Why 160 is not "just" a number

Jul 14, 2021

160. It sounds like “just a number.” But it’s the latest amount of unmarked and undocumented graves found at another residential school site off the British Columbia coast in Canada. For the past number of weeks, the news has been filled with these numbers. Numbers that signify immense tragedy. Intense shock. Staggering horror in Canada’s past and people.

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Meet Mary.

Jun 28, 2021

Mary was struggling. In fact, she was at the end of her rope. No matter which way she turned, negativity surrounded her--on the radio, on the news, and worst of all, in her own mind. You see, Mary struggled with her mental health. Since she was a teenager, anxiety, worry, and depression had ravaged her mind, leaving her hopeless and without peace. She was desperate and alone.

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Spanking Out of Spite: Parenting with Patience, Not Anger

May 19, 2021

We have a joke in our family. It surrounds an incident that happened years ago, when I was a young mom, flustered at my three-year-old for his poor behaviour and his seeming cheekiness to me. He wasn’t listening to me. And I was mad. So, I spanked him. And he giggled. So I spanked him a bit harder. And he giggled again. And, then, I took my anger out on my son’s bottom, spanking him so hard, I left a red hand mark on his bum.

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A "Whale" of an Investment: 3 Ways to Teach Your Kids How to "Invest"

May 19, 2021

My son wants to save the whales. It started when he started paging through a National Geographic. A pamphlet with a picture of a humpback whale slipped out. The pamphlet said, “Give a Gift.” A few minutes later, my son set $3.25 on my desk, wanting me to mail in his coins to the organization. I have to admit, I was endeared. I mean, how cute was that, sharing his hard-earned coins for the whales? I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. A few years ago, my husband and I bought our kids 3 piggybanks: one for saving, one for spending, and one for sharing. We wanted to teach our kids that money wasn’t just for themselves; it was meant to be invested in causes and people important to their hearts as well.

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10 Simple Ways to Leave a Legacy to Future Generations

May 19, 2021

A few years ago I was walking in downtown Toronto when I stopped in front of its university. There, in front of me, was a statue that my brother and sister-in-law had created. My brother and sister-in-law are full-time artists. A rarity these days. But as luck—or more specifically, talent—would have it, they have created amazing 30-foot statues for hospitals, parks, libraries, and (as I was seeing now), universities as well. And it struck me: how cool was that—that long after they’re gone, their work will live on and bring enjoyment to many others.

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How Is It Always Speck in Your Eye, Log in Mine?

Apr 28, 2021

I’ve struggled with judging people my whole life. And I know it’s wrong. But I also know that there are lots of other wrong things too. And people are doing those things. So I judge them. For example, one day I was going for a walk with a friend...

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