Janet's Blog

The last couple of weeks have been emotionally challenging, and not only on the home front, where Levi has been making some changes with his school schedule and overall attitude, and Victoria is needing some motivation to accept more adult responsibilities. We are all aware of yet another school shooting, in Florida this time, and the inevitable aftermath of finger-pointing, as people try to determine who they should blame. Then, the Olympics have just finished, not dominated by the U.S. this time, but still thought-provoking and often fun to watch--even the Curling. So much of our American culture is centered on our children, and their sports activities and education. School is intense, much harder than it used to be, because there is so much more to learn, and so many more tests to take. In a society where children continue to have a variety of interests and abilities, and where they all learn at different rates, it seems as though many school administrators have taken the attitude...

At first thought, it seems like an oxymoron--you know, two words that seem to contradict each other, like "working vacation" or "jumbo shrimp," or even "wisely foolish," which is an exact translation of the original Greek word, oxymoron . Or, like today, "Ash Wednesday/Valentine's Day." Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, when liturgical Christians throughout the world, during the six weeks before Easter, reflect on their sinfulness and their need for a Savior. Many Christians will attend a special service, where the pastor or priest will dip his hand in ashes (often made when last year's Palm Sunday palms are burned), then make the sign of the cross on each person's forehead. This symbolizes our need for our Savior, who died on the cross for us. It also reminds us of our own mortality, as indicated in Genesis 3:19: “For dust you are and to dust you shall return.” In Old Testament times, people would express their repentance b...

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "Opposites attract." It seems to be true. Two magnets' opposite poles always stick together firmly, while two of the same, either north or south, will repel each other every time. Two colors that are across from each other on the color wheel are often paired together for pleasing home or clothing design. The two opposing sides of Velcro stick together reliably. Most teenage girls are attracted to teenage boys, and vice versa. Cake goes well with ice cream.  And then, there is the story of Bill and me, opposites in so many ways, yet attracted to each other, firmly, for 44 years. He is tall and I'm short. He was a red head, whose hair has faded to white, while my dark brown hair is now mostly silver. His eyes are blue; mine are green. He is an extrovert; I'm an introvert. He loves to talk, but I prefer to listen or write. He chooses to watch a movie, but I would rather read the book. Bill grew up in the western Nebraska...

My grandson, Tobin, turned six last week. Surely, it was just yesterday when he was a newborn and his sisters were mere wishes. And wasn't it just the day before that, when Levi was an inquisitive four-year-old, sitting on his stool at the kitchen table, head tilted to one side as he stated decisively, "I didn't know that." And then, just before Levi joined our family, there was little Victoria, almost five, pointing to the top of the refrigerator where we kept the cookies, questioning, "Some-ping up dere?" It must have been yesterday, or not too long before, when Erin and Meagan were mere babes, nursing at my breast, then snuggling in, to sleep on my lap. Falling asleep was never a problem for Meagan, but even Miss "Who needs sleep?" Erin slept well when she was brand new.  It seems like just yesterday when Mom and little Danny and I, when I was six, sat at the kitchen table together, playing a game of Old Maid, and anticipating our new ...