The Word Worker

Tag: Family

  • Moon

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    wordworkerrussell
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    She sniffed the night air, savoring the smells of grass and dead leaves surrounding her den. A screech overhead drew her gaze, but the owl’s presence woke no concern in her yet. A musky scent set her body trembling, and her mate trotted out of the underbrush. He sat just out of reach, tongue lolling…

  • Recession Christmas, Part 3: Hard Blessings

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    wordworkerrussell
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    Part of Christmas tradition is the giving of gifts. It has been argued that this tradition has become too commercialized, that focus on gifts detracts from what is important. I certainly saw advertisements that missed the point and pushed the idea of social status rising from gift quality or price. However, the concept of giving…

  • Recession Christmas: Part Two

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    wordworkerrussell
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    No matter what other traditions people may have around the holidays, food is always a key factor. Every family has their favorite recipes, associates certain flavors and smells with family and good times. My favorite holiday memories from childhood involve baking with my grandmother. We made piles and piles of candy, cookies, and pies. Although…

  • Recession Christmas: Part One

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    wordworkerrussell
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    For many years our family has been extraordinarily materially blessed around the holidays. Both parents and kids felt the magic of love (perhaps parents more than kids by knowing the sources of those blessings). This year, however, few have been unaffected by economic trials, and holidays must adjust accordingly. Instead of being stressed out or…

  • The Beach

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    wordworkerrussell
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    “Saul, wait!” Lily laughed breathlessly as her bare feet slung sand behind her. “I lost my sandals and the sand is on fire!” “Not as hot as the boardwalk,” her brother yelped, dancing on his toes from sand to board and back again. “Hurry up, it’s too hot to be out of the water!” “Well,…

  • It’s Not a School Day

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    wordworkerrussell
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    We have officially started our homeschool summer. No more assignments. No more schedules. No more educational obligations. It’s wonderful and relaxing, and we are having so much fun! When chores are finished the kids drag out my old violin lesson music and open the organ to pick out the little simple songs on the keyboard.…

  • Important

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    wordworkerrussell
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    The world is full of wars, conflicts, political arguments, societal inequities, and many other unpleasant things we humans deem important. We fixate on everything that is wrong, twisting ourselves into knots trying to figure out who we are supposed to hate, who or what is the enemy. We bury our noses in news, gossip, and…

  • Forsaking Assembly

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    wordworkerrussell
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    “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is” “not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people” “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing” “not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing” This passage may…

  • Trash Day

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    wordworkerrussell
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    There’s a running joke that the day after Christmas all the moms blow their stacks. Let’s face it, we all know the feeling of waking up to the piles of empty boxes, wrapping paper, and new toys that don’t fit anywhere. That’s why this year I can’t wait for Trash Day. I don’t mean the…

  • Stories With Kids

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    wordworkerrussell
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    (I’d like to thank my kids for their contributions to this week’s prompted flash fiction. Sometimes the real life conversations are far funnier than any story I can come up with.” “Hey, kids, y’all wanna give me story ideas? They have to connect to this lighthouse picture.” “Me, me, me! Let me see the picture!…