Welcome to My Blog
Why I Wrote “Stand”
I'm so very encouraged by the response we've gotten so far in regards to my book. I wrote in detail about how things have gone so far in my post "Behind the book" but today I'd like to go further back (and forward) to the motivation(s) for writing it. I knew early on...
How to Be a Part of “Stand”
We are so honored that you would take the time to learn more about our book "Stand - emotionally and practically surviving when a child gets a life threatening diagnosis." We are humbled that you would consider coming alongside us in trying to help people in their...
Behind the Book
As I work with my amazing Marketing Director Patty on getting things ready to promote the book I have had to grow a new muscle. That would be the muscle of brevity and/or concise...ness. If you've been with me for all of these years you know that I'm much better at...
One way to be involved in the book!
“Cancer, your child has cancer.” Hopefully you’ve never heard these words but Rachel and I did. Maybe you heard other words that were very similar to this and you feared for your child’s life. Maybe your outcome was different than ours and your child...
Exciting News
I heard a very astute observation recently. They said that you should never announce that you are going to embark on a weight loss journey. Further, you shouldn't post a "before" picture when you are starting. The reason for both is that you immediately get some of...
A Sick List
So, for the first time in 2+ years I have gotten sick. Nothing too bad but more fluid has come out of my nose and eyes in the last 3 days than I could have every possibly imagine. Thus, I had the idea to make a list of the worst sicks. These are NOT in any specific...
In GOOD times, rather than bad.
When I worked for Young Life I was always told, "The best time to raise money is when you don't need it." The theory behind that was it was easier to ask people to give when they knew you were healthy as an organization. If you were in deficit, you were most likely...
It’s Been Awhile
Social media and life got real crazy. Shorter and shorter posts and content have become all the rage. Thus, I haven't posted on here in.......3 years? To be completely honest, they also updated how to post and that got a little cumbersome as well. As it is, there have...
An Under Rated List of Under Rated Things
Getting food out of your teeth that has been stuck for too longParamedics (the number one most underrated profession)Post beach shower - BellaPerfect cracking of your back - Rachel Balancing your meal to finish with the perfect biteWhen someone else likes your obscure...
Poor Ruth
Ruth is a vivacious energetic hard working young lady. She works at her parents shop that has been with their family for the past 40 years. She's in her third year of college majoring in engineering. Unfortunately, like so many others, her world got turned upside down...
Division
***I started writing this in June. I didn't publish it (or anything) as I wasn't sure that it would be received well or perhaps that emotions were just too high. Praying, thinking, and deciding to resume my blog, I read over it for the first time in months. Turns out,...
We’re in this Together…Alone.
Why is everyone so angry? Why are there 1,000 opinions on everything that's been going on and each one is absolutely correct according to its author? Why is everyone an expert on public health and no one concerned about it? "Wear a mask, don't be a follower, stay at...
Truth
We have spent a lot of time around the Mitlo household cleaning, fixing, painting, renovating, since we've been told to stay at home. We even made our way up to the attic. We brought down ALL of the cardboard boxes and transferred what we wanted to keep (why we...
Pressure Reveals
These are terribly pressure filled times. The pressure builds on so many fronts. From the distant thought of, "Is this the end of the world?" to the day to day, "how am I going to fill my day?" and everything in between, there are pressures all around us. There are...
These Days…
What and how I feel about what's been going on is all over the place. In general though, I tell my kids that it's more important to know what you DON'T KNOW than what you do know. I am sure that I don't know... How bad this will be.How bad it really is.How it could...
What Death Does
Kobe Bryant died yesterday. Gigi Bryant yesterday. Three members of the same family died yesterday. A pilot died yesterday. A serviceman died yesterday. A policeman died yesterday. A doctor died yesterday. A teacher died yesterday. A priest died yesterday. A homeless...
The Futility of Self Care
Yay! It's 2020! It's a new year and THIS year is going to be different. Somehow...it's going to be different. Granted, every month is a new month. Every week is a new week and every day a new day but somehow a new year...well, THAT'S the magic. That's what will enable...
Give Us a Shot
Whenever I change the church sign I always have to pass the Rachel test. She is always worried that I might be offending someone. My kids are just about on the opposite side of things wanting me to push the envelope a little. The idea behind this sign was just a...