C.J. 
“What people don’t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross. It is much harder to believe than not to believe.” ~ Flannery O’Connor The great fifty days of Easter are now over. It is now time for us, as Christians, to step … Read more
As spring flowers once again begin to bloom, I am drawn to happy memories of Grandma. Some of my very earliest and favorite memories are of learning how to plant flowers in Grandma’s backyard beds. Of planting an apple seed in a tin can and week by week watching it grow. Learning the importance of … Read more
(Author’s note: Sometimes writing takes off in a completely different direction than what you had intended. I initially set out to write this post as a biopic tribute to Dr. Anton Webern (this will now be forthcoming), for what would have been his 140th birthday. After coming up with this title, however, my fingers took … Read more
This is the post I almost didn’t write. It’s easy for me to wax philosophically, or historically, or musically, for hours. Although I can and do get extremely emotionally charged about these topics, they don’t require delving into the depths of my soul, the most closed off places of my emotional being. Talking about any … Read more
A continuation of Ján Å vagera’s biography. Featuring his initial taste of life in America. A surprise taste of home and his coming of age.
Part 3 of “Across Countries and Cultures: A Journeyer for Truth” Reality Takes Hold The first time seeing the ocean is a profound experience for everyone. For someone who comes from a completely landlocked country though, the experience is overwhelming. The act of boarding a ship and losing sight of any land mass whatsoever is … Read more
A tribute to a beloved doctor, Tom Heywood, a look back at when doctors were like family. A eulogy for a remarkable human and simpler time.
A young boy’s recollection of the Velvet Revolution, November 17, 1989. Tears of hope and a personal family connection to history being made.
Part 2 of Across Countries and Cultures: Journeyer for Truth A Man of Many Languages Unlike many of his fellow conscripted acquaintances, Ján was well educated. In particular, he was a master multi-linguist, able to proficiently speak Czech, Slovak, German, French and Italian. This would prove to be tremendously beneficial for him as tensions continued … Read more
(What follows will be an ongoing series about the life and times of my Great Grandfather John Å vagera. He truly had a remarkable life which included being a Czech Legionnaire during the First World War, working with the Borglum family and raising a family on the farm fields of Nebraska during the Great Depression.) He … Read more
