Sometimes I just can’t control my tongue. It was not a good day. For whatever reason, we were just off. I was irritable and impatient. I found myself correcting every little infraction, every childish noise. The more I corrected, the more frustrated I became. And the more my kids acted up. After snapping at one of my children, I … Continue reading Taming the Tongue
Walking by Faith
Grace, and Why It’s Amazing
What comes to mind when you hear the word grace? Do you think of a formal church service? Maybe a girl’s name? If asked to define it, what would you say? Those who grew up in Sunday School might remember the acronym: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Maybe you’ve heard some other catchy definition. Maybe you … Continue reading Grace, and Why It’s Amazing
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The Blessing Box: Cultivating Gratefulness All Year Long
“I’m writing a note to God,” my preschooler announces proudly. She thoughtfully scribbles her message on a 3×5 card, then opens the hinged lid of our ”Blessing Box” and adds her note to the jumbled mess of index cards. It looks disorderly, even confusing, but to me it’s a beautiful mess. Each of those mismatched … Continue reading The Blessing Box: Cultivating Gratefulness All Year Long
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Let’s Go Back: Returning to Rest when Life Won’t Slow Down
And just like that, summer is over. Summer vacation, that is. The heat is forecasted to stick with us for a while yet. The kids are back to their studies and our weekly routine is becoming more…routine. I’m not sure what happened to the lazy days of summer, but we didn’t see many of them … Continue reading Let’s Go Back: Returning to Rest when Life Won’t Slow Down
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When Depression Moves In
What happened to my joy? The question tugged at the corners of my soul as I trudged through each day. A dark cloud hovered over every waking moment. And sleep? That was a struggle, too. I had one bed-wetter and another child with night-terrors, so the sleep I did get was often fragmented and restless. How I … Continue reading When Depression Moves In
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A Matter of Focus
Sometimes I get distracted. Sunday night, hubby came home from a week-long business convention in Pennsylvania. We stayed busy while he was gone – the big kids went to STEM camp each day, our littlest enjoyed several play dates with her besties, and I wrote lots and lots of words. When the weekend rolled around, … Continue reading A Matter of Focus
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Ministry That Doesn’t Look Like Ministry
"Alleluia. Alleluia!" The words of our song echoed through the Russian cathedral. We stood in the balcony, enraptured by the polished beauty surrounding us. We were playing tourist that day, taking time off in the middle of a mission trip to Siberia. Our team didn't plan on singing. There was no audience, at least no … Continue reading Ministry That Doesn’t Look Like Ministry
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Why I Went Away
Well, hello there. It’s been a while. I’ve written a lot over the last few months but have been a bit absent here. Let me fill you in. In February, I took a break from blogging, sharing here only what I wrote for Just18Summers. Discouragement and self-imposed deadlines had turned my writing journey into a … Continue reading Why I Went Away
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Mama, You Forgot
"Mama, you forgot to sing to me," my son called from his bedroom. Actually, I hadn't forgotten. I was just tired and ready for the kids to be in bed, eager to go "off duty" for the night. So I had prayed for him, kissed him goodnight and shut the door. But he remembered. And … Continue reading Mama, You Forgot
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Being Still in the Storm
Yesterday our family took an exotic trip. Well, sort of. We went to the zoo, where we saw some very exotic animals. It rained a little during our drive in, but the light drizzle cleared up before we left the parking lot. The sun came out a few hours later and bathed the animals and their habitats … Continue reading Being Still in the Storm
