Two (absolutely) unbiased recent case studies from Craig and Carolyn’s life: We were at the coast for a week, seeking a break from the tension and weight of responsibilities. On our second day there, we courageously ventured out to the local grocery to buy supplies. While there… *so many shoppers aimlessly wandering the produce aisles that Craig instantly decides he doesn’t want …
The COVID Burger? PART TWO: Straight Talk
*Forget the fries: NOT THAT I’M ANGRY or DEPRESSED I guess I’d be surprised (or skeptical?) these days by anyone who insists he/she isn’t fighting low-level anger (that can quickly heat up) and/or some degree of depression. They are the flavors du jour for the pandemic of 2020, eh? Rather than deny their existence or expend (wasted) energy on attempts to eradicate them, …
COVID CONDIMENTS PART THREE: Hamburgers, Help, Hilarity
Where you wanna eat today?I dunno. Where do YOU wanna go?I can’t decide. Apparently I’m not up to making big decisions today.Well, you still need to decide.NO – you need to pick something! (Thirty minutes go by.) Have you decided where you wanna go eat yet?No…I thought we decided YOU had to decide! Can you believe that dialogue? Our pathetic back ‘n forth questions continued …
Happy Birthday, Robb!
Awakened at 4 a.m. after hearing a “pop!” and then…an instant flood! Craig’s asking, “Are you sure your water broke?” Calling the doctor….to hear “Yes, you do need to go to the hospital” Hours and hours of nothing until the “pit” was begun Contractions that felt like they never truly ended because the baby was face up instead of face …
WARNING: DANGER AHEAD! Are You Sending Signals? Part One
I could feel my breathing become more erratic, my heart thumping. I needed to tell Craig something…something risky…something I was totally ashamed to admit to myself, let alone to Craig. But I knew that I had to tell him and get it out there for both of us to look at and fight, together. Still, I hesitated and searched for …
WARNING: DANGER AHEAD! Is Someone Sending You Signals? Part Two
Let’s go on the offensive. Due to the feelings of heightened insecurity we’re all trying to process during this pandemic, it’s imperative that we: *Protect our own personal integrity, character, morality *Protect our marriage Risk level: Please hear us when we caution that we’re always at risk: it’s a matter of how high that risk might be. And right …
WARNING: DANGER AHEAD! (Ninja Classes Recommended) Part Three
Craig was an executive pastor at a church when a woman requested an appointment in his office for pastoral counseling. She was vague about the specifics, so Craig—sensing something was a bit off—asked his administrative assistant to be close by and ready. Just in case. When she arrived, he welcomed her warmly and offered her a seat facing him. A …
It’s about Surrender
Familiar with the book The Horse Whisperer? Written by Nicholas Evans, it’s the story of teenaged Grace and her beloved horse Pilgrim. She’s riding one snowy morning when an 18-wheeler truck slides on ice and crashes into them. It’s a horrific accident: Grace loses a leg, and Pilgrim is so terrorized that he won’t allow anyone near him—not even …
Insecurity Revelation: What’s Your Default Button?
COVID has altered our culture and society in unprecedented and unsettling ways that we never could have envisioned before March 11, 2020. In light of all that change from “old normal” to “present normal” and what we imagine to be the “new normal,” Craig and I believe there’s great value in taking a realistic look at how it’s affecting each …
Hang in There!
What We’re Learning from the Pandemic Feeling weary? Worn out? Frustrated? Just plain $@**%!!?? We are too. This is our attempt to encourage and say, We care about you; we’re here to help. That subtitle sounds like the proverbial “What I Did for My Summer Vacation” composition. But we hope this really is helpful rather than stale and redundant. And it’s short. …