[As appeared on CharismaMag.com]

What do you want to be when you grow up? [As appeared on BostonHerald.com] As a child and later as a mom, this has been a frequent conversation starter in my home. I personally wanted to be a psychiatrist, but when we started exploring careers in school, I realized it would require a medical focus. I can’t deal with blood, so that dream was quickly dashed.

Some of the hardest times in our lives to trust in God are when our plans get ruined. We have expectations, we have hope, but then everything shifts. “Why God would you do this to me? Did I make a mistake putting my trust in you?”

You’ve heard the advice many times before, save for retirement. But have you started yet?

Think of the last meal you ate in a restaurant. Do you think the plate it was served on was larger or smaller than your dinner plate at home? Do you think portions served were bigger or smaller than what you normally serve at home?

While things seemed to be getting back to normal, the start of this school year may be another uncertain one. Many parents are wondering if their child's school will be open all year or if it will it be another year of quarantines and closures.

[As appeared on Star Tribune] Whether you grew up with a brother or sister, or maybe multiple siblings, those with whom you share parents (and sometimes a room with!) create a bond that is not usually easily broken. Sometimes you fight like cats and dogs, sometimes you are the best of friends.

My mom was born at home in eastern Tennessee in 1935. She was the third girl and named Bennie Mae after her dad. Not unusual in a rural farming community of the time, my grandparents had 8 more children after her.