Jouneying Through this World Together
A Joyful Noise
It was a beautiful event—a celebration of long-time dedication to marriage. Strangers became friends, and kindness and grace flowed like the wine at Jesus’ first miracle celebration. A sweet woman whispered to me that she had a surprise for the couple—a song they...
Umbrellas
Whether used for rain or to give people a bit of a break from the burning sun, umbrellas have been around for thousands of years-- in China, Japan, or ancient Egypt. In spite of their rainy, umbrella-loving reputation, England was a bit slow to adopt this delightful...
Slavery
The English abolished slavery long before the US did-- in 1833. But in 1772, the Mansfield case had already decided that slavery was unsupported by English law. Post 1833, English colonies freed slaves and set up ships at African ports to stop slaves from being taken...
Carousel
The carousel's name comes from 'little war' or 'battle', and came about, like jousting, as an Arabic or Turkish war training exercise. It started with horsemen galloping and tossing perfumed balls at each other. Catch or everyone will know you didn't. By the 1600s,...
Pineapples
Pineapples and their history are on my mind, Facebook. Didja know that the pineapple-- pine apple, is not native to Hawaii? Apparently, it's from South America. (Note- recheck even small facts) The famous Hawaiian macadamia nut is native to Australia. Pine apples were...
Try Counting Sheep
I've been having insomnia and didn't want to take Benedryl, so I tried counting sheep as they jumped over the fence and me. One, two, three, four... A kid came along to watch, clearly wondering what I was doing. I ignored him. Concentrated on the sheep. Five sheep,...
Fearlessness
Life is tough. Mine is no exception, and it’s given me many legitimate reasons to fear. One reason—a brain tumor with a 73% return rate opened my eyes to ultimate fearlessness. In 2018, I was diagnosed with a meningioma—a noncancerous tumor on the left side of my...