Grandfamilies: You Go First

Sawyer And Cadence. December 2011. When you’re five years old and your 13-month old brother barges right smack through the middle of your epic army man battle, you’re likely to be mad. It’s also likely that in short order your mom or some other adult on the scene will encourage you to forgive and move on. […]


Are You Playing Fair?

Christmas Eve, 1973:  My new hospital roommate wastes no time calling her adult children:  I know it’s Christmas Eve, and I certainly don’t want to interrupt your time with your wife and children, but I thought I should let you know that I’m in the hospital.  Well, they think it’s the same thing that killed your father, may God […]


Maybe We All Need Charm School

My Husband After Falling on His Backside While Tending a Line Aboard Our State’s Official Tall Ship, the Californian. October, 2008. A Plea for Decency I am now an official curmudgeon. I came to this conclusion while driving home from work last Thursday. I was listening to the radio as I made my way home, looking forward […]


Stalking the Unified Church

Bibles and Stuff, Dude.  I wonder what Paul would make of the proliferation of denominations proclaiming the Christian faith. Without too much mental strain, we can easily rattle off a list: Assembly of God. Baptist. Catholic. Congregational. Disciples of Christ. Episcopalian. Friends. Lutheran. Methodist. Mennonite. Presbyterian. I find it remarkable that both the Metropolitan Community […]


Passion, Public Discourse, and Politics

Little League All-Stars.  Heard the one about the candidate who was caught burning a flag on a fire built of banned books, while making out with his seventeen-year-old boyfriend in the back seat of his wife’s car, parked at the hospital where his special-needs child was undergoing emergency treatment for cancer? Me either.Not yet.But I think […]