shadow of pain. I was born 10 months after the tragic death of a sister, only eight months old. Pain […]
Celebrating the Years
I’ve never been good at celebrating myself. I’m not sure why, really, but birthdays have always been… Awkward. Why is that? Even when it wasn’t about my age, I never liked the […]
The Gift of a Story
Just over a year ago, my sweet mama had a stroke that left her with an impaired memory. Events of her recent past have been erased, causing her to struggle in her […]
Flowers for Mom
I know. Flowers wilt. And yes, flowers fade. But… The delight that the beauty of a flower brings for a season or even for the moment is priceless. My mother and I […]
Five Things You Can Do When Your Child Messes Up
It is inevitable, you know. Those precious babies melt your heart and then… one day, they break it. DISCLAIMER: I am an empty-nester, and I was by no means a perfect parent. This […]
Embracing Change
It is an inevitable inevitability. Change. Not always easy. Not always welcome. But definitely in.ev.it.a.ble. The cycle of life has a way of reminding us that even though change can be very […]
Time That Is Never Wasted
What if our perspective suddenly changed and those things that we thought were so important suddenly took a back seat, and your life slowed down to a crawl… There would be time. […]
Through the Lens of a Child
These photos were taken by my five-year old granddaughter. She is fascinated by my old camera (a Canon Power Shot), and took to it right away, easily learning how to zoom and […]
Who Will You Follow?
Some lead and some follow. We need both. Even leaders choose who they will follow, and the person with a follower-type personality will often be required to be a leader at some point […]
You Can’t Do Anything
I don’t blame my parents, or even genetics for giving me a low self-esteem. We live in a pass-the-buck society, where it seems we all too often blame any negative character traits or misfortune […]
Unpacking Christmas
December is here, Christmas is coming, and it’s time to pull out all of those Rubbermaids filled with red and green and silver and gold. If you are an early shopper like […]
The Elephant in the Room
Sometimes we verbalize it. Other times we only think it. But often it is there. “Why” “Why did this happen?” “Why did this have to happen TO ME?” “Why can’t I….” “Why […]