Wake. Feed. Dress. Transport. Bathe. Times five kiddos. I was a childcare machine, and I do mean machine. I was a cold, unfeeling, maternal robot programmed for quick response. Our home had become an institutional parenting operation with gaping holes where loving discipline and nurture should have been. While everyone was being fed and clothed, the lack of individual attention was showing up in constant behavioral “episodes.” I had been begging God for months to either change my … [Read more...]
In the Dark
Recently I watched a moving Under Armor commercial featuring the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps. I might have even cried a tear (one that I could not even manufacture when my youngest went to kindergarten.) Can you imagine your own commercial? I tried: Do you need help agonizing over small decisions? With decades of experience, Shauna will systematically help you formulate such a long list of pros and cons that you will forget what you were trying to … [Read more...]
Six Word Story
Several years ago, blogger Rachelle Gardner challenged readers to write a six word memoir. She gave her own example: "Too much coffee? No such thing." As someone who struggles with being brief, I thought it would be a good exercise. It was, and I finally landed on these six words: "Jesus used motherhood to change me." I wouldn't have always summed it up that way though. It began with a more unfortunate six word story. I'll serve you. You serve me. See, I am a recovering religious … [Read more...]
On Moving to a New Place
In 2012, about 100 blog posts ago, I set up a little blog called Permission to be Real. It was born out of unexpected inner conflict when my youngest started kindergarten. When I dropped him off for school the first day, I thought I might cry. Lots of my friends had cried. However, I’d dropped off my two older boys for kindergarten in previous years and did not cry. At all. I thought it might be different with my youngest. After I got him settled in his classroom, I returned to my … [Read more...]
Zooming In: On Magnifying Mirrors and Mountains
Kurt and I recently stayed in a pretty swanky hotel. We were swimming in “amenities” we didn’t even know how to use: For the safe keeping of my Walmart jewelry, there was a safe which I couldn’t open. There was also a spa and fitness room which we never found. But there was one “amenity” that was familiar. There on the bathroom vanity, towering over the travel size toiletries was a lighted, double-sided magnifying mirror. You know the kind? Where you have to lean in 3 inches from the mirror … [Read more...]