Getting to know people is usually a delight to me. But typically, I don’t look forward to large social gatherings. Because of the noise, distractions and differing motives in attending large gatherings, I’ve found conversation can be dull and lack transparency. The past weeks presented opportunities to be part of large gatherings. In anticipation of

Three-year-old granddaughter Grace asked, “Can we make a birthday card for Papa Joel?” “Well, of course,” I replied. I collected the old greeting cards, scissors, glue and markers as she settled at the table ready to create. “What kind of pictures do you think Papa Joel would like?” I asked. “Boats, Papa Joel likes boats,”

             At first, my 11-year-old neighbor’s question surprised me. Fun loving Emily is usually carefree about life. “Could I ask you the meaning of a dream I had last night? I woke up scared and couldn’t get back to sleep.” “Of course,” I replied, “I’ll try to help.” Emily continued, “In the dream I saw

For weeks following Hurricane Irma, my sinuses were congested and my body dragged with fatigue. The emotional sights of all needing cleanup translated fatigue to my physical body. The removal and mulching of countless trees and brush from our neighborhoods accounted for watering eyes and sneezes. But one recent early morning found me waking from

My family reunion was held at a sleazy bar on the south side of Milwaukee. Our families, young and old, quickly filled the reserved lounge area with noisy conversation, snacks and juice boxes. Upon arrival, the children couldn’t resist the four miniature bowling lanes. They picked up miniature balls weighing approximately 2-3 pounds and slung

“I wish I could spend everyday helping others get their lives back together,” voiced a worker at a local recovery center after Hurricane Irma. Another reported, “The destruction is so sad but people coming together to help one another is heart-warming,” The trees in Key Largo are becoming less brown and greener as new growth can

I’m grateful, so very grateful to God. Arriving Thursday morning to our Key Largo home, we learned the power had been turned on earlier in the morning. Yes, the south side of the roof was peeled back on our home. Daylight could be seen through small cracks and holes in our bedroom ceiling. A gritty

My emotions have seesawed between joy and sadness numerous times today. Hurricane Irma is waving good-bye to Florida this 9/11/17. As she leaves, we’ve spent the day on the phone and Internet learning what Irma took and left behind in Key Largo, FL. Since darkness comes before the morning light, I will start with what she

‘Wow, what an abrupt change,” said one of our guests this morning as we shared the most recent hurricane Irma report. Key Largo appears on the eastern edge of the cone, tide surge predicted only 1-3 feet, and tornado warnings cancelled for Dade County. This is almost too good to be true news. Seems a

I shed a few tears this morning as Joel and I drove the last several hours of our evacuation from Key Largo to our Pigeon Forge, TN home due to hurricane Irma. Crying is an emotion I seldom express but my fatigue from hurricane prep and long hours of travel wore away my usual emotional

Intimidating, powerful hurricane Irma is on her way somewhere. “War goddess” is one of the meanings for the name Irma. As I circulated through Key Largo today, I noted a sense of urgency and concern as grocery carts and gas tanks were being filled. Making serious preparations for landfall of a category 5 hurricane is