It’s official: walking outside is good for your health. I remind myself of that when it’s raining or snowing, and I’m trying to balance myself on my exercise bike. “I hate this,” I mumble as I peer out the window at the inclement weather, debating whether to dismount, gear up and head outdoors, despite the …
Whenever Lori says, “Let’s not do anything special for Valentine’s,” I flinch. I’m thinking: “Is this a test?” If I say, “Okay,” will she give me “the look,” that glance that says, “I’m so disappointed you are skipping this special day for us.” A word of caution as Valentine’s Day draws nigh: don’t underestimate the …
We drove away from the church, just the two of us. Glancing at Lori, I could see her tears sheening her cheeks. It had been a marvelous Sunday. We had all our children and grandchildren, my older brother and sister-in-law, and Lori’s sister and mother with us. Our church had a beautiful reception for us, …
Some moments you can see coming, a time hanging out there, at once ominous and inviting like it’s standing outside of time—so deep does its anticipation grab you before you have experienced it. When I announced my retirement to my church in October of 2022, effective January 15, 2023, it seemed like three months would …
The biting wind swirled the dead leaves around the mound of dirt where I was digging the grave for our dog, Baylor. “Good ol’ Baylor Boy,” I mumbled as I shoveled. It had been over a month since he died. During his illness, our veterinarian, Dr. Irene Ballard, told us, “We’ll keep him for a …