Kathy Yoder

YODER: "I was up at the garden the other morning. The sun was shining brightly, but it wasn’t unbearably hot. Not yet. I could almost see the humidity pausing in the wings wearing his big boots, waiting to stomp on stage making his grand entrance as if the day would not go on without him."

Over the years I've grown tomatoes with varying degrees of success. One year I planted six little plants. They didn't look the best, but I was determined to help them grow. I followed the planting instructions exactly. In fact, I used a ruler to get the distance between the plants just right. It sounds silly, but it's good I did.

My dear friend, Dianna Michaelis, is retiring from playing the organ. She's played the organ for Morningside Lutheran Church in Sioux City the last 39 years. Of course, she's been playing much longer than that; in total 55 years.

YODER: The word was “joy.” Over the years since that conference, many people have asked me why I always seem so happy. Like everyone else, I’m not always happy. Happiness depends upon circumstances.

YODER: "Outside, the leaves are turning color. Some have already fallen to the ground. They sashay gently, doing the dance their species has done for eons. As they float toward the ground, they look up and see that they're part of something much bigger than themselves."

It's our sacred duty as citizens of this country to read about the issues concerning our lives and our country, to pray for God's guidance, and then to vote accordingly.

Have you ever felt like you didn't belong? I attended an event recently that was enjoyable with many good people present. The atmosphere was both fun loving and purposeful. Yet, I felt like I didn't belong. Why did I feel that way? Because I don't fit inside any of the expected categories. As a friend once said, “You don't check off the normal boxes. You have your own box.”

Maybe the people who've helped you in the past are gone. Or maybe you've discovered that they've never wanted to help you. In fact, they want you to stay the same because they know that they can't change. They want you to stay addicted or stay depressed or stay a prisoner to something or someone.

Kathy Yoder The old windmill sits on top of the hill overlooking the valley beneath. If only it could talk it would have great tales to tell of hard work and sun-filled days.

YODER: "That’s where true believers come in. They don’t simply say, “I’m sorry.” It’s a nice thing to say and it’s a true statement. We are so sorry when we see someone else struggling, hurting, devastated. But we shouldn’t just say our I’m sorries and then walk away."