June 2011 – 300 words a day

go ahead. be a sheep.

As much as I would like to believe that I am not a sheep, I am one. Not, I suppose, a blind follower of a random mindless herd. (Unless that’s what all followers of Christ are). I like to believe that I have the capacity to think with some originality. I like to believe that […]

by Jon Swanson

Because sometimes you can’t do two things at once.

A few weeks ago in our weekly staff meeting, our boss walked over to one of our staff members. He took a red marker and drew a line on Kelley’s arm. He said, “The artery is cut. What are you going to do.” I was sitting closest. I immediately put the palm of my hand […]

by Jon Swanson

Donald Miller helped me write my dad’s eulogy.

June 14, I was at a picnic lunch with people from work. I got a call from my sister. My dad was having a hard time breathing. He wanted a ride to the doctor. She called the ambulance. She was right. He went to the hospital. A touch of pneumonia. Some other stuff. I packed […]

by Jon Swanson

We made it home.

Ah, dear friends, here’s the next part of the story. I talked yesterday about my mom and praying. What I didn’t know then was that I would watch her on Monday afternoon lean over her husband and pray. As her husband, my dad, was taking his last breaths, she thanked God for his life. For […]

by Jon Swanson

What do you want to remember.

My mom is having problems with memory. There are lots of stories. I’m not going to tell you them. Instead, I want to talk about a couple things she does remember. She remembers to offer us coffee. And tea. Often. She remembers to set the table for as many people as she hopes will come. […]