Columns – Page 31 – FindYourBuriedTreasure

It’s Not Always As It Seems

During my first trip to Uganda in 2011, I went to Mass on Sunday morning with the only other Catholic in our group. We arrived early for the English Mass, and waited outside the church, along with the overflow of people who were there for the earlier Mass in the native language. We were a little confused when a collection basket was passed after Communion. Usually this is done during the Offertory, earlier in the Mass. “Maybe they’re taking up an extra collection for the [...]

By bettyliedtke|March 16th, 2018|Columns, Making a Difference, Uganda, Values|Comments Off

One-Year Reflections

My husband’s last day of work was Friday, March 3, of last year. Two days later, we were in our packed-up car, driving south to Georgia. Which means we have just passed the one-year anniversary of his retirement and our move to our new home. In some ways, I can’t believe it’s been a year already. In other ways, I can’t believe it’s only been a year. That’s often the way it is when we view things in hindsight. We go through life day by [...]

By bettyliedtke|March 9th, 2018|Columns, Toastmasters, Writing|Comments Off

A tribute to Sheri

I didn’t know Sheri very long or very well. But it was long and well enough to know she was a very special lady. We first met when I joined our neighborhood book club. At the first meeting I attended, we chatted quite a bit before the book discussion got going, and talked as much about writing as we did about reading. Sheri was an active member of the Georgia Writers Museum, which I was interested in but hadn’t been to yet. Our book club [...]

By bettyliedtke|March 3rd, 2018|Columns, Gifts and Talents, Holidays, Making a Difference, Uganda, Writing|6 Comments

Miracles in Uganda

“The day was filled with miracle after miracle.” That’s what my friend Tabitha told me on the phone the other day. She was calling from Uganda, where she’s doing some prep and planning for the work we’ll do when she and I – along with several others – go back in a few months. For those who aren’t familiar with my work or my story, Tabitha and I have been on a mission ever since she read an article in a Ugandan newspaper about a [...]

By bettyliedtke|February 24th, 2018|Columns, Faith, Making a Difference, Respect, Travel, Uganda, Values|Comments Off

A Last-Minute Invitation

I was getting ready for 5 o’clock Mass last Saturday when the phone rang. It was one of our neighbors. “I know this is short notice,” she said, “but a friend and I are going to a concert tonight by the Morehouse College Glee Club. I have an extra ticket, and was wondering if you’d like to go.” The wheels started spinning as I processed the timetable. My husband and I usually go to Mass on Saturday afternoon, but if we have other plans, or [...]

By bettyliedtke|February 17th, 2018|Columns, Faith, Music/Singing|Comments Off

Watch this!

Super Bowl LII is now history. We watched the game with some neighbors, and I freely admit that I enjoy watching the game as much – if not more – for the commercials as for the game itself. Unless, of course, my beloved Chicago Bears are playing, which has happened just twice in my lifetime. We all agreed that we were disappointed with the commercials this year. “It seems like they’re trying too hard,” one of the neighbors said. We all agreed with that, too. [...]

By bettyliedtke|February 9th, 2018|Achieving Dreams and Goals, Columns, Values|Comments Off

Food for thought – and for getting things done

I had lunch yesterday with a friend from my church. It was actually a get-to-know-you-better meeting, as we’ve crossed paths a number of times at different events and activities, and realized that we have many interests and values in common. Even from brief conversations and from tidbits and snippets of information we’ve shared, we knew we wanted to learn more about each other. It was a lovely lunch, the kind where it takes a while to order because you start talking right away and find [...]

By bettyliedtke|February 3rd, 2018|Columns, Faith, Uganda, Values|Comments Off

Sharing the view from a different direction

“It’s a good thing y’all are Yankees,” he told us, “’cause you’re way more organized than we are.” For the record, there were five of us at the meeting. One was a New Jersey native, one was a Midwesterner (that’s me, and you will never find my picture in the dictionary next to the word “organized”), and three were born-and-raised-in-the-South Georgians. Everyone laughed, and no one took offense at the comment. And that felt good. Not only do discussions and debates these days seem to [...]

By bettyliedtke|January 27th, 2018|Columns, Health and Well-being, Values|Comments Off

Paying attention to a scary dream

I had a very upsetting dream last night, having to do with my upcoming trip to Uganda. In the dream, I was carpooling to the airport with my friend from Uganda and two others who were going with us. Never mind that I live in Georgia and the others are all in Minnesota. At some point, I thought about my passport, which I had put in my suitcase as soon as I started packing, so I would be sure not to forget it. But I [...]

By bettyliedtke|January 19th, 2018|Columns, Travel, Uganda, Writing|Comments Off

Oprah for President?

Like many people, I watched the Golden Globe Awards last Sunday night, and was blown away by Oprah Winfrey’s speech as she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement. It was inspiring, empowering, and it made me feel as though, yes, a new day is dawning, and the world is about to change for the better. At no point did it occur to me, however, that this was a political speech, or the launch of a political career for Oprah. That changed the [...]

By bettyliedtke|January 12th, 2018|Columns, Gifts and Talents, Respect, Values|Comments Off

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