These last few months have been hard. The lingering winter temperatures with the tease of a spring day messes with my emotions.

Five people I know have passed away and were directly or indirectly connected to me. Of the deceased, three of them were under the age of 60. I also know people living with health concerns that have a less than hopeful prognosis.

It was not easy to watch the confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Inhale. Exhale. Pause. Answer calmly.

This was my silent mantra as I watched this historic event on CNN in my living room.

This year I learned about Maus written by Art Spiegelman. Maus is a non-fiction depiction of the author as he interviews his father, a survivor of the Holocaust. I haven’t read Maus and know nothing about the author. Learning about Maus, I learned about the issue of banned books.

I am a part of a blended family. A blended family is defined as, “a family that includes children of a previous marriage of one spouse or both.” This was my first marriage and my husband’s second. From his first union he had two daughters.

One day when I arrived home from work, a song was in my head. I needed to hear it. I was alone so it was the perfect time to crank it up! The song was In the Stone by Earth, Wind, and Fire. A digital version was not desired. The sound of vinyl is what I yearned for. Thankful for my record collection, I found the album, I Am, and played side one.

This year, I watched the 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors. This celebration is an annual event honoring individuals that have made a significant impact on American culture. The ceremonies include performances by selected artists. The artists interpret each honoree’s art, usually in song, dance, or spoken word, as a tribute.

This night, of all the performances, I was most moved by the tribute paid to Joni Mitchell. I did not grow up listening to Joni Mitchell’s music, but I knew of her.

A few years ago, I wanted to be involved in a church that was close to my home.

The church supported causes that I was passionate about. I was excited for the chance to serve with this team of people. I joined a bible study to get to know a few people. I shared with the group my desire to serve and I was later connected to one of the ministry leaders. In a brief conversation, I learned two of the three ministries did not need any more people.

Every December, many of us make resolutions for the coming year: some involve physical health. After punishing ourselves for consuming cookies and gaining weight while celebrating the holidays, we promise to lose the weight by setting unrealistic goals.

This Advent, I’ve been reflective and grateful. Although I’ve had a few disruptions and disappointments in recent days, I still have joy.

Podcasts Over Books in 2021

I love to read. But this year, I spent more time listening to podcasts than reading books. This is how I fill time during my commute to work.

Listening to a podcast is like listening to a good story – and I love a good story.

I this blog post, I share with you my favorite podcasts of 2021

Waiting with expectation can be exciting - but also it can make you crazy.

I love Christmas! Specifically, I enjoy the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. In the Christian tradition, this is called Advent.

Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year – the church year. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of the Christ child. This is a major event for those of us who practice Christianity.

A challenge I hear often is, “Go out and be kind on purpose.” My husband says this phrase when closing his Monday morning Facebook Live prayer time.

It’s a wonderful reminder to start the week. Yet, in being kind to others, we forget to be kind to ourselves.

This year was the 20th anniversary of the tragic incidents involving four planes used to attack America on September 11, 2001. As I love history, I watched many documentaries highlighting first-hand accounts from survivors.

On this anniversary, I paused to try to remember and attempt to imagine the pain and loss survivors felt that day and the impact on their lives today. To remember was the least I could do.

Have you ever considered what happens when we decide to give thanks to God when we are going through a hard time? Have you ever been aware of what happens when we find something to be thankful for?

My awareness came during sixteen months of darkness.

It began in May of 2016 with my Dad’s diagnosis of stage 4 cancer.