Category Archives: Personal

Clipped Wings

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My wings have been clipped, but not cut off.

A few days before Christmas the doctor ordered an MRI on my left ankle. For months I had experienced swelling and a limited range of motion. Long story, short, the scan results showed a small tear in a ligament. To help it heal, I’ll wear a soft-cast for six weeks. Six weeks to hopefully avoid surgery. Wearing the soft-cast is clunky and at times uncomfortable. My car is a manual, so I have to shift gears to not driving, or limited driving my husband’s car. Oh, and the boot is taller than any of my shoes. I’m not good at being less than one hundred percent healthy. I get a little fussy.  We’ve had a major snow (about 10”), making going outside challenging. My wings have been clipped.

Recently, I have had several conversations about suffrage. What is the purpose of suffering? Be it a six-week inconvenience of hobbling around, and thumping up and down steps, to the suffering of those who are plagued with much longer-lasting pain and inconvenience. On either side of suffering, what is its purpose? Lessons to last a lifetime.

I’m a week into this challenge. So far, I’ve learned that if I stand up straighter, my gate isn’t as gimpy. Interesting idea, standing up straighter when the burden is pulling you down. A straighter posture helps me feel more control over my challenge. I am stronger overall than my ankle feels now. Do we let one burden steal the strength of so many other blessings? Is this an opportunity for me to decide how I will react to a challenge instead of letting the challenge itself control my attitude?

Is this an opportunity to slow down? I’ve just had two restful holiday weeks off work. Why did the ligament in my leg fail now? Truth is, it failed months ago, and I chose to ignore it. Perhaps this suffrage gives me the opportunity to not rush into the new year. How guilty we are at looking forward so much that we don’t see what today holds. We rush time. We wish our way to what’s next to the point where we can’t pay attention to this day, this hour, or this minute.

I’ve been given six weeks to slowly begin 2025. My caution is to not waste the slowness. Clunking around in this boot is tiresome. I’ll embrace resting more. But I won’t become lazy. May we all embrace Winter slowness to savor time and embrace what each season offers. Spring with it’s renewal of life, Summer full of sunshine, and colorful Fall.

Would love your thoughts.

KK

Let’s connect. If you haven’t already, please choose to follow KK’s Candor. To stay in touch with my writing adventures you can find me on social media.

This crazy world

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In the early 1900’s, my grandparents were married. He worked for the railroad. Our country was coming out of World War 1 (#WW1) about the time they got married. Living in rural Eastern Kentucky, they had 12 living children and 3 stillborn babies during the Depression. They had no idea what the world was going to hand them. So, Papaw went to work every day and Mamaw planted a garden, kept chickens, and raised the children. On Sundays, they went to church. They worked hard, controlled the controllables and they recognized that there was something bigger than them watching over and providing.

In the 1950’s, my parents were married. Dad had come back from World War 2 (#WW2), finished college, and got a job. He and mom got married. Their generation dealt with civil unrest, the war in #Vietnam (and the protests that ensued), and one of the first big controversies in Washington, Watergate. News was on television every night, and in the newspapers each day. There weren’t influencers or a web of opinions spewed at them all day. They had no idea what the world was going to deliver. But they had children, and they worked hard. They controlled the controllables.

When 911 happened, my generation was shaken. Not since Pearl Harbor had we seen such a direct enemy attack. We were raised to believe they couldn’t breach our border. The US joined the war in Iraq. It began a new way of thinking about the world around us. If I had thought too much about it, I would have been scared. But I refused to live in fear. I went to work to continue to build a life. I  controlled the controllable, and I put my faith in someone bigger.

Every generation has experienced what they felt was a crazy world with so many unpredictable things. It’s our choice how we choose to react and move forward. We work to be productive and provide for our families, control what we can, and leave the rest to faith. In doing so, we can have joy each day while living in this crazy world, and peace in our hearts for what’s beyond.

Your thoughts?

All the best,

Karen

Let’s connect. If you haven’t already, please choose to follow KK’s Candor. To stay in touch with my writing adventures you can find me on social media.

