On March 4 the Wall Street Journal had an article that caught my attention. In Aging Japan, One Town Holds the Secret to Making More Babies. The article was written by Miho Inada. Inada explains that people, including Japan’s leaders, are going to Nagi to see this place where parents have three or four children. How are… Continue reading The Gift of Life
Category: Children
Choosing to be Informed
This past week I attended a meeting about our upcoming school board election. My husband and I were saddened to learn about the declining level of math and English competency. That wasn’t the only concern mentioned. Violent behavior has increased. Teachers are stressed. The school board recently voted to go forward with an expanded sex education… Continue reading Choosing to be Informed
Why Didn’t I Take the Shot?
Our family’s experience with vaccines goes back a number of years. As we struggled with health problems, I prayed for God’s guidance in supporting my children’s health. Here is my story. Like every mother I have pursued health for my children. They all received childhood vaccines, but were prone to frequent ear infections, gastrointestinal upset… Continue reading Why Didn’t I Take the Shot?
Music and Drama with the Grandchildren
Recently our granddaughter had a part in a children’s theater production. It was great fun to see her perform in The Music Man! Our grandson had a school concert. The second-grade students sang songs and played simple instruments. The music teacher explained how the children were learning skills that would prepare them for reading music.… Continue reading Music and Drama with the Grandchildren
The Church Clap at Camp
The campers were hopping spinning and clapping. The bright colors of their tie-dyed shirts danced with their movements. They were performing the “church clap” for parents and grandparents at the closing ceremony of a week at camp. The energy of the preteens and teenagers was a joy to watch. My daughter had invited me to… Continue reading The Church Clap at Camp
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 Obedience of Faith
Trust and Obey. The words to this hymn come to me easily. Throughout my childhood we sang it at church. There is a blessing in memorizing Bible verses and singing hymns as a child. The words reside in memory. The first verse about trust that I think of is Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with… Continue reading The Obedience of Faith
When a Disease Isn’t Healed
My son wasn’t healed—not physically. Steven was treated for leukemia, first with chemotherapy and then with a bone marrow transplant. He relapsed, and we were informed that he was terminally ill. In the last weeks of his life, my faith was threatened. Did I still believe? Did I trust God’s love? I needed the faith… Continue reading When a Disease Isn’t Healed
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
International Women’s Day
This post was originally posted in 2017. As women in the United States we can give thanks for the progress that has been made in women’s rights and opportunities. My maternal grandmother and paternal great-grandmothers immigrated to Michigan from Finland. With great effort they raised families while managing subsistence farms. My paternal grandmother wanted to… Continue reading International Women’s Day