Have you ever had one of those nights where you’re almost asleep and your mind floats off and you’re sort of dreaming your way into blissful unconsciousness? Then all of a sudden those random thoughts form a real thought and BOOM! you’re wide awake?
I asked my daughter if that ever happens to her and she said she’s been known to ... Read More
A word to the wise: never lie to a pole dancer. After years of dealing with drunks in nightclubs, they have a B.S. in B.S. And yet, I did it. I broke my own cardinal rule and flat out lied to my Pole Fit instructor.
To set the stage, if you will, I signed up for the pole class in a ... Read More
Every time I see banana-flavored Laffy Taffy, I feel a little tug on my heart.
It’s especially prominent now that my family has moved from Ohio to South Dakota. I left a dear friend in Ohio named Liz. Liz was my son Charlie’s third grade teacher and I spent a lot of time in her classroom. We also spent a lot ... Read More
I love froufrou coffee drinks, but I’m too cheap to buy them. Instead, I just add enough cream and sugar to my plain black java to make it taste like something sweet and exotic.
I was doing a radio interview the other day when the host mentioned her sister goes to McDonald’s every morning to get a coffee with three creams ... Read More
Four years ago in July, I had a breast removed. The diagnosis was stage 2 lobular carcinoma. To you and me, that simply means breast cancer.
It seems like a lifetime ago, but if you bring it up to my family, they still have a lot to say about that time. And you know what? It’s not all bad.
My daughter, Jordan, ... Read More
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
Have you felt it? That overwhelming need to dispose of all clutter now that the holidays are over?
I’ve cleaned out one closet and have about seven more to go. I’m clearly not the only one feeling it, because I got a letter from a woman in Wisconsin whose need to downsize meant an upswing in kindness.
“I was in purge mode ... Read More
My brother and sister-in-law love to snowmobile. I’ve never really gotten the whole winter sports culture, but I’ve heard you can’t mock what you haven’t tried, so I’ll assume there is something awesome about it.
They tell me on a good day, the restaurant parking lots in northern Wisconsin are empty of cars but full of snowmobiles. It all just sounds ... 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
