Columns – Page 35 – FindYourBuriedTreasure

A small-town school makes a big, big difference

Often, when I look at what’s going on in our country and the world, I get depressed, scared, and extremely concerned about where we’re headed. At other times, however, I see things that fill me with hope and optimism for the future. Last week was one of those. I spent several days last week in a small town in Michigan, talking – and listening – to hundreds of students in dozens of classes, mostly kindergarten through middle school. I was with Tabitha, my friend from [...]

By bettyliedtke|May 19th, 2017|Columns, Family, Making a Difference, Uganda, Values|2 Comments

A different time brings a better outlook

During my first trip to Uganda several years ago, I learned all about being on “Uganda time.” This had nothing to do with clocks or time zones. It was more about the practical realities of getting to your destination – not necessarily when you wanted to be there or were supposed to be there, but when you were able to. Many people had to walk or ride bikes wherever they were going, so weather and other factors had a big impact. But everyone understood this, [...]

By bettyliedtke|May 12th, 2017|Columns, Uganda, Values|Comments Off

It’s time to grow

The women’s group at my church held its Spring Brunch yesterday. I signed up to attend as soon as I heard about it, and was looking forward to it for a number of reasons. For one thing, I was excited about meeting and getting to know some of the women at our new church. For another, the speaker was going to be a woman from a local nursery, who would be talking about herbs, one of my passions – and one that I’ve been especially [...]

By bettyliedtke|May 5th, 2017|Columns, Faith|2 Comments

A stormy situation hits close to home

Thunderstorms were predicted for yesterday, and the sky was turning dark as my husband and I finished our shopping and left the store. “Something nasty is coming,” I said, “and it’s more than just a thunderstorm.” When you grow up in the Midwest, as we both did, you get to know the smell and feel of what we call “tornado weather.” It doesn’t mean a tornado is definitely coming, but it means the conditions are right for one to develop. The sky continued to darken [...]

By bettyliedtke|April 28th, 2017|Columns, Faith, Health and Well-being|Comments Off

Making the most of a squirrelly situation

It started with a few creaks and groans on the back wall, which I took to be house-settling noises, ones I would get used to before long. Then I heard some tapping sounds. My husband was working outside, so I looked out the window to see if he was on the deck doing some maintenance on the outside wall. He wasn’t. By the time I heard the pitter-patter of little feet, I knew we had one of two problems. Either the house was haunted or, [...]

By bettyliedtke|April 21st, 2017|Columns|Comments Off

Enjoying a Different Kind of “Night Out”

The sun was just starting to set as I drove home from the first meeting at my new Toastmasters club. I drove slowly, partly because I’m not entirely familiar yet with the winding roads, and partly because it was the time of day when deer often dart out into the street. We’ve already seen plenty of them, including – along the side of the road – some that didn’t quite make it across safely. When I got home, my husband was sitting out back on [...]

By bettyliedtke|April 14th, 2017|Columns, Family, Health and Well-being|Comments Off

Times change

My alarm clock was particularly jarring when it went off this morning. Not because it woke me up out of a sound sleep – I was actually already awake – but because I hardly ever hear it anymore. Since my husband retired and we moved to Georgia a month ago, there have been only a few times when we’ve even set our alarm clock. This morning, it was because we were expecting a delivery that was scheduled for early in the day, and we wanted [...]

By bettyliedtke|April 7th, 2017|Columns, Values|Comments Off

“Old friends” can’t be replaced by new technology

A landline telephone. Paper calendars. Print versions of books and newspapers. These are items I refuse to part with, even under pressure – sometimes subtle, sometimes intense – to embrace their technological replacements. Holding on to them often feels like a losing battle, but it’s one I’ll keep fighting nonetheless. It’s a battle that’s come to the forefront, in different ways and with different results, during my recent move to Georgia. Wherever we’ve lived, I’ve always subscribed to a daily newspaper – the Chicago Tribune, [...]

By bettyliedtke|March 31st, 2017|Columns, Travel|Comments Off

Old and new keep crossing paths

It’s true that change can be difficult, and that old habits die hard. Yet it’s surprising how quickly we can get used to something new, often without even realizing it. After a week and a half in our new home in Georgia, my husband and I flew back to Minnesota to retrieve our other car and the rest of our belongings, and once again make the 1200-mile road trip to Georgia. While in Minnesota, I joked about how odd it felt not to have a [...]

By bettyliedtke|March 24th, 2017|Columns, Travel|Comments Off

My Favorite Days

One of my favorite days of the year has always been the first Monday after we move our clocks ahead in the Spring. Although Daylight Saving Time actually begins on Sunday, it seems to have a bigger impact on Monday. That may be because on Sunday I’m still dealing with the loss of an hour of sleep, but more likely it’s because weekday routines and timetables are more firmly set than they are on the weekend. On Monday afternoon, it’s much easier to suddenly recognize [...]

By bettyliedtke|March 17th, 2017|Columns, Travel|Comments Off

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