Our goal was to provide education on child welfare reform, so our non-profit decided to do a Facebook LIVE event. It had been years since I’d done one, but my fellow advocate Kelli agreed to guide me through. In preparation of the event, I’d rearranged t…

Goosebumps…tears. As I was watching Season Five of The Chosen, tears rolled down my cheeks. Although The Chosen series has brought criticism from some as not being Biblically correct, for me, the series is powerful as the disciples are personalized, crea…

We needed to make one last trip to the grocery store before Easter dinner preparations. As I walked into the store, I began choking, sputtering, gagging, and coughing. My husband, Ron expressed concern as I quickly made my way to the drink refrigerator, …

My daughter and I had been texting back and forth about details to pick up my granddaughter when I received another text: “You’re fired.” Kassi has a great sense of humor, so I knew it was in jest. After all, she can’t live without me, but seriously, I w…

When any of my three youngest granddaughters play at our home, their pleas often turn to “Can we play Hide n’ Seek?” With a nod of my head, they are off and running, giggles and whispers following them to their hiding places. After counting to the predet…

Sometimes sisters just have to bite the bullet and help a girl out. Such was the case when sister Colleen asked if I’d like to go with her to the Florida Keys to keep her company. My job was to simply hold down the beach and soak up the sun while she was…

The beautiful spring day created an opportunity to spend a few hours at the park with my granddaughters. Scurrying around the playground, they asked me to take pictures of them as they climbed the tall slides and hung by their knees on the money bars. My…

In the past few weeks, I’ve attended the Celebration of Life for two friends. They were both 83 when they passed, the same age as my mother when she died almost five years ago. Interestingly, they were very similar in their passion for Christ and their b…

A week after my husband Ron’s heart catheter procedure, the sticky bandage still clung tightly to his thigh. We needed to check the wound, so the sticky bandage needed to come off. Although he’d been tremendously shaved prior to the procedure, men simply…

Is there any greater joy than being a parent? The sweet smile of recognition that comes across their face when you pick them up from their crib. The reflection of yourself or your spouse when their expressions remind you of one another. The joy you feel …

As Thanksgiving neared, I knew my son wanted to invite his girlfriend to join us. But recently, there had been a misunderstanding that caused some hurt feelings. As far as I was concerned, it was water under the bridge. She was more than welcome to join …

What a weekend we’d had. It had been crazy, full, and exhausting as we babysat our granddaughters ages 3 and 1. Oh, the energy needed to keep up and might I add, we’re not 30 anymore! Only hours into our weekend, we’d been through every fun activity in t…

I have been praying for a special young lady with fervor. I love her dearly and since she’s been going through some hard things, I was concerned for her, especially since her once chatty personality had become sullen and withdrawn. In an effort to create…

Crash! The sound gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. There on the floor, in hundreds of pieces, was the beautiful red glass. It belonged to a set of drinking glasses, an antique family heirloom. That wasn’t the worst of it! What could be worse? Well, i…

The tall wooden tower Papa and four-year-old Leila had been constructing suddenly came crashing down. Their masterpiece, now a pile of stick rubble. Leila’s eyes flew open in surprise, her expression filled with uncertainty as she watched for her Papa’s …

I had just planted myself in the Returns line at Hobby Lobby, wanting to return a picture that was a bit wonky. I loved the saying on the picture, but when I went to hang it on the wall, I realized it was warped and thus wouldn’t lay flat on the wall. St…

I needed to make another trip to Helena to testify at an important legislative hearing, as well as assist in hosting a dinner event for a small group of legislators. The day started out a bit rough as I’d struggled to find the right outfit to wear. It ca…

Ron and I took a drive to Red Lodge, a small community an hour away. We ate lunch and meandered around the quaint streets before starting back home. When we crossed the final set of railroad tracks and headed north toward home, the low tire warning came …

I woke up with a crazy mixture of excitement, fatigue, anxiousness, and a sense of urgency. I’d been invited to a leadership conference in sunny Fort Worth, Texas, and couldn’t wait to enjoy 70-degree weather. That sure sounded nice compared to -1 degree…

As a young girl growing up on a ranch, I’d learned about the cycle of life. My first real taste of death came when I had to sell my 4-H steers. After months of raising them, cleaning out their stalls, teaching them to be led, and learning how to comb the…

Days before Thanksgiving, I ran a quick errand to Target for supplies. As I surveyed the shelf, trying to determine which Greek yogurt to purchase for my recipe, a young family joined me in the yogurt aisle. When their little girl pointed excitedly to a …

