*Disclaimer: this content is not appropriate for younger eyes.* Imagine your daughter perched on the couch, laughing with friends while painting their fingernails and watching an Austen film. In the last year, she’s grown taller than you, but her knobby knees and questions let you know she’s still a child at heart. It wasn’t that […]
Truth
Truth
Motivating our Minions
In college, I worked two years at a daycare. Although I appreciated the preparation it afforded toward future parenting, some of the methods employed didn’t set me up as a successful instructor. Obviously, a daycare regulated by the state had to be cautious when it came to disciplinary actions. We as teachers were not allowed […]
Resurrection Art & Music: Ushering You In
By His wounds we are healed. I’ve always loved Ron DiCianni’s work, but this painting impacts me in a powerful way. He IS risen and holds the keys of death! “Oh, death, where is your sting? Oh, Hell, where is your victory? Oh […]
Strange and Set Apart
When I was in elementary school, I attended VBS at our church. As was typical of most Baptist churches in the 80’s, snacks consisted of Ritz crackers and the ever-present Kool-Aid, which we were never permitted to drink. Being far ahead of the trend, my mom sought to feed us organic food, avoiding chemicals and […]
Male and Female and Crossing Over: the Dangers of Rewriting Gender
Our family loves watching competitions together (especially in the baking, cooking, and music fields). My daughter and I feel inspired to learn new baking techniques, explore exotic flavors, and venture into recipes we weren’t brave enough to try before. Everyone enjoys listening to talented musicians show off their vocal abilities, although no one in our […]
Facing the Enemies of my Marriage
I’d done it again: said the words I shouldn’t have said. Critiqued when I should have encouraged. And the person I love more than anyone else felt the brunt of my barbs. Why is it that the people we care the most for often receive the ugliest, unrestrained aspects of us? Sometimes I need to […]
What Really Scares You?
Our family launched a new practice this year: we now have enough Nerf guns to have a battle. Turning nearly all the lights out and taking teams, we establish ourselves on opposite ends of the house and slowly make our way toward one another. Three shots and you are out of the game. The kids […]
The Legal U-Turn: You Haven’t Gone too Far
Sometimes I reflect back on my early college days when I explored my boundaries a little too carelessly. Forgetting that choices always have consequences, I allowed myself to go down paths I knew were dead-ends…just to see what the journey might look like. Thankfully, my choices didn’t take me all the way to the edge. […]
Comparison Kills
Although I appreciate the style, you’ll hardly ever see me wear my hair in a ponytail. Why? These little guys. My ears. In high school, my other insecurity was my height. I hit 5’9” at the age of 13 and my best friend peaked at 5’ 2”, so you can imagine the contrast. Not only […]
Dads, You ARE Appreciated
Bouncing around social media you’ll find all these blogs, videos, and memes encouraging moms, “You are doing great! Give yourself grace. Keep doing the hard stuff. You are amazing.” Etc. Etc. And then we dismiss or ignore the dads. Or worse yet, we applaud the moms and then beat fathers over the head, “You aren’t […]