I am not below ground. I am far up above in the sky, on a peak of rock. On the peak of me. Getting here was not guaranteed. Climbing over rocks and logs, feet moving over loose stone, knotty roots, and slick pine needles. A push from behind is needed to surmount a sizeable boulder. …
Lessons from Faith
Learning how to be a Christian
Cancer: A Retrospective
This post has been a long time coming. At this writing, it has been a little over two years and nine months since I was first diagnosed with melanoma. Treatment involved: ~ 2 general anesthetic surgeries within 2 weeks of each other. The first a procedure to remove a crescent of my ear, put the …
Now for something completely different
On New Year’s Eve almost six weeks ago, The Husband and I drank a bottle of champagne while raising toast after toast to both the prior and coming year. In our typical ‘we-are-our-own-party’ fashion, we played loud music, laughed, and counted our many blessings. My freelance writing was hitting a stride, doubling 2013 over 2012, …
Visual Aid + A few words = Lasting Message
Election season has begun. Though, 2013 is not a national, state or even a mid-term election year. The lawn signs are fewer and the “intensity” of the public discourse is lower (unless you count debt-ceilings and affordable healthcare…but that’s a whole other topic). But election season – beginning with the primaries in early September and …
Volunteering is a lucrative business
Why do something for nothing? Why complete actual work without any actual monetary gain? Why do anything for anyone? One quarter or more of all Americans volunteer[i]. Numbers wonks can follow the link at the bottom of this post to read the official February 2013 report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Yes, volunteerism …
It’s Enough
Our dog is old. She is an eleven-year-old greyhound, with a very gray face. No, she is not fast – not anymore. Valentina did race, but retired before age 2 because she wasn’t a winner. She just was not interested in racing. Running when she felt like it was enough. But she did love to …
It’s in the bag
What says “Christmas” like a bag? There is Santa’s bag on the back of his sleigh, of course. Mail carrier bags are looking heavier these days as they deliver so many red-enveloped Christmas cards. Even the Grinch had “some old empty sacks.” (Which he filled, then emptied.) Then there are the shopping bags – Oh! …
Gifts
Raise your hand if you’re done Christmas shopping. Are you still looking for the perfect gift? Do you have something for everyone, or do you keep it simple? Is it a grab-bag kind of event in your family? Actually, I really don’t mean those kinds of gifts. To get to what kinds of gifts I …