Jailhouse TP and Other Summer Problems

A few months ago, I sent my husband to the store with a list. In my mind, it was fairly simple. Basic grocery items, shampoo, toilet paper. Thankful for the blessing of not having to make the trip to the store, I happily waited to unload the bags when he returned. But...

Did They Give Up?

There is a story in the Bible toward the end of Acts that always gives me a little chuckle, and at the same time, reminds me of God’s faithfulness. The apostle Paul had been arrested and put into jail, basically because he believed in eternal life through Christ....

Anatomy of a Road Trip

My husband and I met at a small college in Iowa. Going into it all, I should have known there was a good chance I’d end up marrying an Iowa farm boy. But I also didn’t think I’d ever be the type to want a small town Iowa life (although I now sometimes wish for it)....

I Was Almost an Olympic Diver

The Olympics have started and I think it’s time I tell you something. I was almost an Olympic diver. And by almost, I mean, I once tried diving. And by tried, I mean I got on the board with the intention of making a dive. Here’s how it all went down: I was on the swim...

In Case the Police Show Up

A few weeks ago, there was a story on the front page of our local small-town paper that grabbed my attention. It was actually a very sad story that I won’t go into but one particular paragraph stood out to me. Due to a suspected crime, the sheriff’s office had...

Listening to Him

I was prepping for my annual guests last summer – a car full of women from Iowa arriving to talk, walk, shop, and eat for three days. We first bonded during the parenting years, in adjoining foxholes, during the “parenting war.” We would slip each other intel – often...