Monthly Archives: November 2019

On Friday, November 9 we celebrated the thirty year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I can vividly remember watching television and seeing people standing on the wall and chipping away at it with hammers and chisels. I … Continue reading →

The stories of our lives – or maybe just mine – seem non-descript, painfully ordinary. Our daily lives roll along with their usual, often mundane regularity. I have never considered anything about my life to be book-worthy, let alone blog-worthy. … Continue reading →

I didn’t choose my name; you probably didn’t either. But our parents thought long and hard before they chose a name for us. Did you like your name when you were a child? I didn’t. So many girls shared my … Continue reading →

Just a few days ago, my husband was enjoying a delicious salad I prepared when suddenly he winced, “Ouch, I don’t believe I almost cracked my tooth. This olive has a pit in it, instead of a pimento!” Olives still … Continue reading →

Two strangers were fishing opposite each other on a beautiful Idaho trout stream. At sunset the younger fisherman went to greet the older fisherman on the far side of the stream. He was perplexed that the older fisherman had thrown … Continue reading →

I am a Stephen Ministry Leader. When I speak with people about this ministry, I am often met with confused looks and lots of questions. For a ministry that has been around for a long time with a stellar track … Continue reading →

My father, a machinist, could look at a blueprint and use it to turn stock metal into intricate machinery. Like my father, I took classes in drafting and machine shop, but unlike him most things I made didn’t turn out … Continue reading →

Here is a new recipe for beef-barley stew that I’m planning on trying. Brown and sear one pound of beef cut up into cubes. Add salt, onions, shallots, barley, and water. Simmer until tender. Finish by adding milk and crushed … Continue reading →

My congregation knows enough about me to know that I am a second-career pastor. My first “life” or career was as a Navy musician. The next layer of knowing this about me is that I originally wanted to be a … Continue reading →

May we never forget the men and women who fought for our freedom, who put their lives on the line for us. The 11th of November, first Armistice Day, now Veterans Day, marked the signing of the armistice by the … Continue reading →