two girl friends making bracelets on the front steps of a Brownstone

The People You Choose

Friends are the people you choose to surround yourself with. They are individuals that grab and hold your attention and make you curious to know more about them. Acquaintanceship is often the starting point of a friendship. Some friendships last for the time needed, and others become lifelong. The longer a friendship lasts, the more…

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…

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…

Fisherman on a boat

The Fisherman

Once upon a time, there was a fisherman. He was very successful at fishing but wondered if there was more to life than what the sea had to offer him. He wanted to know of his happiness in advance. The next time he was in port, he visited a fortune teller. The fortune teller waved…

Nobody has to like your self portrait, but you

I Just Don’t Get It

Art museums display weird, shocking, pleasing, and beautiful works. The mediums and messages from one piece to the next vary, even among works from the same artist. Viewers are attracted to what is familiar and understandable. Works that speak to a person stay with them. Pieces that the “I just don’t get it” factor is…

Lose the “UN”

Many words begin with the prefix “un.” Those two letters at the beginning of a word usually carry a negative connotation. Think about it. The words uncomfortable, uninspiring, and undone don’t hint at positivity. Most words that start with “un” come into play when change occurs. Change is a constant, which means we face a…

Having grit is living one strong, brave, determined day at a time.

Recipe for Grit

It takes grit to make it through life. Grit is more than an idea. It’s a practice that can be applied every day, especially the tough ones. Once you know the recipe for grit, there’s nothing you can’t handle. Grit has many ingredients, but there are four main components: God, Resilience, Integrity, & Toughness. The…