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
parenting
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
One-on-One Time
We call it “One-Oh Time” in our house. My littlest coined the phrase a while back. In was her baby-talk way of asking me to spend “one-on-one time” with her. We laughed at the cute expression, but it stuck. Now we all use the term for our special mommy-and-me times. We started this practice of … Continue reading One-on-One Time
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
Knock Knock
Knock, knock, knock. Inwardly I cringed just a little. Outside that door, my husband was caring for our kids so I could spend some much-needed time with Jesus before starting the day. I relished the stillness as I quietly sipped my coffee. But my preschooler was awake and she missed me. I answered her knock. … Continue reading Knock Knock
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
Passing on Hope
“I’m glad we’re #christians,” said my pre-teen daughter. I asked her why and her response still echoes in my heart. #hope #faith #parenting #motherhood #kids
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
Memorable Mealtimes
“I’m glad we eat together as a family,” said my pre-teen daughter as she served up a second helping. Her comment warmed my heart. I, too, love our shared moments around the table. Sometimes they’re rushed as we squeeze in a meal before Wednesday night AWANA or some other obligation. But most often, our dinners … Continue reading Memorable Mealtimes
A Mother’s Legacy
Ding! A new text message lit up the screen of my iPhone. I opened it to find a long note from my mom containing a list she’s compiled of over 350 names and attributes of God. The day before she and I had chatted about my fascination with learning God’s names as a means to … Continue reading A Mother’s Legacy