Category: grief and loss

Our lives unfold in a series of before-and-after events.Before and after loss.Before and after illness.Before and after a diagnosis.Before and after a move.Before and after marriage.Before and after children. All of these experiences make up our lives and shape our worldview. Some cause big shifts that challenge our way...

The shock of Charlie Kirk’s assassination is felt deeply in our household. My seventeen-year-old son has an interest in both ministry and politics, making Charlie Kirk someone he admired, respected, and considered an example. Not all heroes wear capes or have star status in sports or Hollywood arenas. Some...

“Never again.” Those words echo from Dachau Concentration Camp as a reminder. Survivors and witnesses declared that the horrors of the Holocaust must never be repeated. However, the attitudes and actions behind those horrors are bigger than one historic event. We must continuously say “never again” in the face...

I enjoy my morning coffee (and sometimes an extra in the afternoon, and a bedtime hot chocolate or herbal tea). I’ve collected a variety of mugs over the years, each with some sentimental meaning. Every one of them reminds me of a person, a place, or a moment that...

In the first month of the year, I attended three funerals. One for an almost 92-year-old force-to-be-reckoned-with woman, with whom I shared a birthday; one for a friend’s brother, only 31 years old; one for another friend’s mother, who recently turned 65. I attended each of these services for...

“What exactly is the function of a rubber duck?” Arthur Weasley asks Harry in the movie adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. One of the original purposes included checking the temperature of bath water. In recent years, a couple of my favorite YouTubers have determined, “Ducks...

Do you have specific holiday traditions? I believe in making the most of every day and creating memories. Whether it’s an official holiday or a movie marathon, these memories often start in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking and making treats. However, my treat-making started because of food allergies. It’s...

Both Thanksgiving and Christmas were my Grandmother‘s forte. She prepared the turkey, dressing, and most sides for many years. She enjoyed this time, even when it was stressful. She would complain or fuss about some things, but go on about her work (sometimes, we thought she fussed for fun)....

Cleaning out clutter is about more than “stuff.” So often, we don’t realize how much stuff is accumulating until we decide to clean. The second half of May tends to be when I tackle the piles of stuff because we have a break in activities for a few weeks....

TODAY is the most important day of the year, maybe even your life.  Last Christmas No one knows when their lasts will happen, either their last day or the last day with a loved one. Whether you like puns like, “Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not guaranteed. Today...