IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON

IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON

“I used to be somebody.” Her words were faint, but I could hear the pain. Confronting her lost identity in prayer was her way of acknowledging the present and saying goodbye to the past. My heart ached for this beautiful woman of God whose perception of herself had...
DON’T STOP, KEEP GOING!

DON’T STOP, KEEP GOING!

The booming voice from the loudspeakers overpowered us. Common sense said it was a pre-recorded message, set to repeat as California travelers passed through, but for my husband and me, it was personal. We swore the stern tone in the message was chastisement for...
IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS

This new normal was anything but normal to me. The prior Federal agency I worked for the past 14 years wouldn’t have dreamed of such organized disruption. The thought of a civilian employee vacating their position for a temporary assignment, in the name of...
STOP WORKING SO HARD

STOP WORKING SO HARD

I needed air. The weight of disappointment made it difficult for me to catch my breath. I felt sick from dehydration. If I had known earlier I would have cried so many tears, I would have consumed the 36-pack of bottled water I brought with me to the Christian...
NO REGRETS

NO REGRETS

The two-and-a-half cups of coffee I ingested had yet to jolt me awake. In 10 minutes, I would be center screen, giving a virtual presentation to senior leaders. My brain was foggy. I was tired. The lamp on my desk cast creepy shadows on the walls of my home office....
WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS…REPAIR IT

WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS…REPAIR IT

Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop. When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, and down will come baby, cradle, and all. In an intriguing parallel, the nursery rhyme “Rock-a-bye Baby” subtly mirrors the dynamics of conflict...
PATHWAYS

PATHWAYS

I feel conflicted about entering the new year. There is a part of me that despises 2023 and is glad it is over. Then there is that part of me who is thankful for the turmoil that came with it. I faced the darkest days of my life in 2023. It was the grand finale of a...
REMOTE CONTROL

REMOTE CONTROL

I thought I hit the jackpot when my federal position was reclassified as remote after being sent home due to the pandemic. As it turned out, the work I performed could be done from my spare bedroom. For two years, I enjoyed working in stretchy pants and wearing...
JUST ASK

JUST ASK

I admit it. I complain a lot. Sometimes I don’t realize I am doing it until I see the look of confusion on my husband’s face. Bless his heart, he doesn’t know what to do about the coworker who makes me angry, the fact that there are not enough hours in the day, my...
WHEN YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND…PLOW ON

WHEN YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND…PLOW ON

I was more than disappointed, I was angry – angry at God for waiting until the very last minute to close a door of opportunity that had opened for me six months prior. I did not go looking for a new career, but when it came knocking on my door, I was intrigued, so I...