Closed Due to Illness

The blog mistress has been sick and hasn't had time or energy to create a post for today. She is on the mend and will return soon.

Circle of Life

A great man passed away on Wednesday. You won’t see his name on the Internet (anyplace other than this blog, that is) or hear about him on the national news. Still, this man left an indelible mark on this world.


Grandpa slipped into eternity after spending 94 years on this earth. He lived a long and full life. I wrote about him on his 94th birthday and shared some of the wisdom he imparted.

Ours is a large family and Grandpa has been a dignified but humble patriarch. His journey here has ended, but his legacy lives on.

Just a few weeks ago my cousin gave birth to the newest little family member. In a few more weeks another cousin will bring another child into our family. And, later this year a 3rd baby will arrive. These wee babes will only know their great grandfather through the stories we tell, but they will continue his legacy.

The journey Grandpa started years ago is far from over. We all continue to live it out. The sheer size of our family ensures that his life will influence others for generations to come. This is, as they say, the circle of life. As painful as it is to lose a wonderful man we know that the great things he stood for live on in the family.



Rest in peace, Grandpa. I’ll be seeing you again in eternity

Wordless Wednesday

I apologize for several posts of just pictures. I've been out of town for niece's college graduation and wasn't able to get ahead on blog posts for the time I was gone and today. I will be back to writing soon.

All the Pretty Horses

While in Grand Teton National Park traffic was stopped while these amazing creatures crossed the road to spend the afternoon in the pasture. Incredible!

Grand Teton National Park

Last September some friends and I visited Grand Teton National Park, I shared a few pictures on the blog after that trip, but the area is so beautiful I wanted to share some more. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Guard Your Heart

Guarding our heart is so important for Christians in many aspects of our lives. It is something I have been realizing the need for more and more in my life recently.

Michael Hyatt recently wrote about this very thing on his blog and I appreciated his words and wanted to share the link with you.

Michael Hyatt: Three Reasons to Guard Your Heart

Soul Holes: What you can learn from the first chapter of Ann Voskamp's "One Thousand Gifts"

I’ve heard a lot of talk recently about Ann Voskamp’s book One Thousand Gifts. I have many books on my Nook and stacked around the house to read so this one has been on my list for sometime in the future. Recently I read something that led me to believe I needed to read it sooner rather than later so I downloaded it to my Nook. I don’t remember what that something is anymore, but I am glad I went ahead and started it. I’m just a little ways into it, but it is resonating with me.


Since my Mom became ill years ago I have pondered life and its purpose. I know that we are created for God’s glory and living to be more like Christ is what life is about.

But, there is so much in this world today that screams the question “Why?” that I can’t help but wonder if I am truly living. There are days when I just plod along living in a daze of work, household chores, paying bills. On those days I wonder if this is really living for God’s glory.

John 10:10 talks about Christ coming that we may have life and have it more abundantly. It’s the word abundant that draws me into this verse. I don’t think that means a great deal of money, fame, or excitement. As much as I’d like to believe that I’m going to write the next best seller and rocket to fame and fortune I don’t think this verse is referring to that.

So, I’ve been noodling about what it means to have abundant life right now, right here in the midst of life as it comes. Just a few chapters into Ann’s book I am seeing that she has struggled with this also and I find her thinking lining up with the conclusions that have been coming to me.

I don’t think we can truly glorify God to the fullest unless we embrace the abundance in the midst of life. This means accepting not only the good things in life, the easy things, but also the hard things and the bad things. We don’t have to rejoice in the bad, we just have to know that it is part of the human experience.

Ann states in Chapter 1, “His love letter forever silences any doubts: ‘His secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory’ (1 Cor 2:7 NEB). He means to rename us – to return us to our true names, our truest selves He means to heal our soul holes.”

She has described soul holes as those things that create voids in our souls and lives. Things like the death of loved ones, lost jobs, broken relationships, etc. These things that the fall of Adam and Eve has created in our life are as Ann puts it, “that drain hole where joy sweeps away.” But, she goes on to say that since that time God has “had this wild secretive plan. He means to fill us with glory again. With glory and grace.”

Bringing us to our full glory is part of that abundant life. It is the shaping of our lives through the day to day as He brings us back to our true selves as children of God. I believe we choose to live abundantly when we allow God to use these things that create holes in our souls to heal us and bring us into line with his glory.

