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Liar
I have character defects, but lying is not one of them — not intentionally anyway. My mother vetted our toddler-to-teen suspect statements with the very wierd question which she posed with life-and-death seriousness, “Honor bright?” she’d say. I have no idea where that lie detector came from but it said that I would not live to see another day if I broke confidence by my honor not being bright. As hard as I tried I could not take my fib past that guard post. So I didn’t latch on to lying. I can’t do it. 
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Read moreBegging for Take Off
In my life, especially when Ted was in his addiction, I have begged God. If prayers were power, I could levitate a chair. But they aren’t my power, they are conversations with The Power.
Sometimes I want something so much — usually for one of my children — that 
the prayer comes deep from my chest as tears drop from my eyes. I’ve seen God do huge miracles, some of them recent, and yet more of life happens and I want this other thing that is yet undone. Please.…
Oh Holy Night – in Prison
Guest post: Karen shares her experience.
Searching for Joy
As I prepare for Christmas this year, I think back to a year ago and the struggle I had finding joy in the season. My daughter, due to crimes committed because of her addiction, was spending Christmas in prison. I was in my own sort of prison, looking for freedom from the sadness and brokenness in my heart. …
Read moreSomebody IS Doing Something
Bush and I were talking about a social problem in our city and I concluded, “There’s just nothing we (the two of us) can do.” The next day he told me he had been thinking and there was something we could do. There is always something we can do about an issue even if it’s short of doing everything. His suggestion was a viable option for the two of us. Duh, yes, we can do that. It’s well within our capabilities.
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In the River of Denial
Everyone thinks they have good taste, are a good driver and have a good sense of humor. I actually do have the first and the last but I’m not in denial that I’m an eh driver. I have however been in denial about other things, trust me. So have you and other parents. Trust me on this too. 
My children were raised in the most Jesus-filled environment we could muster. This, I assumed, would make them pure individuals by association and osmosis. In the teen years I was so busy watching one son go off the rails of those expectations, that I missed some things with the others. Most certainly I missed a lot of things with everyone. It happens.
With our middle son Ted almost eight years in recovery from alcohol and other drugs, I’ll just let you imagine how much denial I practiced in that situation. We thought the few times we found…
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