"Mommy, I love you as big as God can be." — Nick, age 4 Today, we celebrated Penetcost. It’s a time of being especially attentive to the ways the Holy Spirit enters our hearts and interacts with us. It’s a time to be watchful for the ways grace comes, to be ready for the signs [...]
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May 31
May 31
unfinished business
In the mind of my newly-turned 9-year-old, everything this week has led up to this: All good things must come to an end, right? (So much for the pretty pool party cake!) Those were some hungry girls, alright. It’s been an extraordinarily busy week. And if you don’t believe me, just ask junior brown [...]
Read the rest of this entry »May 29
7 quick takes friday (vol. 10)
I skipped a week of Quick Takes because, though the takes are supposed to be quick, posting them has proven to be more time-consuming for me than the normal posting. However, I enjoy both trying to come up with a summation of my week and reading the postings of other quick-takers, so, I’ll keep going [...]
Read the rest of this entry »May 27
school outings: a day in pictures
Today, in outings with the kids’ classes, I was reminded of God’s softness: And artistry: And majesty: And sense of humor: Who could believe this was all one big accident?
Read the rest of this entry »May 26
milestone marathon
Today, one daughter turned 9: The other graduated from elementary school: They battled off on and throughout the afternoon over who deserved the best treatment on their special day(s). Each had time in the spotlight, but they didn’t like having to share. In the end, birthday girl ended up in the emergency room of the [...]
Read the rest of this entry »May 25
an “other” kind of weekend
This weekend, the soccer balls stayed still, the jerseys and shin guards remained folded and unused. It was an "other" kind of weekend filled not so much by my own kids’ activities, but by the accomplishments of others in our lives; a wonderful couple days of being inspired by the life-altering milestones of friends. On [...]
Read the rest of this entry »May 24
spring procession
Spring procession Sometime midsummer Your fruits will stain the pathways Of our neighborhood, Reminding us of the messiness That litters our world. The gutted, scattered, shriveled skins, The discarded seeds, These, along with your weary branches Will mar this scene; This pretty, pink, pungent procession That escorts me out; A spring promenade of colorful welcoming [...]
Read the rest of this entry »May 22
in defense of the personal essay
Yesterday, I wrote about some awards I’d won through the North Dakota Professional Communicators organization. Two of the four awards recognized columns I’ve written for The Forum newspaper as part of its Tuesday "Parenting Perspectives" feature. Each entry requested two columns, so there were four in all represented. This is what the judge had to [...]
Read the rest of this entry »May 21
it’s a dirty job but…
I mean it when I say that. There are times I really wish I never had to preen my feathers. It feels so much the opposite of humility, which is, IMHO, one of the most admirable traits of all. But as a writer in today’s world, it’s all par for the course. We’ve been warned [...]
Read the rest of this entry »May 20
traveling and talking with tanya
What a nice day today was, traveling in the sunshine up to Grand Forks with Tanya Watterud, communications director for the Diocese of Fargo, to take part in the Real Presence Radio spring "Live Drive." I really enjoyed watching Tanya in action, and also, bantering with her about our shared and unique experiences as communicators/writers [...]
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