Buying blue jeans

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There are more options when buying blue #jeans than when buying a car. After eleven months of Weight Watchers, it was time for me to treat myself to a smaller size pair of blue jeans. It’s been several years since I purchased jeans. Trends have changed and the options have grown.

I’ll start with the waist. I found super high-rise, high-rise, high-rise mom jeans (there’s a selling point, NOT), mid-rise, low-rise, and super low-rise. I don’t like high-rise jeans. They come up to my belly button when I’m standing and scooch higher when I sit. That helped me eliminate three options. And I’m not young enough or skinny enough for low-rise. There’s two more options eliminated. That left me with mid-rise, just below my belly button. Great, one decision was made.

Now we need to consider the cut. The options were regular, boyfriend, skinny, super-skinny, curvy (another great marketing tool, tell the woman she’s curvy as if she didn’t know), and loose cut. I tend to be regular to skinny, but I like my jeans longer.

Before we head off to the fitting room, there is one more decision to make the bottom of the leg cut. There is boot cut, flare, straight leg, skinny, super #skinny, and welcome back from the 70’s, bell bottoms. I’m typically a straight-leg person, but if the rest of the options work, I could go skinny.

So, off I went to the fitting room with mid-rise jeans of different designers in regular cut, straight and skinny legs. Did I mention that every designer has their own interpretation of all of these options? That’s right, I took seven pairs of jeans to the fitting room and came out with one that worked. I’d like credit for the workout I got putting on and taking off seven pairs of jeans. The real win came when I found out they were half off. Half off! I bought two of the exact same pair. I tried to find other shades of blue or colors, but that sent my head reeling into another dimension of options – dark blue, stone-washed, holes, no holes. It’s a thing.

By the way, I’m from the generation that wore jeans until they got holes in them. We didn’t buy jeans with ready-made holes. The holes in our jeans told a story of the places we’d gone and the things we’d done in our jeans.

There you have it. In two outings shopping, a total of four hours of my life in the last few days was spent on safari in multiple retail stores, hunting, gathering, and trying on blue jeans.

What’s your favorite style, cut, and designer of blue jeans?

All the best,

KK.

Is your book club planning for 2024? Consider Curtains for Maggie! Available on Amazon.

And please follow me on social media @KHRAuthor on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).

#author #writing

I want credit, don’t you?

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Like many others, I began a #diet journey in #January. I committed to using the Weight Watchers app. The wonderful part of the app is that when I exercise, it gives me additional points for the week. I’m getting #credit for my good choices. But when my son is headed to Graeter’s Ice Cream parlor and asks if I want something, and I say “No, thank you,” I want credit for it! By the way the “no, thank you” comes after a three-minute internal argument and justification with myself. “Well if I use my points this way, or I only get the mini cone, I’m only using this many points.” The struggle is real.

Then there are the times when I’m home alone. I’m working upstairs as far from the pantry as possible and still be inside the house, and the Oreos call out. “My precious, creamy cookie…” Or I open the pantry for a healthy snack like granola or nuts, and there they are eye-level. I want credit for not snagging the package and scurrying up to my office to devour them.

But I don’t. Most of the time. In full disclosure, I did scan the package and found out I could have two #cookies for five points. I get 23 points in a day and another 21 points to use over the course of a week. Ok, so I’m getting to the end of the week, I’ve already done my weigh-in, so why not enjoy two Oreo cookies?

Could you eat just two? It’s a slippery slope. Self-discipline has to be rock solid. There’s another opportunity for me to get credit — when I only eat two cookies AND when I do have the third one, I don’t lie when I report it on the app.

What are your thoughts on the matter of credit and #fairness when no one is looking? Kinda makes you think about the true character of an individual. But that’s a post for another day.

All the best,

KK

BTW — I weighed in this morning, down 10 pounds!!

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Dreams coming true

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Is it a #dream or a #goal? I’ve wanted to write a book and have it published for as long as I can remember. It started as a dream, but when I got serious about #writing and learning the craft, it became a goal. Writing workshops, critique groups, editing, and a lot of rewriting. Last June I pitched the book to Elk Lake Publishing. They requested a proposal, and about a month later they offered me a contract! WooHoo! That began my journey toward publication.

