Mary felt very proud of her still life called "Georgia Peaches." But, when her mother saw the painting, she was appalled. I tell you, she was flat out outraged that her daughter could do such a thing! "What were you thinking, child?" her mother asked. "We are a proud Southern family! Our name stands for... Continue Reading →
A Portrait of Faithfulness
Two weeks ago, I heard that one of our members, the young lady that stepped in to lead the Music Ministry at our church, had suffered a stroke. She is in her early forties. She is energetic on the organ, and her teenage accompanies her on the drums. We believed that she would be out... Continue Reading →
Definitely Not A Mushroom Hunter
My mother-in-law loved to go mushroom-hunting before she had a series of small strokes. She knew every mushroom paradise in the state parks near her house, especially places filled with Chantrelles, a very lovely golden color. She would show us what to look for, and oh, the excitement when my in-laws found a patch of... Continue Reading →
The Healing Power of Memories: Three Things Challenge
Daniel began the difficult task of cleaning out years of lives spent together. He wanted to stay in his home, but his daughters, Lauren and Mary, had convinced him that it was not a great idea to remain where so many memories lingered. The oldest, Mary, had declared his desire to live alone an "overindulgence"... Continue Reading →
Lifting Our Voices, Feeding Souls
Truly, one of the marvels of blogging is the sheer numbers of blogs available. Seeing how many was enough at first to make me wonder if I had anything to add to the collective wisdom. But, I quickly understood why each blog is valuable and important, and that is because no one can tell our... Continue Reading →
Love Around the Bonfire
Shana watched the others make s'mores. As the only black person present, she was feeling out of place. Gerry walked over, took a marshmallow and placed it on Shana's hanger. He showed her how to hold it over the fire. When the marshmallow was ready, he took it and placed it between the chocolate and... Continue Reading →
Soon Just the Clothes on Our Backs will be Allowed
Douglas and I travel economy, which generally means coach. Being less than five feet tall, and getting shorter by the day, I can fit into most airline seats with no problem. But, one aspect of travel that I relished having was my carry-on bag, filled with bundles of word puzzle books, my Kindle, my IPad,... Continue Reading →
A Parenting Fairy Tale: Tale Weaver
Once upon a time there lived a little girl names Doria, Who had a younger evil sister named Gloria. The sisters would never become good friends, At least, that is what their mother told her kin. Gloria kept her sister in tears and in fear, Keeping other children from getting too near. People called her... Continue Reading →
Assimilating to a New Culture: The Three Things Challenge
Marcie had never planned to live in Japan, but her husband, Carlton, an Army surgeon, had been stationed there during the Korean War. He had practically demanded that she and their three children join him. How would she cope in a place where she did not know the language? The journey to Japan by freighter... Continue Reading →
When You Want to Help, But Don’t Know How
I have a dream in which one of my best friends is free from a bad relationship. Recently, she was released from a rehabilitation center after nearly six weeks, and she could not wait to get home. Indeed, she was running a fever on the day she was to go home, and she begged the... Continue Reading →
