Watching birds outside my window is a favorite pasttime. Birds of every color and size joyfully engage in the smorgasborg of seed that is provided for them. They eat the feast harmoniously and come and go at will. Recently, a new species of birds joined the gathering. These birds are loud, voracious eaters and are…
In an attempt to stay sane while waiting for the golf courses to open, John has driven himself crazy trying to assemble a 3,000-piece puzzle. After weeks and weeks of effort, all that remains are the 500 pieces of blue sky. The golf courses have now opened so the blue sky will remain scattered across…
Looking back, I can now see that I had mentors at pivotal points in my career. In both cases these were older, more experienced women, well connected in the community. These were never defined mentor-mentee relationships, rather they were based on a mutual recognition for what we could accomplish together. Although this was in a…
I finally had the opportunity to get outside to do some yard work. To clarify, I’ve been staying home as directed; I’m just getting to my yardwork now because this was the first weekend my yard didn’t still have snow piles! It was a beautiful sunny morning, and as I’m raking the leaves from my…
As this COVID-19 life continues, there is increasing fear arising from worries about possible economic collapse, about the way differing opinions are fracturing communities and about the effects of personal isolation and loneliness. This is a crucible moment. This is a moment of significant trial brought about by all these elements in our lives. Crucible…
On April 30, 2020 my term as IOKDS President came to an end. An ending is always an opportunity to look back and to look forward. In 2016, I took up my responsibilities promising to be a servant leader. As such I worked to motivate the Board of Directors and all leaders to fully grasp…
The beginning of May is a special time for my family due to the abundance of birthdays and anniversaries. It also signals the return to the outdoors and the return of warmer weather with yard work. I don’t have a green thumb, but my grandfather absolutely loved his beautiful garden where he spent hours nurturing…
With all this unscheduled time available right now due to sheltering at home, like many others we have been busy catching up on the long-neglected chores. David has been busy with outside yard work, and together we have been decluttering inside the house. Obviously we have devoted more than ONE HOUR to these projects, so…
My Circle is small and our members are spread out over Southern Ontario so it is our tradition to meet 4 or 5 times per year in the good weather months. When the challenge to reach out in a deliberate way to check on our members was issued, Heather Whitehouse, our Circle President, created a…
One of the things I like to do is bowl. I got hooked on the game of bowling while in high school…probably because I bowled my highest game ever…a 247 (out of a possible 300 game score). Anyway, since retiring from the USAF, I’ve been bowling on a women’s league called Tuesday Night Strikettes. Currently,…
As we hunker down at home to help flatten the pandemic curve, our time and routines change in multiple ways. What are you discovering about yourself and others during this time? I am learning about how empathy unfolds creativity from homemade signs of encouragement taped in house windows to neighborhood donations via Venmo sending restaurant…
A short time ago, I was enjoying a wonderful vacation in Palm Springs, CA, savoring special times with friends, soaking up the mild temperatures and sunshine, and swimming (well floating mostly!) in a 92-degree pool! On one of our exploring sightseeing expeditions, we visited the Palm Springs Air Museum. What interesting and educational displays they…
Thirty-three degrees, but it is a relaxing morning at my lakeside home while getting my coffee fix and reading my devotional. Is it just me, or do you notice how timely the devotional messages are as we are sheltering at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic? Today’s Upper Room devotion cast a light on Galatians 5:…
A recent Pew Research poll found that four in ten millennials, ages 24-39 years, now say they are religiously unaffiliated which is nearly equivalent to the number of millennials who identify themselves as Christians. What does this mean for IOKDS? Because our long-term organizational future depends on attracting young members, the statistic tells us that…
Washing my hands, reminds me of the waters of Chautauqua Lake, Which reminds me of the majestic tolling of the Miller Bell Tower, Which reminds me of the many kinds of music that fills the air and our hearts, Which reminds me of the laughter of children and the beauty of our gardens, Which reminds…