When I was in kindergarten, my teacher, Mrs. Flatt, asked me an important question: “Do you button the buttons before you put on your coat or after?” I mulled that question over in my mind and then, confidently gave my answer: “Before.” “Carol, go and get your coat off the hook,” she told me. I … More Detox
Too much of a good thing can wear you down. We’ve had a lot of rain lately in my area of the world, and I’m ready for a reprieve. I say that as I sit in my warm, dry house, protected from the elements. Who am I to complain? My mind moves to others who … More Rain on the Righteous
I have a vivid memory from my childhood, and it’s not a pretty one. While I don’t remember what prompted the outburst, I had a temper-tantrum in my mother’s presence and told her, “I’m tired of being good! It’s too hard!” I was obviously exasperated about something, and my parents’ guidance on good behavior had … More It takes effort
I had a birthday last month which had me thinking about life, years, and, to be honest, mortality. Nothing like a birthday to give you a reality check. If birthdays haven’t done that for you, then you’re not old enough. Just sayin’. I am using Christmas and birthday cards this year to pray for the … More Counting Life
When I say the phrase “theme song,” what comes to mind? Maybe the tune to your favorite TV show or movie, or the song that is shared by you and your spouse? A theme song is like a brand — it defines and brings recognition to something or someone. The great songwriter David wrote in … More My theme song
I know when I write this question, people will interpret it in polar opposite ways, but I’m willing to take the chance. In 1933, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote to his grandmother: The question is really: Christianity or Germanism? And the sooner the conflict is revealed in the clear light of day the better.* So, I sit … More The Question
It’s been a busy week of interviews at the library. With a couple of positions open, I’ve interviewed about eight different people. When I say different, I mean different, unique, interesting. You learn a lot about human nature when you ask the same question to more than one person. Each one brings their own background, … More Making an impression
Have you ever watched a movie or read a book that was so true-to-life that you forgot it was fiction? You find yourself relating it to another with an excitement that makes them wonder if it truly took place. The great authors and screenwriters are those who can mix just enough of truth into the … More The Masquerade of Evil
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.* As my birthday approached, I kept hearing a familiar phrase go through my mind: 55 Alive! Yep, that’s right, I’m the double digits today that bring any semi-aware person to the reality that they’ve finally arrived at an age they only thought possible for … More Number our days
Do you ever wonder what you did before the internet, cell phones, and social media? We must have been terribly bored! My daughter-in-love and I were talking about this today, and the struggles we have in pushing the voices away. We were talking about an author we both liked, and she said that she and her … More An Undivided Heart
