What Treasures Will Your Kids Throw Out When You’re Gone?
For 50 years, I've held onto a baseball that was a gift from a guy I once had a crush on. Why? What makes us hold onto stuff that no one else values?
Don’t Be Sorry You Missed an Opportunity
45 years ago, I was sleeping in on my first day home from my junior year of college. I heard my dad and younger brothers in the kitchen having breakfast and getting ready for work and school. I thought about getting up to see Dad, having only seen him a few minutes when I got in the night before. But it felt good to be in my own bed with no reason to have to get up. I snuggled in and went back to sleep. Later that day...
Missing Mom
Though Mom's been gone for several years, I miss her more now than ever. Maybe because I'm the age she was when I was a young adult pursuing my dreams without much thought for anyone else. So many times, I stop and think of what she was going through at my current age.
Home Is Where The Family Is
This week, our Life Stories question has to do with siblings. Summer temperatures in the 100 degree range are pretty normal in my part of Texas. Which is why I try to schedule an annual pilgrimage to visit my five siblings in Wisconsin and Minnesota during July or August. By then, I’ve had enough …
Memories of Dad
Were he still alive on this earth, my dad would be celebrating his 100th birthday on the last day of this month. Sadly, I only knew him for the first 21 years of my life before God called His faithful servant home. I’ve missed knowing him as an adult, missed benefitting from his wisdom, missed …
Teachers Are My Heroes
With school winding down, I wanted to give a shout out to all the teachers who have led, set an example, watched over and imparted knowledge and wisdom to the next generation. In my lifetime, I’ve seen the effect of the breakdown of the family on schools and teachers. More and more, teachers are expected …
This Old Church
It’s a typical country church with white siding and a tall steeple topped with a cross that shines in the night. The church sits atop a hill, surrounded by dairy farms and corn fields and an apple orchard. Gravestones dot the cemetery on one side of the old church. On the other side is a …
Winter Camp
All this snow and cold weather has brought back memories of our winter camps. From Christmas break until spring break, every weekend was filledwith campers enjoying–yes, enjoying the snow. Now, granted, these were kids young enough to hop on a sled or toboggan slide and zoom down the hill. Or pull on a pair of …
Photo Friday
Nearly all the vacations my family took while I was growing up were spent visiting grandparents who lived 8 hours away. My paternal grandparents had a room-size rug covering the hardwood floor in their living room. The rug was prickly and scratchy, and since I usually wore a dress, it was especially uncomfortable to sit …
Thanks for the Memories
Funny how attached we get to “things.” Last week, we traded in our old minivan for a smaller SUV. It was 12 years to the day since we’d bought it. Halloween night of 2001. I remember wondering if we were crazy or stupid to buy a new car so soon after 9-11. Except for two …
Thanks for the Memories
Funny how attached we get to “things.” Last week, we traded in our old minivan for a smaller SUV. It was 12 years to the day since we’d bought it. Halloween night of 2001. I remember wondering if we were crazy or stupid to buy a new car so soon after 9-11. Except for two …
Camp Memories
I didn’t get a chance to peek inside this outdoor cupboard by the beach at Lutherdale when I visited but I suspect it’s a newer version of the buddy board we used many years ago. Outside the gated entrance to the beach was a large board lined with rows and rows of cup hooks. Each …
Camp Memories
I didn’t get a chance to peek inside this outdoor cupboard by the beach at Lutherdale when I visited but I suspect it’s a newer version of the buddy board we used many years ago. Outside the gated entrance to the beach was a large board lined with rows and rows of cup hooks. Each …