How do you express your thanks on Thanksgiving Day? Many people say a special blessing as they sit down to their Thanksgiving dinner. Some go around the table and have everyone name one or more of the people and things they are thankful for. For others it’s more private, with meditation or prayers of gratitude on their own. I usually do some combination of this, and this year, I decided to add something new. I made a list of things I am grateful for, running [...]
“I can’t believe it’s September already.” A number of people have been saying this over the last week or so, and I thought it myself as I turned the calendar page over to the new month. (Yes, I still use a paper calendar on the kitchen counter, in addition to the digital one on my phone.) There’s something about September. It seems to contain more pronounced beginnings and endings than other months. Maybe it’s because the Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer. [...]
We’re back home now after almost a month on the road. The first trip was to visit our daughter in California. Then, after a few days at home – just enough time to unpack, do laundry, repack, and celebrate the 4th of July – we headed back out again to visit our son, daughter-in-law, and grandkids in Minnesota. It goes without saying that we had a wonderful time visiting with family, and I could write a dozen posts just on that. But there were also [...]
I’m taking the next three weeks off from writing – other than the journal I’ll be keeping during some traveling and exploring I’ll be doing over the next few weeks. You’ll hear about some of it when I return and settle down again in July. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying the summer. Please stay safe, cool, and well-hydrated in this dangerously hot weather we’ve been having. Have a wonderful Father’s Day, 4th of July, and anything else you will be doing or [...]
Over the Memorial Day weekend, it has never seemed right to write about anything but, well, Memorial Day. To remind everyone – myself included – that the holiday is not about barbecues and fireworks and the unofficial start of summer. It’s about remembering and honoring those who gave their lives in service to our country. Every year, I’ve taken part of the day to sit back and reflect on this, as well as to call or text my son – a former Marine who served [...]
Today, I want to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to everyone who is – or has been – important to a child… To the ones who gave birth to them and raised them – which is often, but not always, the same person. To the ones who nurtured, educated, and inspired them. To the ones who stepped in and took over when Mom needed a break, or had to go back to work. To the ones who never had kids of their own, but was [...]
When I was very young, Easter Sunday meant walking up the hill to church for morning Mass, wearing a pretty dress and hat, white gloves, and ruffled anklets. Later in the afternoon would be a traditional Easter meal – sometimes at our house but usually at Grandma and Grandpa’s. Following that would be a few chocolate treats and marshmallow Peeps from our Easter baskets – especially welcome after having gone without candy of any kind all through Lent. When my kids were young, some things [...]
I’ve spent a fair amount of time thinking about what New Year’s Resolutions I want to make this year. I’ve got several in mind, and just decided on my main one. I’ve written in the past about the power of “First Thing in the Morning.” For many people, first thing in the morning is the most productive and efficient time of day. I have many examples of that in my own life. I used to roll out of bed and plop myself in front of [...]
My message this week is a simple, but universal one. I wish for you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season. I hope you find the peace and comfort we dream of and sing about in our hymns and carols at this time of year. I pray that you stay safe and healthy as you enjoy whatever festivities and celebrations you take part in with family or friends. And I hope you find the New Year to be one of promise and possibilities, with [...]