What happens when a biological father leaves his children? The reasons vary, but for purposes of this column, let’s say it’s because the parents divorce. And in time, the mother remarries and the children now have a stepfather. It’s that relationship between a stepfather and his stepdaughter that’s the focus of this column. Amber Jeske is an occupational therapist assistant […]

Every so often it’s fun to relay the silly things that happen in the news. For example, every year the “Stella Awards” are published. For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after Stella Liebeck, 81, who spilled hot coffee on herself, then sued the McDonald’s restaurant in New Mexico where she bought the coffee. Liebeck apparently took the […]

If “patience” could be bottled and sold, “patience,” the sellers would be rich beyond their wildest dreams. Patience is a virtue, and if practiced on a regular basis, can protect us from being tempted toward anger, and in some situations, rage. All of us experience tension in our lives requiring us to practice a lot of tolerance and acceptance. The […]

Baby boomers born in 1952 are next to join the ranks of Medicare beneficiaries. And, for me, that magic age of 65 will happen in November. When I was younger, I thought time would always be on my side. Like the ant and the grasshopper, there was no reason for me to worry, because age 65 was so far out […]

In the fall 2005, husband Randy and I became empty-nesters. Our daughter, Tracy, was attending the Seattle Art Institute, son Tanner was attending a trade school in Denver and Joey was starting as a freshman at Benedictine College in Atchison. I’ve always been, and will always be, very proud of our children. As parents, we did the best we could […]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. It seems that as I enter my 71st year of life, the more I contemplate that statement. It compels a person in the final decades of life to ponder such questions as, “Who is God that he is aware of us?” and, “Who are we that we are aware of […]

A dear friend once compared my marriage as similar to two elephants living in a tree—it’s possible, she said, but could get very uncomfortable at times. My friend was “colorful” with the way she described situations, and after almost 24 years of marriage, there are times it does get a bit cramped in our little tree. I can’t speak for […]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. It seems that as I enter my 71st year of life, the more I contemplate that statement. It compels a person in the final decades of life to ponder such questions as, “Who is God that he is aware of us?” and, “Who are we that we are aware of […]

My New Year’s resolutions for 2016 started off by asking for God’s help in strengthening my relationships, whether it was with family, co-workers or friends. I looked at last year as a new chapter, but wanting more substance and purpose. Never would I have imagined that in less than three months into 2016 we would lose our son, Joey. At […]

Donald Trump is president-elect with promises of oil promoting ideas. OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, is cutting oil production. My relatives at Thanks­giving with oil insights were happy for the outlook, whether they liked Trump or not. One family from western Colorado said nearly 20 percent of their customers in a health-related industry had been oil-production workers. Their jobs were […]