The mental illness next door

From the street, the house appears stately—generously-sized, but not McMansion steroidal. The entryway, circular drive and two car garage seem classy. A fenced yard safeguards an in-ground pool and surrounds a swing set, shed, patios and walkways. Moving closer dispels the favorable first impression. As you approach, inconsistencies surface: patio boards are splintered, paint on…

Pausing to remember who we are

Why would anyone need to take time out to figure out who they are. How silly. Of course, I know who I am. My wallet has a military ID card and VA driver’s license and if needed, I can produce a passport for identification. TSA certainly wouldn’t let me through airport security, if my documents…

Waiting in Joyful Hope

This week, we are privileged to have Jocelyn Collen be our guest blogger with an Advent Reflection. This Advent, more than ever before, I am being invited to wait. I have felt that my entire life thus far is about WAITING. We wait for Christmas break, we wait for summer vacation, we wait in traffic,…