It began like previous Christmases, with a determination to avoid the frenzied trappings of the Christmas season. But all too soon, the familiar stresses began to mount. There were schedules to keep, errands to run, and online and store deals to chase, plus the ever-vigilant financial constraints. Each day brought multiple to-do lists; some items…

Christmas memories are mixtures of carolers, colorfully wrapped presents, frantic shoppers on their missions, sparkling silver tinsel hanging single file on the arms of Christmas trees, and the aroma of freshly baked pumpkin pies.  Contrasting with the more typical seasonal events is my family’s annual trek into the Pine Barrens in Southern New Jersey.   We…

A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature. Henry David Thoreau. Bill Wranich captures the natural beauty of the Pinelands of Southern New Jersey. I am inspired by his work. .

This is a special thank you to Melanie Redd who posted my story of grace and self-forgiveness on her website: Melanie Redd: Inspiration. Encouragement. Hope. You can log in to her site and subscribe to receive uplifting messages.

Abundance is not about gathering. Abundance is about seeing— Spring and summer are all about joie de vivre, the joy of living.  Each break of day calls us outside, to join, to play, to celebrate life together.  Then, sometime in autumn, a chill begins to seep into our bones, and we prepare for a seasonal…

Author’s Note: Honesty can be raw, but I feel compelled to dig into my painful past, to bare my soul, to splay it open for you, in hopes of sparing you years of struggle that I endured, a former fiercely independent woman, who held on to a shallow idea of self for far too long. …

Do we always know the way?  Do we need to know the way? Routine for me is comforting.  I like to take the same walks, to follow the same schedule and to enjoy my sense of boundaries. But what happens when the way ahead is blanketed by a heavy fog?  That can be frightening. I…

To My Readers: A mother’s love knows no bounds.  Her spirit transcends earthly dimensions. This story about my friend Connie Raffa and her mother, Miriam Willis, had to be told. It is a testament to God’s mysterious and loving ways here on earth. Connie was cleaning her mom’s house for the last time. It was…

To my readers: How often do we tell each other they are in our prayers? I began to think more about the act of praying . I am the author of this post, but also the learner. I felt the need to dig deep, beyond the words with some personal stories. (Gloria) We need to…

Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived. — Thomas Merton The Unexpected Do you see this opportunistic pink flower, peaking her way around the croton plant?  She volunteered herself into this pot, with no help from me, the gardener.  She just showed up, feisty and gutsy, showing off…