CoffeeTime Articles
Hobbled Milk Cows and Tethered Horses
Recently sidelined, I know how a hobbled old milk cow looks at life, or what a horse tethered to the fence feels. Imprisoned, caged, confined. Stuck in one place with absolutely no say in the matter. And it is not fun. Reading is a favorite pastime of mine, that is...
Headlights That Bend
Sarah and Travis were trying to make it to his mom’s house that night before the storm hit. They had driven nonstop from Denver, except for filling the gas tank, buying fast food, and bathroom breaks. And those three events had to be perfectly timed to happen...
We Are Not Unisex, People!
Have you ever walked down the sidewalk, determined to be friendly and cheerful that particular day, and looked up to see someone coming toward you, but you couldn’t figure out whether to say “Good morning, sir” or Good morning, miss?” Bluntly put, you couldn’t tell if...
Tearing Down Your Own House
Oh, shoot. Why am I writing about this question? Do I have a hidden ‘Go ahead and kill me now, and get it over with’ complex in me somewhere? Here we go over hill and dale anyway, and consequences bedamned. THE QUESTION: How many “I really am sorry” will it take to...
Bunch of Baby Grownups
Years ago, a young couple left their almost-two-year-old son with his favorite baby sitter, Miss Elva. A few days later, she laughingly told them that he had come to her that evening, dragging his diaper bag behind him. Paul was a unique little boy who disliked...
The Seduction of Hopelessness
Do. Not. Give. Up. Giving up creates hopelessness. And hopelessness creates a huge black hole of depression and deadness in you. When you quit caring about anything in life, you stop living, even though your heart continues beating. Living in hopelessness means having...
From Oops to Wow!
Recently a man we know died in his nineties, after serving in the military until he retired and then had a long career as a police officer until retirement again. Jimmy covered his beat not in a patrol car or on foot, but on the back of a horse. At one point, he...
The Middle of the Wishbone
To paraphrase a comedian from years ago, “D’ya know what makes me sick?” No? Well, I can gladly tell you. And there will be no referring to the cost of eating, or heating the house, or driving across the street nowadays. Although I certainly could. The topic eating my...
Do You Dread Christmas?
Many people do. Many people find this particular holiday season to be full of heartache, or a nameless void. They can feel a myriad of unwelcome emotions that threaten to overwhelm and sink them into a black hole. Sadness, depression, loneliness, anxiety, or just the...
Is Someone Staying Miserable by Habit?
I am convinced of a truth after living all these years on this earth. Simply and baldly stated, there are some people who have bathed themselves in misery for years. And they truly do not want anyone to hand them a big thick towel to dry off. They experienced a severe...
Funny Stuff… Now
Four-year-old Barry was rambunctious and energetic. Gifted by God with charming smile, electric blue eyes and golden hair. From the moment those mesmerizing blue eyes opened, to when they reluctantly closed in sleep after he had raced headlong thru his day, Barry had...
I’m Sorry Dad, I Really Am Sorry!
Little Jimmy was one of those eight-year-boys who seem to be able to find a mud puddle in the Sahara Desert. And within seconds have his body covered with it. Sandy hair falling over mischievous bright eyes, he was an intelligent, energetic kid who had a boundless...
Thanksgiving: A Time to Save!
Everybody knows finances are tight today. Now, one can only hope against hope that by the time this column hits your hands, the sentence I just wrote is a lie. That by some miracle the ever-escalating balloon of inflation in our country has run into a sharp knife and...
Drunken Pastor Living Among Us
My husband was a pastor for many years. And as such, he has always attempted to hold his public image as close to clean and shiny as he possibly could. After all, when you are called to represent the Creator, to love and help His creations, you really don’t want to be...
Burn Barrels
Remember from your childhood all those stories about that man or woman “who lives right over there?” That person you knew from experience - yours or others - to avoid at all costs. Those stories varied from a witch, to scary dude, to mean as a junk yard dog. Yeah, me...