Bam! I fell on my bottom so hard it jolted my whole body. It caught me completely by surprise. I felt a bit disorientated, so I remained sitting on the ground to gather myself. My elbow hit hard too. The sting of pain made me pause to evaluate, but I cou…

As I stepped off the bus, a crowd of people surged forward. A woman stretched her hand out to me. Somehow, I suppressed a gasp. She had no fingers! Her outstretched hand was only a palm. Leprosy had eaten away her digits. I realized her empty palm wouldn…

I don’t think there is anything that makes heaven feel closer than when we must send off one of our own. My big brother Dave made his journey in the early morning hours of August 11, 2022; gone from his pain and into the glory of God. I can imagine his s…

As I’ve become older, I’ve been able to look back at my life and understand why God allowed certain things to happen. It’s like watching a puzzle come together and seeing how each piece equipped me for His calling and purpose for my life.

For me, part of…

To say Mom was a great saver would be an understatement. She saved anything and everything. Today while going through some of her saved items, I came across a letter I’d written to my grandparents years ago. I took a moment to read it: Dad had twelve lit…

Have you ever looked back on a season of life and thought, “Wow, that sure seemed harder than it should have been?” Or, “If only I’d known, I would have done that differently.”

Today I stumbled upon a passage in Exodus 13:17 18. It describes the Israelit…

During my quiet time with the Lord this morning, I read Moses' account when God called him to go back to Egypt and free the Israelites. I couldn’t help but smile as I read Moses' excuses. “They won’t believe me or listen to me” and “I can’t speak well.” …

The older woman stood ahead of me in the grocery store line. She looked tired. Her gray hair and wrinkled face revealed her more advanced age. It made me think of Mom. I thought of her a lot lately since it was Christmas time, Mom’s favorite holiday. Las…

As I struggled to remain on my feet, I grabbed for the curtain of the temporary triage station, grasping for something solid to keep me upright. Nurses grabbed my arms and quickly plopped me into a wheelchair. I then realized I was much sicker than I tho…

Yep, the one statistic I hadn’t wanted to contribute to was the Covid stats. Yet here I was, testing positive. After being admitted to the hospital, I felt the loneliness of isolation, especially after my phone died. Aren’t we just helpless without our p…

When we departed from the rental home after our family gathering, we didn’t realize my ten-year-old granddaughter’s childhood bunny had been left on the couch. We were hours away before Leena, with great concern, noted her bunny wasn’t with us. Her mothe…

As we parked in our daughter’s driveway to join them for the fourth of July celebrations, our three-year-old granddaughter Irene, came rushing out their door. Tears streamed down her face as she ran to me as fast as her legs would carry her. As she cover…

It’s all my sister’s fault. She wanted to raise lambs for 4-H and before we knew it, Dad had a herd of sheep. Adorable as they are, they are followers and will blindly follow one another, even when there is danger. They are rather helpless too. If they g…

Barb had been in and out of our lives through the years as she moved around with her jobs. When she retired, she moved back to Helena to be close to the only people she considered family. My mom was one of them.

As Barb neared the end of her life, Mom be…

It promised to be a fun weekend, starting with a Christian concert followed by a trip to Helena. My dear friend Kelly had given me two tickets months ago for my birthday. In the busyness of life, I hadn’t invited someone to use the second ticket, but at …

We were just entering the church sanctuary when I heard the usher speak into her radio. "A kid just threw up. I’m going to need some help."

It caused me to do an about face and head out to the foyer. Yes indeed, the morning hadn’t started out well. We we…

Full disclosure: I love to save remnants, those little pieces of fabric that aren’t large enough for the main project, but just large enough for something smaller. I’m pretty sure I got this habit from my mom. Probably the only difference between her pil…

I woke up this morning with stiff joints in my fingers, likely a result of my previous night’s sewing project. I squeezed my hands into fists. They would be fine after my shower. My temporary pain made me pause and think of the many things I enjoyed doin…

I’d recently been turned onto audio books which made great company on my road trips and walks. Although I hadn’t finished my last book, I had some credits to use up. One of Lynn Austin’s titles caught my attention: “Return to Me.” A few weeks later, my d…

Trudging up the steep mountain trail, my much more athletic sister led the way. While I struggled to keep my footing on the rocky path, Colleen climbed the trail like a sure-footed mountain goat. I had already suggested she go ahead, knowing full well I …

January 6, 2021: The chaos at the US Capitol and the drama that played out in the media weighed heavy on my heart. I wanted to curl up in my chair and cry or pray. Real life beckoned when my daughter called to ask for help transporting my ten-year-old gr…

