I have a bone to pick with all of my conservative friends that like to say to me, “nobody is perfect.”  Not really all of them, just the ones that use that phrase and don’t really believe it.  Why bother saying it if then you are going to tell me that I shouldn’t….cuss, drink, smoke, listen to certain types of music, wear certain types of clothes, associate with certain types of people, raise my kids in a certain way, skip school, spend credit, eat cake, wear makeup, drive fast, or gain weight? The same bone is alive and kicking with...

It must be the political season that has my mind set on ideas surrounding conflict. It could be that my son is right and I am a contentious woman. As much as that may sound negative, I’ll own it. Contentious can mean, “open to debate.” Check. And “fierce, or impassioned.” Check. Works for me. I make contentions. I am a problem noticer and a problem solver. Ask any Mom, “Who do the kids come to when they can’t find something or are frustrated with something?” Mom. Every time. Solving problems is what I do as a woman, a mother, and...