I’ve always been passionate. Passion for me spills over into just about everything I do. I cook with passion, trying to improve each recipe. I write with passion, about the…
Young Adults
Disappointments as Divine Direction
When things don’t go the way we want, for us or our kids, it is so easy to try to “fix” things, make them go the way we believe they…
Exit Bitterness
My mother and grandmother had a contentious relationship. I say “relationship” very gingerly. As a youth the divorce of her parents put a wedge between them that would last until…
Don’t Freak Out: How to Respond Wisely to Your Teen and Young Adult’s Choices and Opinions
Dear Dr. Degler, What is up with my 18-year-old child? She’s a good kid overall but she is making choices that upset me, like saying she isn’t sure if the…
My Adult Children
“Lord, teach me how to pray for my adult children. I know You are greater than anything they face. Thank You that my prayers for them have power because You…
Launching Our Children Like Arrows
This past fall a photo stream of parents dropping their kids off at college filled my social media newsfeeds. Proud, teary eyed parents, beaming teenagers, decked out dorm rooms, and…
Holidays with Parents and In-laws: Let It Be Good
You’re into preparation mode-shopping, cooking, invitations, fundraisers, junk mail, Christmas cards, special parties. And this is above and beyond the regular stuff on your plate–sports teams, concerts, work deadlines, homework…
Six Helpful Mother-in-Law Ideas
We have all probably heard the old adage, “A daughter is a daughter for life. But a son’s a son ’til he takes a wife.” As the mother of boys,…
Stepmom Living: The Things I Have Learned
I had two stepmoms in my lifetime. One when I was fourteen, and the second when I was thirty. That means I should have known what it was like to…
I Met Hazel for Coffee
The other day I met Hazel for coffee. The youngest, most adorable coffee date I have ever had! We met at the local coffee shop. Her mom and I spent…