My friend, Heather, died of cancer when we were 30. I remember walking through a deli with her when she was deep in the battle. I noticed how other people looked at her out of the corner of their eyes.
When my friend noticed another woman wearing a scarf over a bald head, Heather marched right over to her, said “Hello!” ... Read More
Be brave. Be kind. Be you. That’s what I’m trying to teach my kids.
The message seems to get through to them at home, but the majority of their day isn’t spent in the comfy and (usually) considerate confines of our house. Their day is spent in school where snap decisions and snarky words can sometimes get the best of them.
A ... Read More
Did you know you can see the crime rate in your neighborhood?
If you go online to Trulia, a home buying website, you can click a little button that says “Crime.” The map is light blue in areas where there are few reported problems and dark blue where there are more crimes.
What if we could see the ... Read More
I am not a picture taker. That’s my mother-in-law. And my sister-in-law.
Going on vacation with them is an exercise in patience because we are constantly stopping to pose.
I was only annoyed until the first scrapbook arrived. Now, I have years of memories lovingly laid out in tidy books on my shelf.
Sarah loves to take pictures, and not just of her ... Read More
You know what’s better than one third-grade boy in the back seat of your car? Three third-grade boys in the back seat of your car.
In the course of a 15-minute ride, my son Ben will ask at least 150 questions, including, “Mom, does Area 51 really exist?” “Mom, do you think there will be flying cars in my lifetime?” “Mom, ... Read More
I often say I have the happiest email inbox in the world. Every once in a while, I’ll also get a handwritten letter in my real mailbox explaining how someone is adding light to the world through kindness.
I’ve received the sweetest stories of kindness. Despite what you might see on the television, there is good in this world, no doubt ... Read More
It’s been a few years since I’ve talked about my boobs so I thought I would spend my time with you today revisiting that topic.
In May of 2015, I was diagnosed with breast cancer on my 40th birthday. No signs or symptoms, it was found during a routine annual exam. (We interrupt this story for a public service announcement: Women, ... Read More
Want to really enjoy this holiday season? Try giving to others out of delight, not duty.
Sure, there are gifts we feel obligated to give. But the magic of Christmas comes when we re-create the spirit of the season for another person just because we feel like it. It’s not hard.
Ask Katie Kringstad, the director of children’s ministry at First Lutheran ... Read More
Over the years, Saul and I have added to our family. First it was a dog (RIP Robby Dog Phillips). Then it was our three biological children. Then it was another dog (Dakota is currently sleeping next to me in my office). Then it was two precious boys, the same age as our middle son, Charlie. One of the boys ... Read More
I’ve been followed around the last few weeks by these words…
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”
My youngest son, Ben, and I have been having some deep philosophical conversations about decision making. Ben is eight so usually his biggest ... Read More
