Author Archives: joyocala

In our ordinary lives, we don’t always see God. We have to be intentionally looking. Maybe we can think of it as detective work, unraveling the mystery. How is an unseen God at work in our ordinary lives? The first … Continue reading →

The social distancing of recent months has changed all of our lives.  Sheltering in place brought the need for new ways to spend our time.  I found a new hobby that is both fascinating to me and filling all my … Continue reading →

Pentecost represents a time after Jesus had returned from the dead, been acknowledged by His disciples and ascended into heaven. The Resurrection must have been powerful to behold.  What followed must have been like Memorial Day.  Lots of shared stories about Jesus, … Continue reading →

From early childhood my mother taught us to pray the childhood night-time prayer “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my … Continue reading →

I love doing puzzles.  They remind me of my mother.  A lot of things remind me of my mother.  It is good to be reminded of how fortunate I was that God assigned Kit to be my mother.   Strangely, … Continue reading →

Benedictine monks and sisters make a vow of stability, staying in one place. Benedict abhorred what he called “gyrovagues,” roving monks who went from place to place depending on the generosity of others to support them in their endless wanderings. … Continue reading →

“The God Squad” is a weekly religious newspaper column written by Rabbi Marc Gellman, which appears each Saturday in the Ocala Star Banner.  It was originally written jointly with Catholic priest Monsignor Tom Hartman, but Gellman continued on his own … Continue reading →

When I hear about someone described as a “person of character”, the “grammar nerd” in me cringes at the redundancy or oxymoron. Of course everyone has character, that unique, yet shaped by environment, upbringing and DNA. The word character originates … Continue reading →

We share this timely post from our friend Helen, originally posted on Memorial Day 2016. This weekend is a time of memories–a memorial for those who have gone before us.  We honor those who served our country in the military … Continue reading →

I grew up in the Lutheran church, always knowing I was a Christian who attended the Lutheran church.  I clarify that because I had so many Presbyterian friends, Catholic friends and Methodist friends; we were all Christians just attending different churches with what … Continue reading →