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Family
Do I worry too much about my kids?
Q: I’m the mom of three children — two boys ages 9 and 6, and a 4-year-old daughter. I wonder if I am unreasonably consumed by fear and anxiety about my kids’ safety and well-being. This issue is starting to be a source of friction between…
Grilled Fruit with Strawberry Dip
Try something new on the grill this summer! FOR THE DIP: 8 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese 8 strawberries, stems removed and halved 2 tablespoons plain, fat-free yogurt 1/4 teaspoon dried, ground ginger FOR GRILLING: 4…
Advice from Grandparents is Unwelcome & Ignored
Q. I’m writing because I’m concerned about my 12-year-old granddaughter’s attitude and behavior. My daughter—her mother—is a single parent. The father is mostly absent and generally unreliable. Ever since my granddaughter was very young, I…
Saintly Marriages: The Good, The Bad & the Holy
The saints are our cheering section in heaven, rooting for us to finish the race and win the victor’s crown. They can show us how to be better people, better Catholics, and better husbands and wives. Although many saints come from the ranks…
Cool Aid
Who says school’s out for the summer? This summer first-aid primer offers a crash course on preventing and treating common summertime afflictions. The creepy crawlies From fire ants to mosquitoes, there are an awful lot of biting critters…
Five tips to a fabulous faith-filled family vacation
Recently, I traveled from Ohio to Vermont for a quick Fourth of July getaway and the week after that I headed to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for another 700-plus mile road trip. These two long road trips were not only an opportunity for…
Let’s talk barbecue
It’s a huge subject: barbecue; one that has spawned dozens of articles and books, commentaries and doctoral theses, not to mention family feuds and barroom brawls. Does barbecue mean pork or beef? Is it really found in the South alone?…
The whispering mom
What did you say? I can’t hear you. Did you lose your voice? I never truly appreciated the Gospel story found in Luke 1 when Zechariah doubted God’s plan for his life to have a son in his old age and the angel said, “But now you will be…
Barbecued pulled pork
FOR THE RUB: 8 tablespoons paprika 6 tablespoons granulated sugar 4 tablespoons salt 4 tablespoons ground cumin 4 tablespoons black pepper 4 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons…
Encouraging men about the value of fatherhood
In his book, How to be a Superman Dad in a Kryptonite World: Even When You Can’t Afford a Decent Cape (Guiding Light Books, 2017), John Clark, husband and father of nine, draws upon his own experiences to discuss the value of fatherhood.…