Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
Do you ever feel you are lacking, that others possess qualities that you don’t? If so, you have failed to recognize your strengths. It’s common for us to compare ourselves to others and focus on what we view are our personal weaknesses. However, we all have strengths. Following are ways to recognize your strengths and […]
Thus far, has the new year handed you something unexpected? Just in my sphere I know those recovering from heart surgery or heart attack, two who are trusting God through severe persecution, one waiting for a diagnosis, several racing toward death, and those mired in grief. Personally, I just passed the second anniversary of Jim’s […]
Construction is in my blood. My father was a builder, my grandfather a lumber yard owner. As a child, Sunday afternoons often meant a walk-through of Daddy’s houses under construction. I loved the smell of lumber and identifying each room as we moved through the house. Often, I saw houses at the foundation stage. It […]
What has this year been for you? Perhaps the year was filled with challenges, heartache, or health issues and you are ready to see 2025 in the rearview mirror. Conversely, maybe this has been the best year of your life, and you are sad to bid it farewell. My year has been a combination of […]
Last Sunday, I had an opportunity to talk to a dear lady, who has faithfully served in our choir for many years. Now, health issues prevent her from singing with us. As I held her hands, we expressed our love for each other. She said, “When I look at the choir, I am right there […]
December ushers in a festive season of joy. But along with that joy comes nonstop activities. Is it possible to fully enjoy this season amid all the hustle and bustle? Following are thoughts on celebrating, and balancing, this season of joy: A Full Calendar A packed December calendar brings joy, but also stress. Decide to […]
November is the time of the year associated with thankfulness, but it is also a season for generosity. What do you think of when you see the word “generosity?” Does the word call to mind a person, an act, or a characteristic? Following are thoughts on the practice, and cultivation, of generosity: What is Generosity? […]
(An edited and retitled repost of “Remembrance, Sacrifice, and Freedom” from 5-25-20, honoring my father, H. Asbury Neely and all veterans.) In the mid-1950s, before I was born, my parents went to Switzerland to see the place where my father was held prisoner after his plane was shot down during WWII. They traveled to the […]
Fall was slow in coming this year. Just last week, the trees in our part of the country were still green. Then, on a recent morning, as dawning light leaked through my window, I was surprised by a riot of color. The tree outside my window turned yellow overnight and jockeyed for position as most […]
When I was a child, Halloween meant dressing in a costume Mama made for me. I went with her to the cloth store to select the cloth and pattern. One year, she made a colonial dress; another year, a cat costume. I also remember wearing a powder-blue princess dress, crown, and pretty-face plastic mask, that […]