I am honored to share this poem written by my mother-in-law, Nancy Schweingruber. Three years ago on September 12 she stood by her beloved husband, Don, and watched him take his last breath. Her words capture a story of grief and deep love. We miss you every day, Don, and treasure the time we had with you. And to my… Read More
“Am I Grieving Right?”
We sit at the kitchen table, brushing off the chill of a winter evening. Gloria puts down her coffee mug and reaches for a picture of her children. Through tears, she tells me about her oldest son’s life, and quietly laughs when describing his antics. He died three years ago, and she obviously misses him. After reflecting on her grief… Read More
Christmas Joy and Peace on Earth in a Broken World
It can be hard to find the joy of Christmas when we live in a broken world. How do we say “Peace on Earth” when children are gunned down in schools, people killed at concerts, and countries are at war? How do we sing “Joy to the World” after hearing news reports or seeing haunting images of terror? We know… Read More
When a Shepherd Plays the Trumpet
As he walked towards the door, he no doubt was heading to other important events in his day. But when my three-year-old daughter showed interest in his trumpet case, he set everything down immediately. Kneeling beside her, he opened the case and showed her how to play the trumpet. She laughed as he made funny sounds on the horn. Then… Read More
Good Friday, Good Grief
A Good Friday tenebrae service is one of my favorite times in church. In Latin “tenebrae” means shadows or darkness in Latin. In a tenebrae service, there is a gradual extinguishing of candles while reflecting on the death of Jesus. For Christians, the Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter services are holy and foundational to their faith. In addition, the… Read More
A Thousand Ways in Life and Death
Remembering Don Schweingruber on his birthday. In a thousand different ways, I learn how you died. When I see a perfect gift for you and know I’ll never watch you open another present. When I am in the grocery store remembering our shopping trips and knowing we will never cook together again. It takes time for our multiple levels of… Read More
Finding Joy in Ordinary Moments
Today is leap day. As with many occasions, there are social media and marketing attempts to make your leap day extra special. What can you do in one day? Don’t waste your extra 24 hours! I’m all for making the most of every day. However, I don’t like the pressure of these “special days.” Yes, it is fun to do… Read More
Living Life while Facing Death
Daniel greatly admired his wife. He described her as a wonderful role model for people. She modeled how to live life and how to face death. Daniel said his wife wanted to capture life and keep living even as she faced cancer. After several years of living with cancer and enduring many medical procedures, they discovered her treatment options were… Read More
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