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Be So Bold...

7/17/2018

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These past few weeks it seems like I have been on an emotional roller coaster starting with my brother’s death, the chaos at the Mexican border and the rescue of the Thailand soccer team and their coach. Whew! Even though my family knew that brother Virgil was not going to make it, when it happened, it took some time to work through it with my family and friends. In the midst of mourning his death, I have been trying to grasp and process the immigration situation at the Mexican border. It has taken some time for the scene to play out and for me to finally focus on the how I feel about what it would mean to have my children taken from me without the knowledge of when I would see them again. Then finally the cave rescue of the twelve soccer players and their coach was the climax to any emotions that I had left.
Being so emotionally connected to the lives involved in these stories can be raw and unsettling. It feels like I am a bit late to the game because it has taken me a while to process my emotions however here are some of my thoughts about these stories.

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Paradise...

4/11/2017

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When I was a little girl my mom told me about a reoccurring dream she had throughout her life. Nope it wasn’t about those dreaded snakes that you cannot get rid of or the slow motion attempts to reach your destination. She told me that in her dream, she saw a gorgeous painting in the sky. She said that it had the most beautiful hues of reds, golds, blues, greens and so on.  Her face lit up as she described the glorious artwork. She felt this must be a picture of paradise. Despite the joy in seeing this reoccurring picture, she always felt a bit frustrated with this dream because each time she tried to get a closer look it moved behind a tree or out of sight. I can still remember how her eyes sparkled as she recalled the beauty of the picture and she hoped that someday she would get to see the picture up close.


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Through Their Eyes...

6/27/2016

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Migraine headaches are one of the most painful experiences I have had in my life. While I believe my headaches were brought on by stress of coaching basketball I am relieved that they no longer bother me as they once did.  There are so many people like one of my coworkers who are not so fortunate. Many people suffer greatly and are incapacitated for hours and in some cases days by the auras and the blinding pain that strikes their brain.  Some people identify what triggers their pain and find relief with meds and now Botox treatments but still others just have to bear it. I am beyond grateful that they no longer are a part of my life.


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Angels of Mercy...

4/11/2016

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One weekend as a hospital on-call chaplain, I received a call from a Cardio nurse asking if I would be available about midnight to attend an extibation procedure. Not having a medical background, I had to ask what type of procedure she was talking about. She indicated that they would be removing a young man from life support. She said that his family would not be attending so she wanted to honor his grandmother’s request for a chaplain to be present as he took his last breath. I agreed to be in the room as a stand-in for the family.
 


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The Christmas Gift

12/28/2015

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​My two daughters, Sara and Kelly were raised on a farm in Minnesota. When my girls were about 6 and 8 years old, the farming economy was very depressed and our Christmas shopping for that year looked bleak. Money was very tight so there would be few gifts under the tree. As I listened to the girls create their lists from the many TV commercials advertising the latest trends, my heart sank. As a parent, I wanted to provide them the toys they wanted and see the joy on their faces as each package was unwrapped. My girls had the same dreams as other children that Santa and his reindeer would deliver their toys on Christmas Eve. 

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Humanity Wins With Respect

10/12/2015

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After the shooting in June at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina I started writing this blog, but never finished it because the world had moved on.

I mourn for the families of the 9 lives lost in the tragic shooting in Charleston. There have been too many lives destroyed by such violence. There have been discussions in homes, businesses, churches, schools, and the network news programs all over the United States expressing hurt, anger, shock, frustration and even prayers asking for peace. I support any discussion that seeks to stop racism, racist behavior and violence on the street, in the schools, businesses and churches. I too am frustrated with the hatred and loss of human life.
 
As a white woman, I will not presume to understand racial discrimination and the ongoing treatment of people of color in America. I am truly sorry that everyone is not treated with respect and love just because of the color of their skin.

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    Denise seeks to empower people to live into their true potential...
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