Last week, I attended a clergy retreat at Sacramento Camp & Conference Center, in the southern mountains of New Mexico. We experienced clear blue skies and mild temperatures, as well as moments of self-reflection. One day I hiked to the top of a mountain, standing in awe of…
In the Twinkling of an Eye - a Column by Joe MacDonald
I’m part of a clergy group that meets monthly and has seven members from several denominations. Over the years, it’s been a safe place to discuss any issue, from church to home. We formed a covenant with one another to keep our conversations confidential. When sharing with my colleagues,…
I first attended a Bleeding Disorders Conference in October 1998. The National Bleeding Disorders Foundation (formerly the National Hemophilia Foundation) offered the event during Halloween week in New Orleans. My wife, Cazandra; my oldest son, Julian; and my mother, Ruby, entered our hotel with me, not sure…
I entered the bedroom of my youngest son, Caeleb, one recent morning to offer him my usual cheerful greeting. That’s when I found him lying in bed in excruciating pain. Caeleb has hemophilia A, and years of damage from internal bleeding episodes have left him with little…
Last week, I attended an alumni meeting for the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas, where I earned my doctor of ministry degree. During my free time, I walked around the University of Texas campus and couldn’t help feeling the energy from all the students who moved like…
My oldest son, Julian, is preparing for a big audition. He hopes the casting director will hear his submission and ask him to go to New York for a final, on-site callback. If the powers that be select him, he’ll perform in his first national touring production. My son displayed…
Over the next few weeks, I’m taking a short sabbatical. I realized I needed time to regroup, rest, and renew my spirit. Little triggers that crept into my brain warned me I needed to care for myself. Failure to adhere to these warning signs often leaves me angry,…
On Tuesday morning of last week, as I sat at my desk sifting through emails and attempting to plan my afternoon, my phone rang. I saw it was Julian, my oldest son, so I picked up the phone and steadied myself for our usual late-morning chat. I said hello in…
Recently, I came across an old DVD recording of a Fourth of July celebration on a hot summer day in Baytown, Texas. Many families had gathered on blankets and lawn chairs to celebrate with one another and watch the evening’s entertainment. The first star of the production was…
In middle school, I faced bullies just about every day. I often experienced physical violence during the three years I attended what was then called Burbank Junior High School in Houston. The beatings occurred so frequently that my speech teacher allowed me to stay in her class and…
Recent Posts
- Growing up before treatments for hemophilia were safe, part 3
- Early prophylaxis tied to less joint damage in severe hemophilia A
- I tell my son, ‘When you’re eating an elephant, take it one bite at a time’
- Holding space for grief and love in the hemophilia community
- Hand swelling is first sign of aquired hemophilia A for new mom: Report