Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 14. The Farmer’s Almanac gives the history of this day, pointing to three women who promoted respect and support for motherhood. In the middle of the 19th century, Ann Reeves Jarvis sponsored Mothers’ Day work clubs. Her goal was to improve the living condition for mothers in West Virginia. Julia… Continue reading Three Women and Mother’s Day
Category: Childbirth
Tears for Loss of Life
Sadness and tears. It is how I feel for the loss of life. Many in our country have an extreme view of reproductive rights. Individual choices and success take precedent over the gift of life that God gives. My husband and I are reading through the book of Ezekiel. I can’t help thinking that Ezekiel is speaking… Continue reading Tears for Loss of Life
Book Review: The Resistance Girl
During WWII Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany. Like many occupied countries, there was a resistance movement. Mandy Robotham has written a historical fiction book, The Resistance Girl, based on events that took place during that time. The main character, Rumi, is a young woman who is the daughter of a fisherman. The boat or… Continue reading Book Review: The Resistance Girl
Against the Current or on the High Wire
What does it take to go against the current trends in our culture? Curiosity? Critical thinking skills? Perseverance? Sometimes circumstances give an extra push. For most of my nursing career I have worked in the hospital. I worked in hospital labor/delivery units, caring for women during childbirth. I took time off from clinical care—teaching Lamaze… Continue reading Against the Current or on the High Wire
The Year of the Supreme Court Decision
During the first year of my nursing practice Roe v. Wade was decided. In 1973 I was working for a city hospital in a busy labor/delivery unit (500 births per month). The unit was staffed with resident doctors, attending physicians and nurses. At the beginning of each shift, we received a report on all the… Continue reading The Year of the Supreme Court Decision
New Life in a Broken World
In the weeks preparing to visit our new grandson I spent evenings knitting—first a blanket and then a lovey. Knitting is a calming activity. It requires me to stay focused on counting stitches while following a pattern. In the heavy season of worldwide troubles, my mind rests while I knit. During the past couple weeks… Continue reading New Life in a Broken World
A Research Trail: Finding the Finnish Midwife
The trip to Finland in 2017 had several purposes. We were meeting some relatives for the first time at a family reunion in northern Finland. After the reunion my husband I traveled south by train. When we arrived in Vaasa (western coast of Finland) we rented a car. The midwife that I had been researching… Continue reading A Research Trail: Finding the Finnish Midwife
Morning Brings Hope
As a nurse I have worked through the night and welcomed the morning. Before my marriage I worked in the neonatal intensive care unit at the University of Michigan (Holden Unit). I worked the night shift, 7 pm to 7 am. Around 5am we took turns walking along a corridor with windows overlooking the sunrise… Continue reading Morning Brings Hope
Herbs in a Nosegay
This summer I have had more time in the garden. The flowers and herbs are flourishing. I picked a nosegay including these herbs with their flowers: calendula, echinacea, feverfew, lavender, mint, lemon balm and marjoram. Some years ago, when I was working as maternity nurse and Lamaze instructor, I came across a book that fueled… Continue reading Herbs in a Nosegay
Strong Women: Midwives and Nurses
As we look back through history, we come across women who demonstrated faith and courage. Their actions were based on convictions. Some are midwives, and some are nurses. The first book of Exodus records the confrontation between Pharoah and two midwives. Shiprah and Puah did not carry out the Pharoah’s orders. They saved the lives… Continue reading Strong Women: Midwives and Nurses