Tag Archives: parents

Who Is Emily Hedges?

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Emily Hedges

Emily Hedges

Emily’s not just any writer. She’s a good one!  Emily’s review of Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee’s controversial sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, appeared on Views from the Edge on Thursday.

Parenting three adopted children with husband Joe, she carries a history of courageously outgrowing herself. Today she’s thriving at Dartmouth College, earning her master’s degree in creative writing and student-teaching basic writing to undergrads. Kay and I became friends the Hedges during their time here in Minnesota.

New Hampshire is politically hot right now in the run-up to the New Hampshire Presidential Primaries. Donald Trump is making it big.  So what happens when conservative parents from Oklahoma take over the television during a family visit in New Hampshire?

You may recognize yourself in this highly personal piece. She’s sensitive to her parents, although she no longer agrees with their conservative, apocalyptic view of the world. She constantly struggles with when to bite her tongue and when to speak up. Now that her children are old enough to be influenced by their beliefs, the stakes have never been higher.

Check back with Views from the Edge for her story Trumped.

  • Gordon C. Stewart, Chaska, MN, September 5, 2015.

Verse – dream of dancing

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loving parents but the way they
read the bible meant no dancing

on my own after college I
took lessons to please my new wife

i was never good but had fun
for years moving with the music

now my knees and back restrict me
to a slow shuffle and a sigh

but in my sleep i leap and fly

– Steve Shoemaker, Urbana, IL, Feb.  6, 2014

 

Two plus four

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…… 2 + 4 =

Laughter and giggling,
Crying, hair-pulling,
Yelling, “That’s not fair!”
Snuggles and duets.

Two runny noses
Wobbly first steps
Sibling jealousy
Sibling loyalty

Car seats and strollers,
Diapers and powder,
Cribs and big-girl-beds,
Two shoes but lost socks,

Exhausted parents,
Yelling in restaurants,
Rich baby-sitters,
No baby this year.

-Steve Shoemaker, Urbana, IL, December 11, 2013

Four brothers who sing together

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Our parents took us to their church four times
each week: on Sunday, twice, and then for prayer
on Wednesday night–on Thursdays they sang hymns
in choir rehearsal while one, two, three, four
of us played on, around, and under pews.
“You boys be quiet!” they would often say.

We learned to sing in Sunday School: “Jesus
loves me,” and “Hallelu Hallelujah!”
Soon all of us were singing in the choir…
Then we grew up, our parents aged and died.
One atheist, one pantheist, one pair
of liberal Presbyterians–none tied
to our folk’s Baptist faith, yet when we drink
we sing their songs in four-part harmony.

– little stevie shoemaker, urbana, il, july 6, 2013

Church to become home for homeless families

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Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska has decided to use its space as temporary overnight accommodation for homeless families. The press release and the Chaska Herald’s online story just made its way to AOL.com.

Click HERE for the story. The project is targeting to begin in February, 2013. To help with the project, leave a comment here.