Gaining a heart of wisdom
Over time, a family with four sons develops a unique tone, a guy culture with a certain decibel level and a distinct way of doing life. As a mother of some now-married sons, it has been a joy to welcome other women into this circle — women who love my sons well and also have… Continue reading Happy Mother’s Day to all the Great Mothers-in-Law!
For one short season of our parenting journey, my husband and I felt as if we were hanging on to the reins of a runaway horse. Daily battles over curfews and negotiations around boundary lines had taken the place of warm conversation and laughter around the table. We mourned the loss as we searched for… Continue reading How to Pray for Your Teen When You’ve Run Out of Words
Sunday Scripture I remember clearly the momentous day when, deep in the weeds of Toddler Parenting, I realized I could do everything "right" and still end up with a wayward child. I could wear out a blender pureeing fresh veggies. I could teach and expect obedience, model polite manners, sing hymns at the breakfast table,… Continue reading Prayer Warrior Challenge: You Don’t Have to Dread Mother’s Day this Year!
https://videopress.com/v/gvlodYv6?preloadContent=metadata “Spring is a promise in the closed fist of a long winter,” wrote Luci Shaw. Listen along with me to the sound of winter, unclenching! Of course, the day after I shot this video brought snow flurries. Even so, we are celebrating the season of widening light here in the Northeast! The end of… Continue reading The April Book Talk Where We Read and Rejoice in the Light
Sunday Scripture I despise looking for things. As a mum, my least favorite words in the English language are, "Muu-uuum, where's my [fill in the missing item]?" I go to great lengths, personally, to avoid ever having to look for things: keys always in the same purse pocket, phone plugged in, glasses on my face… Continue reading How Do I Search for God with All My Heart?
It's a chilly April morning, and Tucker and I galumph our way around the wooded path that circles the land behind our home. Along the path, a little beech tree stands alone, fully clothed in a grove of naked but budding alders. Every little breeze stirs a papery rustle as her brown leafy hands greet… Continue reading Persevere in Hope Even When Everything Feels Too Hard
I’ve heard it many times and from the most unexpected sources: “I try to read the Bible, but . . . it doesn’t seem to say anything to me. I don’t understand what I’m reading. It doesn’t help me, so I end up quitting . . “ Set this response beside David’s from Psalm 119:… Continue reading So You Want to Be Relevant? Commit to Taking God at His Word!
Sunday Scripture The woods behind my house is waking up. Sprigs of green are shooting their way up through last year's matted carpet, and swollen buds hint that my view is about to change from grey to vibrant. I never tire of this transition from death to life. God has crafted an infinitely varied range… Continue reading Have You Ever Been Inspired to Praise God for His Creativity?
Christians, even the most devout, have an uneasy relationship with the Old Testament. We rhapsodize over the psalms and spin heroic tales from Israel's hall of fame, but to be honest, we're queasy over discussions of slavery, God-sanctioned Canaanite slaughter, the exclusion of women from worship spaces, and all manner of bizarre customs. We're far… Continue reading Do We Still Need to Know the Ten Commandments Today?
Sunday Scripture On the first Sunday after the first full moon following the first day of spring, it's a pretty sure thing that we'll be having ham for dinner. When it comes to Easter, don't confuse the arbitrariness of the celebration's timing with the laser focus of its purpose. Easter is a celebration of resurrection.… Continue reading The Startling Difference the Resurrection Makes in Your Following Life
Living Our Days 