My Deal or no Deal Miracle

The game show that changed my life... Janette Beverley Deal or no Deal, 2005 Have you ever looked back over your life and been awed by the obvious presence of God’s hand in your life?  My experience on the national game show Deal or no Deal was one of those miraculous events in my life. …

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Repainting – A Parable of Forgiveness

 Have you ever tried to match a paint color without a swatch or a nifty home depot attendant? I have, and I would like to attest that some mistakes can’t be covered up ourselves by eye-balling a paint color.  We are simply gonna need more help. I recently put some new curtains in my house. …

Do kids know how to work hard anymore? The age of entitlement.

I have been a piano and voice teacher for over 26 years now and I have learned a few important life truths from this wonderful career I love. No matter how great a lesson goes, if the student doesn't go home and practice nothing is going to happen. Actually this applies to almost anything we …

The Music of Happiness

Music is a complicated thing.  There are masterpieces that take our breath away, songs that annoyingly get stuck in our heads, love songs that make us cry and life moment songs that make us cry harder.  In music just like in life there are moments that ebb and flow, dissonant chords that eventually resolve, strong …

My Mother writes poetry

I have an amazing Mother.  I know everyone says that, but I really do. I receive so much of my love for life from my mom. As a teenager she was always quick to give advice or leave me a note of encouragement on my usually unmade bed.  She came to every piano competition, softball …

Parable of the Bike

I have an amazing little sister named Laura.  She rides a mean road bike and can out-fun anyone I know.  She has an energy and an enthusiasm for life that is simply contagious.  Once when I was visiting her along with my parents, Laura and our Dad had an idea to go on a “little” …

The Ker-Plunk Parable

We have a favorite game at our house called Ker-Plunk.  This game consists of a bunch of sticks stuck through a cylinder with marbles precariously placed on top of the bundle of sticks.  Each player has a turn to pull one small stick out at a time hoping to avoid letting any of the marbles …

Bad Bananas-Distancing ourselves from the harmful effects of unhealthy relationships

How many times have you made the mistake of putting an overripe banana next to another food item like a sandwich or a cookie only to have everything end up tasting like the nasty banana?   Sometimes life can be like a bad banana. Getting too close to toxic things, people, environments can just make …