Gratitude Month 2026: Good Music

 

I was raised around good music. Between my parents' wide range of musical tastes and growing up in the 1980s and early 1990s, I have experienced the best of the best throughout time, so whenever anyone asks me what is my favorite type of music, I literally say one word—good. Not all music is good, but you can find good songs in just about any genre. Some of my favorite genres with many good songs in them include classical, classic rock, new wave, alternative, country, and gospel music. I enjoy songs in other genres as well, but these are what I probably listen to most as they bring happiness, understanding, and light to my days. 

Going to live musical performances is another facet of my gratitude for good music. There is nothing like hearing a live orchestra or a choir singing in front of your very eyes, and I will add how much I love watching a marching band competition played outside on the football field. It is all so good to me! 

I am so grateful for the gift of music that has been ever present in my life. 

Gratitude Month 2026: Friends

 

Throughout my life, I have had friends, and as I continue in life, I realize that this luxury is not the case for everyone. Not everyone knows how to make friends, and it has always come naturally to me. I have childhood friends I have known since I was four and five years old, and I do not take that for granted. Another section of friends I will never take for granted are the people who have known me since we were teenagers. Holding onto even one friendship during such a tumultuous development period seems like a miracle to me, and I have been able to stay connected with many of these amazing people who helped to shape who I am today. I have a best friend whom we have known each other since fourteen years old, and I am always astonished that she has not gotten fed up with my antics by now. Not even kidding! 

I have so many dear friends that it would take a book to write about everyone, but I simply want to pay honor to each of you who have blessed my life so much. You have been so good to me even if was only for a moment or for years. I am thankful for you. And I want to say thank you to anyone who is soon to become my friend—buckle up! 

Gratitude Month 2026: My Children

It has been quite the journey, becoming a mother and watching everyone grow up while I feel like I am still growing up. Watching my children develop and learn has been the work of my life and a true joy to see them becoming such goodhearted, strong, mindful, resilient people. My heart appreciates all the lovely moments, the birthday parties, the playdates, the mom-times, the road trips, the movie nights, all of it. All those same things are past though, and I look forward to the now, every time we can gather, every time even one of them chooses to pause their big life to keep our family ties strong. 

I am grateful for four of the best teachers I could ask for, showing me the way to become my best self, teaching me that God sees me and us and will keep his promises because He has time and time again for us. So thankful to be a mother. 

Gratitude Month 2026: My Parents

Over the last few weeks, my mom and dad have been on my mind so much. I even had a dream with my dad in it that was so vivid that it felt real until I was awake and had to talk myself into reality. He and I were walking around our family home's property assessing the patches of grass that were not growing properly and the patches where it needed to be mowed, and it was all so easygoing just how we used to talk when we would go on walks or shooting the breeze. Just before I woke up, he was telling me essentially that we have a good plan for things, and we agreed that it will all work out if we do what we planned. I cannot help but continue to believe it was a visit like my mom's dream last year (or early on this year), but somehow, I was not freaked out, just so comfortable with talking and walking around our old backyard. 

The only problem is now I have my parents on my mind daily, and there is nothing to do but miss them. Well, there is something. I have been preparing to write my mom's biographical sketch and have put out a call for stories, so there is that. No one has sent me any stories yet, so that has been hard, but I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month by working on her story, so I can have it together as much as possible by the end of November and put the finishing touches on over Christmas break hopefully. 

My gratitude runs deep for these two wonderful and regular and extraordinary and very missed people. They took a chance on love between two very different people, gave me life and my brothers too, and ran the course through the rest of their lives never giving up even when it might have seemed easier to do so. 

Love and miss them and appreciate them beyond any description I can write here. 

Happy First Day of Gratitude Month! 

incandescent you

How can you know who you are? 

In your beauty and your strength.

You are lux et veritas. 

 

Seek forever for the truth. 

Despite losses on your way,

Hold to love and truthfulness.

 

Be light—wish upon the stars—

As God reaches for you at length—

Ever-reaching—at full cost—

 

A cost worth every pain—

God’s divine gift to this world,

Entirely luminous.

 

You are light, and you are truth—

You are lux et veritas. 

 

Dedicated to the Class of 2026

May you never forget who you are—a beloved child of God. 

 

And to students of mine past, present, and future, thank you for trusting me 
to lead, guide, and walk beside you for this stint in your marathon called life.

baby mine

Nothing turns out how we expect—

Sometimes, it turns out better. 

Nothing can be better

Than what and how reality is. 

