I’m living alone, and I’ve decided to cope with that by not always staying alone. So I invited three couples for dinner. Like everything else in my life now, it felt odd, a strange mix of the familiar with the all-new.

We often hear “doubting Thomas” said with a sneer, as if it’s wrong to think twice before deciding to believe something fantastic. But maybe we need to give Thomas a break.

Gradual cognitive decline followed by critical weakness in his body led to our separation after decades of being together.

This year I signed Easter cards with my name alone. I’m finally ready to admit that our reality has changed.

We can imagine the words meant more to the disciples that day than ever before. They had likely never felt less at peace.

I can honestly report, “We are doing fine.” This is true for several reasons.

I wonder how often God has shown up in my life and I haven’t noticed.

Yesterday I moved Evelyn into a residential memory care facility. I’m hoping I remain convinced that was the right decision.

Long after the hoorays and hallelujahs and happiness of Easter, it’s good for us to ponder the resurrection.

“Every time you say ‘yes’ to one thing, you must say ‘no’ to something else.”

Jesus, God himself made flesh, came to earth not just to speak or heal or surprise. He came to suffer. That means something to us caregivers.

Sometimes I wonder what I’d be thinking and feeling and doing if our lives hadn’t been invaded by illness.

If I were concocting a story about a new savior of the world, this is not at all how I would have written it.

As the list of difficult or unseemly duties lengthens, my sadness is almost dulled. I feel myself getting weary.

Isn’t it encouraging to believe God has a mission for each of us, despite how often we don’t live up to our good intentions?

What is really changing in the deterioration happening before our eyes? And what will never change? A thoughtful question led me to ponder issues beyond what I’m seeing today.

Why did Judas betray Jesus? And why do we insist on taking actions to prod God to do things our way?

Asking for help is humbling. But at two different times last week, I had absolutely no other choice.

Like the disciples, we were experiencing life much as we expected until everything changed in the space of a very short time.

A friend has helped me think afresh about anger. I’m going to claim it, use it, unleash it against the mess we’re in.