You should see the pictures on my camera roll—pictures of things I use to try and fix me.

Autumn has become a sort of anthem for me, recognizing that God is with me, no matter where I’m at in life. The song begins with a vibrant description of summer—when life is full and abundant.

1. Be silly! 2. Let your voice be heard. Don’t subdue your voice to make others comfortable. 3. Always wear a black shirt while…

“Listen to the whispers,” a friend tells me, because everything you do or decide not to do, is leaving you clues.

A few weeks ago, we took our youngest child to college. I confess I started counting down the weeks to that moment even as the summer days appeared endless.

Our words flew over and around each other, landing on ears unwilling to listen. We were both so sure we were right. We both knew the other was wrong—And we just had to get our points across.

Twas the end of the summer,
It just wasn’t right.
Every beach chair was packed up,
And so were the kites…Make room for the soup
The outdoor fireside chats.
Make room for the leaves,
Thank God, no more gnats!

Are our nest ever really empty? As our adult children spread their wings, many parents, like us, are finding unique ways to stay connected with their kids.

Having successfully avoided playing golf for the first 40-some years of my life, asking if, “I really enjoy golf?” Does beg the question.

He spotted her across the room and nonchalantly worked his way in her direction. Looking very Sophia Loren meets Annette Funicello…dark hair, captivatingly-sexy brown eyes, and a figure any woman of the day would envy–my dad made his approach. Minutes into their small talk, he realized this “gorgeous woman” was one of Jantzen’s few female marketing representatives at the time. At that moment, he no longer cared if Miss Missouri was even in attendance.