You may become an adult who knows how to draw wayward teenagers back toward love. You may become the kind-hearted grandma at church who asks to rock a colicky baby for his frazzled new mom. You may become the sort of person who walks toward difficult children instead of away from them.
More of what you stand to gain Read More »
My children’s virtue is a good aim. When my children’s virtue is about making me look good, I am in the wrong. From this posture I wrote, but with mixed and confusing motives. I could feel but not pinpoint them. I see there can be a heart that is proud of being broken, a heart that looks at the proud people and is so glad it is not like them.
You will gain the ability to predict pain, misunderstanding, and offense. You will know when the people you love are about to get hurt, and you will be able to move the earth to prevent it. You will sense it coming. You will become the Great Defender, the diffuser of dangerous situations.
What you stand to gain from raising an impossible child Read More »
They will place you on red alert for years without a break. They will put the rest of your life on hold, and your marriage first on autopilot and then on dangerous ground as you and your husband disagree about methods and priorities. They will fail to predict consequences and rearrange their behaviors accordingly; they will not learn what you teach them…
In which we introduce the topic of impossible children Read More »
1. On the first day of vacation, My child said to me Mom, there’s cat poop all over the porch. 2. On the first day of vacation, My child said to me I thought it was just leaves and There’s cat poop all over the porch. 3. On the first day of vacation, My
On the first day of vacation Read More »
I wrote about Heinz Gaugel, German artist by way of Holmes County, and his daughter and great-granddaughter showed up to leave a comment. I wrote about Anthony Kleem, painter of our favorite puzzles, and he stopped by the blog to say hello. At that point, I decided I would write only about people I admire.
An open letter to Bill Gates Read More »
Confession: I remember why I love and hate summer. This one is, as usual, an even mix of peaceful and chaotic. My roses are blooming, their enchanted petals slick with rain and glory. My children are home, and we have a break from all external worries like math and friendships. But someone is always talking, usually at high
Glimpses of summer Read More »
How many of us do you think will have the chance to speak timely words to a mother dithering on the edge of her pro-life / pro-choice decision? One in a hundred? Less than that? I cannot tell. But I know this: Every day, my words and actions to everyone around me vote for life
It seems that posting even twice a week will be over my head at times. I will write when I can. “Just enough to stay sane,” a wise friend told me, and I will be taking her advice. It will help if both you and I forget about my little Mondays and Fridays idea. Pretend
Confession: I was feeling all Mother Teresa about myself this summer for loving and sheltering a flock of needy children, until I realized that I was harassing my sons into turning their socks right side out before tossing them in the laundry so I didn’t have to touch the sweat and dirt. That was my
Socks, sins, summer’s end Read More »