Anniversaries always carry such weight of emotion, especially that first one. The weeks and days leading up to it are filled with thoughts of what we were doing the previous year, whether the final preparations for a wedding, birthing pains, or in my cas…

I was ready for a quiet evening at home with my husband. We decided to watch a movie and although we’d watched it before, we chose Abraham Lincoln by Steven Spielberg. It really is a must see for everyone. Spoiler alert: I am about to share some thoughts…

I love it when I stumble upon a word or series of words in Scripture that causes me to pause and reflect. Recently, I noticed the word “Suddenly”. Of course, I had to look it up. Defined as “quickly, swiftly, without warning”. Not surprisingly, it’s a wo…

It's happened to all of us. Something gets said (or not said) that is misunderstood. A reaction that wasn't expected, a word that came out wrong. Life is full of misunderstandings. Then if you add a dose of family drama, well now you've got something rea…

Oh, the joy of being a grandparent. Today it meant going on the kindergarten field trip with our grandson Finn. Little sister Irene had joined us, all too excited to be with big brother for the morning. The sun shimmered on the weekend snow covering, mak…

As I pulled into the driveway of my daughter's home, our granddaughter Irene saw me first. Her face lit up and she turned and ran toward me as fast as her little two-year-old legs would carry her. As soon as she reached me, I scooped her up and we exchan…

Many people love to study and track genealogy, but to be completely honest, I find it to be a bit of a bore. I do enjoy the unique stories like the one from my husband's side, where his grandmother's family missed their ship coming to America, the Titani…

As I stood surveying Mom's belongings, I felt a bit overwhelmed with the many treasures of my sweet mama. She had recently passed away and now remained the tremendous task of determining what we kept. Brother Dave had already done a lot of leg work, but …

Such a beautiful day to head to the beach. Gathering the beach toys, towels, sunscreen, and suits, the family headed out. They couldn't wait to get their feet in the sand. As their mom unloaded the car, the kids ran with great enthusiasm toward the water…

In the final week of Mom's life, even though her words were few and labored, regularly she would state, "Leave the door open." Funny thing is, her bedroom door remained open. Furthermore, she was seldom alone in her room, thus no reason to feel isolated.…

It was December 3rd, and my daughter Kassi was in labor. She had chosen to do an in-home delivery. Watching my daughter struggle to bring her daughter into the world created a personal pain I’d never experienced. I held her hand in a death grip as if to …

Today Ron and I were going through an old scrapbook, reflecting on simpler times and came across our 1998 Christmas letter where I had included some thoughts from a recent sermon. Reading it 32 years later, goosebumps rose on my arms. Here's why:

It was …

I love to be spontaneous, particularly if it means I get to travel. It’s even better when it’s God’s idea!

I had no plans for the day except to get over this nasty cold. When my daughter-in-law sent me a text message, I sensed concern in her voice. Her m…

My sweet young friend Sarah had called. She sobbed into the phone as she told me a series of poor choices and wrong accusations had landed her in jail. She begged me to visit so I promised I would.

The next day I called to learn about visiting hours. The…

Standing in the check-out line at Walmart, our two-year-old grandson Finnigan had me on my toes. Keeping what we’d selected in the cart proved to be challenging as our little man kept shuffling things from the shelf in and out of the cart. I glanced at t…

My god-brother Scott had a ticket to fly to San Diego at 1:30 pm. We still didn’t have the necessary paperwork to make it happen, which caused a fitful night. I worried we wouldn’t be able to obtain it in time.

Early in the morning, we got up to drive to…

Suffice it to say that everything was coming down around me. The nagging pain reminded me of my inflamed rotator cuff. We’d just learned our son had a concerning genetic issue. To top it off, our daughter was in crisis, causing tremendous stress in the f…

In our life’s journey, people can be a tremendous help or they can be a hindrance. Let’s face it, people are messy. We do and say brilliant things AND we do and say stupid things. No one is exempt, but we can all choose what to do with the messes of life…

Every Christmas I try to think of a unique way to do something special for someone who might not be on my normal shopping list. In past years, we’ve bought chickens for the underprivileged, sponsored children in Africa, and bought clothes for needy child…

My son Josh and I were reading his nightly devotional about divisions in the church, and how they are often a result of how we judge one another or our motives. As we were reading, it seemed very timely considering the upcoming national elections and the…

The day started out with plans to go to the pool; only to learn it closed for the summer. With only three days left of summer, it was disappointing. Trying to think of a way to salvage the last days of summer, I confirmed no one had any commitments until…

