My Journal
Where I share my thoughts in words.
Ash to Breathe
Buildings disintegrated. Planes exploded. People died. And mounds of ash were left to remind us of what once had been. Historically, Judaism has rejected cremation of the dead because it destroys the body, the vessel that houses the soul and makes impossible the...
Love Your Country
There are many reasons for celebrating the Fourth of July, I believe. They range from a day free from the grind of work to an affinity for the fizzle and boom of firecrackers. But, to be honest, there are very good reasons for literally embracing this national holiday...
Liberty to the Life Lovers
It's been a week since the High Court handed down a decision in the Dobbs case that effectively ended the federal blessing to the slaughter legalized by Roe v. Wade. The world had to pause. And well it should. The assisted death of over 60 million babies is nothing...
Holistic, not Hot
The recent controversy over Matthew West’s song “Modest is Hottest” reminds us that we run afoul of balance when we do not take a holistic approach to modesty. The song had been out barely hours when the opinions began to come in. Some loved it; others were horrified....
Bethlehem Cartoons and a Veiled Glory
I looked for an image of the Nativity to accompany a Christmas social media post and all the options displayed on my stock image site were cartoonish, Precious Moments-ish, Willow Tree-esque, unreal. There were no depictions with actual people. And I wondered - is...
A Covid Christmas
The other day I heard Burl Ives belt out his Christmas classic, “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.” It was the first time for me to hear the homey tune this season, and it usually evokes in me the mental image we traditionally associate with Christmas – warmth, family,...
A Time for eLearning
Life has totally rerouted on us lately. Without much warning, the road signs changed, and we are on unmapped highways. One of those sudden changes is the new world of eLearning. I have homeschooled my children in the past, and I remember the weight and the joy. There...
A Tin Cup and a Truce
Her picture was ragged around the edges. Brittle from the freezing temperatures. Fading from being carried in his pocket. But it still warmed him to look at her. Rose. A summer flower. A fragrant, beautiful flower. In his mind, he was walking with her through the...
A Penny Bottle of Perfume
This short story is dedicated to my friend, LuRhe, in loving memory of her daughter, Jacinda Edwards Stetler, who was a devoted and beloved teacher. Tommy was dirty. His overalls were ragged. His hair had a cowlick that sprouted like new alfalfa on the back of his...
Sally Anne’s Christmas Wedding
The day Sally Anne Jenkins stepped off the bus carrying her red suitcase, the world turned upside down. “That’s Bobby’s girl.” The townsfolk said. “Cutest couple you ever did see. And then he went and got himself kilt over in the war. Over there fighting the...
