I have been in a season of growing with God. Although I have faced great joy, there has deep heartache and sorrow through my divorce and moving to Frederick. One of the hardest things I have had to face was the reality that some of my children seemingly chose (for lack of a better word)…

Tales Around the Sunday Table; a Christian Response to Homosexuality When I was a little girl, my sister’s best friend’s father loved and welcomed me as his own. I was in a place in life where I needed that extra measure of care. Bill baked rectangular pizzas, in a baking sheet, and I found them…

Oh I See!

Have you ever wondered how someone didn’t appreciate what you were doing when you saw it as an incredible contribution?

When I first met my second husband, I was shocked by the resistance I felt from his kids. From my perspective, I was bringing great things into their lives. For starters, their dad was happy. Furthermore, as a sensitive mom, I was more keen to some aspects of their needs than he tended to be without me. For example, they would tell a story and I would listen.

Recently I have had the unique pleasure of watching a close friend’s son come close to being the next American Idol.

It’s Jonny Brenns if you are watching; as of now, he is in the top 14!

This experience of watching Jonny shine has been marinating my soul on many different levels for the past few weeks. I have never watched American Idol before. From where I stood, I only saw the harsh and unsupportive style of Simon Cowell, the originator of American Idol. He was well-known for dissing contestants and in my opinion possibly putting an end to their dreams and calling. I simply wasn’t interested in watching any human face such harsh discouragement.

When I was a young mother of 3 boys,

whom I had in my 20’s, within 3 ½ years, while my husband traveled extensively- I was nursing a nervous breakdown. I was a fulltime mother who felt compelled to get everything perfect.
At one point my then-husband suggested I get a nanny. I was so offended, how could anyone think a stay-at-home mom could use a nanny?

I’m just returning from a level 2 yoga class where I held Eagle pose and balanced in crow pose for a bit.

It’s been almost seven years since I found out I had stage 3 rectal cancer.
When you read my book you will see all the emotions I experienced after the initial colposcopy, receiving a diagnosis, struggling with alternative treatments vs. conventional, as well as realizing an ostomy bag was part of the process.  I endured six months of chemotherapy, post radiation, and surgery. You will also see what it was like to be 42 with four sons and miss out on a year of life. By the grace of God, I documented it in a very colorful way, and people all over are reading about the journey and growing in their faith and inner strength.

I love observing people.

Last week, tragically, we lost Bryan’s nephew to a heroin overdose. I was able to go right away to be in the midst of the family, while the pain was still palpable. In the middle of the most profound sorrow, I was able to witness the essence of genuine sisterhood.

A lie that one is likely to believe in an abusive situation is, “You are not worth it.”

Most likely the abuser, or addict, believes they are not of value, so they project their self-loathing onto others. If one already possesses a rather low self-image, there is likely little within, to stand firm and say, “You are wrong!” Instead, one is likely to slowly believe the sick individual, to whom they have given great credence, in hopes of perhaps finding their own significance.

One of the byproducts of having a creative brain that does not efficiently consume information is that I skated through school cramming for exams, passing classes and moving on with minimal retention. If I have visited a venue, heard a story, or met a crucial player in a historical event, channels for learning have passed through my mind.

We are all coming to see, and tragically many of us experience the destructive force of drugs.
They are killing and imprisoning those we love at a devastating rate.
What is not spoken about enough, is the ruins addiction injects into the family unit.
If you are connected emotionally with someone who is self-medicating, you are in need of treatment as much as they are! I know this doesn’t make sense. You are likely feeling out of control, angry, and reacting in ways that cause you to feel shame and regret for your behavior. It is crazy making. You are hiding something in hopes it will go away-it will not!