Ever have one of those days when you miss those you’ve lost? I was having one of those days, thinking of my dad. He died way too young at the age of fifty-two from colon cancer. Even though it had been years since he'd passed, I couldn’t stop thinking ab…

I had planned to get there early. The guest speaker at the family church camp was someone who had worked with foster children. Since I am working on a book about the foster care crisis in our country, I am eager to hear his perspective. But as is often t…

He couldn't have been more than five. His eyes were shy, as if seeking an invitation. When I smiled and motioned toward him, a smile spread across his face, revealing a toothless grin. He scurried across the dusty road and took my outstretched hand. As h…

Exhausted after claiming a few shredded hours of sleep, I dropped into my seat on the airplane and briefly greeted my seatmate. I settled in and before long, I conked out. The clanking of the service cart awakened me. The flight attendant asked if I'd li…

None of us like them, right? Red streaks that remind us of how large we’ve become. Yet, often those stretch marks are a result of something amazing happening, like carrying a baby for nine months, or gaining muscle mass (or fat) rapidly! Regardless of wh…

Our oldest son Tucker was getting married. As we arrived in California, the excitement of being with him and his fiancé couldn’t be contained. We’d rented a home where we would all be staying. I knew they would be waiting there for us.

Although the fligh…

New Years is a one of my favorite times of the year. Maybe it’s because that’s the evening that my husband proposed 29 years ago. But really I think it’s because there is a sense of fresh promise. Granted, January 1st is really just another day but for m…

As I looked at myself in the mirror, I realized I wouldn’t be going to work. We ran a restaurant and in my role as cashier and server, I couldn’t go in with my face looking like this. A red welt with seeping pus covered my left side, and it felt like it …

One year Ron and I decided that since we were self-employed, one of us needed to get a part-time job for insurance benefits. Since I didn’t want to run our restaurant alone, I volunteered. After all, I could certainly squeeze a part-time job into raising…

Well, it certainly wasn't the first time in the past two months and I'm sure it wouldn't be the last. I was going to bed smelling like sour milk. Today, after a touchy stomach, our grandson had delivered his bottle on me twice. It had been one of those d…

Finding quiet time is something I've always struggled with. But this week I had a whole new experience that left me wondering...

Debi is my friend who suffered a horrific accident, leaving her in a coma. It had been months since her accident and although…

Watching her I couldn't seem to blink back the tears that were welling in my eyes. Here was my little girl, somehow having grown into a woman right before my eyes. She was expecting a child of her own and seeing her bulging stomach as her little boy grew…

The day I dreaded arrived. As we left the house, I watched our son Tucker walk through each room as if memorizing his childhood home. I watched him spend a sweet moment with each of the pets. I watched him pause and look around one final time. Then it wa…

Reading through his story, I couldn't put my head around it. The desperation that this little guy must have felt was beyond anything I could imagine. He was one of the millions of orphans in Ethiopia. But unlike most of them, he had been rescued from the…

Happy Easter Grandma:

On this special holiday, I often think of you. So many Easters around your table, heaped with a feast. Ham, holiday potatoes, bean casserole, dinner rolls with jelly, and all the pickles, olives and trimmings one could fathom. And o…

Today was Saturday so I'd stayed up later than usual last night since I knew I could sleep in a bit. It had been a crazy week. I know...we all have them but this one was an exception. My work week had been crammed full with 10 interviews to fill 8 new po…

Someone needed a time out! And that someone was me! Man, I needed a break and there seemed no better place than going to see Mom.

It has been a particularly challenging year and I was out of steam. It had been a season of ongoing demands and pushing thro…

It had been a fun weekend retreat with friends, a get away from life, and a time of reflection and inspiration. The final morning was to be a wrap up "ceremony" but unknown to me, it was to be held at a mountainside labyrinth. As we approached this area,…

Humph...it doesn't seem like much of a word, but in my father's vocabulary, it had more meaning than one could imagine. Although literally a genius with a photographic memory, "humph" seemed to be how he most often expressed emotion. One would think with…

With Christmas fast approaching, I often think of my second favorite Christmas story. It happened years ago when we owned a restaurant. Nine-year-old son Tucker, had a special relationship with our cooks, Sam and Caroline, a couple from China. About ten …

Here it was again, August 23rd. Twenty-four years ago today, our daughter Amy was stillborn. As the years passed, it was always my first thought when I woke, followed by, "today Amy would have been x years old." This year was no different. Amy would have…