Gaining a heart of wisdom
There's never been a time or a season quite like the one we are bearing witness to today. Here, at the end of May, we alternate between wanting to whoop and holler, "Freedom!" in our loudest spring voices--and wanting to keep everyone safe in a bubble of virus-free air for at least another six weeks.… Continue reading Concerning the Times and the Seasons: Spring 2020
Parenting is a risky business. Like a high wire act without a net, we hang on to Truth, keep our balance, and trust for equilibrium, but, ultimately, our children are free to choose their own paths. We do not determine their spiritual direction or their response to God's claim on their lives. Nevertheless, wise parents… Continue reading Practical Steps for Nurturing a Vibrant Household of Faith
They say adventure is what keeps us young. And going boldly into the unknown is the stuff family vacations are made of--as if life on the regular isn't full of enough risk to take your breath away on the average Tuesday. The Gold Camp Road winds its snow-covered way through the Front Range of the… Continue reading Concerning the Times and the Seasons: Winter 2019-20
Here on the hill, we are a breakfast-loving family. Back in the days of six Morins around the table on a school day, I scrambled 22 eggs and piled strawberry jam high on the toast. We took our oatmeal with brown sugar, and any leftover blueberry muffins were fair game for mid-morning snacks. Weekend mornings… Continue reading Recipes for Starting Your Day with Fresh-Baked Love
May has been a month for gathering and for celebrating milestones. Our third son graduated from Eastern Maine Community College on a Friday afternoon, and then the family landed here on the hill that Sunday for Mother's Day. On Monday of that same weekend, the Ladies' Missionary Fellowship came for a turkey dinner and our… Continue reading Musings: May 2019
We painted the room pale purple, her favorite color. A white lace curtain framed the window overlooking our busy backyard, and our wide-open door of welcome signaled a new beginning for my mum. She would be safe. We would know that she was eating three times a day. And maybe this would be the setting… Continue reading Mothers and Daughters Finding Their Way to Common Ground
When my thrifty mother-in-law made mincemeat, she would start with the venison roast from a deer who may have had the audacity to nibble on her tulip leaves. From there, she would improvise, adding whatever needed using up on that particular day: a batch of jam that didn’t “set up” just right or an over-abundance… Continue reading Evidence of Grace in the Cycling of Seasons
Over time, a family with four sons develops a unique tone, a guy-culture with a certain decibel level and a distinct way of doing life. As a mother of some now-married sons, it has been a joy to welcome other women into this circle, women who love my sons well and have also opened their… Continue reading How to Be a “True Christian” Mother-in-Law
“It’s pizza night!” Any Friday. Even every Friday. My boys never tire of those words. A bowl of popcorn, a favorite movie, and a few square feet of mozzarella magic, and it’s going to be a great evening. No question about it. In a family of four boys, food is currency, and pizza is the… Continue reading Big Pizza Love and the Recipe that Makes it Happen
Some stories leave a reader short of breath, muscles stiffened, dreading to turn the page because of the unavoidable outcome of the narrative arc. Katherine Clark's story began on a routine Friday, volunteering at her son's school. However, when she rounded the playground equipment in a schoolyard game of tag, one of the children bounded… Continue reading Where Tragedy Intersects with Truth
Living Our Days 