My dad recently had surgery that prevented him from being able to swallow for almost a week. Although he got all the nutrition he needed through an IV, his thirst remained unquenched—and voracious. Finally, five days post-op, he took a single sip to swallow a pill. The look of ecstasy on...
When I went through childbirth classes, our instructor admonished us not to tense up during contractions. She encouraged us to relax instead so they could do what they were intended to do. Tensing up and fighting the pain only prevents the contractions from accomplishing their purpose. The less...
My youngest child is what we call an escape artist. Joey is eight and has Down syndrome. He also has limited impulse control and virtually no fear of strangers, wandering away from his parents (or teachers or other caretakers). Add to that a limited vocabulary and difficulty answering...
We preach kindness to our children. We seek to show love, compassion, and respect to the people around us. Too often, though, we’re unkind and neglectful to one of God’s cherished creations: the woman we see in the mirror every day.
I’m not talking about manicures and massages...
Several months ago, my family went to war. Okay, maybe “war” is a little dramatic, but that’s what it felt like. Over the course of about three weeks, we went from being the happiest and healthiest we had been in a long time to fighting battles on every front. All five of us...
Dear moms of babies,
You are exhausted, I know. You aren’t getting enough sleep. You’re in the thick of all of the mommy wars—breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, cloth or disposable diapers, pacifier or thumb—and all you want to do is love your kids well and not mess...
“Well, let’s do something, even if it’s wrong.”
My sweet boyfriend had driven two hours each way to pick me up from college and take me to the comfort of my parents’ house while I moaned and shivered from the flu. Unfortunately, he had slightly miscalculated the...
A few months ago, my family of five pale Ohioans spent an afternoon at Daytona Beach. The conditions were perfect: the sun shone without melting us, the water temperature was refreshing, and people milled about without overcrowding. We set up on the beach, sun-screened ourselves, and settled in...
Not long ago I had dinner with a woman I admire. We’re remarkably similar in many ways—age, personality, upbringing, and even our hopes and dreams. She, however, is realizing her goals in much bigger ways than I am. She has become a bit of a role model for me, and I relished the time...
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13–14 NIV)
Last night I climbed into bed...