Under normal circumstances, moving isn’t easy. Moving upsets our comfort zones. It shakes up our orientation
-
-
I am terrible at secrets. If there’s a surprise planned, my kids have generally learned that I should only be told what is safe to leak, which I would offer is strategically helpful for the sophisticated surprise planner. I’m an open book, unless it’s a matter of privacy or there’s an NDA somewhere. In broad terms, I’ve become a freak…
-
Christmas Day 2019 One Husband, one Ex-Husband, Three Millennials with a Z-er, and a Whole Bunch of Grace. “But it’s really pretty great,” I say. Many wide-eyed, sometimes horrified people react in wonder and shock as I share the story of our Christmas Day. It’s not unusual any more for my husband and my ex-husband to be sharing a [non-alcoholic] toast…
-
Recently I had the privilege of hearing two brilliant pastors on different ends of the country speak – live – and directly to me as if they had read the whole messy complicated backstory before their talk began. First, I listened to Pastor Jim Samra’s teaching all the way from our former church in Michigan (thanks to live web streaming)…
-
Time works hard. 15 years ago I heard the expression “all in God’s time,” and as a confirmed control freak, I was quite intrigued with this mystery. I was painstakingly seeking the truth of God, flip-flopping around the structures of religion and new age fads, so the notion of “God’s timing” as something beyond my control was new. I remember…
-
How can a heart soar and cringe all at the same time? As a mom of a wide range of kids, I should know this sensation all too well by now. For Pete’s sake, my 21 year old recently sent a photograph of his body practically dangling over the far edge of a cliff along the Oregon coast. Rude and…
-
Sometimes when we forge new paths, we find footprints we ourselves left decades earlier. Our family is moving back to Southern California from the serene and naturally beautiful Western edge of the mitten state. (Hold up your left hand.) I spent my childhood in Michigan, so I have a deep fondness for the lakes and the uniqueness of this state’s…
-
It all happens in a flash. Our youngest turns 8 and counts the minutes until his friends arrive for backyard maniac birthday party. My eldest turns 21 and heads to Prague with his collegiate basketball team to inspire high school students to strive for an uplifted life. Then, of course, he’s taking the dozens of dollars he’ll have left to…
-
Here are a few interesting dots to connect. Yesterday CNN covered loads about their own media industry. Wait, is that a circular reference? No matter. They featured a shouting panel of experts arguing whether or not we should vilify the writers of Glee who predictably leveraged the public debate of guns in schools to desperately elevate their ratings. An equal…
-
Today’s news connection: The Huffington Post reports on what men say about their ex-wives. This oughta be good. Click. The statements are contradictory and, on the surface a bit whiny. But when we consider the deeper meaning, (which might be risky) the potential truth huddled beneath the whining is quite important. The reality is magnified and their statements are true,…
-
Yesterday I read an article regarding actual government legislation in Florida regulating the apparently ghastly practice of dying baby chicks in celebration of Easter. Ahh.The controversial baby chick legislation. Avoiding the general debate about how our paid politicians are spending their time, I averted my eyes and moved on, in search of more meaningful news to follow. Behold. President Obama…
-
We’ve never doubted for a moment that our family was meant to make this move. Four years ago when we leaped out of our highly chaotic lives in Chicago to move to West Michigan to accept a wonderful position at a fine company, we knew in our hearts and minds it was excellent. It was time to change. In that…
-
After a long break with three separate marathon gatherings of fabulous family, holiday traveling and welcoming guests here, we’re hobbling toward the [welcome] regimen of school and structured work. So what did we learn during this precious season? That we are a family of connectedness. For better or worse, Mac or PC, screens are a reality of us. Everyone has…
-
The newly appointed CEO of Lockheed Martin was able to accept her new position extra-quick because the former CEO apparently couldn’t keep his affairs in order. Literally. (Note: I’m sure that Mrs. Hewson is a better choice for CEO anyway, and Lockheed’s handling seems to be highly professional.) Colonel Petraeus has succeeded in dropping the level of conversation about his…
-
Be in the world Not of the world. But for heaven’s sake, be in the world. Let’s see. Politicians debate the role of their religion and their faith as it relates to their roles as governmental leaders. Bloggers pontificate (eloquently of course) about the hypocrisy of Christians celebrating Halloween and Santa. Most folks are okay with Thanksgiving being a kind-hearted…
-
This week’s lesson in Jack’s Kids-N-Action church group is about arguing. Wednesday, the magnificent youth leader rallied hundreds of kids to holler in unison, “Y’ALL STOP ARGUING!” each time he shouted “what are we gonna do?!” The crammed Castle Room at our church rattled with the chorus of shortpeople yelling, presumably, at their selves. It was adorable and loud. In…
-
Watch my smoke! After a summer of constant, joyful, [hot, dry], adventurous activity, I’m sitting alone on Day One of School with …. rain! I wouldn’t have thought to ask for it, but here it is. The buzzing frenzy of summer – sports camps, weekends Up North, city outings, and even the pressure of seizing the moment — is for…
-
Lots of us recovering control freaks still want to construct the world according to the vision we have for what we know to be the best course of action for us and those around us. (Exhausting even to read!) But this week in my clicking, (particularly via Jon Acuff’s blog) I’ve encountered fun conversation about the glory that often resides…
-
We now have 3 (count ’em three) 20-somethings living in our big happy home. This is their summer residence, sort of. And of course we have summer school! A full course in Gen-Whatever cultural education is underway. Our younger, tender children will get lots of expanding data entry during these weeks. (help) One of these fine men is studying psychology…
-
I tried to focus. Re-focus. I tried to force open a window of inspirational reflection. At least finish yesterday’s journal entry left hanging mid-sentence. These days are filled with unique family demands that crescendo just prior to the screeching, super slo-mo, sideways-slide of summer. Busy, but different. Amidst the planning of camps and no-camps for the small and mid-size ones,…
