During Christmas break, I sit in Mom’s house, a mile away from where she now lives in assisted living, an experience away from her new existence within the world of Alzheimer’s. Shadows play against the wall. Sunset in Oklahoma still wins as my favorite part of the day. I once climbed my special tree on …
“Why do you have those red shoes on your tree?” a little friend asked me. She pointed to the felt shoes that hang at the front of my tree. “Ah…that is a wonderful story,” I said, “and it began many years ago. Would you like to hear it?” Her dark brown eyes twinkled as she …
When a family is dealing with Alzheimer’s, holiday memories often center around the good times and particularly – food. One of my favorite memories is making peppernuts with Mom. The smell of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon merged together with enough flour to break my arm when I stirred the giant bowl full of dough. We …
People either laugh at me or stare when I tell them about my holy naps. I guard my Sabbath. Because I work about 60 hours/week and much of that involves ministry, I need to observe the 4th Commandment. I desperately need rest on Sundays. Yes, I go to church and then usually, I spend some …
We’ve done life together, these five women and I. Once part of the same church fellowship, we became a team. They interceded for me and supported me when I served as international minister at KU. They continue to intercede and support me in my ministries as writer and life coach. We’ve laughed together and cried …
Today I welcome a guest post by Sharon Garlock Spiegel, author of the newly-released book, “Generations.” http://www.crossrivermedia.com/Generations.htmlsha Edward Garlock’s progression from a fun-loving kid at age nine—to a raging abusive drunk at age forty-four didn’t happen overnight. His craving for alcohol escalated and his personality deteriorated. While his wife prayed for him, his children …
The shadows of the autumn leaves dance across the blinds in my office. I enjoy this extraordinary moment of now. With the changing of the season, I revel in the colors and textures – reds, oranges, golds – blended with the green leftovers of summer. The crunch of tiny acorns under my walking shoes, a …
Dear Mom, This week, a thank you card will be delivered to you. The card is from me, your daughter – Rebecca. You may wonder why I sent you a thank you card. October is my birthday month, and it’s okay, Mom, that you didn’t remember. Sometimes I, too, can hardly believe another year has …
The doctor’s eyes filled with empathy tears as he handed me the Kleenex box. “You know,” he said, “no one – not even the medical community – knows how to explain miscarriage. No one truly understands what happens to the woman or how she feels. “For whatever reason, God chooses to take these babies early.” …
Have you wondered about the difference between a memorial and a monument? During the winter of 1995, we toured Washington, D.C. My son and I stood in freezing drizzle as we waited for the Metro subway, then we joined a line of shivering tourists outside the White House. In spite of the weather, excitement traveled …