As a child I failed to see The woman right in front of me Gave all she could…her heart and soul, To teach me how to reach my goals. And as I grew, my vision blurred, Her words of wisdom were not heard. I knew it all, she’d hear me say, I couldn’t wait to move away....
In 1964, the musical group, The Temptations, gave us the classic song, My Girl. In the song, they sang, “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it’s cold outside I’ve got the month of May.” The Temptations are singing about the month of May in this musical piece...
Exercise in order to steward the earthly tent God has given you. Keeping our hearts and our bodies strong will enable us to keep going, even as we age. Just as God gives us money to use wisely, relationships to invest in diligently, and time to use efficiently, so he...
It’s hard to imagine that we’re already coming up to April, isn’t it? We’re just a few short days away from celebrating Easter Sunday together. I remember getting an Easter bonnet when I was growing up that matched my dress for the occasion. We’d get together with...
As Holy Week and Easter approach, I realize that church life might look different next year. As some of you know, our denomination, The United Methodist Church, has been discerning its future for a long time. Our denomination goes back to the life and teachings of...
March 20th is the first day of spring and it’s not too early to start planning your garden and outdoor living space. For inspiration, plan to attend one (or more!) of the Linn County Master Gardener Library Talks currently taking place at local community libraries....
This month we move into the season of Lent. Lent is a season of spiritual preparation that leads to Holy Week and Easter. Lent is forty days and forty nights that recalls Jesus’s surrender and retreat into the desert. Whereas Easter rejoices in the resurrected...
The idea of practicing self-love can be daunting. We’re constantly facing internal and external challenges, such as busy schedules that make pausing for self-love or self-care seem impossible. However, taking small steps each day or week to take care of and love...
One word that has been on my mind, and probably all of our minds, is “Perseverance.” We have seen the need to persevere during the pandemic, derecho, economic uncertainty, and hiring challenges in the workplace. Perseverance is often defined as a continued...
My husband and I had a great visit to Los Angeles, California this past January. It was apart anniversary trip, remembering our honeymoon to California just two years prior, but it was also a trip to celebrate the new birth inside of me. We were thrilled to finally...
