About Me

When someone asks me who I am, I think, where do I begin?  I have many facets to my identity so I will give you a run-down in order of importance.

First, and most important to me at this point in my life, I am a devout Christian, a beloved child of God.  My denomination has changed several times over the years, as I searched for the church family where I belonged.  I found my home at Mandarin Presbyterian Church, where we believe that Jesus Christ, God’s only son, died for our sins and rose again to sit at the right hand of God, Father Almighty. He is my Lord and Savior and I know He loves me unconditionally.

My Family comes next in importance, with my roles of Mother and Grandmother being the major focus of my life now. I have three children, all millennials, and two young grandchildren who I love with all my heart. My greatest challenge these days is navigating the change in my role as a parent now that my kids are grown.  I am striving for a closer relationship with my family, which is especially important to me as I have been single for over 25 years following the end of my 13-year marriage back in 1995.

As the oldest of four siblings, I am also the “Matriarch” of my extended family, a role that I take very seriously now that my mother and father are gone, and I am focused on the Legacy I want to leave behind when I too am gone. As a Baby Boomer, I am still striving to understand the culture within which our younger generations are living in order to relate to and keep them close.  

I am also a proud patriot who loves my country and our Founding Fathers, as well as the God-given principles on which our nation was founded. I believe our constitution, with the central tenet of “In God We Trust” is remarkable as compared with the other systems of government found around the world, and that our way of life is worth fighting for, as so many have done in the past. Based on those principles, I am a staunch conservative and while I vote according to the principles represented by each individual candidate, those typically seem to better align with the current Republican Party vs the Democrat Party. However, it’s conservative values I’m seeking and will vote accordingly.

I have had several careers, including interior designer, small business owner, construction project manager, and for the last 20 years, I have sold residential real estate, my favorite by far. Using my gifts, experience, and training as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, I focus on helping other Boomers meet the challenges we all now face, as we transition to the next phase of our lives.

I think most of us agree that a lot has changed in our lives over the last few years. The mandated isolation during the height of the pandemic, the all too prevalent break-down of law and order around our country, the abandonment of traditional spiritual and cultural values by so many, and the blurring of the concept of Truth by the media and our society stole my joy and my hope. I, like many, became angry and scared as a result of the changes happening with such blinding speed between 2020 and 2022. 

I began to believe that our world had passed the point of no return and there was nothing that I could do to change the course of our history other than to pray. Because of my strong faith in God, I know He has a plan, but I also know how our story ends according to the Bible. I felt helpless and hopeless and with my lost hope went my health, my joy, my relationship with my family and people “on the other side”, as well as my drive to succeed.  I shut down along with our economy and went into a mode of waiting and wishing to leave this messed up world and return to my loving Father in heaven. At one point, I actually prayed for God to bring me home!  But little by little, as I kept my eyes focused on God, He seemed to be telling me He wasn’t done with me yet.

As I have said, I believe God is in control, and I prayed each morning for His guidance. I tried to stay focused on His Word, and limited my doses of negative news, negative people, and social media. In my isolation, I began to read, seeking any resources that could offer me hope. 

That fall, my Sunday School class was studying the book 40 Days of Prayer by Pastor Rick Warren. I recently looked back over the Journal I was keeping and found the following successive entries:

“Lord, you promise you are all powerful and can do anything.  Please heal our nation and our world.  Use me to help you if that is your will.  If not, give me protection and protect my family and friends.”

“I believe God wants to use me to help heal our country, starting with my own circle of friends and family, and He will equip me for that purpose if I stay connected to Him.”

“Lord, I thank you for the hope you have awakened in me.  Please show me how I can spread that hope and help to heal our land.  Protect me from attack as I seek to do your will.”

I attended the conservative “Freedom Tour” about the same time, and the message that kept resonating from each of the speakers was that yes, God wants us to pray, but He also wants us to take action and will empower and equip us to do His will if we will step out in faith.  As John Ortberg, one of my favorite Bible teachers says, “If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat!” 

With the many messages I was receiving, I found new purpose--to actively love my neighbors as myself as Jesus commanded and demonstrated, even if they have differing beliefs and are intolerant of my own. I came to believe we can change what’s happening to our world, one relationship at a time. Bob Goff, one of my favorite inspirational authors, in his book Undistracted, puts it this way:

“The clarity of purpose, undistracted energy, selfless love, and unselfish pursuits you bring to the world will be your legacy.  Everything else is a distraction.” 

My personal vision includes:

A strong body, empowered to carry on in pursuit of this legacy.

A family who respects and cares for one another, loving and supporting each other through the challenges we face.

A community of believers inspired to heal their own broken relationships in pursuit of this legacy in their own lives.

A country united in faith and love, working together to preserve the freedom we hold so dear.

A world at peace, possible only if we all strive to achieve this legacy.

Can you imagine living in such a world?  God can!

Join me as we “Boomerang2Hope” together!