personal stories

That Big Red Kettle

December 2, 2019

One college Christmas break many, many years ago, I rang a bell for the Salvation Army kettle in North Dallas. It still seems like yesterday. Unfortunately, the weather those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas were “typical Texas” – 80 degrees one day, 20 degrees the next.  One of those bell ringing days was a bitterly […]

Thanksgiving Proclamations

November 27, 2019

Celebrating and sharing the bountiful harvest with a grateful heart. Before it was a national holiday proclaimed by President Lincoln during the Civil War, the first formal proclamation of Thanksgiving came November 26, 1789 from then President George Washington. And during President Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, it was no Norman Rockwell holiday painting. President Lincoln’s proclamation […]

Voting. It matters.

November 5, 2018

Voting – It is our fundamental right and responsibility as an American citizen. From an early age, it was pounded into my head that voting is both a fundamental right and civic responsibility. Our dining table was more often than not a center for political discussions. Though my parents were traditionally Republicans, we were taught to […]

How One Bold Note Sparked Healing On A Post 9/11 Plane

September 10, 2018

September 11.  We can all touch the emotions of how we felt watching terrorist attacks unfold.  Some of you may have lost loved ones, some may have taken a long time to feel “safe” again, and some may have experienced a crisis as a result.  As someone who flies a lot, and whose airline of choice […]