Tag: diaries

  • Frederick Douglass, Mary Jane, and Me: Bringing Historic Figures to Life

    Frederick Douglass, Mary Jane, and Me: Bringing Historic Figures to Life

    A week ago, I saw Frederick Douglass: Well, not really. But I did attend a performance by Darius Wallace, an actor of notable skill. In character as Douglass, Wallace delivered a one-man show at the Historic Fall Creek Meetinghouse, east of Pendleton, Indiana. The outdoor venue perfectly framed the venue and the context: Douglass briefly…

  • Reconstruction Diary Meditations: Time Moves On, But Human Nature Stays the Same

    Reconstruction Diary Meditations: Time Moves On, But Human Nature Stays the Same

    From the 1866 diary that inspired my first novel: Sunday, May 20, 1866 Milton, Lizzie & I went to Elmgrove to meeting. Got there before the Sabbath school closed. I read the 46th Psalm at the close of school; several were at meeting, no preaching.  After meeting we went to N Gause, took dinner, then…

  • My Go-To Stress-Busting Strategy

    My Go-To Stress-Busting Strategy

    Simple knee pain that resulted in a week’s hospitalization, nights of pseudo-sleep curled into a hard, narrow futon, and protracted, increasingly urgent advocacy. A nagging fatigue that turned into a two-week-plus hospital stay, featuring an invasive test, major surgery, and endless observations. A subsequent heart-wrenching death in the family. And then the endless waiting… No…

  • Taking a Risk – Putting Faith into Action

    Taking a Risk – Putting Faith into Action

    How often do we see faith in action like this today? “Sunday, March 25, 1866 Another Sabbath has passed away…This afternoon [I] attended [the] Baptist meeting, but it proved to be mostly a business meeting. They are raising money to buy a lot and build a church as they will most likely be deprived of…

  • Podcast 4: I hate the Facebook hoops!

    Podcast 4: I hate the Facebook hoops!

    What’s going on with all this Facebook publicity? Why do I have to wave my hat and draw attention to myself?