Back in the Saddle . . .

Have you ever had one of those ‘full circle’ moments when everything you’ve been struggling with seems to all fit together and you can make sense of it? I’ve just had that experience during the past forty-eight hours.

It started when Pastor Adam Hamilton, a methodist minister who founded the Church of the Resurrection in Kansas nearly forty years ago, announced that he will be running for the Senate. Those of us who watch his church services online or in person and read his books, are almost giddy at the prospect of having someone serve as a senator who ‘walks the walk’ and sets a wonderful Christian example.

In one of Hamilton’s sermons, he introduced his congregation to one of their parishioner’s named Matt Stewart. Matt is in the news industry and is also an accomplished author and incredibly busy man. Matt shared with the congregation his struggle with cancer, as well as his wife, Chrissy’s battle. Both have received numerous treatments and are the bravest people you could possibly meet. Matt shared his struggles, as well as his optimism.

You might wonder what this has to do with an old lady (me) who lives in Texas. After watching that segment, I contacted Matt and shared with him how impressed I was with his optimism. I also told him that my husband, Jim, was struggling with leukemia and that Matt’s short speech really changed my outlook on life. Matt and Chrissy are in their early forties, raising three children. I can’t imagine how challenging this battle would be if you were raising kids. The Stewart family is living life to the fullest, trying to create lasting memories long after they’re gone. It humbles me to think of what they are facing.

Isn’t it amazing how one person’s story can change your entire outlook on life and give you hope? That’s what Matt did for me, and I probably need to write Pastor Hamilton a thank you note for introducing me to Matt. And most of all, I need to thank this pastor for allowing members of his congregation to share their personal stories in many of his sermons. That’s the key: sharing life experiences that have the potential to help others heal.

As I write this newsletter today (May 3^rd) this marks 100 days since Jim had his bone marrow transplant. He’s had numerous complications and, in fact, is in the hospital right now with a pretty intense virus.

Let’s back up one day so I can share an unusual experience I had while waiting for an elevator at the hospital. A very sweet Hispanic gentleman in his fifties waited beside me. He spoke very little English, and I’ve never spoken a single word of Spanish. As we attempted to communicate, he shared with me his frustration with cancer. His daughter is on the same oncology floor as Jim. She is thirty-one years old and has battled leukemia for ten years. He shared his anxiety about all the chemo she was receiving and how tired she was. This was one of those moments when it occurred to me that language was a huge barrier. I so wanted to help him more, but words limited me. There’s a Google feature I could have used to communicate with him, but that seems like kind of a lazy way to handle language barriers. I decided at that moment that I’ll take Spanish lessons. Many of the hospital workers speak Spanish, and so, I have more time than they to put forth the extra effort; I’m retired; they, in turn, are probably working two jobs to make ends meet. Jim has agreed to also try and learn Spanish. I’m a firm believer that ‘in giving, we receive.’ And I think that when we stop trying to make a difference in this world, we lose our purpose to live.

This year is filled with promise. I’m excited about two things. (1) I will be on an author panel at the 2026 McKinney Literary Fest. I hope you’ll Google that and join in on the fun. My panel will be presenting from 1:00 – 1:50 PM on Saturday, May 30^th. The event takes place from 9-5 and is free! Let me know if you’re planning to attend so I can give you a Texas size hug! (2) I’m looking forward to publishing 3 novels I would categorize as Western Fiction. The setting for all three stories is in the beautiful town of Alpine, Texas and gives you a peek into some road trips I’ve taken to see The Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine. Here are a few pictures which stir up fond memories.

Making Texas Sized Bisquits

I consider myself ‘back in the saddle again’ and look forward to getting back to a new normal. Life is good. Just between us, I’m thinking that the past year’s challenges will help create more compassionate characters in my novels. Life often imitates art. Thank you all for allowing me to share my experiences with you.