It was Tall Timber Days in our town here in the Minnesota northwoods, and we had a parade. For two miles, from the fairgrounds and through the old downtown, floats and fire engines, vintage cars and civic groups walked and marched and danced and drove past sidewalks lined with old people in chairs and younger … Continue reading Ben Carried the Banner
Identity
A Gift Continually Unfolding
Every mother has been entrusted with a wonder. A mystery. A gift continually unfolding. Who will she be? you wonder, as she squirms and kicks inside you. Then you meet, and fall in love. Who will he be? you wonder, as his little personality begins to show itself, meek and easily contented, or fiery and … Continue reading A Gift Continually Unfolding
Sorting the Silver
When I was a teenager I worked at a local camp, running the snack bar and helping in the kitchen. One of the tasks was drying and sorting the silverware. After a large tray of knives, forks and spoons came out of the industrial dishwasher it was dumped onto a counter lined with towels, where … Continue reading Sorting the Silver
A Mother to Me, Too
[Apostle Paul, c. 1633, Rembrandt, oil on canvas, Kunsthistorisches Museum [Public domain] / Wikimedia] “You're Bill’s wife!” she exclaimed, holding out her hand. “And what do you do?” “I stay home,” I replied, mentally kicking myself for feeling foolish. “That’s the hardest work of all!” she chirped, scanning the room for someone more interesting. “I'm … Continue reading A Mother to Me, Too
The Picture We Hold
It's been eight years now since we've taken a picture of the whole family. Eight years since one daughter walked away from our family circle, taking our grandchildren with her. The rest of us still gather every year, and at the end of our time together we take a group picture. But now, our pictures … Continue reading The Picture We Hold
A Distant Country
I packed away the Christmas decorations this week. We once had a larger tree in our larger house, circled by gifts for our larger family. Now we have a simple tabletop tree by the window. Ben was excited when we brought it in from the garage. “Twee!” he crowed at the sight. “Ho Ho!” For … Continue reading A Distant Country
See Me
“Mommy, watch!” She twirls through the living room, nightgown billowing around her legs. “Watch me!” she pleads, spinning and dancing in the hope of her mother’s regard. “Please notice me,” the teenager begs silently, scrutinizing herself in the mirror, before casting her beauty as an offering in front of the lunchroom crowd or flaunting her … Continue reading See Me
Significance
When I started blogging, it quickly became apparent that I had no idea what I was doing, so I signed up for a writers’ conference in hopes of finding help and maybe making some like-minded friends. At the conference, I was told that the aim of all things is to write a book and win … Continue reading Significance
Cooper’s Coat of Many Colors
He’s just a dog. A plain one. We adopted Cooper from a rescue organization last winter, and now he has claimed a place on our couch and in our hearts. He’s just a brown dog with a black muzzle - nothing fancy; not carefully bred. Nothing much to look at, until he’s lying next to … Continue reading Cooper’s Coat of Many Colors
Where Our Ends Meet
We adopted three of our children. It is a miraculous, complicated, thrilling and terrifying way to become a family. Our children have been our teachers on this adventure. Their presence replaced our expectations with simple wonder. They have each had a hand in casting our tightly-wound bundle of assumptions into God’s glorious basket of possibilities. … Continue reading Where Our Ends Meet
A View of the Lake 