We were Baby Boomers, and there were so many 6th graders in our school district, that they had to move us from the elementary school to the basement of the junior high. There were three 6th grade classes, and each had 50 students. They were big classes, but still we bonded, for we were hidden away in the basement. How I hated that school basement. It was cold and damp, and the only other classes in the basement were wood shop, metal shop and a rifle range. That meant junior high boys w... [More]

I love quotations. I also love to be able to give the author credit where credit is due. Some of these quotations are those attributed to "author unknown." I have attempted to find the originators via the Internet, but to no avail. Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. Be yourself! Who else is better qualified? Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures. Many problems can be solved in the time spent worrying about them. You are the only person in the w... [More]

This old notebook has turned into quite a treasure! Tucked away in the pages was this poem. It was something I wrote while sitting on the side of the bed in my room at a shelter for abused women. I was there from mid-November to mid-December, 2003. The only other thing I wrote while I was at the shelter was this: ... [More]

I thought about making separate entries for everything I found on this one page in my old notebook. Instead, I decided to just put it all on one page, as I found it in my book. I wonder if I was trying to save paper, since I was almost homeless at the time. Or was I switching back and forth between programs? I really don't remember. These comments sound like Dr. Phil-isms. No matter where they originated, they are good. Your first resolution has to be to love and value ... [More]

Brothers and sisters, we forget that our churches are for everyone. Our churches are not just places for us to get together so we can feel good. Churches are not country clubs. And yet, many remain the most segregated places around. There are black churches and white churches; rich churches and poor churches. We claim that everyone is welcome in our church, but do we really make everyone feel welcome? Our churches, like our God, should be places of refuge for the hurting and imperfect.... [More]