You are now a very important part of that journey. Below is the cover of Curtains for Maggie, my debut novel! Check it out and let me know what you think.

Back Cover

Maggie Nelson lost her identity. Nora St. Claire lost her husband. And Jen Stephens lost her job—sort of. The three friends from college, now in their forties, rediscover a special part of themselves that time and relationships have stolen.

To rediscover who she is, Maggie revisits a passion from her past. Something that was her own—acting. With this, her family begins a season of their orderly, planned, and scheduled lives becoming not so orderly. How can Maggie regain her identity without losing her husband?

Nora is an interior designer whose husband was killed in the line of duty. After years of mourning, she is ready to rebuild her life. Her career launches when she wins over a difficult client for the firm. And in her social life, she finds herself volunteering alongside a man who sparks her interest. Work, friends, dating—what will the design of her new life be?

Jen is a free-spirited personal trainer who never expected to find herself as an assistant manager at the gym. The role is a stretch, but it includes all the components of healthy living that she believes in. The rest she can learn. The transition has a few twists and turns Jen navigates well with the full support of her husband, and her two friends. And yet … is it the best fit for Jen?

Their path is messy, but isn’t that true about life? Along the way, each woman discovers that she is more precious than rubies. Even in her imperfection.

I know you can’t wait to read it. I promise you will be the first to know where to purchase a copy.

All the best,

KK

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Words can’t describe

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#Words can’t describe this #picture. Or can they? Give it try in the comments.

You are never closer to our Creator than when you experience His creation.

Goals, to-dos, and bucket lists

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#Goals, #to-dos, and #bucket lists are all very important. Here are a few things to consider. Recently, I challenged a friend of mine to set one goal. She said she had goals – clean out a closet, etc…That is not a goal, that’s a to-do – a chore. And in another conversation with a couple who are a little older than us, they described some things they are doing as “not bucket list” items, just things we want to do while we still can. I get that. Why call things bucket list, if you still may have 20 plus years from kicking it. Embrace life when you can.

Let’s break this down a bit. Goals, larger accomplishments, that may take several steps to complete, and consequently more time. SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-based. Mine are broken into three categories, body, mind, and soul; allowing for me to work on different parts of my life at different times of the year.

To do’s, the stuff we must do to manage our lives – maintain the house and yard, grocery shop, run errands. I do find it satisfying to keep a list of to-do’s and mark them off. Not sure why other than I know that in life, it’s easy to go through our days and in the end wonder what we accomplished. The challenge is to not let the to-dos overtake working toward the goals. We must manage our time and commitment to the importance of each.

The #bucketlist – as our population ages, and those who are older are embracing a more active lifestyle, it seems to have a bucket list may or may not mean what it once did. As my husband and I talked recently about where we are in life and some things, we’d like to do we took notice of the elderly folks we most admire. How are they living today, and how have they lived their lives? The ones we most admire are still active. Even slowing down, they are finding activities to fit their pace. They engage their minds every day with more than The Price is Right, and 20 versions of the evening news. We talked about a list of things we’d like to do and began the conversation of what retirement years will look like. The list is varied, and why not? You can only travel so much, read so much, volunteer so much. Why not mix it up? And we realized there are items that are better done now while we’re working than waiting on for later.

So, what are your thoughts on all this? Please add a comment.

KK

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Change — be ready

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When God created the world, He created change. Most notably of which, and one we all experience is the seasons – spring, summer, autumn, winter. We know about when they will begin and about when they will end, but we have no control over them. They #change every few months, and all we can do is adapt.

Any lack of adaptability on our part really only makes us miserable. Complaining about the weather or the seasons does nothing to change it. It is what it is. The same goes for weather in general. Someone very dear to me (my big brother) recently said, “You are never closer to God than when you are experiencing weather.” We were standing in a gentle rain at that moment. It was true, we couldn’t turn off the rain, we could choose to enjoy it, or we could grumble at the fact we were getting wet. We just experienced it.

Changing and adapting to our environment promotes learning and growth as an individual. While I do believe some things in this world are black and white; some things are right and some things are wrong. Adaptability is necessary to navigate our journey and find peace — to grow — to survive.

