One year a friend sent me a Christmas card that showed a cartoon cricket playing a violin and humming the notes that danced over its head. Then on the inside, the card said: "Hum bug! Merry Christmas!" I'm feeling a bit "hum bug" myself this year. Yes I know 'tis the season to be jolly, … Continue reading A Refuge Still Remaining
When I read the long list of author acknowledgments and the many stories in Living Connected: An Introvert's Guide to Friendship by Afton Rorvik (New Hope Publishers, 2021), my first response was "Wow, this author is definitely living connected! How does she do that as an introvert?" Full disclosure, Afton and I are part of … Continue reading Living Connected in a Disgruntled and Disconnected World
When I heard of a new book about seven saints in history who struggled with depression and doubt, I wondered who it might include. Maybe Martin Luther---the great reformer of the sixteenth century---and his experience with depression. Or the twentieth-century Mother Teresa---well-known for her international charitable work---and her less well-known dark night of the soul. … Continue reading When Depression Seeps into Your Spiritual Life
"Maybe having your husband home from the hospital will be a Christmas gift for you." "Then it better be an early Christmas present!" I thought to myself. In that respect, Christmas did come early for us this year, for after six weeks in the hospital, my husband has now been home for over two weeks. That's truly … Continue reading Reducing Holiday Loneliness During a Pandemic
Three years ago I read and reviewed Dorothy Littell Greco's Making Marriage Beautiful: Lifelong Love, Joy, and Intimacy Start With You, so I was curious to read her follow-up book, Marriage in the Middle: Embracing Midlife Surprises, Challenges, and Joys (InterVarsity Press, 2020). How would she address the unique challenges and opportunities of marriage in … Continue reading Marriage: Midlife Crisis or Opportunity?
I know better than to blame anyone for being ill. Whether the illness is physical or mental, no one who is ailing needs the added burden of being shamed for it. When my dad's back pain forced him to lie down after supper, that wasn't malingering or laziness. When a friend's depression descends like a … Continue reading Escaping the Self-Centeredness of Mental Illness
last updated August 16, 2020 I'm not a parent, but I care about kids, families, and mental health, so I'm excited to introduce you to Bring Them Closer: Calling Parents to Courage through the Mental Health Crisis by Connie Jakab (Word Alive Press, 2020). I know Connie since we're both part of the Redbud Writers … Continue reading Kids, Families, and Mental Health
My copy of Linda Hoye's The Presence of Absence is studded with bookmarks so I can return to some of my favourite passages in her wonderful new book. I had to smile when she buys a new Moleskin notebook---then decides she needs a new desk to go with it! (87) I recognize myself both in … Continue reading Busy, Broken, and Being Beloved
April Yamasaki 