The summer before my father died in 1940 my sister and I were living with a farm couple who were members of our father's church. We had stayed on several farms during our father's long struggle with tuberculosis. Much to my consternation our mother mailed two pair of sandals to Mr. and Mrs. Mack, the farm couple, with firm orders that my sister and I were to wear them around the farm. My sister, Jeanette, bless her, wore her sandals with no complaint. But because it was summ

Twenty years ago today my dad went home to be with the Lord. It was sudden and very unexpected. As comforting as it is to know that I will one day see him again, I still think about him and miss him every day, especially when I get a glimpse of him in my children. A few days after his funeral I remember standing in my sister's living room, not sure how my life was going to return to normal after such a loss. I found out it never really does. You just adapt to a new ‘norma

I am an avid reader. I find myself drawn on numerous occasions to the self-help articles you find in magazines and on social media. Now, I’m not talking about articles like “5 Moves to Get Rid of those Love Handles” or “How to Be a Morning Person” (Believe me, I’ve tried everything and I’ve come to the realization that being a morning person must not be God’s plan for me). Despite the fact that these articles have a way of grabbing our attention, I am more prone to informa