Among the most popular and bountiful of summer’s fresh garden produce is the infamous zucchini. Even during years when gardens struggle, it seems the zucchini still produces abundantly. Just recently, my dad offered me some zucchini from his garden. As I began to think about how I might fix t...
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Our youngest grandchild is now six months old, and I have been reminded each time I hold him of how quickly these little ones grow.  He is learning to reach out to grab objects, his bottle, cup, new foods being introduced to him, his brothers' faces when they get too close and our hair if we g...
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In my last column, I wrote about my mother’s mindful approach to parenting. I would like to move a little deeper into the benefits of mindfulness.  Some people think of mindfulness as being primarily a Buddhist practice, but it’s not.  Quite simply, mindfulness is being fully...
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For the past five weeks I have been involved with a class called “Images of Jesus.”  The diversity in this class has been such a gift.  One of the students is originally from Viet Nam.  She was a little girl during the Viet Nam War.  Others are from Africa, and they...
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“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit̶...
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A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to chat with Sister Eileen Reckelhoff, a member of the Benedictine community of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand. During the course of our conversation Sister Eileen mentioned how her family life at home very much mirrored life in the monastic...
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Perhaps you didn’t realize it, but June 2nd was National Doughnut Day!  We may find it funny to celebrate such a thing, but now really, who doesn’t enjoy a good doughnut!  I came across an interesting story of a tradition that began in Chicago in 1938 to finance the Salvation...
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One of my most beloved scripture passages is John 14:2, where Jesus says, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”  When I was a child and I tried to imagine what that dwelling place would...
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“Let the children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs” (Mark 10:14).   Two weeks ago our neighbors extended an invitation to my husband and me to attend a Kentucky Derby party. We were excited to attend, especially since we have...
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A few weeks ago a friend and former co-worker passed away. As those of us who knew “Toots” Kunkler reminisced about her life, one subject dominated our conversation—her wonderful sense of humor. As we shared stories of how she sometimes made us laugh until our stomachs hurt, I rem...
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