On October 22, 2024, Candace Lierd, aka Candace Rivera, was sentenced to a minimum of three years in prison. I was sitting in the courtroom with dozens of her victims who listened as the judge told Candace she was tone-deaf when it came to any remorse for her victims, including her teenage son. When Judge […]
When I started writing my book, Devotion Deception Deliverance—Isaac’s Story, I spent a lot of time stuck. I had been a writer for years and loved it. But this project was different. I spent three and a half years interviewing, researching, and taking notes, and now it was time to bring them all together. I […]
These past nearly ten months have undoubtedly been a rollercoaster of emotions. Negativity permeates almost everywhere we look. Division in families and friendships is at an all-time high. School students wonder if their academic lives will ever get back to normal. Civil unrest, and worse, is constantly in the news and on social media threads. […]
For ten months, dates and benchmarks for returning things to normal were set, and when those criteria came and went without any glimpse of normalcy, new ones were established. The pattern continues like the cool-water mirage that disappears each time the thirsty man gets close. With each new battle, the angry war of words raged, […]
One thing is sure: 2020 was a rough year. Yeah, that’s an understatement. Finding a silver lining with all the dark, gloomy, menacing storm clouds was tough. Listening to or reading a steady stream of news reports brought more threatening clouds, stomach distress, and intermittent brain fog. Political tensions grew even more tense as the […]
All over the world, people are deciding what their New Year’s Resolutions will look like for 2021. Many may be a little cautious after their resolutions for 20/20 focus in 2020.I have often heard the phrase, “If you can dream it, you can achieve it!” And while the words may invoke warm, fuzzy feelings of […]
In the past eight months, shutdowns, mandates, masks, and social distancing have taken their toll. Wondering if our students will ever return to school and canceling holiday plans have brought resentment, fear, and anger. Not seeing people’s faces has created a disconnect.After the April 2020 General Conference, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President […]
I love Christmas, the lights, the smells, the music. I love baking and sewing and picking out gifts for family and friends. I love wrapping the presents and placing them gently under the decorated tree. Since I am usually finished shopping and wrapping by Thanksgiving, seeing those packages under the tree brings great anticipation for […]
The 1995 Christmas season was in full swing. The beautifully decorated tree sat as a sentinel before our living room picture window. Cookies, breads, and cakes were baked, and gift plates were assembled, ready to be distributed to family and friends. Beds were made with fresh linens, and clean towels hung in the bathrooms, awaiting […]
Mom, Sally C to her friends, was a master quilter. Fabric, thread, needles, and quilting frames were the tools of her craft. She made quilts of every size, color, and shape. Some were rustic, tied quilts. Others were intricately stitched masterpieces. What Rembrandt did with brush and paint, Mom did with fabric, scissors, and thread. […]