August 31, 2011

Listen to me, young folks in your 20’s, figuring out what you’re going to be–I want to tell you something. You can, in fact, have it all. You can have a meaningful, fulfilling career, AND a healthy, happy family. Those who say you cannot are haters, so don’t listen to them. You can do both and live. It is possible. What you will probably not have–nay, what you will never have, in that particular life combination–is a clean house. Just... Read more

August 30, 2011

I never know who “they” are, but “they” say you should start reading to your baby very young. In-utero, if possible. When they are very small, long before the sounds make words, the rhythm of your voice is soothing. It lulls them to sleep. It connects them to the sound of you. While they are small enough to be still in your arms and not try to escape, the joy of reading takes root in them. Meanwhile, word by word, something... Read more

August 29, 2011

It was a rare (RARE) Saturday afternoon moment. Both kids were asleep at the same time, and my spouse was out of the house. I had just settled into the good chair with a library book, and the phone rang. I glanced over and there it was…the “unknown caller.” What do you do? I almost never answer. Especially not on a Saturday, when there are sleeping babies and good books to be read.  It was almost a no-brainer. And yet, this time,... Read more

August 27, 2011

One thing they don’t tell you when you go into the ministry [wait–there are about a THOUSAND things that “they” don’t tell you, but this is one] is that you should say good bye to Saturdays. They no longer exist. Well, at least not for you. This is why many clergy take Fridays off–to have the whole day free, knowing the next morning does not press too closely in on your sabbath day. But even then, busy churches have life... Read more

August 26, 2011

Some people have a loose relationship with the truth. I get that. Now me, I was born with this pesky built-in truth-telling device that makes it dang near impossible for me to lie.  I would fail a lie detector test in 2 seconds flat. If i even catch myself wandering from the truth, my heartrate goes up, i get naseous, i feel the beginnings of canker sores… and these are for the little white lies. Like when somebody asks me... Read more

August 24, 2011

Naked is all the rage. Naked Juice: great lunch in a quick and easy container. Crazy expensive, but unless they’re lying on the label, it’s actually good for you. Naked Pizza=new franchise in my neighborhood. Perhaps unfortunately named, because my first thought is, plain crust. No sauce, no cheese, no toppings. What’s the point? In fact, it is hippie organic whole food ingredients, blah blah blah. Again, unless the material lies, it is actually good for you. Naked and Famous... Read more

August 23, 2011

We’ve all heard the rumor that first children are more successful. Well, it’s not a rumor. More recently, I heard it supported by scientific evidence. First-borns get more alone time with their parents, an uninterrupted infancy, mom’s more likely to breastfeed before there are multiple kids to juggle, dad’s got more time to listen to Focus on the Family (ok, i made that one up because i always get lots of hits when i tag j.d…) In any case, you’ve probably heard all this. It’s... Read more

August 22, 2011

My aunt has won vehicles in sweepstakes contests. Not once. Not twice. But THREE TIMES. Impossibly good luck? Maybe that too. But mostly, it’s because of the sheer volume of entries. Filling out those forms is how she unwinds. She doesn’t knit or watch junk tv or go on frivilous shopping errands. She does plenty of worthwhile things in her very full and busy life, like granparenting and teaching nursing students and being a full-time minister’s wife, just to name a few.... Read more

August 20, 2011

On occasion, it becomes necessary to bring one’s children to one’s office. I may not be the most organized person in the world. I may not be a compulsive cleaner. But the calamity that ensues any time i bring my kids to work for a few minutes…let’s just say, it makes the rest of my life look orderly to a fault. For every 15 minutes that I spend making a few quick phone calls, gathering some reading to do at... Read more

August 19, 2011

Know what makes me feel old? When kids i knew when they were LITTLE kids go to college. I started teaching dance when i was 16, and i was a student minister/camp counselor about 10 years ago. Also, I have a brother-in-law and sister-in-law who were 6 and 8 when I started dating their big brother–they are now 16 and 18. Like many of the “kids” I’ve known, they are turning out to be sharp, interesting and impressive adults. I’m noticing on facebook... Read more


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