-
Getting Over Mommy Guilt
It’s real. That pain in your gut feeling that you don’t teach enough, bake enough, snuggle enough, read enough, pray enough — and generally aren’t enough. Mommy guilt plagues us as we do our daily chores and celebrate milestones. The pressure to do more than we can, be more than we are, to give more than we have wells up from within. It leaves us feeling hollowed out, empty from trying to meet expectations that we can never quite achieve. Whether you’re a seasoned mom or just starting out, the daily challenges of raising kids wear on us. We’re tempted to absorb every stumble and struggle—telling ourselves that if only…
-
Teaching Children to Respect Another’s Religion
What is the difference between teaching children that they need to respect others’ religion and teaching children to respect other religions? Grammatically the only difference is, the first is possessive meaning it belongs to another and the second could easily become possessive. As in, you might respect it so much that you would want to embrace it yourself. Can we teach our children to respect another’s religion without implying that it is a valid choice? I believe that we not only can do this but that we must. One of the fundamental aspects of being a human is that we above all other created beings have been given the gift…
-
A Single Girl’s Revolt Against the Day of Love
Many cultures and countries consider a woman over the age of 30 to be an “old maid” (in Spanish: solterona). So at the age of 34, I was definitely past my prime according to many. I disliked Valentine’s Day. Too many past disappointments and brokenhearted moments meant I just tried to survive until February 15. (Para español, lea abajo.) I ignored the flowers on my female coworkers’ desks. I ignored the male coworkers’ conversations about dinner plans. I ignored the heart-shaped cookies sold at bakeries. I ignored the stuffed teddy bears and candy boxes at grocery stores. I viewed Valentine’s Day as “The-Survival-of-the-Fittest” Day and I used various tactics throughout…
-
A Mother’s Treasure
Recently Lynna and I flew home from Singapore, and, of course, we had to pass through security. We have gone through security in the toughest airports in the world: DFW, Kennedy, Heathrow, Tel Aviv, Frankfurt, Paris, Budapest, Hong Kong, just about every airport that is on some high level of alert due to terrorists. Since we’ve done them all and had every innocuous thing taken from us that could possibly be labeled high risk, we had no concerns as we approached Singapore security. We should have been concerned. I sailed through in no time flat and then discovered Lynna pulled aside as an agent tore through everything she had,…
-
God with “Skin On”
Thanksgiving offically kicks off the “Holiday Season” and sounds of the season surround us. Decorations abound, lists begin, shopping survives Black Friday. For many this annual season recalls warm memories and anticipates new ones. I discovered this year a family Facebook picture that included the newest member sporting a tiny tee shirt with the words “I’m New Here.” That clever line brought a smile to my face. However, for some, if not many, aspects of this season prove difficult. Perhaps because of painful memories of seasons past or traversing a first season without a loved one gone, they struggle to enter into the celebration. It could be added stress financially…
-
Beware—You Are Being Chased
This past week my husband and I were chased down. Separately, but on the same day, the same morning in fact, we were tailed. You, too, are being pursued and followed. Did you know that? Before you shut down your social media sites and seek an attorney, let me explain. We pursue new jobs, new promotions, new advancements, and new recognition. We pursue new restaurants, new friends, new fashions, and new technology. Our favorite tale of pursuit is: Boy meets girl. Boy pursues girl. Boy marries girl. And they live happily ever after… The flowers, the romance, the drama, the happy ending—love wins, and we love it. We love the…
-
No Greater Love, Teaching our Children Unity
I had a conversation with a friend last week about candy. It went something like this. “Do you remember Chick-O-Sticks? “Oh yea! I loved those!” “What about that candy bar that was so hard it almost pulled your teeth out?” “Oh! You mean, Bit-Of-Honey?” “No, it was some kind of caramel candy bar.” “Oh yea, what was that called?” “I don’t know. What were those called? Now that’s going to drive me crazy trying to remember!” We talked about our favorite candy and how we remembered the packaging on some but, it was the type of candy on the inside that generated the memory. It was such a sweet…
-
GOOD GRIEF: Seven Steps to Embracing Emotions- #5 Believing that Feelings are a gift from God
Step five is best understood when preceded with a little recap of the first four steps. First, we must be honest about what we feel. Don’t pretend that giving up something is easy. It isn’t. Humans want to hold on, be in control, and even determine our own destiny. Validate their feelings. Ask them why they think they are having those feelings. Share with them when you’ve had similar feelings. Remind them that feelings are from God to help us make wise and good decisions. Second, we must normalize feelings. Loss is a part of our lives. We lose track of time. We lose lots of stuff: everything from…
-
The Keeper of the Christmas Kitchen
For some of us, Christmas means cooking family favorites that make the season special. We deep six counting calories and fat content. We fold in real butter, sugar, and vanilla. We chop nuts and mash spuds. It can mean hours in the kitchen, aching feet, and tense attempts to make everything come out hot at the same time. As I sort recipes and make my shopping list, part of me eagerly anticipates the scrumptious smells that will soon emanate from my oven. But another part of me needs to hear The Keeper of the Spring story once again. The late Peter Marshall, chaplain of the United States Senate, told this…
-
Hidden With Christ in God
“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:2–3 (NLT), bold and italics mine Much of our esteem arises from various aspects of our lives—gender, heritage, possessions, accomplishments and how others perceive us. Yet, when we entered into a relationship with Christ, we “died to this life” and our “real life” began “hidden with Christ in God.” The phrase hidden with Christ in God means our life now rests safely locked away in Christ. He is our life now. We are in Christ and we have all the…
