Gaining a heart of wisdom
Happy Father's Day! If you have a loving dad in your home, or if you grew up in a home where there was a supportive and involved father, you have so much to celebrate! Children are blessed when their father contributes his unique gifts, perspectives, and personality to the family. One of the best gifts… Continue reading The Best Father’s Day Gift: A Loving Dad
I observed as my small grandson placed one hand on the door frame, shifted his weight to one foot, and then put the other small boot toe-down on the floor. Looking at his dad, he checked his hand position and then assumed the facial expression he deemed appropriate to the occasion, a conversation among “the… Continue reading To the Boy Mum Seeking Hope and Help in Raising Her Son with Solid Character
“Hey, do you think you can get this stain out, Mum?” He handed me his T-shirt, still warm from his body, and I assured him that boiling water would make short work of blueberry juice on cotton. As the kettle boiled and the water poured and the steam rose from the kitchen sink, I thought… Continue reading What Does Hope Look Like? (Meditations Over a Stained T-Shirt)
Sunday Scripture Labor Day weekend signals a winding down of summer, and this will likely go down in my own personal history as "The Summer of the Empty Nest." This stay-at-home mum has had all she could do this summer to simply stay at home, and while I've struggled to keep up with all the… Continue reading Sing a Summer Song of Praise for the Miracle of Beauty
Today, I'm writing for The Joyful Life blog in my role as their Boy Mum contributor, but I want to stress that this post on developing leadership qualities in our children is relevant to ALL mums! As mothers, we sit in the seat of influence with our sons. How we respond to their initiative, their… Continue reading Leadership Qualities Your Son Needs for Today–and Forever!
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!
Sunday Scripture "Don't go past the birch tree!" I called to my sons whenever they played in the front yard. The boundary gave them plenty of room to play, but kept them well away from the road. We settled disputes over taking turns with a timer--twenty minutes for one brother's turn and then a quick… Continue reading How Are You Managing the Boundaries in Your Life?
Sunday Scripture Doing laundry for a posse of four sons often felt more like a chemistry experiment than a household chore. Scrubbing, spraying, treating, pre-washing, and re-washing were all part of the formula, and sometimes the result was great--other times, not so much. Unlike my laundry experiments, God's cleansing work in the believer's life is… Continue reading A Laundry Experiment Called Grace
Thirty years ago, I married into a family that celebrated Thanksgiving Day with All-American fervor, featuring a day-long gathering and a loaded table. As the new bride, I was eager to prove that I had what it took to be the holiday hostess. Having done my research, I had planned all the best sides, multiple-choice… Continue reading Gratitude: Look at the Loss and then Give Thanks
Three Things I Learned this Summer Sometime back in March, it seems all our learning curves took a drastic turn toward the vertical. Some of us are learning about resiliency, developing strategies for managing anxiety, or maybe discovering new ways to enjoy our families. At times, maybe we feel like the guy who was told… Continue reading Concerning the Times and the Seasons–Summer 2020
Living Our Days 