I don’t know about you, but sometimes I worry about how to raise my kids in this crazy world we live in. We try to shelter them as it seems age-appropriate to do so. We set boundaries for TV shows and movies they can watch or video games they can play. We’ll let the oldest one use the computer on a very limited basis, and monitor websites she goes to and talk about internet safety. But there’s only so much we can do. We’ll only be able to protect them to a point. They’ll hear and see things. They’ll experience
Category: Mom Life
Posts that are about life as a mom: parenting, kids, exhaustion, making friends, mom hacks, and more. Moms have a lot going on; so does this category.
Life is busy. Especially as a mom–whether you work, stay at home, homeschool. No matter how you spend your days, it’s busy. Being busy in itself isn’t bad. But the way we approach it can twist it into something harmful for our families and our souls. I recently finished reading a really helpful quick read: Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung . In it, DeYoung pointed out three dangers of being busy. Danger 1: Being Busy Can Ruin Our Joy God wants us to be joyful, no matter what else is going on in our lives. James 1:2-3 Count it all
If you met someone new, how would you describe yourself? I might say I’m a mother of three, a working mom, a pastor’s wife, a blogger. Those are titles that describe my different roles and responsibilities, but do they really describe who I am? If I tried to describe my personality, I might say I’m a silly optimist who loves color-coded spreadsheets and likes to relax by escaping into the lives of my fictional friends on Netflix, Prime, and Disney Plus. Or if I pulled my past in, I might say I’m a California transplant living in the Pacific Northwest,
Discipline. It’s probably one of the most controversial parenting topics out there. There are so many schools of thought about how to discipline your children, and I feel like culturally I’m told to discipline my kids less and less. But I know I need to discipline them because I love them : My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Personally, I find disciplining my kids one of the hardest parts of parenting . It’s so easy
God’s been talking to me about prayer recently. Everywhere I turn, there’s another reminder that I need to set aside time in my day to talk to Him. Pray Without Ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is one of my favorite Bible passages: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I like it because it tells us what God’s will is: rejoice, pray, give thanks–no matter what’s going on. And yet, the prayer piece of that has always eluded me. I just haven’t figured out how to
Becoming a mom has helped me understand things about God better than anything else. The relationship between a child and parent parallels the relationship between us and God in all sorts of ways. For example: Just like a baby or toddler doesn’t have the capability to grasp concepts the way adults do, I don’t have the capacity to grasp so much of God and His creation. Because I love my kids, sometimes I let them struggle through things that are hard for them. I see the bigger context of what’s going on than my kids are able to see, just
I originally posted this on my previous blog, My Life Commentary , when my grandpa passed away two years ago. I recently decided to revisit it as I thought about his birthday coming up, and it was a heartwarming reminder of the man he was and who I want to be, too. I pray God will help me take on some of these attributes my grandpa was known for during his 106 years of life. While I’m glad my grandpa is home and no longer confined to his failing body, I’ll miss him and fondly remember the time I was
How many times do you hear your kids whine, “It’s not fair!” Despite all the advantages my kids have, life is still hard. They will still face challenges. As a parent, how can I prepare them for those tough situations right around the corner? In Chip Ingram’s series, Effective Parenting in a Defective World , he shares five things to teach your kids to prepare them for life’s biggest battles. Here are the takeaways that stood out to me from his main points. Suffering is normal This world isn’t perfect. There will be suffering. Jesus told us we can expect
You are not alone. We’ve all been there. We get it. Your baby has shown you a brand new level of love, but being Mom to this tiny, helpless person’s world is HARD. It’s exhausting in a way you never thought possible–physically and emotionally. I didn’t even realize how much I was struggling until years later. I didn’t have postpartum depression or any other type of diagnosed complication. I just had a brand new baby, and suddenly, while recovering from the most traumatic event my body had ever gone through (a very normal birth), I needed to shift my focus
Are you happy? How do you find happiness ? Is it in success? Relationships? Following your heart? As much as our culture touts the importance of doing what makes you happy, it seems like people are anything but. Like no matter what we achieve, who we know, or how we feel, there are lingering feelings of insecurity, sadness, and hopelessness beneath the surface. They say, “You’re not good enough.” The truth is, the pursuit of happiness will never be fulfilling–no matter what the founding fathers or anyone else thinks. Where is your focus? As I was going through some old