It's taken half a century for me to understand the above Buechner quote.
A life-well lived is one in which a person embraces passions as a calling from
God - not as a side-show to one's profession.

That's why at 50 years of age I have launched my own freelance business and consulting business, Tales of the Times. This name is born from my passion to engage with people's life journeys and to share their stories.

I have been a professional writer and photgrapher for 25 years. As a journalist, I have traveled to many regions of the United States as well as Central America, Africa and Asia. Various international and national periodicals and local newspapers have published my work.

I recently authored a book, FOREVER Family (Tales of the Times, 2010).
I co-authored a yearly devotional book, Now It Springs Up (Willow Spring
Down, 2007) with Carol Duerksen and Michele Hershberger. My devotionals and inspirational essays have appeared in Christian publications, including Mennonite periodicals. I have also been a featured speaker at banquets, women's groups and retreats for adults and teenagers and have led spiritual journey and memoir-writing workshops.

I graduated from Goshen (Ind.) College in 1983 with a BA degree in communications and a minor in English and have taken courses in theology,
Bible, spirituality and creative writing. A lifelong Mennonite, I recently entered the Catholic Church and bring a wider-world perspective and a deeply spiritual focus to my work. My husband Al and I live in Newton, Kansas.