Today is the 33rd anniversary of the day I married the love of my life, Tom Hartley. I fell in love with a goofy and brilliant man who loved to play and made me laugh. We met in college. Our first date was to a college football game. He had originally asked my roommate out, …
From May 2014
The Practice of Medicine
My father is a physician and I have a great respect for the medical profession. After years of visiting people in the hospital, sitting with families waiting for a surgery to be finished, and even going to doctor appointments with elderly members of my congregation, I understand why it is called “the practice of medicine.” …
Face It
A few years ago I read the collection of humorous essays by Nora Ephron titled “I Feel Bad About My Neck.” I enjoyed the book, but didn’t quite understand the focus on the neck. Why should the neck, more than any other body part, be singled out as a sign of aging? Just three short …
Remembering Memorial Day
I have lived in a small town all my life except for the three years I was in seminary. I love small towns and the sense of knowing the town and the people in it. For the last 25 years I lived in Mogadore, Ohio – the only Mogadore in the United States. Mogadore is …
The Second Question They Ask
The second question people ask when they find out my retirement is only a month away is “Are you winding down?” The answer to that question is not complicated. It is an emphatic NO! Winding down implies that I have a choice in how I work. But God has called me to this task and …
The Invention of Wings
“The Invention of Wings” is the best-selling, Oprah-recommended, new novel by Sue Monk Kidd, who also wrote “The Secret Life of Bees.” I get most of my books from the library, and I had to wait several months for this one because so many people had requested it. I hope they liked it as much …
The First Question They Ask
The first question people ask when they find out I’m retiring is “Are you excited?” This question does not have a simple answer. I have been serving as a pastor at the same church for 21 years. I love the church and we have had fruitful ministry while …
Frog Music
“Frog Music” is the newest novel from Emma Donoghue, the bestselling author of the novel “Room” which I found to be a riveting story that I couldn’t put down. “Frog Music” did not live up to this standard. Based on an unsolved crime from the late 1800’s, Emma Donoghue did extensive research and wrote a …
The Willows
Our first stop in our new adventure is a Manufactured Home park in Akron Ohio called “The Willows.” There are 140 manufactured homes packed tightly in a quiet area on the southeast side of the city of Akron. There are also five full-hookup spots for RVs that need to be in the area for a …
Old Ladies Represent!
When Tom and I got married, I promised to “love, honor, and play softball.” That line is funnier if you know my husband, who loves to play games, especially sports, of any kind. I have never been a particularly good athlete, but with my husband’s insistence encouragement, I learned to play softball competently. I always …