A woman was murdered. People watched and didn’t intervene – or so it was originally thought. Either way, the Bystander Effect phenomenon was identified, and 911 was created. The Bystander Effect occurs when people stand by and fail to help when others are present. I still regret my Bystander Effect moment. I was junior high age, in line with my church besties, and waiting for a bathroom stall to open up. An older woman came out of a stall and stood right in front of us to wash her hands. Keep Reading...
In the Desert
A group of young adults were living their best lives in the mountains of Colorado. They followed a call from Jesus to spend a year or two doing an internship. They climbed mountains – and trees. They played in the snow and sat around campfires. They started their day with a view of the mountains. And then there was a shift. A change in leadership, values, procedures and vision. What the group thought was sure became very unsure. Decisions had to be made. Stay or go. Through many hours of prayer Keep Reading...
A Question for Grandparents
Ten years ago today, I became a grandmother! It’s hard to believe it, but I have the cutest, most creative, and kindest grandgirl to prove it. It seems like yesterday I met her for the first time. Recently, Hubby and I gathered with three other couples. Hubby and I have been grandparents the longest, and two couples are new to the game. We shared photos and stories of our grandkids. We talked about how amazing it was to watch our babies hold their babies. And then we answered a question. If Keep Reading...
Do You Have a Life Verse?
A souvenir. A memento. A keepsake. A remembrance. I had a box of them growing up. Still have some. I bet you do, too. Something we keep to remind us of a happy time or place. Some people – like me - keep “scripture mementos.” A favorite Bible verse that encouraged us at a difficult time. Or maybe it was a promise we were clinging to. Or perhaps it was a verse read at an important life occasion. Over the years, these “scripture keepsakes” have been labeled “life verses.” It’s hard to walk Keep Reading...
Making a Difference
My eighty-seven-year-old parents recently celebrated 65 years of marriage and 73 years together. They started dating when they were thirteen and haven’t stopped since. Dad gives Mom flowers every week—which wasn’t easy during the pandemic when he had to rely on others to pick out pretty flowers with their online grocery order. He tells her daily how pretty she is. They pray every night when they get in bed. Two years ago, my parents moved to Texas at their children's insistence – leaving behind Keep Reading...
Happy Thanksgiving!
Family and Thanksgiving. Hmm… do those two really mix? I think they do, but our family has had reasons to question it. My first Thanksgiving with my married-into-family was fantastic. My now sisters-in-law were welcoming, and though they were ten to twenty years older than me, they welcomed me into the family as one of their own – even if I refused to eat oyster dressing. After our first Christmas fiasco (fodder for another blog – or therapy – it’s a toss-up), I declared that Thanksgiving would Keep Reading...
It’s a Wonder!
It’s a wonder! We got a new mattress today after I don’t know how many years. Mattress shopping made me wonder how in the world my husband and I have managed to share the same bed for our 36 years of marriage. In the early days we were so poor, we didn’t have a lot of options. His dad bought our first bed – a waterbed. They were all the rage back then and if you had one, you know why our generation is marked by fortitude and success. There was no such thing as ordering a bed online, waiting Keep Reading...
Grateful for the Flood
I’m so grateful for the flood! Not the Noah’s Ark flood - though I should be grateful God chose to save mankind and the animals He created. But that’s not the flood I’m referring to. I’m grateful for the flood we had for about four straight years in the house where I grew up. Specifically, in my bedroom, my sister’s bedroom and our shared bathroom. Now that I think about it, the boys’ rooms never flooded and they never had their rooms torn up. Wait, that’s probably an issue to discuss with a Keep Reading...
Unmet Expectations – A Story for Easter
I’ve lived in towns with interesting names but they always seemed to make sense. Boise. It is a French word for “wooded” and the French trappers used it to describe the trees lining the river flowing through the valley where the city of Boise grew up. Boise is a beautiful, tree-filled city. College Station. In the 1800’s, a little college, now Texas A&M University, sat along the railroad tracks and the train station was the stop for the college. The conductor would call out, “Next Keep Reading...
Today is a BIG Day!
Today is a BIG day! I didn’t know it was a big day. It started out as a regular day. A friend let me know there was a typo on my blog. I tried to blame the web designer and then realized it was something within my control. Not completely my fault but...within my control. So, a quick log into my website turned into a walk down memory lane (to fix the typos) and I realized I started my blog 11 years ago TODAY! Today is the 11thanniversary for my blog. What? On one hand, it seems like I Keep Reading...
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