Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who said, “My family refers to me as the queen of good intentions.” We laughed, but her words made me think. Often, we have plans we intend to implement, but we get sidetracked. We have a list for today, but when that day comes to a close, […]
Good Gifts
This week, with the approach of Father’s Day, I’m thinking of my daddy. He died much sooner than I was ready for him to, 30 years ago this year, and I still miss him. He was a good daddy, who knew how to give good gifts. I don’t necessarily mean material gifts, although he was […]
The Hurting Heart
The month of February is associated with love. Hearts abound: decorations, in advertising, and on clothing. The bakery section of grocery stores is filled with heart-shaped cookies and cakes, and florists garner some of their biggest sales in February. But while many celebrate with great joy during this month, others are dealing with hurting hearts. […]
The Heart of Christmas
Have you noticed Christmas doesn’t feel like Christmas this year? Everyone is trying hard, but despite early decorating and attempts at festive social media posts, Christmas 2020 just isn’t the same. To say this year has been hard is a massive understatement. And just when you think you’re doing okay handling the strangeness, isolation, and […]
5 Keys to Lasting Relationships
This week, my husband and I celebrated 40 years of marriage. When my parents reached their 40th anniversary, we had been married a little over six years. At that point, I could hardly fathom all the highs and lows of that much time together, but decided to pay more attention to what made their relationship […]
Components of Love
A number of legends exist about the origin of Valentine’s Day. One story is tied to the Roman fertility festival, Lupercalia. Another traces the origin to a priest named Valentine, who defied the Roman emperor’s ban on marriage for young soldiers and performed weddings in secret ceremonies. Another legend suggests Valentine was imprisoned for helping […]
When Looking Back is a Catalyst for Moving Forward
My father was born January 19, 1919, during the Spanish flu pandemic that claimed over 500,000 lives. A few days following his birth, my father, and his mother, contracted flu. Both were extremely ill, but survived. My grandmother had two children before daddy’s birth and six more children after. My grandfather, father, and his two […]