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Perseveration
Perseverance and perseveration: words from the same root, similar but nuanced. I first heard the word "perseveration" in my life before kids, when I worked with people who had experienced tramautic brain injury (TBI), helping them find services and assistance to live...
In Sickness and In Health
For nearly a year at the end of her life, my mother-in-law spent her days in a hospital bed. After spinal surgery exactly one year before her death, she began a rapid decline that left her progressively disabled. At first, she could transfer from her bed to a...
A Story of an Uncommon Friendship
I met Lisa when my husband and I moved here seven years ago. When we moved to Chicago, my husband left his job as a pastor, but we didn't leave our faith behind. So before we even chose a place to live, we found a church. We joined our church in its formative stage,...
Pushing Through: The Colonies
It's Tuesday morning and I am teaching history to six 3rd and 4th graders in our homeschool co-op. We have been studying history chronologically, starting with the nomads back in kindergarten through all the ancient civilizations. We've studied about peoples all over...
Leadership Principles Series | Leading Self with Character: Lifelong Learning
Because information is constantly changing, a commitment to lifelong learning is essential for any leader. More than just being open to learn new things, leaders are intentional in their pursuit of learning. A leader seeks to expand her understanding of events through...
Pushing Through: Learning to Read
My daughter Natalie is learning to read. It's not easy yet. She loves being read to: we stack up a pile of our favorites and snuggle on the couch with her two sisters or find a quiet corner of the library. There are some classics that even my almost three year old can...
The Hill
If I close my eyes, I can see myself at the end of our driveway. It is just before dusk. We are stretching our legs, getting ready. The sky is tinged with pink as the sun sinks behind the trees. The air is still. As we turn east to jog down the hill I can hear the...
Leadership Principles Series | Leading Self with Character: Sense of Purpose
Having a strong sense of purpose is necessary for any leader. Before a leader can lead an organization with purpose, she needs to know and articulate her personal sense of purpose. A leader who is able to articulate and identify her mission in life is taking a most...
A Cautionary Tale for Leaders
It was early December 2008 when I sat down at my computer and saw the breaking news about then-governor Rod Blagojevich's arrest on corruption charges. For the weeks leading up to the arrest, my husband, Eric, a law enforcement officer, had been more secretive than...
Make It Happen | Patrick Yoes
Several days into the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, Patrick Yoes and his colleagues surrounded their commander at the emergency control center. As the officers met together, each one brought more bad news. No water. No sewer. No electricity. No supplies. The...
A Reason for Being
My husband is turning 40 tomorrow. We celebrated with a few friends last night, and have plans to enjoy a fun day out tomorrow. It is a milestone birthday, but I don't expect any monumental upheaval. We met during college, so I have now known him about half his life....
More Ways to Have Your Best Year Ever
Earlier this week, I shared two tips about how to have your best year ever: Cut out the complaining. Do what you can to make someone's day extra special. Here are two more ideas: Start with a plan, but be flexible. We all have some non-negotiables in our days. Maybe...