I had a feeling in my gut that we shouldn’t have been playing with a ball in that room. Grandma Steinbacher’s fancy living room was not a place for rough-housing with its uncomfortable furniture and crystal chandelier. I was sure, although the rest of their farmhouse looked a lot like mine, this … [Read more...] about Of Scales and Chandeliers
Holy Spirit
Longing for Home
We have (over)loaded the car: suitcases, dog crate, snacks, laptop. We have filled the gas tank for the 600-mile roundtrip. We have adjusted the thermostat and locked the doors. We are headed home. Even as middle-aged empty nesters, my husband and I still say we are going “home” when we mean we … [Read more...] about Longing for Home
The Split
My husband hasn’t always been the slim marathon runner he is today. He was a chunky little guy growing up, Sears Husky jeans with reinforced knees cut down short. One summer he invested his careful savings in a Styrofoam surfboard at Duckwall’s. Even though his mother was skeptical about the … [Read more...] about The Split
One Year Later: A Divinely Personal Path
Most of my life I have wanted to be someone else. It started with wanting to be my older sister, and then in Kindergarten I had others I aspired to be. My Best Day Ever arrived when Mrs. Coffey was out sick and we had a substitute teacher. It was picture day, and all the students sported their … [Read more...] about One Year Later: A Divinely Personal Path
A Different Kind of Loss in Kansas City
I lost my wedding ring while visiting my daughter and son-in-law in Kansas City. I detest losing things. After three solid hours of combing through their small house (for four of us, twelve man-hours), I came to the realization that I may be leaving Kansas City without it. Another mother my age … [Read more...] about A Different Kind of Loss in Kansas City
Why God Allows a Good Plan to Fail
After a spirit-crushing experience with peewee football, I convinced my son to run for Student Council president. I was sure this election was the break that would set his entire public service future into motion. Teachers were excited that this intelligent guy was willing to take on the task. He … [Read more...] about Why God Allows a Good Plan to Fail