Hmm, probably my favorite daily ritual is my morning ritual of embarking upon the great pre-adventure of the day. This begins with breathwork and quietness; proceeds with tying my MBT's and walking two (or three) miles (with or without my Ipod); concludes with a brief time in my gardens ... And then — with my entire being (mind, body and spirit) "warmed-up" — my other daily rituals of work and play begin ...

God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all  (I John 1:5).

"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them." (Psalm 12:5)

... I would choose to follow Jesus Christ. And in Him I do trust.

Well, I have two: Mrs. Ellen Lack and Mrs. Coralee Taylor at Jefferson Elementary School during the early 70's. Both women were awesome! I was always the tallest girl in the class and of course standing-out — literally — meant teasing from my classmates. Mrs. Lack had a way about her; she was fun and creative and could make anyone feel special and valued. She gave me a nickname (which was simply my initials but seemed so-o cool to me at that time!) and planted seeds in my heart that allowed me to feel accepted. Mrs. Taylor was a talented story-teller and a gifted, caring woman. She had a gentle come-along-side manner which brought comfort and furthered developed my ability to "feel" accepted — regardless of circumstances. There were several instances in which her kindness and gentle teaching was exactly what I needed to move through the early and awkward realities of being a young woman.

Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions.  ~Author Unknown

The ceremony of "making" a stuffed bunny and numerous ceremonious times with a beloved friend and our furr-baby, Mizz Montford Walker. (Mizz Montford at High Tea is pictured here ...)

My friend now dances with angels due to her "move" to Heaven. However, she is with me every day as I was forever changed by our friendship. We met via our dance with ovarian cancer, became friends, talked every day and did so many wonderful things together!

One such thing was to plan a retreat at a bed and breakfast known as The Montford. We also had the same surgeon — the fabulous Dr. Walker. Those two shared experiences — a delightful retreat, the fruit of many hours of planning and shopping, and the surgeon who aided us due to our wicked cancer visitor — led to naming the bunny we "shared" ...

Mizz Montford was "born" after a morning spent at the hospital due to my friend's treatment for a blood infection. As we left, she insisted we go to the mall. (It should be noted that nor she or I are mall-people ... So, I had no idea what was planned!)

We went to a Build-A-Bear store and we giggled like little girls. (Despite her being 70-years-old and me being well into my 40's!) My friend insisted we go through the entire routine and zany process of making a stuffed Bunny. So-o, Mizz Montford has two hearts (kissed, rubbed and filled with our wishes), a birth certificate (signed by the teenage store clerk who thought we were a bit zany, to say the least!) and wears gardening overalls *and* pink bows in her hair (that my friend insisted she have!).

The ceremony of Mizz Montford's "birth" was the day I will never forget. My friend knew Montford would be a comfort to me ... Especially when she was gone. And for the next 10 months, Mizz Montford visited the chemo lab, hospital rooms, my hospice patients and attended parties, picnics and funerals. She had many sleepovers as my friend prepared to leave here ... And she came home with me the evening my friend said her final good-bye here on Earth.

My friend, I still miss you every day and continue live out my promise to you, to live each day "on purpose" ... And thank you, again, for Montford.

Today is probably not the best day to be asked this question. However, it has been asked and I have chosen to answer. As a certified over-achiever, dreams are more of the impossible variety than the oh-I-can-really-see-that-happening kind.

A dream that has come true ... Racking my brain ... moving aside the dung of present reality ... searching for gratitude listings ... tossing aside crappy attitude ... tossing pillows back upon the comfy chair of reflection ... Oh! Yes! Here is something!

A dream of mine that coming true: Resuming graduate school after a 17-year stint of adventures in motherhood, part-time career endeavors and ... well, dreaming about it! :-)

Dreams are like mental flashes on lightning; first you see them and then you hear them.  And, of course, there is always the proverbial thunderstorm that must accompany said lightning!

At first you see the dark clouds and you realize that the gentle breeze of change is no longer leisurely stroking your face. It has been replaced with the whipping gusts of wild and wooly 60-mile-an-hour winds — capable of destroying the minor details of your life. But then the rain starts and you can't even see the minor details because the rain is pouring down from the darkened and looming sky!

However, the rain ceases; the clouds clear ... And the warmth and guiding light of the sun appears once again. And the rainbow of promise gives you a wink from the recovering blue sky.

And life, it goes on. Even though you wondered if it actually would ...