A Few Thoughts on How We Grandparent

  Recently a friend asked me (in a card) if I had a grandparenting devotional that I used and liked. I hadn’t even thought of looking for one. I look forward to answering her question in person, but instead of disappointing her with a “no”, I will share with her […]

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When Relationships Get Messy at Our House

We’ve had this sign longer than I can remember. I remember the store I bought it in, but I am fuzzy on what town it was in, who I was with (a dear friend, I think), and what year. Most days I barely notice it. But this morning it spoke […]

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When Your Kids Keep Making Decisions You Don’t Agree With

Yep, it happened again. One of my kids made a decision that I didn’t agree with. In fact, I was absolutely against it. When she shared her plan with me I gave her my reasons why her plan was not a good idea. My wisdom did nothing to change her […]

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Your Part in Healing Your Relationship with Your Adult Child

I find the biggest obstacle to parents building relationship with their kids who are making decisions they don’t agree with is the parent. Yes, the parent. I’m not blaming parents for their kids’ poor decisions nor am I putting the responsibility of those decisions on the parents. I am saying […]

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Celebrating the Holidays with Adult Kids and Less Stress

I hate to sound cliché but the holidays are upon us. Yes, we are only in the first few days of October, but you know I’m right. Christmas decorations have taken over Hobby Lobby; even Target has started a small section for Christmas lights. Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here […]

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What Comes Next: When Your Adult Kids Face Difficult Times

Sometimes I think back to the struggles and hard times Gene and I have had in our marriage, especially the early years. I remember feeling hopeless and helpless. I remember wondering if the situation would ever change. Then I try to remember what brought about change. Was it a piece […]

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What Comes Next: When Your Kids Make Decisions You Don’t Agree With

I wrote Love No Matter What: When Your Kids Make Decisions You Don’t Agree With after our oldest daughter launched. Katie was in her early twenties and both of us had been in process to grow our relationship and make better choices. Lots of life has happened since the book […]

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We’re Not Perfect, but We Love Each Other

“When I See Your Family I See the Perfect Family.” Recently someone said this to me. I didn’t know whether to first laugh or apologize for giving such an impression. I do not intend to give the impression that we are the perfect family. In fact, in two of my […]

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How I am Building a Lifelong Relationship with My Kids

“Without relationship you have nothing.”* This quote is from my book, Love No Matter What: When Your Kids Make Decisions You Don’t Agree With. The older I grow the more I realize its truth. Without relationship we have nothing. Relationships are the core of life. The first and most important […]

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Am I a Soft Place to Land?

The other day I found myself saying to one of our girls, “I want to be a soft place for you kids to land.” My words have haunted me since. What did I mean by “a soft place to land”? Was I a soft place to land? I wanted to […]

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