THE JOURNEY: During the process of coming through the darkness of the first six months, I did not cook at all. My kids and I were on survival mode and lived strictly on frozen meals that I could find. Not only did I have a very limited cooking vocabulary but I had not interest. None.
Walking into the kitchen one day I saw everyone standing in front of the open refrigerator, staring and grumbling something about fresh foods. I knew then that I needed to step up to the reality plate and figure out something. Do you know that some genius invented something called the crock pot. It is this thing that you can put a whole lot of things into in the morning and magically have a dinner at the end of the day. To me it was a lesson in life. Take a bunch of ingredients that include friendship, good advice and love from family and friends. Put them into an empty pot. Turn on the life lights, stir and watch what happens. What you get is a new look that doesn't necessarily look like what was put into the pot in the first place, but hopefully something that is new and improved. My promise was to cook twice a week from that point on. I love the crock pot. I would like to thank who ever invented such an amazing thing for not only making me a great cook but a better and improved version of myself.

THE LEAF

THE LEAF HANGS ON
WITH WINTER IN FULL STRIDE
FLUTTERING IN THE BREEZE
DARING ANYONE TO KNOCK IT OFF

IT STRIVES TO KEEP BEING
TO BE THE LAST ONE STANDING
IN ITS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD

IT DOESN'T REALIZE
THAT JUST LETTING GO
BRINGS IT CLOSER
THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN
TO THE SOURCE IT SEEKS

LESSONS ARE LEARNED
BUT OFTEN TIMES IT'S FAITH
ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH
AND SO IT HOLDS ON