*During the month of November, I like to write letters--and feature guest writers who write letters--to thank people and to express gratitude. Since my entire blog centers on gratitude, this letter writing project during November is just another way to express my gratitude. The act of living in gratitude is something I practice as part... Continue Reading →
*Day 18 of the Dear Gratitude project is really special; my former boss and friend, Jenny Cannon, shares her reflections on her decision to forgo having an amniocentesis procedure prior to delivering her daughter, Claire, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth.* It has been six months. Six months since I anxiously timed contractions... Continue Reading →
My boyfriend in college once told me that I reminded him of the female character in a Celtic song who was forever "chasing cannonballs." He was right. I have been notorious for stubbornly making my own decisions. I often refer to this tendency as my "God versus Bethany" struggle. For years, mostly due to some... Continue Reading →
Gratitude rarely actually changes things. Not in my life, anyway. Things stay the same. Circumstances come and go, as all circumstances do. My family members who irk me continue to irk me. The one who never says "I love you" may never say "I love you." My sisters will probably never agree with my lifestyle... Continue Reading →
*Big thanks to my friend Judy Woolf, who has lived a love story in front of me and set a great example of what real love is, in good times and bad. Love you, Judy, and you too, George. Happy anniversary to one of the most amazing couples I know.* This story of love and... Continue Reading →
*Special thanks to Gloria Bolton, a former student of mine, who has grown into an even more beautiful and enlightened person over the years, for serving as today's guest contributor.*Transcending my Reality: How I Found Christ “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.... Continue Reading →
*Special thanks to my nephew, Walter Pitts, for serving as today's guest contributor. He recently returned from a whirlwind tour of Europe with friends, and following his journey via Facebook was entertaining and inspiring. I'm thankful he's willing to share some of his adventure with you.*Freshman year I applied for my passport at the Fayetteville... Continue Reading →
Recently I wrote a blog post for my personal blog, My 2012 gift list, and listed the most significant gifts I received in 2012. I didn't list tangible objects or even relationships on the list--I limited my gift list to the intangible yet priceless blessings I received in the form of lessons, inspirations, and virtues.... Continue Reading →
There's a saying amongst my friends in recovery that has held true for me in many different situations: until I'm sick and tired enough of being sick and tired, I won't be ready to do things differently. In my life, this truth has proven itself in dating relationships and marriages, in matters of physical health... Continue Reading →
As The Byrds so beautifully quoted in song, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Autumn has always been my favorite season. It marks the end of my least favorite season, summer, and reminds me that excessively sweaty armpits, mosquitoes swarming, and too-short shorts are about... Continue Reading →
Gratitude Cup 