I am reminded of the joke about the woman who wanted desperately to win the lottery. Day after day she would pray to God, “Lord, please let me win the lottery”…..finally the Lord whispered back, “You need to buy a ticket.” How many times is that us? In my case “Lord, please let me be healthier and more physically fit…AKA... READ MORE >
It’s happened to all of us. We run into someone we know—a neighbor, relative or friend— somewhere that we least expect it. On a recent trip to JC Penneys in Maple Grove, I bumped into my sister in law from Plymouth. I had never been to the store before and I had not planned more than a quick trip in... READ MORE >
How can I say this nicely? I guess I probably can’t. I do not like zucchini. I dislike it so much I have now renamed it “Yucckini.” And it’s not like Sam I Am in Green Eggs and Ham… no matter how you serve it—in a house with a mouse, in a box with a fox, or here or there….... READ MORE >
I recently returned from a remote village in Tanzania called Matamba. To get there you must first fly eight hours to Amsterdam, then fly another 10 hours to Dar El Salaam, then get on a bus and drive seven hours to Iringa, then drive an additional nine hours to Chamala and finally load 12 people, 17 suitcases and seven carry-on... READ MORE >
When you read this column I will hopefully be in Tanzania, Africa on a mission trip with St. John’s Lutheran Church. I am very excited to but I go but I think most about my family here in Minnesota—my parents in Schroeder and my husband and kids in South Haven. Unlike my mom, I did not clean my house to... READ MORE >
Anyone who knows me knows I like to live with one toe just outside the box. Nothing too risky. I’m not a gambler or a daredevil but I like to push myself and those around me to do things they might not normally consider doing. One great experience our family has had is hosting exchange students. I was a domestic... READ MORE >
What if we woke up today with only those things we thanked God for yesterday? I woke up April 27, 2012 without a brother. He died in his sleep. Gary was just 47 years old. The sheriff came to my house three times to tell me but thankfully I was protected by God for an entire day from receiving this... READ MORE >
This weekend I had the opportunity to be bored. Mike and the boys went to Iowa and our daughter is away at college so I was all alone from Friday to Sunday evening. I could have filled the entire time with dinner plans, movies and lunch dates but I chose to be bored. I ignored to-do lists and laundry. I... READ MORE >
Back in the ’50s getting pinned meant you were going steady with a boy. In my day getting pinned was my brother sitting on my chest until I let him pick the TV show for the evening—between you and me it wasn’t a good thing. Sometimes tears were involved, usually mine, but I got a good kick in every now... READ MORE >
We have only two children left at home. I knew we’d have to face this someday but over the weekend it became more real than ever for Mike and me. We moved our daughter Zoe into her first “real” apartment. You know, with a one-year lease, an unknown neighborhood and me, a freaked out mom. She left home for college... READ MORE >
