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The Empty Chair

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 01:04:24 PST

After a somewhat harrowing drive, I arrived a few evenings ago in the college town I hold dear in my heart. The next day started a new journey for me as I had an official (pinch me) book signing and talks. I walked the hallowed halls and shared with the current scholars and community members […]

What the redbird means to me

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 16:27:12 PST

Perhaps it was the perfect storm of emotions that left me feeling elated one minute and deeply grieved the next on Sunday, which happened to be my birthday. I was happy to celebrate with friends and family and was ecstatic that my book is published as I had a book signing in church earlier that day. […]

Standing on the shoulders of giants

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 16:48:36 PST

Last week, my sweetie and I traveled back in time to the college town where we met. It was just the two of us travelling the almost three hundred miles (one-way) to the North Dakota prairie and home again that day. We visited the old Mayville State campus, went to the place of our first […]

Greater than . . . less than

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 12:26:39 PST

Today is Election Day 2016. This day has many people worried about its outcome and I would be lying if I didn’t acknowledge I am one of them. But a simple act of kindness reminded me that no matter who is elected into office tonight, there is one thing that will remain the same. God […]

Teenagers & last minute DIY’s

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 19:35:31 PDT

Lately, I have noticed a Facebook post being shared over and over. The basic gist of the post cautions about teenagers coming to your home Trick-or-Treating. Before I go any farther, let’s get one thing straight. If Halloween isn’t your thing, that is okay. We all have our things and I won’t judge you for […]

She was her own boss

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 15:43:08 PDT

Leave it to grief. Well that and an aptly timed phone call to change things around. I have been experiencing a bit of a writer’s block. Wait, that isn’t exactly right either. I have been doing plenty of writing, just not the kind that appears here. I began taking courses this summer in pursuit of […]

He’d like to be a Pepper too!

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 19:18:08 PDT

Every week, I call my college aged son. I think it goes without saying, but I will say it anyways. I miss him. To play down how much I miss him, I always end the phone call with some snarky bit of wisdom akin to “Sawyer, just in case you didn’t know I have not […]

Just don’t.

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 16:58:51 PDT

Like millions of other Minnesotans and Midwesterners, I spent much of my weekend in tears and when I wasn’t crying, I spent the rest of my time on my knees praying for the family of Jacob Wetterling. Much like other moments in history, I remember exactly where I was when I learned of his disappearance. […]

Is Sunday School going extinct?

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 16:47:19 PDT

Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have. ~ Margaret Mead There’s one in every crowd or in this case, committee. Leave it to a science teacher who never graduated out of the preschool days of asking why to be the one in this case. I […]

Olympic sized memories

Tue, 23 Aug 2016 17:10:06 PDT

It may take a while before I settle back into the normal rhythms of life on the heels of the two weeks spent watching the Rio Olympics. Every day found me tuned to the television to cheer on the American delegation and if they weren’t participating, to root for the underdog. I have been glued to Olympic […]

Rainy days and Mondays

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 14:59:12 PDT

Recently I have been busy, overwhelmed, and frankly at times, worn out. Amazing things have been happening, and accompanying those have been some moments that have shaken my foundation. While at times I may need a reminder, I know that my foundation is laid on God’s solid ground which has and will always anchor me […]

What Would Nannie Do?

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 14:57:04 PDT

When you spend a week at the “cabinet” (my four year old nephew’s word for cabin) without television with your parents and siblings and their families, you have plenty of time for conversation. One of the topics that comes up every time we are all together is a task that I have struggled to complete. […]

Love goes on

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 20:01:41 PDT

A couple weekends ago, we made a trip to see our family in North Dakota. Sadly, the reason for our trip to my sweetie’s childhood hometown was to say good-bye to our former brother-in-law. He had always been good to us and we wanted to be there to support the rest of our family. Since […]

The price of yesterday

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 14:03:25 PDT

My family like millions of others enjoyed our country’s birthday yesterday. Our fanfare was reserved to the later afternoon and evening because unlike many others looming deadlines kept us tethered to the computers for a few hours. Nonetheless, the significance of the day was never forgotten. As dawn broke, we posted the “Stars and Stripes” […]

Returning home

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 14:14:34 PDT

Who says you can’t go home There’s only one place they call me one of their own Just a hometown boy, born a rolling stone, who says you can’t go home Who says you can’t go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact There’s only one place left I want […]