Healing my heart through creation and courage
Gertrude thought she was just going to the zoo. But this wasn’t any ordinary trip—today was the day the goats attacked! From sneaky baby goats hiding behind popcorn stands to mischievous goats chasing her past monkeys, gorillas, and even a…
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(Ages 5 to 10) When a young girl visits the county fair, she doesn’t expect to win more than a prize—she discovers a turtle named Checker Chow who becomes her constant companion through joy, fear, and longing. As her beloved…
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On December 16 thru 18, 2016, the ice storms, what I like to call the Iceapocalypse, descended on Eugene, Oregon, murdering my front yard tree. It was a beautiful tree. Our neighbors would walk by and ooh and aah over…
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I’ve been blocked – serious writer’s block – and fearful of not having anything relevant to write for months. The last time I posted something on SOUL TONIC IN WORD AND VISION was June 24, 2016. Crap! That’s a long…
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The turtle has always been my totem animal. Ever since the summer between third and fourth grade, when I got my stuffed turtle Checker Chow at the 25 cent lucky duck country fair stand. Checker Chow saw me through my…
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Integrity, or the lack of integrity, has been a theme in my environment. And, frankly, it is more than a little troubling. I’m struggling with who and how to trust again and when it is helpful or unhelpful to extend…
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A few months back, I went on a Facebook rampage against Donald Trump. I was defriended by a few people I thought cared more about me than whether I politically agreed with them or not. Right before one person defriended…
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On this memorial day, I have been thinking again of my Grandfather, Merle Hicks. He fought in World War II and was a decorated hero. He was shot in Germany and received the Purple Heart. The year he passed away,…
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The creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, is a genius. If he was President, there would be no wars, famine, disease or poverty. All the scientists would be working towards ways to eradicate disease, replicators would be for real and…
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