Once upon a time when I was a young mom, three ugly but invisible ingredients converged on me right in the middle of my kitchen. Isolation, worry, and failure to live up to my own expectations. They all collided and stirred up a toxic cocktail I never wanted to drink. I’d never felt anything like it before. My head knew it was unreasonable, but my grown-up pep talk did nothing to settle my nausea, calm my breathing, or strengthen my legs. With my kids eating lunch at the table, I collapsed … [Read more...]
How to Hustle, Rest, & Worship
We’ve barely just started the school year, but the hustle has begun. School, work, practice, church, errands, meals, emails, volunteering…and by the way, nurture the people you bring and meet in all those places. My blood pressure just rose to an unhealthy fraction while typing that sentence. I recently read a fantastic book which beautifully articulates what I have difficulty putting into words. It’s titled The Radical Pursuit of Rest: Escaping the Productivity Trap, and it's written … [Read more...]
Tell Me Somethin’ Good
There are two radio shows that air during my afternoon 20 minute mom-taxi trip to town. On each station, at 5 to-the-hour, the news is reported. For five minutes the hapless reporter force feeds horrific headlines, updates on things you wish you’d never heard, and the incessant bickering of the entire world. Some days, I just can’t ingest any more of it. And while that might make me an emotional wimp, I know I’m not the only one who sometimes feels like we’re drowning in bad … [Read more...]
To Obey is Better than Sacrifice: A Modern Day Parable from My House
About a week ago, I was super nerved-up over a multitude of tasks that are taking me a painfully long time to complete. To add insult to injury, the boys were arguing vehemently over totally inconsequential stuff. Like the exact shape of Kevin Durant’s logo. The precise lyric of a Tim Hawkins parody. Who’s fishing lure got dropped in the lake. They went round and round, name-calling, bet-making, and demanding I settle meaningless disputes. (Not only do I not care about Kevin … [Read more...]
A Mother’s Heavy Burden of Being a Good Example
Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go. In nursery rhymes, pithy sayings, Sunday school lessons, books, blogs, social research and Scripture we learn that for better or for worse, our children will do what we do. Our little lambs arrive in our arms pre-programmed to learn by imitation. When we teach them to speak, clap, or play peek-a-boo, we use their most natural and effective mechanism for learning. When we … [Read more...]
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