Be careful to allow someone to speak into your life.
Verities
When Rest Seems Impossible: You Don’t Need a Vacation to Find Rest
Rest has very little to do with circumstances. So often I hear different people talk about how supremely busy life is, how hard their days are, and how desperately they need rest. Yes, a cabin in the mountains is fantastic for a break from the monotony of daily life, and physical rest is important. But no external situation will do any … Continue reading When Rest Seems Impossible: You Don’t Need a Vacation to Find Rest
Our Kids Need Pastors: Why Sunday School is Not Enough for our Children
Our kids don't need Sunday School teachers; they need pastors. They don't need Bible stories and moral lessons and youth group games. They need people to speak into their lives in practical ways to help them rest their full weight on the truth of the gospel.
Playdate Prep
Tomorrow I'm hosting a play date for anywhere between 3 and 17 kids. I do love an open invitation, but I might regret the idea by tomorrow afternoon. And like all logical people who has a baby who rarely naps, two kids who are now home from school and being creative all over the living … Continue reading Playdate Prep
Of Swallowtails and Mourning
For some reason I never noticed the swallowtail butterflies much before. Now they remind me of Scott. I never wrote anything about Scott here, and then once we lost him in July 2015, I felt like writing was too flat and petty and too raw and deep all at once. It was exhausting to think about. … Continue reading Of Swallowtails and Mourning
Parenting Post-Election
I wrote this earlier in a conversation and edited it for broader consumption. It is mostly my reflection on Tuesday and the last 18 months leading up to the election. This election process was horrible. It typically went beyond party affiliation to utter hatefulness and bullying belittling on both sides and it was just … Continue reading Parenting Post-Election
Why “I don’t have” is a lie
Kids brushing teeth makes me crazy. collage-2016-04-01-12_15_06.jpg.jpeg There are so many parts of the whole teeth-brushing process that make me crazy, I don't even know if I can go into it without losing whatever good place I had in my heart when I sat down to tell you about it. But for the sake of the whole point, I'll tell you about it. If you have small kids, I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about, but if you don't, let me break it down for you. First, brushing teeth is apparently a form of torment made bearable by bubblegum flavored goo. The resistance to the act of brushing teeth is akin to what I imagine the reluctance one may have if she is being marched into a churning sea by walking the plank. Repeat twice daily.
Why I am letting my preschooler get baptized
My 3-year-old knows Jesus. Technically she will be four in just over 2 weeks, so she's not on the baby side of being three. But she is still kind of a baby; she still mixes up her "d" and "g" sounds, aftermath of using a pacifier too long after being able to speak. We have been clear with our … Continue reading Why I am letting my preschooler get baptized
Questions
I'm not good at asking questions. I think it stems from being an oldest child. I like knowing everything, and if I don't know everything, it seemed better to pretend I knew, and figure it out as I went along, rather than appearing to be slightly less competent. I'm good at pretending I know stuff. … Continue reading Questions
It Doesn’t Have to Be Hard – Not Even in the Hospital
Let me tell you a story. Last month I had my birthday. Yay! The weather predicted snow, so there was no school; while we waited for the snow to start, we all went out to lunch. As we drove away from the restaurant, the first big, fluffy flakes started to fall. Then we had fun out … Continue reading It Doesn’t Have to Be Hard – Not Even in the Hospital