Four rodeo cowgirls on horseback carrying the American flag

The Rodeo’s Approach

Being in 4-H, my daughters compete in the county fair. No county fair experience is complete without a visit to the rodeo. At a time when religious opinions are openly expressed, the political climate is tense, and kindness can be hard to come by, I was pleasantly surprised by the rodeo’s approach. Before the events…

Elderly hands holding an hourglass

How Much Longer

How is it that the older one gets, the faster time passes? When you’re a kid, time moves at a snail’s pace. Waiting for summer or your next birthday seems to take forever. The words, “How much longer?” escape the lips of every child. “Faster! Faster! Hurry up!” is the mantra of youth. Before you…

Two Humpback whales lunge feeding

Worth A Million

They say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” If this is true, then a memory must be worth a million. No photograph can capture a moment as thoroughly as a memory. Memories rely on all the senses to recall a previous experience. Sound, taste, touch, and smell are left out of photos, but these…

bronze sculpture of a man laughing

The Best Medicine

What did the horse say after it tripped? I can’t giddyup! What do you call an angry carrot? A steamed veggie! These aren’t stage-worthy jokes, but I bet they at least made you chuckle, which is worth something. A sense of humor is good for the body, mind, and soul. Beyond lifting spirits, laughing has…

Drawing of a girl daydreaming

Dreaming of What’s Next

Fantasizing about what life will be like as grown-ups is part of childhood. Children’s imaginations continually bloom with thoughts of careers, houses, spouses, and the possibility of children. They paint colorful pictures of what their lives will be like. They dream, without abandon, about their futures. With time and maturity, those dreams, or variations of…

four grown wild flowers

A Year of Growth

Monumental events leave a lasting impression. Some years roll over into one another with no distinct variation. You go through the motions without noteworthy happenings. Other years go down in the books for being extraordinarily eventful. The past twelve months have been of the eventful kind for my family. There have been plenty of blessings…

The Luckiest Unlucky People

Most people equate luck to winning the lottery or something similar. However, due to several experiences, my family’s take on luck is different. We call it the Lottery of Blessings. It’s hard for us to believe in bad luck when we feel like the luckiest, unlucky people in the world. I’ll explain.   Years ago, I…

Grace to Ourselves

Many will agree that mothers are notorious for endlessly giving to others. What we’re not guilty of giving is enough grace to ourselves. As mothers, the needs of everyone around us come first.  We put ourselves much further down the list. Our happiness is directly influenced by that of our family. The happier the people in…

Photos of goslings

Animal Babies

Spring has announced its arrival. If you don’t stop and admire, you’ll miss the awesomeness of the season. In addition to the lawns turning green, flowers bursting, and trees budding, animal babies are starting to appear. These fluffy bundles are a marvel to watch as they rapidly learn their way of life. Before their fluff…