I have come back as Joan after many years to write from this platform because of the division and brewing anarchy in our nation.  I chose Joan of Arc years ago as my alias because she was unwavering in commitment, courageous in perseverance, and sacrificed unto death for a cause.  As a Christian I am desirous that I will be unwavering in my commitment to Christ, courageous in the persevering through ...

The antics of the last few months have caused this relic to come out of hiding.  The deep distrust between political parties and vast difference of opinion are NOT new---consider the following. Boiling  frog . The boiling  frog  is an anecdote describing a  frog  slowly being boiled alive. The premise is that  if  a  frog  is  put  suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but  if  the  frog...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Let me start by saying I wrote this as I am to appear in a model Legisla...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 I recently spent a week by the shore with ...

In a recent blog conversation someone stated “This country is almost too divided to be saved at this point”. I found this sentiment alarming. It’s been many years since we have seen war on our own soil so I suppose it is not a surprise that we have forgotten the lessons learned in our own Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Through these wars we increased our independence and freedom and historically, we have pulled together, given sacrificially and laid down our very lives for ...

Here we are at the brink of another important presidential election.  We are at war, our economy is in a shambles and many of us our holding on by a shoe string and true to our nature as Americans, we are still all trying to "have it our way". America, a country characterized by liberty and more human rights than any other nation EVER on the the face of this earth is struggling and I think it may be about time for us to "grow up".  I say this as a mother of six, with 3 teenage daugh...

As someone who would consider themselves a follower of Christ's teachings, I am increasingly troubled as we approach the presidential election.  Rather than my fellow believers taking a positive approach to the race by stating what they are "for" in their candidate of choice,in a positive attitude of mutual respect, we seem to have picked up the sport of mudslinging along with the candidates. This disturbs me because, if we follow Christ, we have a King who is the head of the Nation to w...

We have 5 daughters. I think that if we manage to get them all raised still having our faculties in tact we may be in line for the Nobel Peace Price as the flow of hormones in our house with our 16,14 and 12 year old girls seems (at times) to be akin to WWII! (no disrespect meant to veterans) This week was really hard with our 14 year old. She struggles with anger and depression as she was severely neglected in her early years in her family of origin (not us) and puberty has heightene...

It's hard to be the mother of a young but growing teen, Not a child, not an adult, but out swirling in between, Where the limits aren't a license, just temptation of their fate, and cliffs of consequences are ridiculously great. It's hard to be a mom when all the friends are calling loud, and it seems the greatest need she has is fitting in the crowd, when you know she never will because you've been there and you've tried, and you wish that you could save her tears for everyone you'v...

I have just been catapulted from the delight of delusion to the ruins of reality. The fog lifted like a two by four on the side of my incredibly thick skull and I find myself in the midst of a self forged disaster. No one to blame this time, it was totally my fault. Faced with the unenviable responsibility of informing my loved ones and colleges of my indiscretion, I pick up the phone and begin making the necessary calls. Of course, I expect the worse. “YOU WHAT???? ARE YOU SOME KIND O...

It has actually been 15 years or more since I cleaned an oven. We have always had the self cleaning type, a house keeper or perhaps scrubbing bubbles that came while I was sleeping. Which ever, I, the Woman of the House have somehow been spared……..until now. We have lived here, I am embarrassed to say how many years and though the oven has been wiped out from time to time, I don’t think it has EVER been cleaned. It really has not bothered me until now. I’ve actually been successful in cl...

what a magical morning- i woke to a summons from Tinisha, "nicholas is crying" i went in and there was a bright eyed baby with the question just bursting from him "will you feed me?" i picked him up and took him to make his bottle, changed his diaper, snuggled him up in a blanket, as i snuggled into the rocker with him and fed him. Away in the Manger was playing on the radio in the dimly lit room and i marveled, once again, at the irony of God coming as a child such as the o...

Through a number of difficult situations over the last several years, I have had an epiphany: Love really IS the answer. Twenty two years ago, I became a Christian. My life had been very difficult and I found myself with no where to look but UP—that was a turning point in my life. Then, I was indoctrinated, and never having had a “normal” experience of relationships in life, I soaked it up like a sponge, like my young children do life. Then came trying to put everything in to practice ...

I am at the ripe young age of 44 and the most unbelievable thing has happened: My oldest daughter has had a son . Now you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what this means for me—that’s right, GRANNNNNNDMA! Holy Cow! Not only am I going through a private mid-life-holy-heck but it seems like everyone I know is getting a real charge out of my new station in life. How is this occurring? Well, let me tell you. Just about every one I see since the baby’s been born gets that...

I am at the ripe young age of 44 and the most unbelievable thing has happened: My oldest daughter has had a son . Now you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what this means for me—that’s right, GRANNNNNNDMA! Holy Cow! Not only am I going through a private mid-life-holy-heck but it seems like everyone I know is getting a real charge out of my new station in life. How is this occurring? Well, let me tell you. Just about every one I see since the baby’s been born gets that...