Sometimes a random act of kindness can change everything. I have to admit, this morning was rough. I sluggishly woke to the energetic banter of all four of them, and we were already late, as usual. I told them to get ready to go, and they nodded and scattered. And I counted on them to […]
For When It Is a Challenge to Love
I wear it hoping that it will become true of me … LOVE Jn 13:35. That somehow the feel of it around my neck will make me mindful and aware. That the clanking of the pearl against the metal will help me remember. And it isn’t even 10am and I glance over to see one child hitting […]
When You Need to Stop the Expectations So You Can Find Joy
Anger and frustration are the children of unmet expectations. And unmet expectations kill relationships. I should know this by now. It’s a lesson always before me, one I never really learn. It happens in my marriage, with my parents, my children and my friends. And it all starts in my mind. I begin to imagine […]
A Captured Moment in Time {One Beautiful Thing}
We sat at the little league game and she asked to sit on my lap, my youngest child who seems to be growing by the minute. And she climbed up and took my phone and opened all the pictures, as she always does. This daughter of mine who always likes to remember–the one who likes to review the memories […]
Labor & Delivery :: A Sacred Opportunity
I’m a registered nurse in labor and delivery, and I love my job. (And shhh…don’t tell them, but I’d do it for free.) What an amazing opportunity to be present at an event that changes lives forever. To help a woman say hello to her baby, or to have the sacred privilege of helping […]
For When the Unknown is Scary and You Need to Take the Risk
Sometimes you just have to have the faith to go under, to trust in the process and hold your breath and blow. Our new pool was finally finished a few weeks ago, but with it came a whole new level of concern. Our youngest two children don’t know how to swim, and now it’s a […]
Because I Know, This Won’t Always Be
She waited up for me…and I found her asleep on my pillow, still and quiet, sleeping next to daddy. Her, my last one. My baby of 5, and she had been wanting me. And I know this won’t always be… I scoop her up and walk to her room, and I pause there at the maroon chair–this […]
In Case You Haven’t Realized the Magnificence of a Mother’s Love {A Mother’s Day Thank You}
Sometimes you don’t realize the magnificence of your mother’s love until you become one. Sometimes you overlook her intentions, minimize her concerns, and disregard her approach because you think you’ve “got this”. And I am guilty as charged. As a daughter, I complained about the food she made, neglected her concerns, looked down upon her […]
When You’re in Need of a Book to Change Your Life
I want to write a book someday. And if there’s one thing I know about becoming an author, whatever I write needs to matter—it needs to be capable of changing a life. And there are many books that have done that for me–books that left me changed. Books that have a message that stays with me long […]
How to Give the Ultimate Gift
I’ve been saving things for a long time. And after having 4 kids in 6 years, it’s not surprising how much I’ve accumulated, and it’s time to pass it on. Last fall, a co-op friend alerted me to a huge consignment sale in our local area–one they hold twice a year. So last October, we moseyed over […]
