Category Archives: Challenges

A Bad Day at the “Office”

Posted on August 1, 2012 by russtowne

When our 21 year-old daughter came home from her park ranger intern job last night she looked physically and emotionally drained, and I became concerned. She came up and hugged me for a long time. I haven’t had a, “I … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Parenting, True Stories I've Written | Tagged accident, capable, confident, daughter, emergency services, first responder, girl, heliicopter, hospital, hug, hugged, intern, little girl, mentor, park ranger, proud, spinal injuries | 27 Comments

Nikki’s First Touchdown

Posted on July 25, 2012 by russtowne

Dominic “Nikki” is a special needs child. He has Prader Willi Syndrome, a very rare condition. The clip below shows what happens when both coaches from OG football in American youth football league decided to put him in a play. … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Compassion, Inspiring, Making the World a Better Place, Vids & Stories That Touched Me | Tagged American youth football league, Nikki, Nikki's, OG football, Prader Willi Syndrome, touchdown | 10 Comments

Hawa Abdi: “Equal Parts Mother Teresa and Rambo”

Posted on July 22, 2012 by russtowne

I just read an amazing article about Hawa Abdi but it was so profanity laced that rather than subject you to it, I went to Wikipedia and found a much-abbreviated version of this amazing woman’s life. She has stared down … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Choices, Compassion, Courage, Generosity, Healing, Inspiring, Making the World a Better Place, Patience & Persistence, Stories That Touched Me | Tagged doctor, Dr., gyn, Hawa Abdi, militia, Somalia, Somalians, warlords, wikipedia, Wikipedia.org | 8 Comments

It’s What’s On The Inside That Counts

Posted on July 22, 2012 by russtowne

I just saw a drawing of a very old lady stooped over with age and walking slowly with a cane. On the wall beside wher as a shadow of a slender young ballerina with arms outsretched and standing on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Attittude, Challenges, LIfe Lessons, Observations | Tagged ballerina, counts, inside, it's what's on the inside that counts, look like, old lady | 9 Comments

Overcome to Become

Posted on July 21, 2012 by russtowne

I just completed a comment on a friend’s blog with this sentence: “I’m all-the-more proud of her because of what she has had to overcome to become who she is.” I was referring to My Beloved but as I pushed … Continue reading →

Posted in Attittude, Challenges, Choices, Compassion, Forgiveness, LIfe Lessons, Patience & Persistence | Tagged become, burdens, compassionate, forgiving, kind, kinder, overcome, patient, understanding, wights | 16 Comments

For Our Own Benefit Too

Posted on July 13, 2012 by russtowne

Life is a difficult ride. At times all of us will know pain, trouble, loneliness and struggle. That’s why it is so important for us to practice love and kindness. For your own benefit, as well as for others. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, LIfe Lessons, Loneliness, Love, Making the World a Better Place, Pain & Grief, Quotes I Love | Tagged believe, benefit, blog, difficult, enjoy, gain, Helping, istopforsuffering, kindness, loneliness, Love, others, pain, saying, struggle, touched, trouble, value, whole-heartedly, wisdom | 2 Comments

An Old Guy and a Bucket of Shrimp

Posted on July 12, 2012 by russtowne

An aunt sent this story to me today. I enjoyed it and thought you would too. I haven’t verified the accuracy of the story. I often find value in stories whether they are true or not. This one falls into … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Choices, Courage, Gratitude, Stories That Touched Me | Tagged aunt, bucket, devotional service, Eastern Airlines, Eddie Rickenbacher, endure, grateful, gratitude, heart, hunger, In the Eye of the Storm, life-saving, max Lucado, miracle, miraculously survived, ordeal, pier, pilot, prayed, quietly, rations, rescued, rigors, sacrifice, Seagull, seagulls, shrimp, sun, survival, survival-technique, survivors, thank you, WWII | 25 Comments

Some Gifts I’d Love to Return

Posted on July 12, 2012 by russtowne

My last post where I said tough times are “lesson-rich” may have come across as glib. It wasn’t meant to be. While I believe challenging times are indeed lesson-rich and hold gifts for us, there are quite frankly some gifts … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Dealing with Pain & Grief, LIfe Lessons, Observations, Pain & Grief | Tagged beloved, blood, blood transfusions, cancer, challenging times, daughter, despair, diagnosed, difficulty, gifts, Grief, happy, hospital, incurable illness, intensive care, lesson-rich, Life, pain, scare, survived, thyroid | 9 Comments

Lesson-Rich Windstorms

Posted on July 12, 2012 by russtowne

A lot of people are going through some very challenging (I like to think of them as “lesson-rich”) times right now. I saw this quote from wordsmith.org that seemed to fit the situation fairly well: “Should you shield the canyons … Continue reading →