My oldest son, Rory, is counting the months until his wedding, and until the day he starts his new married life.  My younger son, Ian, awaits (far more patiently than his mother), an acceptance letter to a university.  Potentially, both of my kids could move out at the end of the summer.  As I prepare for this (how exactly does one prepare for this?), I find myself hoping and praying so many things for them.  I'm praying that they make wiser choices than I did.  I'm praying they are better people than I am.  I'm praying they are better spouses and parents than I was.  I feel abundantly blessed in this life, I do - But I want even more for my kids.  And the odd thing, is that as I pray these prayers for them, I am realizing several things that I've had wrong for a long time.  But I'm also ... View Post

I was in line at Target when someone tapped me on the shoulder this afternoon.   It took me a few minutes, but when the woman told me I had taken care of her father in the hospital a few years ago, the memory of her entire family returned  to me immediately. For ten years she and her two sisters had been estranged from their father, all because he had remarried after their mother's death, adding two more sons to the family. But just two days before her father's death, those three daughters visited and reconciled with their father, as well as the rest of the family.   I remember it well.  And not only was it nice to run into her today - it was perfect timing, just when I needed to be reminded  of the reasons I chose to become a nurse. Being able to witness the entire family's ... View Post

For months before both of my children left home, close friends would joke with me and ask how I planned on spending my "empty nest" time.   I really didn't have an answer.  All I knew was, I would be mailing care packages to Ian in Chicago, and looked forward to dropping little surprises off at Rory & Holly's place.   Oh, I entertained the idea of dating.   Okay, I'm still entertaining that idea, but not too, too seriously, to be honest.  Maybe I'll start a new hobby - Join a gym, start working out. Within a few weeks of the kids being gone, I completely re-did my basement, washing walls, moving furniture, cleaning carpet, and made the cutest little bedroom for 2 down there.   I'm not sure who it's for.   Oh, but it is so darling! I had the spare room upstairs painted.  I bought new ... View Post

I want to tell you how intimately our God knows us, knows our heart aches, our dreams, our goals, our deepest desires, and our hurts.  And I want you to know that nothing is impossible for Him. He will arrange the most divine appointments to comfort us, if we seek Him.  I have story after story after story in my life alone, and have heard countless testimonies told by others as well.  But tonight, I want to tell you about a man named Sam, and an encounter that was arranged by God. Sam's daughter, Michele, was my very dear friend.  In fact, we called each other "seesters."  We lived next door to each other, raised our children together, worked from home together, had coffee every morning together.....  You get the picture.  We were close. Well, Sam was Michele's Dad.  He was awesome.  He ... View Post

Curled up on my bed with a good book one night, I happened to glance up and take notice of the inside of my closet, where I had carelessly left the light on and the door open.  On the top shelf were several framed photos, awards, and wall decorations that I had neatly stored there while having my living room painted.  But one of the frames was extra long, so I hung it on a small shelf that ran horizontally along the back of the closet.  Now lying on my bed, as I glanced up I had the perfect view of that frame.  In it was a collage of old family photos of my parents' wedding day, one photo of my grandparents, and a few others of my brother, sister, and I as children.  It was a Christmas gift one year from my sister-in-law.  As I glanced at that collage of photos, the one that she ... View Post