Rise and Shine: Good to Go

“The shortest distance between two people is a story.” I don’t know who first said that (there seem to be conflicting attributions), but I often repeat it because I have found it to be so true. It is in and through stories that we truly get to know someone. Trusting...

Rise and Shine: Breaking and Entering

I’ve always been intrigued by the nicknames that have been given to notable kings, royalty, or leaders throughout the ages. I’m talking about the descriptors that come after their names that encapsulate something about their character or achievements (or lack...

Rise and Shine: Making Resolution

Well, it’s that time again: the season of New Year’s resolutions. Now, if you’re making a resolution, there are several important steps to keep in mind. Step 1, of course, is the setting of intentions: making one’s resolutions for the new year, and those resolutions...

Christmas Isn’t Over Yet

Christmas isn’t over!  Even though the presents are opened, the guests and family have gone home; the daily work has begun again.  Christmas isn’t over!  Even though we step into January with the forecast of snow and cold weather every year, with battleship grey...

Making Room for Christmas

I don’t know about you, but for me, decorating for Christmas always requires a fundamental reassessment of how my home is furnished. It’s not like there is open space year-round that is big enough to plant a literal tree in it for a month. No, I have to move a side...

Peace in a Weary World

We are all familiar with the preciousness of bedtime rituals – we read and sing to children and tuck them in with sweet words:  “Good night, sleep tight, sweet dreams… I love you.”  And even as grown-ups, we often crawl into bed for a few quiet minutes to read...