Making Room for More

Over ten years ago, I was at a women’s conference when a thought popped up in my head, “Do not let your tiredness be your ‘bowl of lentils’.” I was newly widowed. I was taking care of young children while handling a significant workload in my job, with functional responsibilities over a number of countries in […]

For the Widows and Orphans of Uganda

Will you help me go to Uganda for the widows and orphans? My heart was awakened to the plight of the women and children of Uganda when I heard their story through the traveling Watoto Children’s Choir when I was in Raleigh, North Carolina. Nearly ten years later, I saw them again in Sydney, Australia. Like […]

When It’s Not In Your Control

This year, my friends and family in the US have one of the most difficult election choices to make. Where is certainty? Do they vote for the assurance of one party to legislate in ways that support their preferences and values? Do they close their eyes to the inconsistencies between words and actions? Is this […]

To Mothers Who are Fathers, Happy Father’s Day!

To more than 780 thousand single mother families in Australia, to the mothers who are the fathers in their households around the world, Happy Father’s Day! In June 2012, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were 780 thousand single mother families. They made up 81% of one parent families. Is your family like one […]

The Fire Within

It’s easy to be upbeat when all seems well in life. A peaceful home, good health, a loving family … that’s what makes me smile! And it’s even better when the weather is cooperating, too. To step out into the sunshine is like a punctuation mark in my day. I love it when I am hitting goals. […]

Go, Tell!

John George “Jack” Phillips sat in the “wireless” room of the Titanic, busily sending telegraphic messages from the ship’s passengers. Trying to claw back what might have seemed a mountain of backlog after the “wireless” equipment broke down the day before. Then at 9.30pm came an iceberg warning from the steamship Mesaba. He quickly scribbled […]

Like New Year’s Day

It was like New Year’s Day when I brought her home, my gorgeous first-born. When that child, now a woman, came out of surgery with a spirit and a smile unscathed by the scalpel. When ten days later I brought her home, my gorgeous first-born. I could have lit fireworks. It was like New Year’s Day! It […]

Beautiful, Beautiful Philippines (May Peace Be Yours in Abundance)

The slaughter of the Philippines National Police – Special Action Force personnel #fallen44 in #Mamasapano have troubled me deeply. Where is peace? What is the price of freedom from the clutches of terror, greed and corruption, ineptitude and disunity? Where is justice and righteousness? Where is the dream that my country of birth will soar again? Though […]

Making New Memories

“All these pieces Broken and scattered In mercy gathered Mended and whole … Amazing grace!” It was the end of winter, but the house and yard still looked bleak from the street.It was empty, of course. Which made it look more lonely, dejected.The shrubs were overgrown. The garden looked tired. I turned off the key in […]

What Is Simple?

Guest Post by Miriam Harkness It has been three weeks since my first (and hopefully last) major operation. Those twenty-one days have been some of the best and the worst of my entire life. It was remarkable how a situation can completely flip around in just a little over three hours. I am now only […]

It’s Just Another Chapter, Not The End Of My Story

Guest Post by Miriam Harkness “Completely horrible.” “Heartbreaking!” I can almost hear what others think about the major surgery I will go through this week. That is not how I see it. This marks a new chapter in my life, but not the end of my story. A chapter has ups and downs, sudden plot twists, […]

Her Father’s Eyes

“Look at those big eyes!” I exclaimed as I gazed into the beautiful orbs of my new-born daughter. No, she does not have my eyes. Mine are like my father’s eyes, with hallmarks of his Filipino Malay-Chinese heritage. My daughter’s eyes are huge for her face. They are like her father’s big, blue ones. […]