Ashley Grey

Category Archives: people

It was sunny weather, calm seas and an excellent day to go sailing, our small group of six noted as we got set. We felt lucky. Almost, like heaven was smiling down at us. This was going to be an unforgettable experience, we all agreed. It was special right from the moment the sailing club folks invited us to celebrate their fourteenth anniversary. An all-expenses paid trip. Dreamy or what! It was the perfect vessel too. White and elegant, the power of the wind in her sails, a majestic feat of engineering. The interior was just as impressive and flawless. White leather and mahogany finishing. What’s not to like! sailing “Sailing east, sailing west, sailing over the ocean…” There was dancing, fiercely-clear water to swim in, lots to eat and drink al fresco. We went hiking along quaint, seaside homes, picturesque landscapes and majestic cliffs that tell a history of…

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Work is not simply fulfilling duties, is it? There seems to be more. Ivan is a famous chef. He thought he might share his culinary passion with his young son, who seemed to delight in his dad’s cordon bleu cooking. It would be a good bonding experience, he thought, and his son might learn about work at the same time. Then, one day, they had several men over for beers and a sandwich. Ivan gave his son Pete strict instructions, adding that a line cook is like a robot. Meals are to be perfect each time. Well, Pete slipped up. One of the sandwiches was burned. Asked how he could have allowed that slip up, Pete replied that the food was free. Why did it matter? Taking his son aside, Ivan told him that he is great at this- cooking, and touched lives simultaneously on the job. So he could…

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Sometimes people lead a secret, double life. The signs may be obvious. Other times, we just know by intuition. Oma couldn’t help becoming friends with Michael who lived next door. He was intelligent and perceptive. It was easy to share triumphs and hopes, and have him meet family and friends. He wanted intimacy. She didn’t and made it clear. He was in a relationship that seemed serious. Why complicate things, right? Oma stayed friends even after moving houses. Soon she discovered something odd with Michael’s new associations. They were not the usual and she wondered if he led a double life. What could they have in common? These were not the folks you had intellectual conversations with. They were more like people you would worry about if they were in your area. Well maybe he was just being nice, which would be endearing, if she could shake off the feeling…

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Mary Neal, MD and author, describes her experience of a place yonder and distant. She recalls leaving her body after a kayaking accident and being aware of heaven. A place beyond the pines, gleaming lights and no more nights. ZACK WILL BE ALRIGHT Zack Clements collapsed at gym class in his Christian high school. His heart stopped and for a full 20 minutes, doctors worked to revive him. He shares his experience of a place far off, a glimpse of heaven, seeing Jesus and a line of angels. Jesus touched him and said he’d be alright. He was 17 at the time. People did not believe him. FATHER ABRAHAM EXPLAINS In the Luke 16:19-31 account, the rich man recognized Lazarus. He felt thirst and torment. It was so intense he asked that Abraham have Lazarus return to warn his five brothers about an afterlife experience. Abraham’s reply is intriguing. He…

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Not all streets are created equal. We all could use empathy as you can tell from each story. Debbie Stevens is the amazing woman who donated her kidney to keep her boss alive. The boss was on a waiting list and could die before it is her turn on the transplant group. According to the account, Stevens got fired from the job yet did not say any unkind word about the lady boss. She also had no regrets, as it was a chance to save a life.  Quite an extraordinary story of benevolence. She raised the bar on the compassion street. Myra (not real name) shares her struggles in this story. One evening while trying to pay for food at a local store, she realized to her dismay that her purse was empty. How could she have lost the money? Every “pesewa” and penny was precious as sales was slow.…

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Come with me to the land of Susa where lived an extravagant and generous king with his alluring queen who understood “the unforced rhythms of grace.” The king was to choose a new queen after deposing his former queen for refusing his wish. There was a process to get chosen as queen. It took a year to groom the women for the big event. There was graceful Esther who asked for nothing except what was advised by the chief of the living quarters. The king finds her appealing when they meet and she becomes his queen. Surely, all the women must have been beautiful. What extraordinary and appealing quality did Queen Esther possess over all others? Grace? Je ne sais quoi? In our fast-paced and competitive world, perhaps, we could use some of what she had. The Message translation of the words of Jesus in Matthew 11: 28-30 helped me…

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I read snippets of stories from various platforms this week and would like to share thoughts on a few that struck a chord. LIVING ALONE At some point in life we all leave home as a way to assert ourselves as grownups. For some it is an easy transition. Sian enjoys living alone and thinks that coming home to an empty house is a great feeling as it is an opportunity for her to recharge. Living alone, like travelling solo, helps with self-reliance.She also thinks that women are the creatives in a man’s world.  I think she might be right. Do you agree? THOUGHTS ON THE HIKING DUO Hahn is blind, enjoys hiking and found a partner Knecht who can’t walk. Their mutual interest in hiking brought them together. She is his eyes and he her legs when they go hiking. A formidable partnership and teamwork in spite of disabilities…

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So I took this personality test. If you are curious and wonder about quirky traits that we as humans tend to have, then you are in good company. Yours truly is curious too. After responding as truthfully as I possibly could to the questions, I got the result and details about my personality. Being described as “creative”, “idealist and doer” was sort of endearing.  Why dream and not follow through right?  I sort of wondered about the description “perfectionistic”. Isn’t that like a scenario where one might always be seeking to get things right every time? The expression “there is something rotten in Denmark” implies that an ideal situation is not always possible and mistakes happen. Now that might be worth remembering.  The personality test is fun to take and mostly accurate if you answer as truthfully as possible. Click the link below and maybe be pleasantly surprised at your…

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Gratitude makes us happier and life is a gift, now it may not always feel that way sometimes, but why trust these feelings as they can be fleeting, right? So I had a weekend of pause about things that I am thankful for. No explanations needed here. I am thankful for blue skies, birds and time spent by the seaside. Oceans and rivers hold such deep secrets. I am thankful for the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Amazing how one can find beauty in the unexpected if you look. I am thankful for love, health, laughter, bath oils, oysters and fancy cuisine. What would life be without these? There are two ways to live. “One as though, nothing is a miracle. The other, as though everything is a miracle.” We have a choice? I think yes. Lastly, I am thankful for books and quotes like “God only takes…

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