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Parenting Lessons from “Alone”
We just finished season 7 of “Alone”. If you don’t know, “Alone” is a show where survival experts are dropped into the wilderness where they battle harsh elements, starvation and loneliness. Scott and I really like this show as it helps us put our own big challenges…such as…running out of milk…into perspective. I am working through…
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I Guess I’m Doing this…
Before we begin, I want to make some ground rules. Well, maybe just ONE ground rule. The ground rule is, we have to remember we’re all here voluntarily. I mean, here, as in here reading this blog. A thought that keeps me awake at night is ways to not make people feel worse. I have…
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The Valley
I blame Olivia. She started it. I don’t remember exactly when it happened, but at some point in the last 18 months feeling responsible for the Earth seeped into Olivia’s bones. Now, it’s who she is. I wouldn’t say sustainability is a new idea, or college made her do it. The Great Depression created a…
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The Mountains Crumble
Yesterday I did some organizing. In the face of intense sadness and disappointment, I desired to reorder my thoughts. I needed practical strategies for absorbing difficulty that would yield wisdom and strength as opposed to bitterness and self pity. One thing on my list of strategies is being creative, using my imagination and creating things.…
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P.S. It Might be Better than you think
This week, words have been percolating. I welcome the words, but I have not invited them. It has been a while. I was not born with any innate artistic talent. I can’t draw, paint, sing or mime – dang it. That last one really burns. I like words. I have always wondered if my relationship with…
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Phases
Scott and I went on a short trip for our anniversary over the weekend. For years, my Dad has been telling Scott that married people with kids need to get AWAY from their kids now and then. Wow. Pretty harsh, Grandpa. I am sure you didn’t mean to imply you ever wanted to…
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Beginnings and Endings
God knows I am a broken record. I spice up our conversations with new material now and then. But, most of the time, I default to what He has heard me say a million times before…my most fervent heart’s desire: Part 1 Dear God, Please help our kids recognize the gifts and abilities you’ve given…
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Photo Albums
One Sunday, our Pastor was making a point about our insignificance. He described this well known statue near Wisconsin’s State Capital. When he shared details of this man made of metal, riding a horse, many people nodded that they were familiar with the statue. The Pastor asked the audience of 800 or so Madison area…
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Christmas Recap
Post Holiday Blues. I am suffering from this. If you ask me why my 10 days of work-free (day job) living were so outstanding, my answer would not impress you. Like 60% of the population in Wisconsin, I was sick for most of my break. Some how, being sick did not lessen my enthusiasm. Maybe…
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With Age comes Wisdom and a Bag of Turds
Well hello, kids. You’ve been awfully quiet, haven’t you? Bet you thought you could hide from me. Ya little rascal. You can’t, cause I’m not dead yet, and neither is my blog. I am here to celebrate our friendship with my bi-annual, or every 8 or 11 months or so without fail, maybe, if I…