Author Archives: joyocala

If you’ve ever sung or played a concert or performed on stage, you know the big let down that comes when it is over. You spend weeks rehearsing, refining every nuance. Then there is the exhilaration of the performance itself, … Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day and everyone will be thinking about their mother.  I was very blessed to have a wonderful mother.  I always knew that I was loved and cared for.  She taught by example more than words.  … Continue reading →

Nobody enjoys being lied to. And yet we hear them all the time – from the news media, in courtrooms, even from trusted friends and partners. The truth hurts, but we’re all dying for it. This was clearly shown by … Continue reading →

It’s my privilege to have a new neighbor who has been deaf since birth.  Her parents were both deaf, as are her siblings and their spouses.  My hubby and I had the pleasure of meeting several of them at her … Continue reading →

Do you have children?  For this message, it does not matter if you have children.  If you are reading it, you yourself were at one time a kid, child, youngin’ of someone. Circumstances differ for many of us.  Perhaps you are estranged from … Continue reading →

Children are a gift from the Lord: they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3 A little over a month ago, I wrote about the passing of my mother.  Today we are celebrating her life and fondly remembering her with … Continue reading →

Ever had that happen to you? Hear a song and it stays in your head for days. If it is a particularly annoying song with words that are offensive or nasty, that can be downright miserable. However, I have found … Continue reading →

When I used to write prayers of the people for worship, I often included a line like this, “Remembering the example of Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, we commend our lives to your service.” One upset member informed me that we … Continue reading →

Happy May Day!  Have you ever danced around a May pole or made May baskets?  I don’t ever remember doing it, but these are two traditions associated with May 1st or May Day.  In ancient times this was a Celtic cross-quarter day … Continue reading →

Can you say “evangelists”? I think that “spiritual tour guides” is more accurate, rolls off the tongue better. By simply sharing our own journeys of faith, we may get more receptivity in this wacky post-modern age. We are still sharing … Continue reading →