I love this word. Paradox. In a conversation through this space about marriage, Evan Forester and I shared ideas on submission. Wise Evan called up Paul’s words in his letter to the leaders in Phillipi and the whole concept also became relevant to TODAY’s current events (of all things). Philippians 2 puts it: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is…
-
-
Scandalous runs in my family. It goes back for generations. In this fuzzy 1973 snapshot of a few well-mannered, if giddy, English family members, the layers of unheard of behavior would make your hair curl! The woman in the middle: my grandmother. Born in Santiago Chile in 1901, married an Englishman who worked for the BBC. During WWII her husband…
-
Jack’s Tough. He’s hung out his whole life with his much-older brothers and his teenage sister, and he can hold his own in a game of “Oh yea? Take that.” But. There’s this weird thing happening this year with a couple puny 4th grade bullies on the elementary school bus. These kids don’t even look tough and they cower in…
-
It seems like a good day to repost this. I got caught shoplifting when I was 18 years old. I know, I know. REALLY late bloomer. The security guard’s cold hand clenched my left wrist as I attempted to leave the store without paying for the pair of jeans that hid in my bag. The crime took place in a Hudson’s…
-
Lets see, we pay the Verizon bill for her cell phone/texting appendage. And she’s 13 (an 8th grader!). Her behavior is high caliber and she’s not done anything to challenge our trust. We believe in the mantra that our children will rise to the occasion of our trust and honor. We know our job is to teach boundaries. We also…
-
Seth Godin used it today and I knew right away I had to start a new game: The Friday Word. (i do so love to be unexpected.) TRIANGULATING IS EVERYWHERE. Satellites triangulate global positioning and tell us which streets will get us where we want to go. Google triangulates web traffic and our clicking and also tells us where we…
-
He sent us away because it would feed our hearts. When I gently mentioned to Steve that I so wanted to go see Erik play basketball at his Multnomah University in Portland Oregon – and that Erik was genuinely begging to have me bring Jack and Riley too – my gallant husband embarked on a mission. Now you should know…
-
Yesterday at school my sweet Riley was granted the esteemed honor of being named MOST ATHLETIC by the Middle School “Yearbook Most Committee” … which apparently determines the bestest and mostest of the most critical components of being in 8th grade. Peyton got Best Laugh Summer got Best Eyes Aine got Best Smile Two girls I don’t know were awarded…
-
Every Thanksgiving has story, right? And sort of a character all it’s own. Thanksgiving 2011 did not let us down. My brother Mike and his wife Christine hosted their first Thanksgiving in their wonderful home; and with the size of our family, the commitment is daunting. It starts with a tentative [timid] email to 40 people, presenting the idea of…
-
Steve was reading to Jack tonight before bed and they found themselves in the story of Jesus walking on water. Jack asked, “what’s he doing?” Steve answered, “He’s walking on water.” Which made Jack ponder a bit and say, “It looks like he’s standing on the water. How’d he do that?” “It’s a miracle!” Then Jack smirked and nodded and…
-
was the day she died. stand by while I regain my equilibrium.
-
Two Sisters Both 45 years old. There’s a delightful story as to how one family can have two sisters both 45 and not twins. It’s a good one. It’s mom-marrying-uncle and we’re not from Kentucky (because people have asked). That’s more for later. It’s about two sisters who were cousins and childhood pals. The little ones. Among eleven kids, they…
-
A train from Detroit to Chicago in 1955. A transatlantic passenger ship from Liverpool to Ellis Island in the same year. Each of these simple, everyday passages carried a young, scared teenager who would soon come together to establish life’s direction for another generation of people. Today, I can touch the words that were entered on the ship’s log as…
-
We did it. All kids are all in school. Even, presumably, the two in college; and the tallest one who’s in North Carolina. I now sit with this moment that I’ve projected tasks into for weeks. “When school starts I will have more structured time to get done what I need to get done.” Often said in the context of…
-
Four weeks ago she buried her daddy. A glorifying and Godly-gentle passing of his earthly life into the life we all feebly imagine. Natural and blessed, he went after a long life of honest, beautiful, unconditional, limitless love. But it still hurts. She has always been His Little Girl. His only littlest Little Girl. Throughout the heart-pain of saying Good…
-
She moved the pillow to the center of the bed: submission to the truth. He is with Jesus and her life is changed. How can she be happy that he’s gone? How can we celebrate the joy of heaven when we have such guttural pain in our body? It’s the most ultimate choice that we must work through in our…