Beth's Blog

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Millions of us watched the tragedy unfold live on television during the 2026 Winter Olympics, not yet knowing it would set the stage for another remarkable comeback attempt from an athlete already famous for them. Or later we grimaced every time we saw the recording of Lindsey Vonn’s horrific ski crash. Soaring 70 mph, the […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

The Summer Olympics are wrapping up and the gold medal goes to you! And you know why? Because every day you get up and start anew. Granted,  you may no longer have the carved, subtle muscles of our world’s elite Olympic athletes, but you are a trained warrior in your own right. You. Refuse. To […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Many of us are fortunate to receive wise advice from our dads. Maybe not always welcomed advice at first, but nonetheless, insights that helped shape our thinking, our decisions and our day-to-day routines. A few weeks before Father’s Day 2005, my dad and I were chatting on the phone about my plan to drive back […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

If we were voting for Mother of the Decade, I nominate Cori Salchert. What an honor for me to tell you about Cori on this Mother’s Day weekend. By the time you finish this blog, you may be voting for Cori too. For more than two years, Cori Salchert cried out to God intently for […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

The night before two ruthless teens blasted through Columbine High School on a shooting and bombing massacre, 16-year-old John Tomlin refurbished the bed of his beloved 1985 Chevy pickup. When John parked his classic ride in the school parking lot the next morning, he had no idea that the truck he was restoring would help […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Let’s face it. Some days I am a muddy mess. Some days you are a muddy mess. Yep. Sometimes life just gets messy and muddy all at the same time. And we slip-slop away, wobbling and waiting to right ourselves and stand on solid ground. You need not look far to see the muddy mess […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

While March is officially Women’s History Month in America, I’m wondering about the women in your history. What remarkable women played a significant role in your personal history? In my personal history? Okay, I’ll go first in sharing a bit about two women who made an indelible impact on my life outside of my immediate […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Clearing your brain through tilling is not just for farmers and gardeners. When it comes to land, tilling breaks up the top layers of soil, adding air and allowing moisture to permeate below the surface. Tilling can also benefit our thinking.  Last summer, my friend used a rototiller while replacing my worn-out backyard sod. Boy […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree. Yes, I’m talking about that tree you’ve been enjoying for weeks and have already taken down or are about to take down. Let me share a bit about our beloved Christmas trees before we start branching out in 2024. Did you know that German settlers first introduced Christmas trees […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

And the winner is you. Yes, YOU! You have navigated this year with its twists and turns and valley and mountaintops. Good job! No matter what has come your way in 2023, you kept bending and enduring. And coming back in the tougher times. You deserve a HUGE ribbon and trophy for your fortitude and […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

People confess things to me. I mean sometimes stunning revelations like “I see dead people.” Yep, that’s right up there as one of the top confessions and disclosures that someone has shared with me. As a journalist and writer, I hear all sorts of eyebrow-raising stories and experiences from people, but this was my only […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Hey, hay, hay! How do you feel about hay bales? Yes, what comes to your mind when you hear the word hay? Cattle munching on the leafy legume? Halloween scarecrows stuffed with the scratchy foliage? A bedding cushion for your outdoor plants? When I think of hay, I think of hope. Hope in hay? Yep. […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

There’s great comfort in knowing someone or many someones are watching over you. Maybe your watchful someone is a combination of your spouse, your kids, your parents, your siblings, your friends, your neighbors, your local police, the military, your doctor, your investment advisor, your pets. And honestly, at the top of the list, God and […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Movies entertain us. Movies captivate us. Some movies save people’s lives. Sound of Freedom is that film. You do not want to miss this movie. I knew little about Sound of Freedom when I recently joined friends at the theater. (I never want to know too much about a film before I see it. I […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

If only everyone in the world would be kind and do good anyway when we run into obstacles and obstinate people. The truth is, all of us can be unreasonable and self-centered at times. Yes . . . even you and me. Say it isn’t so! Yep. Truly an enduring and persistent woman, Mother Teresa […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Thank you, dads! You deserve our gratitude. If I could, I’d pick up my phone and call Dad right now. “Hey, Dad, do you remember feeding us as babies on the living room sofa? Which of us three kids kept you on your toes the most? Do you remember the time you . . .?” […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

