“Now that I look back, it seems to me that in all that deep darkness a miracle was preparing.” ~Marilyn Robinson in Gilead We’ve easily spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on her smile. First it was the headgear, then pulled teeth, then braces, and retainers, and unbelievably, braces again. I need a part-time job to afford this child’s teeth….
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Three Strategies for Dealing with our Kids’ Mistakes
Before I had children, I assumed if you raised them right and prayed enough and set the very best example, they’d skip the rebellious stage. The lying stage. The sneak out and drink, or swear or post terrible things on social media, stage. They’d love God and love me, and I’d pat myself on the back in my gray-haired years…
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When You Wish You Started Sooner
One after the other, when asked what they would do differently for the next assignment, each student said, “I’d get started sooner and stop procrastinating.” I listened from a seat in the corner of the classroom, and their lament struck a chord with me. They were all of eighteen years old, and even with our age gap, like me, they…
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Choosing to Change with the Seasons
“In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.” ~ 2 Samuel 11:1 As a woman, daughter, wife, and a mother, I’m still learning how to live a life in rhythm…
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When Your Spirit Feels Dry as Bones
There remain a few quiet mornings before the start of school, and while I debate the merits of waking the kids up to help them adjust to an earlier schedule, I like the silence too much. I don’t know where summer has gone–the days disappeared into a haze of humidity, beach days, and car exhaust. I’ve spent very little time…
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