I’ll begin with Beverly, and eventually you will see where I’m going with this. She is half Australian Shepherd, half Border Collie, and she just got her 12-week shots. My daughter has brought her new dog along, to stay with us for a week while her husband’s away, so we are tag-teaming the puppy thing. I heard you groan. Because… Read More
When Your People Need You But You Got Nothin’
It was my very first summer to mow the lawn, about a decade ago. When I was growing up that was a boy job, so I had never even been asked to mow. But the grass was kicking up Matt’s allergies and asthma so bad that I suggested I give it a go. Come to find out, I loved mowing…. Read More
When Stress Takes You to The Edge of Losing It
Sometimes all of these things happen in 24 hours: You wig out about money and then go into a deep depression because you think you can’t afford for you and your husband to take your son to college. You say you will stay home. You completely despair and think all of life is nothing but pain and sorrow. You don’t… Read More
A New Kind of Romance
Last year we used Christmas money and invested in two kayaks. We could see our last little bird (with very big feet and a penchant for bow ties) flying out of the nest soon, and those two kayaks were our declaration that we would continue to enjoy each other when the nest became quiet. Today is our 24th wedding anniversary… Read More
The Best Way to Gain Self-Control
Husbands are grown boys, you know, and boys need to find out what makes you crazy and do it. Just to see you be crazy. If I had known this, I never would have let on that I don’t like the claustrophobic feeling of being restrained. But somehow we were sitting on the couch one night, and I may have… Read More
What Do You Want?
It is an annual agreement with my mother-in-law. She will feed me if I will hand out candy to the over 100 children who will trick-or-treat at her door. Will work for food. So the doorbell rang, and I grabbed the metal bowl filled with everything chocolate. A herd of children was at the door, and I filled plastic sacks,… Read More
A Link for You to Ponder on This Sunday Morning
Mornin’! My friend, Lisa, has just written an ebook called 100 Ways to Love Your Husband. If you’ve read her insights at Club 31 Women, then you know how much practical advice she has to offer. If you’re looking to strengthen your marriage or if you’re about to get married soon (I say to my little girl), then give her… Read More
A Tip for Bearing with Your People
In an hour I leave for a school Christmas program, and I know at least two of my Spanish students have solos. I can hardly wait to hear them sing. Because life is more than Spanish, and I need to always remember my 45 minutes with nouns and verbs and conjugations is only a little bit of who my students… Read More
A Good Day Is Coming For You
I share this link with you today, as a most beautiful, real-life picture of your future as a follower of Christ. Jesus is planning a surprise wedding for you, more glorious than any Pinterest board. The Bridegroom loves you, and those words don’t leave his lips but that he means them most certainly. He is coming for you. “At midnight the cry rang… Read More
What Would You Do If You Finally Had Enough Money?
I sat down on the plastic chair in front of the table, and the man placed a form in front of me. I couldn’t read it, my eyes swimming with tears. Setting down the pen, I buried face in hands and cried win-the-lottery, can’t-believe-I’m-finally-doing-this, dream-coming true tears. Months ago God put this in front of me, the same months when the checkbook balance started… Read More