Weddings evoke a tremendous array of emotions: pride, joy, relief, fear, gratitude, hope, regret, sadness. And a sense of unreality. Of numbness. How did this happen so quickly? I remember when she was born. I don’t feel old enough to be the mother or grandmother. A month ago our first grandchild got married. Due to … Read More about When Your Daughter or Granddaughter Gets Married
The Gift of a Hard Season
Are you in a hard season? I imagine most of us are. Stuck at home, overseeing online school or homeschooling for the first time, trying to work remotely, worried about ill family members, tough finances, political unrest, disagreements with those whose views are different than ours. We’re tired of each other and long for time … Read More about The Gift of a Hard Season
10 Things Every Man Needs to Know About Marriage
Some time ago I published a popular blog titled, “10 Things You Need to Know Before You Get Married.” I wrote it mainly for women; however, it did apply to both men and women. One reader wrote back asking that something similar be written for men. I thought this was a great idea, so I … Read More about 10 Things Every Man Needs to Know About Marriage
My Fourth Big Hike: Washington’s Goat Rocks Wilderness
Recently my friend Melody and I completed our fourth big hike. So far we’ve done two on the Appalachian Trail and this was our second on the Pacific Crest Trail. (See links below.) This year we spent four days and three nights in the Goat Rocks Wilderness of Washington State. We began at the Snowgrass … Read More about My Fourth Big Hike: Washington’s Goat Rocks Wilderness
God Our Rescuer: Encouragement from Psalm 18
The crisis is beyond old. Each day brings a different plan, an unwanted change. Any sense of normalcy we thought we had, has long since fled. There is little certainty about anything in our lives. It’s easy to get down. I felt really down today. Did you? Once again I found comfort in the Psalms. … Read More about God Our Rescuer: Encouragement from Psalm 18
Why It’s Important to Say ‘No’ to Your Kids
Recently I was chatting with a mother of a four-year-old. This four-year-old, according to others, has never heard the word “no.” Unusually bright, this child is a terror to be around. She is difficult to control, throws temper tantrums, and demands her own way. She does not like rules of any kind. Her parents are … Read More about Why It’s Important to Say ‘No’ to Your Kids
10 Things You Need to Know Before You Get Married
This summer I have several young friends getting married. Mostly millennials, these young women have been asking me for advice. I must seem terribly old to them, but it almost feels like yesterday when I too was walking down the aisle. I had no idea what was ahead and how much I would learn. As … Read More about 10 Things You Need to Know Before You Get Married
How to Flourish in this Uncertain ‘New Normal’
The “new” normal is no longer new. It’s very old. And getting older as headlines change daily. The news overwhelms us with pandemic fears, riots, protests, rumors of foreign and national conspiracies, natural disasters, and… until we are thoroughly depressed. Then there’s our family. We are tired of one another. Tired of being cooped up … Read More about How to Flourish in this Uncertain ‘New Normal’