I want to share with you something a friend of mine said recently to me, “The virus is global, but God is universal.” Maybe she was quoting someone. I don’t know. But her words did make me pause to reflect on my belief in a Higher Being and how this belief affects my response to … Continue reading Finding Personal Equilibrium in a Chaotic World
When my younger daughter was growing up, for a period of time, she had hanging from the doorknob to her bedroom a sign which said: KEEP OUT! BUT KEEP ON LOVIN’! My mother, in particular, thought this was quite amusing. During these times when so many are are continuing to isolate themselves to help contain … Continue reading Keep Out! But Keep on Lovin’!
By the spring of 2019, my first musical composition for choir had survived the serious inspection of my church music director. After I had done much editing of the score, my song--whose lyrics and melody had been in a folder for many years prior--was deemed worthy of public performance by his trained eyes and ears. … Continue reading Sing Hallelujah, Give Him Your Heart!
I recently shared two blog posts about memories my two daughters had on the early influence of music in their lives. Since there always is a bit of rivalry among siblings, I thought I’d better write a blog post about music in the life of my first-born child, a son. So, that’s what you are … Continue reading Jumpin’ Back Into Music Performance
We see a wide-eyed little girl, maybe six or so, in a church worship service. She’s standing next to her mother in a pew at the left side of the sanctuary, very close to the pianist whose fingers move adroitly over the keys of the ebony baby grand piano. The child’s eyes shift from the … Continue reading Vibrant Vibes: A Musical Phenomenon
When my children were little, we always had lots of music in our home. One of my adult daughters recently reminded me of one of those times. She said she remembered watching me play a lively upbeat pop tune on piano and sing words about putting a nickel into something called a nickelodeon. She told … Continue reading Music’s Magic Healing Place
As the Coronavirus has become pandemic, spreading over our world, I’m going to share with you what I hope will be words of encouragement when the routines of our daily lives are being turned upside down. I see three essentials to surviving chaos. And those essentials are faith, hope, and love. I’m going to quote … Continue reading Three Essentials to Surviving Chaos
History chooses whom to remember and whom to forget. And such was the case of African American women who worked for NASA in its early days as “human computers,” mathematicians, scientists and engineers. One of these highly intelligent and strongly motivated women was Katherine Johnson who died just about one year ago at the age … Continue reading Katherine Johnson: Getting the Numbers Right
A few months ago I moved from the house where my late husband and I raised our three children, a modest three-bedroom house in the suburbs. He died young of colon cancer at the age of 52. So, he did not live long enough to hear the cheerful noise of grandchildren filling the rooms of … Continue reading Nuggets of Gold
Recently I tuned into “Today with Hoda and Jenna” on NBC as I was eating my late breakfast. It was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 21—and in 2021 the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the Polish concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. It caught my attention as I remembered the extreme sadness I felt when … Continue reading Would You Hide Me?
