As I age, the number of candles on the cake become less important. The big milestones have passed. The first one is age ten – double digits. Then thirteen – the beginning of the teen years. Eighteen – adulthood. Twenty-one means I could vote and drink. Thirty indicates I’m no longer a kid. Forty, fifty,…
With the change of seasons, my website will be evolving and making some minor changes. Going forward, I will write on a number of subjects, including aging with grace, how others handle the end of their caregiving seasons, and even some book reviews. I welcome suggestions and guest blog posts. In the weeks ahead, Jane’s…
“Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turned out.” — Jack Buck
“What would you think about moving in with Mom?” my husband asked one recent evening. Before the last syllable died in the ensuing silence, I was already shaking my head from side to side. “No. Nope. No way.” There would be bloodshed. Not mine. A few weeks later, he brought it up again. My 93-year-old…
Webster’s Dictionary defines a caregiver as “A person who cares for someone who is sick or disabled.” A caretaker, by contrast, is “A person who is in charge of the maintenance of a building, estate, etc.” But Webster’s goes on to say, “A person who takes care of another.” When I think of the word…
The Fear Behind the Fear My friend Greg’s mom, Alene, and I discussed dying. It’s something she thinks about, now that she’s in her eighth decade. “I’m not so much afraid about eternity. I guess I’m scared about the actual event of dying. Will it hurt? Will I struggle to breathe or have pain?” She…
I had the privilege of talking with Dr. Freda Crews of Time For Hope. Her television program inspires and informs Christians who struggle with physical, emotional, and spiritual issues. Dr. Freda V. Crews, D. Min., Ph.D., is the Director of Time for Hope Ministries and the host of Time for Hope, the internationally syndicated television…
In my father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:12 “I’m afraid to die.” I’ve heard this comment from more than one older person. And all are professing Christians. What is going on? Christians have an abiding belief…
Rarely does a novel catch my attention as much as this one. As a west coast girl from birth, I was ignorant of how other cities and states were established. Ms. Green’s extensive research was an eye-opening glimpse into the people who settled in New Orleans. These brave souls battled Native Americans, the British, and…
Have you ever ignored someone speaking to you? Perhaps she asked you to do something you didn’t want to do (this is especially pervasive in the teen years). Sometimes I pretend I can’t hear my husband when he asks me for the seventh time how to find a document on the computer. He admits to…