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Unsolicited Advice
This blog might be upsetting to some, so I am giving you a fair warning before you read further, but I feel the need to speak up on something. As parents, especially parents of adult children, we are met with situations or choices our children may make that might not coincide with our beliefs or our understanding of what the Bible says is right and/or wrong. Our children may even post about something on social media or make a comment on some social platform. Does that give others the right to contact me as my adult child’s parent and criticize my child’s choices to me? Does it then open…
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Trusting God to Bind up our Wounds
Over the past months, I have been more introspective than usual. As I shared in another blog, I have aging parents, one of whom is dealing with dementia. Amid this struggle, I twisted my ankle and had to be on crutches. That isn’t a big deal unless you live alone and then it can be challenging. Getting groceries, taking out the dog, doing the laundry, all requires walking and doing it on crutches isn’t easy. In addition to that, my little dog, who has been my companion for over 14 years is struggling with Cushing's disease. Because she has gone blind, is developing open wounds and is now losing control…
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Dealing with Dementia
Recently my heart has been so heavy. I haven’t been blogging because I just didn’t have it in me to write. Too much has been going on—a sprained ankle, crutches, a sick and dying elderly dog, and aging parents, just to name a few. But the hardest thing I have had to handle is what happened on Easter. A couple weeks ago, I had a bad migraine. My sweet mom decided she wanted to bring me dinner since I couldn’t join them for Easter dinner. On her way driving to my apartment, (just five minutes away), she got lost. Thankfully, my 12-year-old niece was riding with her and was able…
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Ugly Prayers
I have a confession. Sometimes, I pray ugly prayers. You know those type of prayers that just lay every emotion out before the Lord? They aren’t pretty. They aren’t eloquent. They are certainly not focused on God’s attributes. They are focused on me and my need. They are real and ugly. I admit that more times than not, I pray these types of prayers. I don’t know your situation, but I have days that are difficult. I have pain that doesn’t let up. I have problems that seem to never resolve. I have emotional tears in my heart that feel as real today as they did when they happened. I…
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Facing Burnout
Have you ever thought as you were starting your day that you just felt tired of the daily grind? Maybe you just don’t feel like doing anything. Your mind aimlessly wonders, and you can’t concentrate. You are tired of letting out the dogs, doing the dishes, washing the clothes, helping the kids with homework, driving to work. Maybe you wonder what the point is. Even if you do all the chores, work, and errands of today, tomorrow, there will be new ones. Right? You just want to escape to an island, plant your toes in the sand and listen to the waves crash against the beach… and do … absolutely…
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Momma said there would be days like this
You know those nights when you are sound asleep and one of your children yells for you? Startled you jump out of bed and go running towards the noise. Because that’s what moms do. You don’t think and you don’t question. You just go. I can think of a lot of incidents like that. However, one stands out to me—partly now because we can look back on it and laugh. Growing up my boys shared a room with bunk beds. The beds were in an “L” shape and the youngest slept in the bottom bunk and the oldest slept in the top bunk. I remember one night, when both of my boys woke…
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How to handle the Foul Balls of Life
I miss being young and naïve. Thinking and imagining what life would be like when I “grew up.” I miss that young self-centeredness that makes you feel invincible—like you could change the world. I miss that excitement for life and the belief that lasting love was going to be my story as it was my parents and grandparents. The belief that forever means forever for everyone and that honesty, trust and goodness are traits in everyone. I miss not knowing what I know now and what I didn’t know then. I miss believing that love is out there for me and that sweetness of youth that allows one to believe that all…
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How to Beat the Winter Blues
As I got home from work last night, I happened to notice that many of the surrounding apartments still had their Christmas lights lit. Around the complex, balconies shone and flashed with various colors and types of lights. Something about those lights in the darkness gave me a warm feeling. Maybe the occupants in those units weren’t ready for the holidays to be over. Maybe they were silently protesting the end to the Christmas season. Or maybe they were still observing it. Or perhaps they just enjoyed the bright lights and didn’t want to take them down. Whatever their reasons were for keeping up their lights, I was glad. As I…
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What it was like to be the mother of Jesus
As a mother, I have often wondered about Mary and what it must have been like to be Jesus’ mother. He was the perfect child, without sin. Surely Mary must have had the easiest parenting job ever… right? I don’t think so. Let me explain why. I think we have heard the story of Jesus’ birth so many times that we romanticize it. We forget that while it is beautiful, it was not perfect. It was not without difficulties and challenges for Mary and Joseph—because Jesus was born into this sinful world. While He was without sin, the world was not. I think we might be so used to telling the story…
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Helping Your Child Manage Chronic Pain and Illness
I sneak up on you, snatching your drive, peace of mind and energy. I steal your time, your dreams and your days. I interrupt your sleep, zinging you out of peaceful dreams. I attach myself to you like a coat of super glue—hardening … making it impossible to shake me. I make movement slow, difficult and always intentional. I dictate your day. I determine your abilities. I delay your dreams and drain your drive. I am chronic illness and pain. Those who deal with chronic illness and pain know that it causes life to be more difficult, more expensive and more stressful. When you wake up hurting, or sick, you…
