A Thanksgiving Memory from Grandma Memory Lane: When I was a child, we always had cats. They all lived outdoors, and some of them were pretty rough. My grandmother always fussed at them and called them some rather *inappropriate* names. As for the cats, they adored her! Then would come Thanksgiving, and Grandma would take the turkey giblets (which we wouldn’t touch with a 10′ pole), and season and cook them up for the cat! Her answer to the... Read more
It’s Thanksgiving–and I Don’t Cook! Here Are Some Fast and Easy Thanksgiving Sides for the Non-Cook So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Some Thanksgiving dinners turn into real family affairs, and all adults are expected to participate in the preparation. That’s good and fair, I suppose, but the non-cook who volunteers the paper products or a gallon of tea can face more... Read more
The Benefit of Just One Night Away I’m not sure what made me remember this. Maybe because I have been dealing with work-related stress lately, but I remembered a time when I just needed one night away. This happened a lot of years ago. My children were two and four years old, and I was a single parent. Perhaps some of you can identify with the fact that I cried every day. I often felt like a total failure... Read more
What’s Wrong With My Tunnel Vision? tunnel vision: noun constriction of the visual field resulting in loss of peripheral vision extreme narrowness of viewpoint : narrow-mindedness single-minded concentration on one objective Sometimes tunnel vision is a bad thing, like in definitions 1 and 2 above. This week, I have the definition 3 type of tunnel vision. It is performance week at school, and I am the drama teacher. To complicate matters, I suggested a mystery dinner theater this semester, which... Read more
A Child, A Daisy, and the Birth of Political Mud-Slinging It seems there has always been negativity attached to American Presidential elections. People disagree, sometimes vehemently, with the other party’s candidate. Maybe an attack on one’s opponent is considered “good politics.” To me, “good politics” is an oxymoron, and political ads are definitely the worst of the worst part of contemporary election tactics. Where did it all come from, I wonder. I remember a child, a daisy, and the subtle... Read more
The Battle Strategies of Exodus 17 Challenge #1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and... Read more
A Walk in the Past in Schoenbrunn Village Nestled into the rural landscape near New Philadelphia, Ohio exists the remnants of a lovely village that was a successful adventure in early American acceptance and inclusion. This reconstructed village offers a glimpse into the past when Ohio was considered frontier and was largely populated by Indigenous People–the Delaware. Schoenbrunn Village is the site of Ohio’s first Christian settlement, first church, first schoolhouse and first code of laws. “The village, restored... Read more
Boxes I like boxes. Boxes are great. I especially like the ones that are very sturdy, because I have lots of teacher stuff that needs a safe place. Sturdy boxes are useful for canned goods and tools and breakables. Very functional! I like pretty boxes, too. They are nice for saving letters and keepsakes, like a collection of shells or crystal rocks. There is an air of promise or mystery about a pretty box, too. One... Read more
Some people think the arrival of autumn/fall is sad. However, I think fall is beautiful! I never miss the broiling summer days of make-up melting off my face. I love fall weather–chilly nights meant to snuggle in blankets and cool days perfect for wearing flannel; I love fall colors, especially as they appear in nature–apples, pumpkins, black-eyed Susans; I love fall smells–the spice, the autumn rain, and the wood smoke; I love fall sounds– the wind, the crunch of leaves,... Read more
Ruthie Bolton is a hero. In her own words, She “grew up as one of twenty siblings and many cousins in a small town in Mississippi back in the day when we played outside until our parents made us come in. I learned a lot growing up in this environment–like the fact that life was not all about me, how to share, and how to work together as a team. I had to keep up with my siblings... Read more
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