I’ve been thinking about my choices lately. Do they reflect what I say is important to me? What do they show as important to those around me? What examples are they setting for my kids? My choices, good or bad, will guide my kids in the choices they make, too. Choices Deal in Either Life or Death I was struck by something Richard Dahlstrom wrote in his book, The Map Is Not The Journey . On pages 83-84 he wrote: [While hiking the Alps] I learned . . . that nearly every choice I face deals in either life or
This started as some thoughts from Thanksgiving, but as I wrote them down, they kept expanding. I feel so grateful for what God has done in my life; it’s more than I asked for, more than I could have imagined, and more than I deserve. Thank you . . . For my three little blessings, who make me laugh, think, wonder, learn, and cry. For the man I’ve grown alongside for more than 14 years, who keeps loving, respecting, encouraging, challenging, and teasing me—even when I don’t deserve it. For our parents, who keep offering us wisdom, insight, and encouragement
Looking back Sometimes I miss the past. Running around outside, playing with the other neighborhood kids. Softball tournaments. Marching band competitions. Youth group. Common ground. College life, living with my friends and no “real adults.” The inside jokes among friends that stayed up until the wee hours of the morning together. The thrill of the boy I liked looking in my direction. The first time he also showed interest in me, asked me out on a date, held my hand. The first kiss. A party with all our friends to celebrate the most significant words I’ve ever promised in public.
As you go about your day, how often do you stop and really focus on the person in front of you? This is an area I’ve been trying to improve at work, turning away from my email inbox and giving whoever I’m talking to my whole attention–it’s easy to let yourself get distracted when you’re in virtual meetings! However, virtual meetings aren’t the only place I get distracted. It’s so easy for me to be focused on the to-do list in my head that I don’t stop and really listen to what my kids are trying to communicate. And being
As my kids have been getting older, I’ve been thinking about ways I can help them identify the truth in a world of half-truths and confusing misinformation. Pray for them The biggest thing I can do is prioritize praying for them . God doesn’t want them to believe the world’s lies either, and He knows what they’re hearing all the time, everywhere. I’m trying to trust that He’ll prepare them for whatever they’ll need, just like I’ve seen Him prepare me for situations that I never could have anticipated. And one of the ways I can build that trust is
We live in a culture that tells us to “cancel” those we disagree with and hold angry grudges against those who wrong us. But holding grudges is bad for our health. As Rene Schlaepfer pointed out in Chasing David : A 2019 report in the Journal of Psychology and Aging found that holding grudges is dangerous to your health. Remaining in the state of anger is associated with chronic inflammation and other illnesses. The effects intensifies with age; in other words, the longer you hold a grudge, the sicker you get (page 113). What Jesus Said About Forgiveness Jesus talked
I originally posted this on my previous blog, My Life Commentary , when my first child was 9 months old. It was encouraging to see how much I’ve grown since being a new mom 9 years ago. I still have a lot of questions about what’s around the corner and what life will look like as she and my other two kids continue to grow, but the reassurance from God has grown as well! I’ve seen Him equip me in ways I never could have imagined, and have no doubt He’ll continue to prepare me for what’s coming around the
It’s easy to feel like who you are gets lost in your role as Mom. It can feel all-consuming–especially at certain stages–to the point that you wonder if you even have an identity outside these little people that are completely dependent on you. I think that leaves some of us wonder, who am I? I don’t have time for hobbies. My friends’ calendars never sync up with mine. Chances are I’m working, feeding my kids, cleaning my house, or mindlessly sitting in front of the TV–too tired to do anything productive, but not wanting to give into sleep yet because
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
I love Christmas. When it gets to be about that time of year, I’m quick to switch the family over to my carefully-curated playlist that features all of my favorites. I love the memories, the time with family, the movies, all of it. But as much as I love Christmas, I’ve come to realize that Easter is more important. Although we needed Christmas to happen to get to Easter 33 years later, without Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, His birth doesn’t mean as much. Making Easter a bigger deal Last year my husband and I decided we wanted to make Easter