I just spent the last hour teaching my youngest daughter, Mikayla, to bake cookies. I confess I do everything much later with my fourth child. She’ll be lucky to tie her shoes by the time she graduates. Today, however, I found myself not just moving slow, but also grumpy during the process. I’m pretty sure… Continue reading The Emptying Nest: Living Forward When the Heart Keeps Going Back
In honor of Mother’s Day, I’ve invited my daughter, Madison, to guest blog this week. I gave her the simple task of sharing what the world would be like without moms . Too often, we wait until after mom is gone or far away to realize the power and gift of her presence. It is Mother’s Day weekend and… Continue reading O Mother, Where Art Thou?
Looking back at my younger self at times makes me smile; other times, I cringe. I grew up in the eighties with big hair, big dreams, and big ideas about how the world worked. When I look into those eyes from the eighties, I see one who was very clueless and too often didn’t know it.… Continue reading Mom’s Life Lesson: “Never Say Never”
Last week, Kim Kardashian made the news…again. I confess that I usually just ignore any and all news surrounding the Kardashian family. In fact, I had to Google their name to make sure I spelled it correctly. Apparently, she and another woman (who I didn’t bother to Google) decided they would post pictures of themselves on… Continue reading Beyond the Body: The Real Wonder of Womanhood
“How old are you again, Mom? 44, 42, 46…?” She was always someone different, not the face I see daily in the mirror. It feels very surreal to speak it, let alone put it in writing: I am a middle-aged woman. I only answer so they stop before they insult me. “I am almost 47.”… Continue reading Secrets of Those Middle-Age Moments That No One is Telling You
One of my favorite things in life is being married to a pastor. First, my pastor is pretty awesome and I’m partial to doing life with him. It just makes the journey more fun when you are in love with your spouse. Second, I love the joy of watching Christ transform people… Continue reading Help! Where Do I Hide in this Fishbowl?
So what were you thinking by going into ministry? I know you have a story. We all do. You may not have grown up in church. In fact, you may not have even had the benefit of living in a family that followed Jesus. It may have been the farthest thing from your mind. None of… Continue reading Answering The Call: You’re A Pastor’s Wife?
It seemed like a good idea at the time. Maybe it was all those Dog Whisperer episodes. Maybe the hours of natural horsemanship moving horses with a carrot stick made me overconfident. Either way–it was a bad idea. A few months ago, my family adopted the sweetest border collie. She is 62 pounds of pure… Continue reading Failure Isn’t Fatal and the Times You Fall on Your Butt
“Why don’t they ever change?” I wish I had a dollar every time I’ve heard these words. Maybe I’d be living on a beautiful island in the Caribbean. I’ve spent a great deal of of my ministry life helping people work through a variety of difficult relationship issues. My adoptive friends and I have also personally battled… Continue reading Avoiding the Bitter Pill When Bad Relationships Stay Bad
I really don’t care for New Year’s Eve. There is no easy way to say that without sounding like a real downer. If New Year’s Eve could be celebrated around 7 p.m. maybe I would find it enjoyable. I don’t remember the last time I willingly saw midnight. Unless it involves a sick child, a hospital visit,… Continue reading When You Dread Change and New Year’s Eve
