Category Archives: relationships

I Met My Wife in My Former Church

A Gust of Grace blew into my life in November of 2009.  On that Sunday I visited my old home church and saw someone I had known over 20 years ago.   Seven months later we were married. At the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptability, Communication, Courage, Faithfulness, Focus, Gifts, Grace, Grief, Guidance, Happiness, Laughter, Letting Go, Life, love, mercy, On Line Dating, Perspective, Principles, Priorities, Providence, relationships, Sense of Humor, Trust, Values, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Keep Off the Ice

Experience as a Flashlight:  Back when I was more daring and foolish, I used to walk on the ice.  I lived in Wisconsin and winters were pretty severe for us.  The river running through town froze.  The huge lake where … Continue reading →

Posted in Foolishness, Manliness, Nature, relationships, Safety, Winter | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Am I Enough?

Experience as a Flashlight:  “Am I enough?” I wondered as I wandered through my teens and early twenties.  “Do I have enough looks and wittiness to attract a woman to my side?”  “Will I spend all my life alone?”  These … Continue reading →

Posted in Contentment, Feelings, Friends, Healing, Patience, Perseverance, Providence, relationships | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Being Bed Bound and Alone (I Need Someone To Care)

Experience as a Flashlight:    During the winter of 1985, I contracted Hepatitis A virus which spreads when an infected person does not wash his or her hands after using the bathroom and then comes in contact with someone else.  I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Bed-ridden, Claustrophobia, Faithfulness, Feelings, Friends, Grace, Happiness, Healing, Health, Hospital, Identity, Life, love, Medical, mercy, Morale, Perspective, Priorities, relationships, Service, Sickness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Red Shirt and Orange Pants?!

Living in the Past:  All the nuns saw him immediately when he entered school.  He was a classmate of mine and he was wearing a flaming red shirt with brilliant orange pants.  It was back in the days when loud … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Clothing, Fashion, Identity, Personality, Perspective, Praise, Priorities, Reality, relationships, Wisdom, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

My First Hippie

Living in the Past:  In my mind’s eye I can still see him.  He had long, uncombed hair that almost touched his shoulders.  He had thick dark framed glasses which stood out against his haystack of hair.  He was wearing … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Adaptability, Communication, Country, Creativity, Feelings, Focus, Hippie Movement, Laughter, Letting Go, Life, Memory, Peace, Perspective, Politics, Reality, relationships, Stress, The Past, War | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Past is Past

Lessons from Life:  No one has yet invented a time machine that will allow us to travel forward or backwards in time.  I doubt they ever will because, as I understand it, you have to exceed the speed of light … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Appreciation, Enjoyment, Feelings, Gifts, Happiness, Holidays, Life, love, Memory, Principles, Reality, relationships, The Past, Time, Wisdom, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dealing with Loss At Christmas

Experience as a Flashlight:  The woman was beside herself with grief.  It was only a few months since her husband had died.  She was not looking forward to Christmas.  How could she deal with that loss at Christmas when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciation, Christmas, Courage, Creativity, Fear, Feelings, Focus, Grief, Health, Holidays, Letting Go, Life, love, Memory, relationships, Suffering, Thankfulness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Always Show the People You Love How You Feel

Living in the Past:  Ever since I can remember, I worried that if I ever found someone who loved me they would be taken away.  That was my biggest fear.  I had seen it in movies.  I experienced it on … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Fear, Feelings, Forgiveness, love, relationships | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Don’t Change a Thing for Me

Experience as a Flashlight:  When my wife Inga died, I had lots of memories of her. One of the endearing things about her was she loved singing “My Funny Valentine” for anyone who would listen on her birthday.  Her birthday … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Adaptability, Appreciation, Feelings, Happiness, love, Perspective, relationships, Thankfulness | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment