Joe MacDonald,  —

When my oldest son, Julian, expressed an interest in the theater, with hopes of starting a career in musical theater, I smiled and felt I could be an excellent resource for him. After all, I had a reasonably successful career in the business, having done regional…

As a pastor, I always remind my parishioners that it’s not enough to profess one’s faith. A person must live out the tenets of what they believe. In other words, talk is cheap. It doesn’t do a person any good to shout their love for God on Sunday and act…

I watch my son put pencil to paper and cannot help noticing the change in his face. The tension from just a few minutes ago gives way to peace. The minute he draws the first line on the page, he’s transported into a world that offers him rest and spiritual…

Last week I attended the New Mexico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. As a pastor, I must attend the conference every year. One positive aspect of the meeting is a focus on clergy health. A medical assistant measured me, took my blood pressure, weighed me, and took a…

Last week, my 16-year-old son, Caeleb, had a physical therapy session at 1 p.m. Unfortunately, the business of the day prevented us from visiting a museum. I felt disappointed that I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain regarding our plans for regular Friday “museum days” during…

As summer begins, the MacDonald family continues a great tradition of visiting a local museum every Friday. We started at least 12 years ago when my oldest son, Julian, graduated middle school. Caeleb, my youngest boy, continues our special ritual and looks forward to exploring the many things that…

Last night, I dreamed that I attended a doctor appointment for my wife, Cazandra. It was a follow-up to discuss lab results requested at the initial meeting. The doctor entered the room and shared treatment strategies. She told Cazandra that she wanted to try a new medication to help…

Many times when my sons were younger, I found myself overwhelmed by the constant demands of their bleeding disorder and felt that I had nothing else to give. The needle on my gas gauge was below empty. I felt as if I’d used every ounce of energy and couldn’t…

One of the unexpected issues I struggled with when my youngest son, Caeleb, faced many prolonged hospital stays due to internal bleeding episodes was loneliness. My wife, Cazandra, and I divided our time between the hospital and home life with our older son, Julian. As a result, we…

I love the final-night event of a national bleeding disorder conference. Different groups invite community members to play games, the meal is remarkable, and the dance floor begs for us all to gather and celebrate. After the highly informative events offered by leaders in the bleeding disorder community, friends…