Stand rooted in the beauty of truth 

Be strong in righteous endeavors

Be you, a queen within all of creation. 

for my daughter, miss d.

my love

Where did you hide, 

Sweet dream of mine? 

Where did you go?

I am so low. 

You need to find me, 

darling, come see— 

The time is waning, 

And I am fainting. 

Catch me before 

All the time is gone.

not today

Writing of flowers and sunshine and kisses 

Is very well for the unforgotten, the ones where 

Promises are still kept. 

But it gets to be ridiculous when all you have known

Is leaving, lying, and cheating.

These words flow from a place of 

Disappointment— 

A place of pure and poignant

Sorrow—

A place of deep and abiding 

Wishing for better

Than she has ever known.

And yet, she writes—

Of happiness and love and joyfulness

Most days—

Just not this day.  

fate

nearly endearing

nearing our critical mass

near the finish, love

top shelf

Her heart is sitting on a shelf most days.

It looks around and makes a few wishes, 

Taking time to contemplate all the ways

Of how good life can be as it swishes

By unconcerned with how long it takes

To see around the corners and become 

Something like the wish she makes 

As the shelf begins to feel like home.

And nothing is quite the same again

And she see this and must pretend

That everything is fine

Even when it is not.

to choose

looking around, trapped

slow-boiled mentality 

His gospel frees us

my Jesus

I love the way you make me feel when the skies are clear

And everything from before now and looking toward heaven is near

Family is all I can think about and dream about and hope for

I look at the past, present, and future, and realize you are an open door

Leading me to forever, leading me to always

Leading me to the best of everything God could give

Because you are the way home, showing the way

As I strive to make it through the strife and live. 

You are the light I need;

You are my friend indeed.

invaluable

I am invaluable—

A real treasure divine. 

I am insatiable

When I lose track of time. 

I am creativity personified—

Holding nothing back, nothing kept inside. 

I am invaluable—

God's child to be glorified—

Sent through the fire meant to refine. 

I am watching, awaiting, anticipating—

To be claimed for all eternity. 

fighting chance

Darkness permeates

Leaning into light, truth, joy,  

Radiating hope

bloom

Bloom. 

Just bloom a little more, 

A little longer, 

But bloom. 

It is not time to wither; 

It is not time to stop growing. 

It is not time just yet 

To let go or say goodbye. 

Bloom, darling, 

And be daring while you're at it. 

Bloom into a new flower 

That knows where the sun shines. 

just for a little while

wishes and kisses 

moving in all directions 

grow down a little 

*dedicated to my children and to my dad for inspiring my thoughts

a full plate

wringing out the dishcloth

with dishes still in the sink

is like the days of being a mother 

teaching you that the work is 

never all done

time putting us all through the wringer 

wishing for more time but less wringing 

hoping for a little stretch of peace

but that's not what life is all about

so the blows just keep coming 

day after day, the dishes keep coming

and going but showing that 

there is always a little more one can do

to make a difference 

to feed a soul 

joy (a blackout poem)

Seek and find joy,

The great blessing relating to

Something like sun-split clouds

Lifted over the changed world 

Flying together—

Take and see—

Caught up in the exhilaration, 

Rejoiced delight. 

This heart! 

I speak about something—

Laughter—

Wings. 

memories

My collection is growing with time 

And space and friends and opportunity. 

My collection has colors innumerable— 

Indescribable and incredible. 

My heart is filling up so full that

All it takes some days is one more 

Drop of joy, and my cup overfloweth

In the form of tears or laughter—

Or both. 

Some days, I trick myself into thinking 

I have not been given enough chances, and 

Then, I remember and I start counting, and 

There just is no room in one person to hold 

All the good and wonderful and happy 

That has been given to me. 

My friends, my family 

And all this love that I hold and see

Everywhere I look, surrounding me. 

halfway

Isn't there a little something special about knowing 

You are halfway there? 

Halfway where, you ask?  

Halfway to finishing

Halfway to accomplishing something

Halfway to doing something different

Halfway to the goal 

Halfway to knowing something—anything 

Who knows what the something is

Other than the satisfaction of being all done? 

Or is there something more? 

Do you ever feel a little wistful? 

Sometimes a little wishful 

That maybe time could slow down just a tad

To grasp the second half after halfway a little longer

To savor it and save the feeling for on a rainy day?

And smile

Because you remember how it felt to be halfway 

And there is just something special about 

Being there in the middle of doing 

Creating, writing, teaching, 

Thinking, hoping, dreaming, singing 

Being in the middle of making something 

Out of what used to be nothing 

Waiting for you, and all that you bring, to show up.