Consider the era my grandparents lived in. My grandmother(mamaw) was born in 1896 – in-door plumbing and cars were how fancy people lived. My grandfather was a foreman on the railroad, THE way to transport goods. Mamaw passed away in 1980 when cable tv was a big deal. What would she think today with wifi in our homes, cell phones, Google Home turning on and off lights, and a doorbell that had a video camera?

These advances can be considered tools of change. Ways to grow in commerce, as a society and as individuals. We saw that during the pandemic when families did work and school from home. For this we had about a week to pivot from decades of doing work and school completely differently.

My encouragement for you, is to consider what #change is coming your way. What will it’s impact be if you deny, resist, or embrace it? If you embrace it, will you compromise what you believe in, or will you #grow as an individual?

All the best,

KK

Listen and expect to hear Him

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We are in a storm. As a world community and as individuals. Whether you are simply going stir-crazy at home or you’ve experienced some other tragedy, it’s a storm. Many years ago when I was in a similar storm, I wrote this quote from Priscilla Shirer, on the refrigerator whiteboard, “Listen and expect to hear Him.” Funny that I never erased it. It’s something we should always remember no matter what kind of season we are in.

Before some of you decide I’m nuts, let me clarify. God speaks to His children in many ways; the Bible, encouraging words or prayers of other believers, in our conviction, or in that still small voice in our hearts. Even before the storm I’m experiencing blew harder, God was preparing my heart. I didn’t see it at the time, but there was a reason a devotion featuring Job and life challenges popped up on my feed.

This morning He spoke to me through one sentence in an email from a friend of mine, Betty Owens. She’s praying for me. And a message from Liz Curtis Higgs in her weekly Bible study reminded me of how much I am loved by our Savior. Yesterday, a former co-worker encouraged me to read Psalm 20 and 91.

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.[b]
4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.
6 Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
9 Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!
Psalm 20

Wow! I needed to hear about the victory that will come on the other side of the storm. We don’t

know how long it will last. So every day we get up and do what we can do. We don’t just sit down, throw up our hands, and say God’s going to get us through. Which is true, He will deliver. But living our faith and doing what is in our control every day allows us to truly feel like we are walking in sync with God’s plan. We are praying, seeking His will, listening for Him, and doing what we can to move forward in what we are seeking. Doing so, we become very sensitive to His guidance, what is an open door, and what is closed.

The winds are whipping and howling. Stressors are thundering down. Remember friend, we are all in this together, and no matter how big the storm, God is bigger.

All the best,

KK

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Are you neat or just a freak?

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There are those in this world who keep their spaces neat and tidy and those who are not. I’m not willing to agree with the research that says messy people are always intelligent. They may just be messy and confused-can’t find anything. Although I relate more to being orderly, I wouldn’t consider myself as perfect as this HuffPost article would tout.

Messy versus organized is worth exploring though. What works best for you? A friend of mine who left this world way too early had the gift of hospitality, and did not consider herself a neat-freak. I often wondered how she was always ready for friends to “just come on by.” She let me in on a little secret. Her home was always (or almost always) what she called, “first floor ready.” Her first floor was generally always tidy and ready for friends to come by. When she shared her secret with me, she laughed and said, “please don’t venture upstairs. The kids can be pretty messy and I only have them pick-up their rooms once a week.”

Maybe people are messy because their brains are being used in other ways for being creative or having bigger thoughts. Could their brains be wired differently? But I have to wonder if their space was more organized, would that free parts of their brain for even clearer thinking? One other plaguing question, when does messiness cross over the line toward hording?

Keeping things in order gives me a sense of control. I can tell where things are, and what’s going on in the room. When I walk into a messy space it’s hard to concentrate. Maybe there is too much stimuli for my brain to work well in that environment. Maybe I’m wired differently.

I know that getting organized is one of the top New Year’s resolutions. Are you doing that because it’s expected of you or because you feel like it will help you function better moving forward. Please don’t take this as a judgement, just trying to better understand those who are different than me.

All the best,

KK

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