Sounds of September

It’s almost September and children across our state are getting ready to go back to school. Teachers prepare for their classes and parents rush to super stores looking for the best deals on notebooks, pencils, and calculators.

But there is a select group of students who have already been hard at work, readying themselves for this season. In the burning hot sun, they’ve labored to improve their skills for the field. Last month, they persisted through long hours at camp, so that they can be the best. Now, with their uniforms proudly worn, helmets in place, they... Read More

A Silent Killer

Google the words Silent Killer and the website that pops up first says:

Many diseases are silent killers in that they are silent (no symptoms or only vague symptoms), and that they are deadly. There are a number of diseases that are known as “silent killers” because they gradually consume you without causing any serious symptoms in the early stages. Regular medical checkups and early diagnosis of unexplained or vague symptoms can safe your life.

Hypertension, better known as high blood pressure, is often considered one of the major... Read More

From Stepmom to Grandmom

I became a grandmother last week when my stepdaughter gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Including having my own children, it was one of the happiest days of my life. I think about my granddaughter all the time and can’t wait for the next time I see her.  It’s been 48 hours and I’m eager to hold her again. I’m in love!

Like many stepmoms, I’ve had my issues and difficulties with that role. Where do I fit in? Do I matter? Am I doing too much?  Too little? Where are instructions on how to be a good stepmom?  I’ve felt discouraged many times trying to figure it all... Read More

It’s not just about home repairs either…or most anything else

In a shameless attempt to borrow from the recent post “It’s not just about food,” I share the following post about home repairs:

Last Monday evening, my neighbor across the street asked to borrow my extension ladder so he could fix some facia (the trim board on the edge of a house) that had rotted from ice build up in the winter. Shortly afterwards, he returned and sheepishly told me he tried to climb up the ladder, but he couldn’t bring himself to go up that high. So he asked me if I would do it for him.

I gladly obliged. For the next two evenings,... Read More

A Change of Plans

Does your life go just the way you had it planned? Mine sure doesn’t. The question is, how do you respond when your plans change? Or maybe better said, how do you respond when your plans get changed?

I recently returned from a 20-day vacation to the American West with my wife and 3 adult children. (Now you know why I haven’t been posting anything over the past several weeks.) We’ve dreamed about and have been planning a trip like this for years and finally all the stars aligned to make it possible. We drove 5,000 miles (Yes, that’s 5 with 3 zeros!)... Read More

It’s not just about the food

We went to a dinner party recently (who says “dinner party” anymore?!) I don’t know what else to call it. It was a party and they served us food at dinner time. It just sounds so 1950-60-ish.  

Anyway, have you seen the movie, Julie and Julia?  It’s about Julia Childs and a young writer who follows Julia’s footsteps, recreating the culinary legend’s 524 recipes in just one year. It will either make you very hungry, or make you want to quit your job and go to culinary school in Paris. It’s an inspiring movie about doing what you love, sharing it with others,... Read More

Marital Abuse…When it’s all about them.

I’ve been away from Internet access for a few weeks so I didn’t have a chance to weigh in on the recent posts discussing the issue of abuse in marriage.

This post contains some of what nearly 20 years of counseling experience has taught me about the serious issue of marital abuse. It’s a bit on the long side, but I hope what I’ve learned will be of some help.

Martial abuse, whatever form it takes, is ultimately about a husband or a wife who makes it all about him/herself. The common thread that runs through just about every controlling, unreasonable, petty,... Read More

Heal, heels

Just came back from the physical therapist with my husband who broke both of his heels in May. It was a difficult thing to watch:  the therapist moving my husband’s ankles, heels, and toes and seeing my husband wince in pain.  A lot of pain.

The therapist explained that it’s necessary to massage his feet like this so that the swelling can go down and more blood can circulate through to the injury to speed up the healing. Healing is a result, but so is pain. A lot of pain.

There is intentional, growth-producing pain and then there is pain we tolerate because we’re... Read More

My sister Eileen

All I can think about today is my sister. She left early this morning for her trip back home to North Carolina.  And I miss her terribly.

You see, except for the college years, we’ve either lived together, or lived near each other.  We know all there is to know about each other, together, finding our way through childhood friendships, piano recitals, boyfriends, junior high and family issues.

At ages 13 and 15, when my family moved from Georgia to Michigan, my sister was my rock. We sat on our twin beds as she listened to my anger about moving, my fears of a new... Read More

Trying too hard to stop an addiction

Ok…I’m posting without a photo. It will be clear why in a second.

Here it goes…An Old Testament proverb says, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness” (Proverbs 26:11).  Rather than post a photo of that image, let me say, “Woof, woof.” More times than I wish, I feast on my own foolish puke—figuratively speaking. And it always leaves me (and sometimes others) with a bad case of heartburn.

So what gives? Why do we struggle with addictions? They always end up making life worse. You would think we would... Read More