60 Feet 6 Inches To Home

Working for a school district, I get big blocks of time off several times through out the year.  Spring break, Thanksgiving, Christmas and about five weeks in the summer. I always have big plans to get a lot of things done during those times. My ambitions are high and my to-do lists are long. I tell myself that I should use this time to be productive.   Christmas Eve Church Service 2016 Yet here I sit, once again, at the end of my time off having gotten very few tasks completed. Generally I would be bothered by that. I would feel as if I had wasted an opportunity to get the house in better order, mop the floors, purge the boys closets, shred old paperwork or numerous other projects that always reappear on my lists. For some reason this time I am fine with it. Christmas 2016 As I think about what I did do with my time I realized that I was productive. Maybe not in the way I had originally set out to be, but that's okay. I was able to do the job I love the most,...

Growing up as a very quiet and shy person, conversations were difficult for me. I was perfectly content to let my twin sister do the talking for both of us. We even developed our own language that not even our mother understood. In first grade we were placed in separate classes. Up to that time I didn't  need  to be comfortable speaking to people, my sister was always with me. The adjustment of being on my own in school was not an easy, but I needed it to happen. I learned to manage, but confidence in my communication skills were slow to come. Since spoken words were hard, I realized at a young age how powerful and useful written words could be. Great quotes, touching essays and well written song lyrics intrigued me. In high school I began writing poetry. I wrote about my life and the people in it. I wrote letters too, most of which were never mailed. Even if I was the only one who read them, they were a form of communication for me. I still have a notebook full of...

Every year since I started this blog I have written a post at the beginning of the school year.  The first as Kellan left for college and Owen started high school. This was one of the biggest transitions our family has ever made, and it was difficult. The second seemed more familiar, not quiet comfortable yet, but easier than the year before. Now for the third time we find ourselves here once again. Kellan spent the summer at home, opting not to play any baseball. Instead he returned to his job with the parks department and worked out with a trainer improving his speed and agility.  Owen on the other hand played a lot of baseball, traveling almost every weekend. Despite the busy schedules, we managed to spend a lot of time as a family, including a week long tournament in Nashville. We did not take that time for granted. Our family at the Grand Ole'Opry We loved having everyone home for the summer, but as the time approached for school to start I was concer...

What is a missionary? According to Google, it is a person sent on a religious mission, especially one to promote Christianity in a foreign country. I think most people would agree with that definition. These individuals give their time, talent and resources to serve communities. With their help, homes and schools are built, clean water is made accessible, children are taught English and the Gospel. A lot of emphasis gets placed on these kind of trips and rightfully so. The needs are great and the experiences can be life changing. I can understand the appeal and the benefits are undeniable, but when the focus becomes so driven towards one type of mission, opportunities closer to home can be easily overlooked. The church we attended for many years had strong ties to several non profit groups, all offering opportunities to travel to the countries they supported.  It was strongly recommend that everyone pick one of them and go. While I appreciate this idea and have prayed fo...

Working in a school, the end of the year is a natural time to reset and look forward to what is next. This can be exciting, but as we all know beginnings eventually turn into endings and endings can be difficult. This May like many before, I watched students leave elementary school, a place where they have been nurtured and known. In the fall they will enter middle school, unsure of what to expect and unfamiliar to the majority of people around them. I also saw many young people graduate from both high school and college with high hopes and great enthusiasm for their futures, even with uncertainty ahead. But as I prepared to leave school for the summer this year, it was different. Three longtime employees of our district packed their things and walk out the door for the last time. Each of them leaving for different reasons, they either want to, need to, or feel like the time is right. They all have spent decades serving our students in their positions and this will be a huge ch...

 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...