Asking Parents to Give Up Their Keys
One of the hardest things I’ve ever done was to ask my mother and my mother-in-law to give up their car keys. Doing it with each of them on the same day (since they both lived with us) was especially difficult. Our moms loved running their own errands, going out for lunch and driving to […]
Round Four with Cancer … and It’s Still All About Relationship
The last thing you want to hear from your doctor after three battles with cancer is, “I’ve got some bad news for you.” But if those words arrive just two days before Christmas, as they did for me in 2020, it’s actually a lot easier to put them in an eternal context. The Savior we […]
The Two Treasures
My mother-in-law lived with our family for twenty years. For six of those years, my mother also lived with us. Corlette and I called them “the Two Treasures.” In all the years they lived in our home, I never heard one word of criticism, grumbling, or complaining from either of them. Really. They were that […]
A Severe Mercy
One of my dearest friends and coworkers passed away ten days ago. Gary Brook had been fighting a respiratory illness for nearly a decade but had finally been approved for a lung transplant in Seattle, Washington. Just hours before his death, he and I had been planning the drive to Seattle. Gary was going through […]
Your Legacy
What is the greatest legacy you could pass on to your children and grandchildren? Lavish Christmas presents? Money? Property? Investments? Family name? Social or business connections? Nope. None of these items is guaranteed to bless others. In fact, all of these things could become a snare or a stumbling block if your children don’t know […]
Don’t Slap Mom
Many adult children are slapping their elderly parents these days. Not with their hands; with their words. When mom asks a question the first time, they may respond graciously. But when she asks the same question again and again, they often respond with words like these: “I already told you …” “Didn’t you hear me?” […]
Preparing for the End
Every relationship ends in pain. Whether it’s with a pet, a friend, or a family member. If the relationship was wonderful, we feel a great loss. If it was terrible, we’re filled with regret. There is no way to eliminate this pain … but there are ways to reduce it. One of those ways is […]
A Sickness Not Unto Death
As many of you know, I was diagnosed with cancer in June and had my thyroid surgically removed. Two weeks ago I swallowed a tablet of radioactive iodine to kill any remaining thyroid cells. Late last week I had a full body scan to see if there were any other discernible tumors in my body. […]
Serving During Surgery
Last week I was well-served by an outstanding medical team. Over a dozen people at the Billings Clinic pooled their training and talents to repair a small hernia in my abdomen. From beginning to end, they cared for me with the utmost in professional skill and personal attention. As a result, I’m mending quickly, with […]