"The Hole in My Heart" by Connie Carlisle Polley The hole in my heart will never be filled Yet someday will be not so deep, not so fresh. Someday my body’s shivering deep chill With returning embrace and kiss will be met. So I’ll not lose hope even though I weep. Goodness will help me … Continue reading The Hole in My Heart
English—“Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31 NIV (The Holy Bible, New International Version 2011) Français—«Faites pour les autres ce que vous voulez qu’ils fassent pour vous.» Luc 6 :31 PDV (La Sainte Bible, Parole de Vie 2017) Español—«Hagan ustedes con los demás como quieren que los demás hagan con … Continue reading A North Star Worthy of Following
The year 2020 brought not only to the United States of America but to our entire planet an Uninvited Guest who prowled around like a snarling, roaring lion looking for his next unwitting victim. With his powerful grip and unyielding jaws he rendered his prey helpless. One victim he would wound and spit out. Yet another … Continue reading The Uninvited Guest
Have you ever started out on a road trip knowing the highway you were going to take, but not quite sure how many miles you were going to travel, or exactly what would become your final destination? This was the kind of journey the “Magi,” or Wise Men from the East” found themselves on as … Continue reading A Journey Full of Hope
I remember a game passed along in the Carlisle family, now still finding interest down to the fourth generation---passing from my father to me, to my children, and to my grandchildren. My son says he has done research trying to find an earlier origin of the game, or to see if there is another family … Continue reading Carlisle Family Christmas Eve Gift Game
I don't know if the number or the monetary value of your Christmas, Hanukkah, or other Winter Holiday presents is different this year than in years past. Perhaps your financial situation is insecure due to the ramifications of the spread of the Coronavirus. Maybe you are feeling down that you cannot provide those holiday gifts … Continue reading Family and Friends Are the Best Presents
A few years ago one of my daughters gave me a gorgeous ceramic piece which had been crafted by an artist friend. It was strictly decorative, not utilitarian; which is fine because art can serve the purpose of lifting our spirits, causing us to reflect perhaps introspectively, or encouraging our minds toward how we might … Continue reading Imperfect But Still Beautiful
As I was video-chatting with one of my grandsons recently, my casual conversation drifted to a time in my marriage before children. I told him I had had my first full-time teaching position in the adjacent community of Jeffersontown, or known by most of us as J-town. And my husband was working as a machinist … Continue reading Special Delivery
Spring 2019 was a wonderfully fulfilling time for me. I had been working several months on giving music and mini-drama to a formerly tucked-away lyric which told of the birth and life of Jesus in a way understandable to children. I enlisted the music director at my church as my proof-reader and advisor as I … Continue reading A Musical Score Written in God’s Time
English—“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1 NIV (The Holy Bible, New International Version 2011) Français—<<Dites merci au SEIGNEUR, car il est bon, et son amour est pour toujours!>> Psaume 107:1 PDV (La Sainte Bible, Parole de Vie 2017) Español—<<Den gracias al Señor, porque él es bueno, … Continue reading Give Thanks!
TURKEY TROT is an outdoor game my family has played while celebrating the Thanksgiving season. You could easily adapt it to other times of the year as SANTA SLEIGH RIDE, BUNNY HOP, etc. Use your imagination to come up with other variations and have fun! Let's enjoy the crisp outdoors. Time for the TURKEY TROT … Continue reading Holiday Outdoor Fun: Turkey Trot or Whatever Suits the Season!
COVID-19 has probably changed the way you are going to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. However, may I suggest you make my Sweet Potato Pie for your intimate group even if the big family gathering is not in your plans? Think about trying out one of the recipes included in my children's book Sweet Potato Pie, … Continue reading Get a Boost from Sweet Potato Pie (Recipes)
There are times when life can become overwhelming. The sense of not being able to shoulder alone what is being thrown at you is very real for all of us at one time or another. It may be the loss of a loved one. Or losing one’s job. Struggling with health issues. Betrayal of a … Continue reading Carrying Each Other’s Burdens
I remember being exposed to the importance of taking part in the American voting process even as a young child. I only knew that there were two sides from which an adult could make a choice and they were called Democrats or Republicans. As a youngster, I didn’t know anything about party platforms or politics. … Continue reading Taking Sides in a Voting Dilemma
How are you as an American citizen personally dealing with the political divisiveness that we are now witnessing in our country? If you are among the projected 145 million persons in the United States who will vote in the November 3, 2020 Election be it through absentee ballot, early in-person voting or November 3rd voting, … Continue reading How to Be Winners in the 2020 Election
One of my climbing red rose bushes this year developed a really thick stem with huge prickly thorns for practically its entire length of about four feet. That started me to think about the thorns we are enduring in our daily lives which have been turned topsy-turvy in 2020 as we react to COVID-19, economic … Continue reading Enduring Thorns
From the outset of the coronavirus in the United States in early 2020, I was cautious about adhering to the Centers for Disease Control guidelines for Americans’ response to it. I felt the threat was real and was determined that I would do all I could to avoid being infected. Among all the other precautions … Continue reading Wearing a Mask IS a Big Deal!
