During the research and writing of What Your Body Knows About God, Rob got serious about prayer. In his research, he discovered that 12 minutes of focused prayer actually helped to rewire the brain; and he worked hard to carve out time to pray, often in less than hospitable locations. At work, Rob found aContinue reading “Have Mercy On Me, A Sinner”
Monthly Archives: April 2020
Nothing To Say
As we drove through the national park, my husband Rob glanced away from the road toward the shores of Yellowstone Lake. A retired couple sat in two camping chairs a few feet from the water’s edge. No books rested in their laps, no fishing rods in their hands. They simply sat, enjoying the silence, surroundedContinue reading “Nothing To Say”
Words Woven Together
Early in our marriage, Rob and I discovered that we enjoyed working together on writing projects. In college, Rob had studied English, and I had majored in communications. We both loved the written word and hoped to build communications careers after college. As husband and wife, we developed a great writing relationship. In our 20s,Continue reading “Words Woven Together”
Poetry Friday: “The Little Tavern”
The greatest blessings in grief are fellow travelers on sorrow’s way. Grief makes us feel isolated, misunderstood and alone. However, when we meet others whose lives have also been touched by loss, we discover friendship, hope and understanding. We cannot lessen each other’s loads, but we can gently companion each other on this hard pathContinue reading “Poetry Friday: “The Little Tavern””
Christ My Ark: Forty Days of Quarantine
Today is a landmark date in our house — our fortieth day in quarantine. I admit, I’ve been keeping track on the wall calendar in my kitchen. I’m a counter by nature, and marking off the days on the calendar has been a way for me to acknowledge these isolated days and make my peaceContinue reading “Christ My Ark: Forty Days of Quarantine”
Forced to Bloom
On a recent afternoon of yard work, I asked my sons to prune a small tree on the edge of our driveway. New growth threatened to grow over the asphalt; and my sons, ever enthusiastic to use garden tools with blades, happily went to work. When their excitement for the task waned, they headed offContinue reading “Forced to Bloom”
Poetry Friday: “Happiness”
One of the most puzzling aspects of grief — and tough times in general (COVID-19?) — is the persistent inbreaking of joy. Just when life feels hardest, we find something to laugh about, some happiness to celebrate. “There’s just no accounting for happiness, or the way it turns up like a prodigal.” This poem wasContinue reading “Poetry Friday: “Happiness””
The Man Of The House
In the first days after Rob died, one of his best friends came to visit us with a special word on his heart for my boys. Our families are very close; our children have grown up together. The two dads are so much alike that mine see Rob’s friend as a second father. When Rob’sContinue reading “The Man Of The House”
Getting On The Road
As we reach mid-April and the weather warms, one thought occupies my mind constantly: getting on the road. Rob and I loved to travel, and when he began working from home four years ago we committed to increasing the amount of time we were on the road. Over the following summers we logged almost 30,000Continue reading “Getting On The Road”
Only One Tomb Empty
In a calendar of firsts, Easter without Rob surprised me as the hardest “first” to mark. Quarantined Lent was unsettlingly calm, and Easter’s pain snuck up on me and knocked me flat. I wasn’t prepared for how hard this Easter would be. This past Sunday, it wasn’t the holiday traditions I missed, though we usedContinue reading “Only One Tomb Empty”
