Monthly Archives: November 2025
Before I include the passage from the book, a word of remembrance that this date, in 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I remember telling my 7th graders. It was especially hard on them because for the previous month, we had sold booklets of our poetry to send money to Jackie Kennedy to refurbish the White House. The week before this national disaster, they had received a personal note from her on White House stationery. We had been published in…..
Here come the holidays, Moms. It’s getting real, isn’t it. Black Friday sales have turned into a weekly event, and store displays of Christmas glitter and stocked store shelves push us forward, whether we’re ready of not! Personally, this year especially, I’m replacing anticipation with a bit of dread. I was diagnosed yesterday with lower back pain which is, at the moment, debilitating. I’m facing weeks of physical therapy, heavy drugs, and all this at the time of the year…..
Day 20
And with an attitude of gratitude, God guided me through dating and courtship, helping me develop the character list my future spouse must possess, and then sending me the perfect person to complete me. He is a godly man, and Christ has been the center focus of our relationship from day one. We met in church. We developed our relationship as church ministry opportunities opened for us. He is logical-mathematical, I am verbal-artistic-creative. We love classical music, and…..
Vicky Nguyen wrote in Guidepost magazine: “There is going to be someone younger than you, smarter than you, more pedigreed than you. Always…But, there will never be someone who is as good at being you as you are.’ There’s something to be said for giving ourselves mercy. We may not be perfect…only Jesus was, and through our own striving, while we can improve things we dislike about our character, or even establish new habits, they tell us, in twenty day,…..
Day 18
I delighted in Mrs. O’Rourke’s discipline in teaching me journalistic style, although I have struggled to forgive her for telling me, “Now, Betty June, I know you want to be a reporter, but only men can do that job. You’d be a great teacher!” She was right, I was a great teacher, but she quashed my dream. What I learned, I taught. My students won writing awards and distinction, and with an attitude of gratitude, I thank my…..
Today is a very special day for me. We honor the twenty senior writers at the senior residence where we live. They began their Fifth Anthology Memoirs in August, and today is their fifth Book Signing Event. I never would have imagined how much leading this group of writers, and those who preceded them, would make in my life. Although I have taught writing skills and creative writing in my forty year teaching career, and have personally written thirty-three other…..
Day 16
Now, upon reflection, I realize with my attitude of gratitude, that childhood experiences serve a greater purpose. I have empathy for and special recognition and love for those who may be physically or mentally challenged in some way. I’ve always given them an extra measure of encouragement—those things I felt lacking when I so wanted to know I could achieve in spite of difficulties.
God just filled me with things other than physical or athletic beauty and prowess. …..
Day 15
The challenges and difficulties of life change in each decade.
It’s been my experience that crises in my life have not been as drastic as some that others have experienced. Yes, childhood physical difficulties like three operations for a seven-year-old, bullying by playmates and “that’s too bad” comments from adults at the patches over my right eye, the one that could actually see, and glasses on my three-year-old tiny face, did affect me. I remember “failing” the eye…..
Today, we are grateful that our government shutdown has ended, and we will have some sense of accomplishment that our legislators are back at work accomplishing tasks that have been neglected for over a month. For those who have been adversely affected (really, when you think about the timing of this whole fiasco, that includes everyone) we offer each other grace and mercy and whatever comfort we can. Let us recognize those whose finances are in a mess, whose schedules…..