Holding on to Everlasting Hope
“Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest: The soul, uneasy, and confin’d from home, Rests and expatiates in a life to come.” – Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Man” I came in from
My Child’s Grief Gave Me Permission to Feel
My six-year-old daughter wouldn’t touch the food on her plate. I asked what was wrong, but she shook her head. After clearing the table, I asked her to follow me back to our bedroom. Kindergarten can really wear her out, and
Ode to a Bygone Era
Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of extra money for vacations, so we would visit state parks, which were free. Our favorite was Lake Barkley in Cadiz, Kentucky. About four times a year we would rent a cabin for
The Day I Lost My Daughter
Two months ago, I lost my toddler-age daughter. Even now, sitting outside and staring out over the field where she disappeared, it’s difficult for me to process. It’s like I know if I begin peeling back layers, the emotion of that
Love Is Not Love . . .
On Saturday, imbibed with joie de vivre, which always comes with spring weather, I asked my husband for a hammer and some finishing nails. Our girls followed me around. The seven-year-old asked, "What're you doing?" "I'm about to revolutionize this house." "What
The Multi-Level Marketing Plan Our World Really Needs
I told my husband I felt like a fraud after the fourth meal was delivered to our door. When my husband had brain surgery four years ago, it took months for us to get back on our feet. My husband
Why I Appreciate My Spouse
My husband’s been in Wisconsin since Wednesday, and until Friday afternoon, I took great pride in the fact that I could manage just fine without him. My three daughters and I read books, baked muffins, played outside in the cool November
Learning to Love Them Better
The woman stood with her back against the sink and stared up at the screen. Close-cropped brown hair and a tribal shell necklace accented her beauty. I usually write during my daughter’s forty-five minute dance class, and I have a
When They Asked What You Wanted to Be
Last winter, the seniors interviewed my firstborn daughter, along with the rest of her kindergarten class. They asked what she wanted to be, and she said a seashell finder. This little poem is my attempt to encourage her to stay
All Who Are Thirsty
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. ~Isaiah 58:11 Ten years ago, on our