On my kitchen counter rests a framed silhouette of a woman above the words of Proverbs 31:25: “…she smiles at the future” (NASB). This gift from a friend reminds me of my mother. Despite ongoing life challenges—and in her last year losing most of her teeth to radiation treatments—Bernice Lueders sure knew how to smile […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

More than 1 million words exist in the English language. I’d like you to remember just two words by the end of this post. America boasts some of the best two-word combos on the planet. Mashed potatoes. Fried chicken. Amazon Prime. Apple Inc. Walt Disney. In chapter one of my Two Days Longer book, I […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Some of the best advice I’ve heard? “Stay in your own lane.” I don’t remember where I first heard this sage insight, but it sure has carried me through some rough patches. And not just while driving. Recently I drove to Nebraska for a family visit/business trip, and I encountered plenty of drivers drifting and […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

“This is your last chance. Don’t miss out!” Now doubt you’ve run across the “last chance” words warning you not to miss some fantastic savings or opportunity that you can’t possibly live without. Well, recently I encountered a different kind of last chance, one I have literally lived to tell you about now.   In […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

By now, you may have tired from New Year’s resolutions or promises to meet goals this year. You’re in good company. Nationwide surveys on how we Americans fare with our well-intentioned pledges in January find that only about 9% of us keep our annual resolutions. Yikes. I know I’ve added to the low number for […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

 “You know you’re an adult when . . . you get excited about a new microwave.” Well, that’s what the Best Buy appliance installer informed me this morning. I instantly guffawed at his comment. Chortled loudly, just shy of snorted. He’s lucky I didn’t laugh so hard that I spewed a hot beverage on him. […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Second best. Second best deserves more applause. When is coming in second actually a better accomplishment? Eric Larsen, America’s most accomplished polar explorer, has poignant thoughts on coming in just shy of a top-tier goal. For his December 2018 trek to reach the South Pole in record time, Eric had a worldwide fan club watching his […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

One of my greatest joys as a writer is reconnecting with someone I interviewed for an article years earlier. Recently, I enjoyed this honor when I talked with Lt. Col. (retired) Brian Birdwell. Brian is a 9/11 Pentagon survivor. American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and crashed into the E-ring of the Pentagon just about […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Writing an Argumentative Essay about Fire Prevention: Tips and Strategies   Fire prevention is an essential topic that affects everyone, regardless of age, gender, or socio-economic background. It is a subject that demands attention and action, and writing an argumentative essay about fire prevention can be a powerful way to raise awareness and motivate change. […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Go on, flourish! While you’re at it, enjoy more fun. Really? If you’re like me, you may need some rust knocked off your flourish and fun buttons these days. I must say that I’m enamored by the word flourish. A few years ago, a close friend of mine gifted me with a handcrafted “Flourish” sign […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Every week I meet people who want to give up. Yes, some want to throw in the towel and call it a life. Others simply slump discouraged and defeated unsure of how to move forward. I get it. I’ve been there enough times myself and it’s one of the reasons I write about resiliency and […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Waiting for Mr. Right can sure be a test of patience. I know… I’ve been waiting for more than 40 years. Yes, that’s four decades. But hey, who’s counting? I’m too busy living a rich, full life to worry about the timing on when Mr. Right will show up. So let me take you on […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Take a hike or try a bike (ride). I love both. How about you? So, what if you couldn’t enjoy a favorite form of fun, relaxation or exercise for almost two years? Well, that’s been me with hopping on my mountain bike and taking a spin on the side streets in my neighborhood. Now granted, […]

Filed under: Life Lessons | Perspective | Resilience

Let me get extra real with you. Many a day my strength is not enough. In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, I faced a dilemma. My clients were dealing with their own fires and not turning to outside contract work. My business was tottering. Gasping even. So one afternoon, I found myself driving […]