(A version of this story ran on March 25 2016.) In my December 2015 blog, Taking a walk in Mary’s footsteps, I posted some thoughts on what Mary might have been thinking about as she gave birth to Jesus. I continue the story by offering a glimpse of how I imagine Mary suffered, seeing her now-grown son crucified on the cross,... Continue Reading →
An Amish barn raising
When friends learn that my mom was raised Amish, deciding to leave the church and her family when she was 17, I usually get a few strange looks. People want to know more about the conservative Old Order Amish Mennonite Church and why they shun electricity and modern technology. They usually have questions too about... Continue Reading →
A tricky question
I could barely hear my ten-year old niece's voice over the phone line. You could tell she was reading from a handout her teacher had sent home, but the question she posed was clear as day. My niece was learning about the sacrament of marriage for her religious education class. She needed to talk with... Continue Reading →
Things your parents never told you
I've seen a number of different social media posts and videos over the years on the things that your mom or dad never told you when you were growing up. They include things like: Your mom always put you first. It broke your mom's heart every time you cried. Your dad panicked when he found... Continue Reading →
That’s what I was gonna say!
I'm a writer, right? I'm supposed to have the right words at my disposal, whenever and wherever I need them, right? If you believe that, I have some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you. It's beautiful property. It's right on the beach, you'll love it. Trust me! Photo by Mirko Fabian on Pexels. I... Continue Reading →
Come one, come all
The circus barker steps out from the closed tent and in front of the crowd of townsfolk. In his best over the top barker voice, he yells out, "Step right up, step right up, step right up, ladies and gentlemen, be prepared to be thrilled and amazed, enlightened and astonished, we have a wild and... Continue Reading →
Barbie girl in a Barbie world
When I read through the list of the 2023 Oscar nominations on Tuesday and saw that Barbie, the highest grossing movie of the year, was nominated for several awards — including Best Supporting Actor nomination for Ryan Gosling — but Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were snubbed for the Best Actress and Best Director awards,... Continue Reading →
See ya soon, Dad!
(Reposted from Nov. 13, 2017) I had the dream again. It’s the same one I’ve had for months. I’m walking on one of my favorite wooded, running trails. It’s Autumn. The trees are a bright orange, red, and yellow. Every curve, every twist, in the trail brings out a new colorful surprise. Large antlered deer,... Continue Reading →
See you again soon!
When you ask people about their favorite books, you'll get a lot of votes for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald; Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy; and many others. Many folks often point to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by... Continue Reading →

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