This blog post was originally published on November 18, 2017 During the holiday season, and particularly on the Thanksgiving holiday, many people will be asked, “what are you thankful for?” Most will respond with, not one, but many things they are thankful for. It is truly a blessing to be able to proclaim these things! While it is pleasing to say what we are thankful for, it is our show of appreciation, and return of kindness, that expresses our gratitude or quality of bein

Recently I found myself in a conversation with a student where I felt like Kwai Chang Caine, from the 1972 sitcom Kung Fu, imparting some wisdom in a somewhat indirect fashion. I was explaining the importance of diversity and inclusion throughout our society using an analogy of different flavors of ice cream in an ice cream shop. I asked the student if he would go to an ice cream shop that only sold vanilla ice cream. The student responded, “no, because I like chocolate and v

This week’s blog hopefully will serve as words of encouragement to the Fellowship of Believers. Many people are very fearful of what the next day or week will bring to their lives because all of the unsettling events that are currently taking place, along with the prolonged humanitarian devastation due to the coronavirus pandemic – now responsible for 230,000 deaths in the United States. Instead of being fearful, I choose to meditate on a scripture my mom shared with me as a

Here’s an analogy for you to consider! Remember when you received your first piggy bank? If you were like me, you would not have been able to stop shaking your bank with the few coins in it making lots of noise. Initially, I don’t believe I had even two dollars in change in my piggy bank, but I sure liked the noise it made when I shook it. The noise making was a kind of financial posturing with my siblings, the thought being the piggy bank that made the most noise must have t

This blog post was originally published on May 02, 2020. There were times in my life when my money was very short! During these times if I needed a service performed, I would get quotes from licensed professionals, along with quotes from unlicensed people who claimed to be able to do the same job as the licensed professional. This scenario played out in many settings, when getting my hair done; getting repairs performed on my car; having clothes tailored; you get the picture.

This blog post was originally published on November 24 , 2018. Earlier this month, the 2018 midterm elections were held throughout the United States. The midterm elections are held halfway between the presidential elections, and during these elections, voters elect the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 1/3 of the U.S. Senate. By casting a vote in these elections, voters are virtually submitting an appraisal on the president's performance and potentially shi

There are five main symbiotic relationships: commensalism, predation, parasitism, competition, and mutualism. Commensalism is the association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm. Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. Parasitism refers to the relationship between two species of plants or animals in which one benefits at the expense of the other, s

This blog post was originally published on November 25 , 2017. I don’t believe it’s done intentionally in most cases, but it can be quite annoying when you hear someone constantly forgetting to congratulate others on their gifts and blessings, but remembering to mention everything about themselves. I recommend resisting the urge to bring the spotlight on self, and remember to let the light shine on others, by sincerely complimenting and congratulating. Statement: My boyfriend

If you have read some of my past posts, you know I grew up with five brothers, and I am thankful for that. I went through a tomboy stage (when a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of a boy. Common characteristics include wearing masculine clothing and engaging in games and activities that are physical in nature and are considered in many cultures to be unfeminine or the domain of boy) between nine and twelve years of age. This is the stage of my

An orchestra is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are two basic orchestras - the chamber orchestras which employ about 50 or fewer musicians, and symphony orchestras which can employ more than 100 musicians. Both orchestras can be divided up into sections called strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. In my household I use the word orchestra to describe the collaborating sounds that are produ