When we watch family videos, I am always amazed.
I remember one video when I am standing in kitchen busy at a task.
I was getting snacks for my children who had just come home from school.
One of my older daughters was filming, taking on the role of family chronicler.

As I was going here and there in the kitchen, while my older son was talking.
I was keenly aware of the other children all around me, but this particular son had a lot to say.
He talked about the teacher changing their seats.
He talked about who he was sitting with and where his new seat was located in the classroom.

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Two months of rest.
Two months of putting my writing on the back burner.
Two months of not recording the Whispers I hear.
It has been a refreshing time, yet I have missed it.

My husband retired.
His surprise party was a success.
My daughter’s belly is growing as she and her husband wait for their third child, due in January.
Wedding planning is revving up for our youngest daughter’s wedding in April.

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There are so many things that parents have to teach their children.
We teach them to walk and talk.
We teach them to take care of themselves and their physical needs.
We teach them how to get along with others.

Along the way, we teach our children manners.
Please and thank you are important early lessons.
Often a child needs to be prompted when they are first learning.
What do you say? or What’s the magic word? helps trigger the polite response.

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Just like that, our oldest granddaughter had her third birthday.
In just a blink of an eye, we arrived here.
We all had stories about the day she was born.
We told her that we came to see her and held her at the hospital on her birthday.

She smiled.
She liked the thought of us being there.
She liked the thought that we held her and met her so quickly after she was born.
She has to rely on our stories and we are delighted to tell them.

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I heard a story that touched my heart.
I was listening to a Bible study on the book of Proverbs.
This day, the focus was on parenting.
Even though my five children are raised, I was still interested.

A story was told about a young boy who was left in charge of his little sister.
His mother had to go out for a short time.
After she left, this boy who loved to draw and paint, decided to paint a picture of his sister.
He was so engrossed in his painting, he didn’t realize that he got paint all over everything.

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Since March of last year, my husband has been working from home.
Neither of us imagined he would be working remotely for almost an entire year.
Working remotely has come with its own set of challenges.
However, a year later, it has become the norm.

If given a choice, I think most people would say that a hybrid model would be best.
Working some days from home and some days in the office would be good.
People are realizing that it is possible to work from home.
Companies are realizing that they can have a different business model and still be successful.

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I remember her saying this often.
My mother was able to capture things she was trying to teach me in a few words.
It was easy for me to remember.
It was easily rehearsed in my mind.

I now see the benefit of what she was trying to do.
She died forty-five years ago.
Yet, I can still remember so many of her words.
Especially now, I was thinking about something she said when I was in grade school.

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I was waiting in the checkout line.
I was obediently standing behind the designated six-foot distance mark on the floor.
There was a person ahead of me with a cart full of groceries.
There was a price discrepancy that needed to be addressed.

The placement of this particular register is a bit strange.
It is the last register before the customer service desk.
There is a small staircase next to this register.
The staircase has only four steps, that lead to an office.

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My daughter sent me a picture.
It made me smile on a quarantine day when I needed a smile.
I smiled because I understood.
Training a child is an ongoing process.

My oldest granddaughter will be two-years-old next month.
She just became a big sister.
Her little sister was born a few days ago.
We are all rejoicing.

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The email came at the beginning of the week.
A surprise was planned.
The surprise was simply meant to encourage.
It was a wonderful idea.

The pastor of our church has been faithfully using social media during the virus crisis.
Services are streamed each Sunday morning.
Prayer times are available each day around lunchtime.
Bible study is every Wednesday night.

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