As I thought about this month’s tenet, “We greatly value the unique and contributing role of families,” my mind went to the great variety of the makeup of families. It’s very true that families come in all shapes and sizes. In a perfect world, all children would be brought up in loving homes, with two…
In our society, blended families have been increasing in number. This video describes what it is like through the eyes of the children who have experienced the difficulties and the joys of joining two families together.
Few would argue that the traditional family–birth or adoptive–is without parallel in providing nurture, guidance, and support to the rising generation. As a child of divorced parents, I salute my mom who provided these essentials to me despite running our family business and rearing six children. Not every child is part of such a family,…
As a youngster I often walked the quarter mile up our country road to visit my grandparents. As I look back sixty years at those visits, I have come to realize that it wasn’t just the stick of Juicy Fruit gum from Grandpa’s pocket or the slice of fresh homemade bread that kept me returning…
The moment I knew my life was about to shift, there was what I can only describe as an internal earthquake at a 9.2 on the Richter scale. I had my youngest daughter on my hip, standing in our kitchen talking to my oldest daughter who was opening the fridge door. My oldest turned to…
Family, Such a simple word, yet it carries a magnitude of meaning. What is family? Why is this role important? If you’re reading this, take a moment and set a 30-second timer. I want you to close your eyes, take a slow deep breath in for at least 3 counts, then exhale for 5 counts…
The desk in my room is the perfect height to lean your elbows on and ponder the world outside the picture window it sits in front of—to watch the row of houses across the street and all the comings and goings of the day, to see clearly the sidewalk that used to be decorated by…
Just over a year ago, our 37-year-old son had a massive heart attack in the middle of the night. Luckily, he and his wife were up decorating for their 4-year-old daughter’s birthday. His wife gave him CPR until the paramedics took over. As each member of our family heard the news, devastation followed. As my…
On Tuesday, December 8, 1992, a young Idaho farmer spent his 33rd birthday in a labor/delivery room. He was cheerfully filling out Christmas cards while his wife was in labor. When the clock struck 7 pm, the room filled with baby cries as this father was delivered the most beautiful birthday gift a man could…
Anything I Can Do, We Can Do Better Remember Annie Get Your Gun? Sharpshooter Annie Oakley has a confusing relationship with her love interest and rival, Frank Butler. She loved him but refused to play second fiddle to him when it came to hitting the bullseye. She was a woman in a man’s venue, and…