The number of vaccines on the CDC list is continually growing. When I was a child I had just a few vaccines—polio and DTP. I had the measles, and so did my siblings. We now have lifetime immunity to the measles. When I breast fed my babies, they received protection…
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Celebration with Finnish Prune Tarts
There are special holiday treats in the Finnish tradition. One of them is the prune tart or joulutorttu (Christmas tart). My mother and my aunt made these at Christmas time. My Aunt Syl made them for my wedding reception. During the last summer vacation with my Dad (he was 89…
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It’s Okay to be Different
Currently I am studying the book of Deuteronomy. The nation of Israel was about to enter the promised land and Moses was giving instructions to the people. In the book, the word— fear— appears 29 times. Israel is instructed to fear (revere) God and NOT to fear man. It is…
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A Mother’s Role
It is a blessing to participate in the Five Minute Friday writing community. We write on the prompt that Kate Motaung gives. Visit the site to meet other writers and to read their posts. Today’s prompt is: JUST The dictionary offers these definitions for just: conforming to a standard of…
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Traditions and Heritage
My mother picked strawberries and wild blueberries with her mother, and so did I. My Finnish heritage has given me a an appreciation for berries, wild and cultivated. Berries are abundant in Finland (37 types of edible wild berries) and an important addition to the diet. Enjoyment of berries is…
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Seasons of Life
There are season of the year and seasons of life. Being transformed from a young professional to a mother . . . The wonder of motherhood and being stretched in mind and body. So quickly the days scurry by with play groups, preschool and …
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Building a Home
It is day eight for #Write28Days. I am joining the Five Minute Friday Community and will write with Kate’s prompt for today: BUILD. One of the Songs of Ascents in the book of Psalms mentions building a house. The Hebrew word for house in the text is bayith. The definition,…
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Simple Measures for Family Health: Herbs and Nutrients
Moms make many health decisions for their children. When someone in the family gets a cold there is a wide array of over the counter treatments to choose from. The pills and elixirs treat the symptoms but don’t help the immune system overcome the virus. Over the years I have…
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Wanting to Control: Learning to Release
It feels good when we think we are in control. As a mother I pursued the health of my children vigorously. I had been trained as a nurse at the University of Michigan. I believed in the medical profession and my ability to protect the health of my children. The…
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Imperfect Families
The Bible has stories about families. Our pastor reminded us that some of the stories show the dysfunction in families (Genesis 27 and 28). In the account of Esau and Jacob, the lies that were told when Jacob received the blessing of his father Isaac demonstrated the divide between family…