It began in August . . . fever, chills, headache, sore throat, swollen glands . . . all the signs and symptoms of the seasonal flu. But no one gets the flu in August, which was reason enough to avoid going to the doctor. School got underway, and the symptoms continued. I tried over-the-counter stuff […]
Author: Colleen Swindoll Thompson
What Color Is Fall?
I am watching the leaves change in our neighborhood; autumn is abounding, the air is crisp, and the colors of fall have arrived. Fall is nostalgic for me; November includes celebrations of the birth of my first child, Ashley, and my dad’s favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. I recall holding Ashley in my arms for our first Thanksgiving feast […]
What to Do When You’re Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired
I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I must admit; I am not a great patient. I don’t have time to be sick, and typically, I get cranky rather quickly when I am sick for more than half an hour. Well, it has been a month . . . need I say more? Recently, it […]
Underdogs
I had been sorting through stacks of papers for six hours; it was now 1:00 in the morning. Twelve years of my son Jon’s educational tests, medical reports, teachers’ notes, and therapy summaries—once organized in chronological order—had become stacked in disarray on my study shelves over time. Reviewing twelve years of material is overwhelming for […]
Carpets, Cleaning, and the Key to Calm Stability
It seemed like a good idea at the time. My husband and I have been in our current home for four years, along with five teenagers, their 1,321 friends, and three dogs. When we moved to this house, the carpet was near white-ish with little, colorful flecks dotted about. Note: the carpet had been white-ish […]
Truth on a Picture Card
The old theme song from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood echoed in my ears as I dropped Jon off at school . . . “It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. . . .” Jon and I had left for school on time, reviewed Jon’s affirmation page created for our commute, […]
What If . . .
I used my pinky fingers to drive home from a two-day conference because the temperature of the sunbaked steering wheel was blistering hot. The conference theme was based on a treatment model for those with neurological and/or autism spectrum disorders. While trying not to melt, I mentally reviewed the information I had learned at the […]
Every Second Counts
My son Jon was 9 years old at the time, and we were returning from a doctor’s appointment I will never forget. In the previous three weeks, Jon had regressed so significantly that he could not go to school. All the tests came back unexplainably abnormal. The appointment lasted two grim hours. We left with […]
The Class You Can’t Miss
It was a full house. Parents, students, teachers, and tutors had prepared a day to celebrate students in the summer art class. The students attended classes once a week for six weeks and learned about famous artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Claude Monet. Then the students sat at […]
How to Find Your “Me Time” as a Caregiver
An Interview with Cindi Ferrini
Most caregivers today find it nearly impossible to take time for themselves. Statistics prove that caregivers are more likely to have compromised health, shorter life spans, emotional and physical struggles, and lack the time to attend to their own needs. But there is hope! Cindi Ferrini has lived as a caregiver for more than 33 […]
Continue readingMore TagIt Wasn’t about the Gifts
√ Birthday cake √ Plates √ Napkins √ Cake with Smurfs √ Candles (16) √ Punch √ Ice √ Plastic utensils √ Cards √ Balloons √ Final gifts (still looking) I strolled slowly up and down the same aisles I had for years, looking for a few final gifts for my son Jon’s 16th birthday. […]
When God Gives Detours on Your Road Trip
It was a road trip vacation for the Swindoll-Thompson family . . . a 2,288-mile road trip to be exact. At 1:00 a.m. on the morning we were to leave, I was doing some last-minute packing. I reached into my clothing drawer, never expecting to uncover a little framed school picture of my son Jon […]