It was silly of me, really. There I was, walking along, running my mouth like a typical teenage girl, not watching where I was going, when all of a sudden, BAM! My shin smacked hard into a big rock in my path. How I missed seeing it, I still don’t know to this day. However, it was from that incident that I learned a very important life lesson.
There is a recent trend involving young girls, ages 8 to 14. These children make a video asking viewers, “Am I pretty or ugly?” and post it on the Internet. There are approximately 500,000 videos on YouTube posted by preteen and teenage girls who ask viewers this question and solicit brutally honest feedback on their appearance. These videos are a symptom of a...
When I was in sixth grade, I remember the teacher going around the room asking all the students what they wanted to be when they grew up. When it came my turn, I stood up and proudly said I wanted to be a mom and rear my children. I do not remember exactly what the teacher said. All I remember is the impression I got from her that I should "aim a little higher."
Grandmother Willa was a positive influence in my life. She was principled, yet understanding; helpful, but not overly demonstrative; instructional, but not confrontational. The stains on the kitchen ceiling of her small two-bedroom Cape Cod testified to her love of canning and food preparation for family dinners, and that she endeavored to provide for herself...
Recent events in my life have led me to think a lot about serving and giving. My husband became very ill and was in and out of hospitals for a short time. The hospital stays were brutal, but the real work began when he was released and we went home. Caring for my husband and trying to maintain our home at “my” standard was leaving me exhausted to the point that...
The role of women in society has been greatly misunderstood throughout history, which has caused the human family great sorrows. Today we see a gamut of ideas about women’s roles. There are some cultures in which women are considered little more than slaves and are denied basic rights. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we find radical feminists who advocate...
Being age 63 is a good place, and actually a pretty good accomplishment just in itself. When you reach that point in years, you will have been through a lot of life’s experiences and traveled many roads to get to your destination. If you have had children, you have raised them and may be enjoying visits with your grandchildren and know the joy of being a...
What is the most important responsibility a mother has in molding her growing children? Certainly, kids need shelter, food, love and stability. We can think of many physical comforts that will help our children to thrive. However, a Christian mother needs to consider her children’s spiritual growth even more than their physical growth.
The world is a very hectic place. There are work schedules, school schedules, long commutes, after school activities, and play dates besides the routine activities of running a home. If we are not careful, we can “crash and burn” into the Sabbath and not get the full benefit that God intended. As the ladies of the house, we as wives and mothers can do a lot to...
When I was growing up, our family ate most of our evening meals in a small breakfast nook off of the kitchen. Special family dinners were eaten in the formal dining room. Afterwards, Mother and I would clean up. As we worked together, we discussed a variety of profound subjects. Social, school, family, religious, political and moral issues, those especially of...
