60 Feet 6 Inches To Home

 Siblings. Most people have at least one, inherited some by marriage or created some. It's been well documented that these relationships can be some of the most satisfying and beneficial or the most painful and destructive. Authors have become millionaires writing books on sibling rivalry. It is a dynamic topic full of questions. How can it be managed, how can it be avoided and maybe for some, how can it be accepted. My twin sister Pam and I.  I am a twin, so I have always been and always had a sibling. At the time my sister and I were born multiple births were not very common. We were one of a handful twins in our area.  Our mom did not have the benefit of blogs and on line chats, so she relied on her instincts and a small local Mothers of Twins support group. From what I know about our early childhood it was very typical of most twins. We slept in the same crib, developed a language all our own and shared imaginary friends. However, it was obvious early on...

Has there ever been a certain theme or thought that seems to show up in a variety of places and genres?  I recently wrote a blog about my need for order and control, managing expectations, and enjoying what IS, instead of planning how I want it to be. Since then I have noticed quotes on Facebook, post on other blogs, and devotionals all with similar subject matter. These have encouraged me as I strive to improve my approach to the unpredictability life brings. It's funny how this happens. I believe these things would be there regardless, I just wouldn't have noticed them in the same way. Similar to sitting in church thinking the pastor wrote the sermon just for me. I think God knows when we are ready to receive wisdom, encouragement and even correction. He chooses a variety of ways to get the point across. Here are just a few that had a impact on me, I hope you find them useful too. Read this blog post from one of my all time favorite authors about expectations. Katr...

I am a person who likes life organized. I prefer order to chaos, planning ahead compared to last minute and predictability compared to surprise. I do not "fly by the seat of my pants" very well. Some would contribute this to birth order (I am technically the first born) or maybe type "A" personality. Others would say I'm just a control freak. I am not sure what it is, maybe it's all of the above. For the most part this trait has served me well. I have secured and held jobs, paid my bills on time, scheduled and kept appointments, planned trips, made good on commitments and helped raise two fine young men. All of which have required some part of the skill set listed above. However, over the years I have come to understand that my affinity for regimentation has its draw backs as well.  It takes away the opportunity for spontaneity. I should relax and learn how to let things happen, not worry about every detail. No doubt I have missed the joy, beauty, fun, ...

Flowers from my Valentine Today is Valentine's Day, a holiday dating back the 496 A.D. when Pope Gelasius proclaimed February 14th St. Valentine's day. People world wide go on dates and exchange tokens of their love and affection.  It is estimated that 19.7 billion dollars will be spent on gifts in the United States alone this year. That is a lot of flowers and chocolates. Now don't get me wrong, I think Valentine's Day can be fun, but I also see where for some it may be a source of stress. There can be a lot of pressure to pick the right card, gift or place for dinner, especially now with the invention of social media. Comparisons are bound to happen. Like most people, especially us girls, I appreciate gifts and think flowers are sweet, I received some today in fact. But I never want to allow my expectations of this one day to over shadow what happens on the other 364. For me the little things that happen on a daily basis  mean more than any orchestrated...

Kellan on his first team the Dragons Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. This is a phrase used around baseball to motivate even the best players to keep improving. It reminds those players that skill is not always enough and that if someone else is willing to work harder they may pass you by. This has definitely been the case for our oldest son, Kellan. High School Ball Growing up he participated in a variety of sports, soccer, basketball, flag football and baseball. Although he found a certain level of success in all of them, at times it was apparent his athletic ability was not equal to some of his peers. But,while he was seldom the best player on the team, he always made the best of every team. Around the 4th grade Kellan gave up playing other sports in order to focus solely on baseball. Knowing that he had not been blessed with the strength or speed of his teammates he quickly learned to play to his strengths. He was smart, he knew the game. He...

Kansas City Fire Fighter Memorial I have been a part of a fire service family for more that 30 years.  My husband started out as a volunteer before being hired as a paid fire fighter 27 years ago. We have been married for 25 of those years.  When I was in high school my mom, dad, aunt and uncle were also volunteer fire fighters in the community were we lived. My dad now works for a full time department and I also have a brother in law in the fire service. I am extremely proud of all of them. Tim and I at at Fire Department awards banquet Because of the nature of their work and the schedule that it requires, this job is unlike any other. The men and women who choose this profession must except a lifestyle and risk that comes a long with it, and so do their families. Much like the military, the fire service is a family business.  Fire fighters spend a third of their time at the station working, training, sharing meals and building camaraderie among their shift mat...

I started writing this post several weeks ago after my uncle Mark passed away. I have had a hard time finishing it, in part because this is not the kind of subject I usually write about. But the thoughts kept coming and I felt the need to finish it. Over the past few months we have seen more than a half dozen people we know leave this world. Some had lived long full lives, served their country in WWII, had wonderful careers, enjoyed retirement and their grandchildren. Others not yet 40, with young children, some middle aged with kids in college or new grand babies on the way. Several had battled illness and lost their fight, while others died suddenly. They all had plans, goals, dreams and people that loved them. I have experienced death, loss and grief before, but these recent events have reminded me of something I have known all along...life is short and how we spend it matters. My uncle's memorial service was standing room only. The chapel was filled with family and fri...