During a rerun of M*A*S*H, Hawkeye was having nightmares and walking in his sleep. Radar and Colonel Potter discussed the problem, calling in Sidney, the psychiatrist, to check over their beloved Hawkeye. Radar said, “Gee whiz! I thought he was beating back the war.” “What do you mean?” asked the colonel. “Well, you know, sir […]
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As I sat on my front porch, I watched the kids play in the cul-de-sac. One black kid, two whites and three Latinos — two girls, four boys. They squealed with laughter, ran in circles, kidded each other like typical children enjoying a summer night. Far away from the murders of young black men and
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He was a drummer from the womb — usually around midnight. The kicking began with a steady rhythm and quickly accelerated. Boom! Bam! Boom Boom! I knew he would have some sort of musical talent, and he would be a night person. So it was no surprise when I handed my toddler son his first
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Sometimes prayer comes easy and feels like a special connection with the Divine. The words flow with a spiritual electricity. We believe God has indeed heard us, and something miraculous will happen soon. But other times we struggle to know what to say. The words stick in our throats, and God feels far away. We
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In one week’s time, I heard two men apologize for their tears. “I’m sorry,” they both said. “Give me a minute.” Then they hung their heads, as if afraid to let the rest of us see their breaking moment. They were both on podcasts and couldn’t hear me yelling, “Don’t apologize for your tears. It’s
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Although many of us miss the corporate meetings of church, one part of the routine is more comfortable for me at home — Communion. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is special. I don’t like observing it every Sunday as some churches do. It seems then to become as ritualistic as the parking space I
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Credit for this blog post’s idea goes to Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church. During Lockdown, I discovered his church site and started watching some of his sermons. Most of us have seen blog posts or participated in Zoom meetings about what to do during this Covid-19 crisis. Multiple bulleted lists suggest new recipes, guidelines
What Not to Do During Lockdown Read More »
Like most writers, I have found the Covid-19 pandemic to be a challenge. The stressors of constant change, the I-can’t-breathe-under-this-mask struggle, the discouraging news cycles — all added to a shortage of creative ideas. Yet I also wanted to do my part with my words to encourage others, to share how we might make it
Hope Nuggets During Lockdown Read More »
Because personal freedom is one of my core values, the Lockdown of 2020 hit me hard. So I responded like many other prisoners-in-their-own-homes. I craved comfort food. Chips, candy or sweets of any kind are usually not part of my daily diet. I don’t buy the stuff so I’m not tempted. Except for dark chocolate
A Recipe Fail During Lockdown Read More »
One of my practices is to consider what I can learn from every circumstance. Since life-long learning is one of my core values, I look for the lessons in life. The Covid-19 Pandemic provides a perfect scenario for observation. What can we learn during this time of global tragedy? We Need Touch. Multiple studies have
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