Tags Archives
in kids
Marriage Ain’t About You
A couple of days ago, my husband and I celebrated our 19th anniversary in a rather “special” way. I use inverted commas around the word ‘special’ to convey semi-sarcasm.
We’ve always done something special (no inverted commas) for our anniversary. Even when the kids were screeching, red-faced hatchlings, thanks to indulgent grandparents offering to babysit, we ...
A Cancelled Vacation Showed Me What Love is Not
As we compared our kids’ school calendar with my husband’s work schedule, one thing became painfully evident: we wouldn’t be able to take a family vacation for the next few months.
I could feel irritation (bordering on anger) rise inside me.
“Are you absolutely sure you can’t take a break?” I asked my husband, my voice whiny ...
To My Fellow Mamas Of Teenagers
We’re in the thick of it. The thick of what, you ask? Raising teens, that’s what. The husband and I are the proud parents of a 16-year-old boy and an almost 15-year-old girl. So, as I said, we’re in the middle of those supposedly rebellious, angsty, door-slamming, defiant, hell-raising teen years.
But here’s what we’ve been discovering: the ...
Hey Mama
Hey Mama,
Bent over the kitchen counter,
Distractedly eating leftovers.
Yes you,
With the ragged PJs
The greasy hair and yesterday's eyeliner.
Here’s something you should know:
God sees you.
He sees you,
Even when no one else does;
He sees you,
When you feel overlooked.
Hey mama,
Dark circles under your eyes,
Sleepwalking and suppressing yawns.
Yes you,
Up all last night
Checking if she was still coughing,
Or if he was ...
Vacations and Worship: Can They Actually Go Together?
Is it just me or do you find it harder to connect with God while on holiday?
As someone who thrives on schedules, I enjoy time in the Word during my regular routine. But you know what happens on vacations? Or, more to the point, what doesn’t happen on vacations? Routine. That’s what.
Schedules and calendars melt ...
Jesus Didn’t Give His Life Because Of This—A Good Friday Reflection
“Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to the Cross I cling.”
These lyrics from one of my favorite hymns, “Rock of Ages” fill me with sorrow and wonder, grief and joy, amazement and awe—that God would become man and choose to lay down His life for me.
But I am also relieved. There’s nothing more I ...
When Your Best-Laid Plans Crumble
The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. The kind of whirlwind that yanks plans out of your hands and rips it into a 3000-piece jigsaw puzzle.
My mom had been scheduled for a knee-replacement surgery. The timing of the procedure had been planned precisely: it would be a week after my husband returned from ...
We Need This More Than We Know
Sitting in the second row of the auditorium, I watched as my daughter and the rest of the choir filed onto the stage. Dressed in black and white, they looked like piano keys and my heart played a proud, happy tune.
Being an overenthusiastic, trigger-happy mama, I leaned forward to speak to the two ladies in ...
When You’re Emotionally Exhausted
There may be days when you feel completely wrung out. But you still go through the motions.
You do the laundry, drop the kids off at school, buy groceries, take out the trash. You smile at people who smile at you.
But it almost feels like an out-of-body experience because you’re not fully present.
The last two weeks ...
MEET SUSAN