Paper Wreath

Do you remember the old movie Paper Moon? It came out in 1973 and starred Ryan and Tatum O'Neal. When I wrote this title I thought of that movie. I did see it once, but only have vague memories of it.

Anyway, this isn't about the movie. It's about the fun of being creative. I like to try my hand at arts and crafts every once in a while.

I've been looking for a piece of art for my dining room wall when I found this wreath on Mary Demuth's site. I knew I wanted to make one and my dining room wall was the perfect place for it. So I set out on a quest for just the right paper.

I might be biased, but I think it's beautiful. All it took was 6 sheets of paper, tape, staples,  ribbon, and a half hour of my time.

Deadlines Can be Fun!?!

Oh the joy of a deadline! For writers it is a fact of life. And, once a deadline is met another one comes up.


Deadlines can be inspirational or downright terror inducing. Depending on the circumstances I have experienced both extremes. Sometimes the stress of a drop dead date for a project just makes my insides quiver. Rumor has that the large majority of writers regularly miss deadlines. I’m striving to be in the minority on this one, but sometimes it’s just hard.

But the good thing about deadlines is that it means I am working and people want to use my writing. It’s a good thing and that makes me happy.

On that note, I am back to the grindstone to work late into the night to meet the current deadline.

bin Laden is dead

I'm sure you've all heard the news by now that Osama bin Laden has been killed. Finding him has been a long sought after goal and it has finally come to an end.

I have no love for Osama and the hate that he lived and breathed. However, I was a little dismayed by some of the revelry that went on after the news broke.

Here are two quotes that sum up how I've been feeling this week....

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy, returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? 
~Ezekiel 18:23

I Love Me Some Baseball!

It's that time of year when the boys of summer make their appearance on diamonds across the country. I am lucky to live close to the stadium for our local minor league team.

I love the crack of  the bats, hearing the ump cry, "You'rrrreee Outttt!", the smell of hot dogs and beer, the sun going down and the lights coming up. It's all a load of fun for me.

I've been a fan since I was the manager of the high school baseball team for a couple of years. Watching our local team play brings back happy memories.

Here are some scenes from last night's game which we won.

My boys are in white.

This guy made me laugh. He batted from both sides and as he was setting up he'd bend way back and sometimes do this little wave like thing.

Henry Young, JUNIOR (that's the way the announcer said it....with the emphasis on the junior.)

Looks like he's casually strolling across home plate.

This is the Culver's build a butter burger contest with Soxx cheering on the contestants.

Soxx the Fox

Life Happens

Did you miss me last Wednesday and Friday? I blew it. Totally forgot that it was Wednesday and that meant I should post something here is blogland.

Life happened last week. I started a new job on Monday and so I had a week full of learning new things. It was a good week, but a tiring one. I was discombobulated on dates all week and before I knew what happened to Wednesday it was Thursday. (Don’t you just love the word discombobulate!?! I look for reasons to use it.) Then I had something set up to post on Friday, but just found that it didn't.

As with every new job there was a lot to absorb. I learned a few important things. I figured out how to find my way to the cafeteria and back to my cubicle. Finding the cafeteria was easy, but there are a lot of cubicles in the area that I work.

I also figured out something that will hopefully save face at some point. There are three sets of restrooms along the main hall of the building. One across from the main entrance to the office, one close to my workspace and one across from the cafeteria. Whoever designed the area didn’t put much thought into those restrooms. The one by the main entrance and across from the cafeteria both have the women’s restroom on the left and the men’s on the right. The one closest my desk has the women’s on the right.

Do you see the problem? All day I use the one nearest me, but the other day while at lunch I almost ended up in the men’s room when I used the one across from the cafeteria. Trust me, I’m going to be lost in thought one day and end up in the wrong place. I may or may not admit it to you all when it happens, but then again, maybe I will.

I’m going to like my new job. I have met some great people and I’m excited to work for an employer that has a long history in the community. And, with this job I can mark another item off my bucket list. Since the day I entered the work force a while back I’ve wanted to work in a hospital. Now, I do. Granted I’m in the administration building in the business office, but I work for the hospital 

So, my week has been full and I promise I will be better in the future. Have a great week!