For the Love of Ben

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Most of us are familiar with this saying. It was an often repeated saying on the playground at school. But what most of us also know is that the second half is not true. Words have great power. They can do great […]

In the days and weeks after Ben died, one of my best friends told me that she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to say the wrong thing but she also had no clue what to say. It isn’t unusual that people don’t know what to say. When you haven’t walked through a […]

This winter I found myself stuck in a snow bank. Sabin and I were on our way home from one his bowling matches when a snowstorm hit hard and fast. The snow was coming down pretty quickly and the wind was blowing 45 mph. That kind of wind, combined with the snow, quickly created snow […]

Above is a picture from a place that was very dear to my dad. That place is Roanoke Ranch and this is the garden that now honors my dad and the role he played at the ranch. Several years ago God orchestrated the paths of my dad and the founder of Roanoke Ranch, Aaron Decker, […]

Today marks three years since Ben passed from his earthly body and entered the gates of heaven. Three long years. Yet three short years. Thanks to Facebook memories, the last three weeks have been a daily reminder of what was happening with Ben as he was in the hospital. The easiest way to keep people […]

Twenty-five years is a long time for most anything. These days it is an eternity for a marriage with so many ending in divorce and many choosing to forego marriage altogether. Those that make it to that silver anniversary have surely gone through many ups and downs. There have been good times and bad times. […]

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Everyday is full of decisions. We all make many decisions each day. From what to wear to what to eat to what TV show to watch or what book to read. Most decisions we make are routine. Often they don’t have a right or a wrong answer. Then comes along the big […]

One thing Ben seldom bought me was cut flowers. I have bought more cut flowers in the last year than he did in our 22 years of marriage. They bring me happiness and I enjoy their beauty and their fragrance. Even though I rarely received cut flowers from Ben, he always was sure to spoil me on Valentine’s […]

A new year has come. Last year is in the rear view mirror. All the plans and goals for 2023 give way to new plans and goals for 2024. For me, 2023 was the second full calendar year that Ben never saw. As I look back over the year there are so many things that Ben missed. So many times […]

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, . . . is the first portion of the opening line from A Tale of Two Cities written by Charles Dickens. The line goes on with several more contrasts and contradictions to describe the time period the book is set in. Here is […]