Random Things That Make Me Happy Today
1. Coming home to the smell of something cooking in the crockpot.2. Writing. Writing anything at all. Writing right this very moment.3. Finding a new book at a yard sale and thinking it might become the best novel you’ve ever read.4. When siblings play together happily.5. Singing to a song on the radio while driving […]
An Emotional Mom Learns a Drama-Free Way to Talk to Pre-Teens
I’m learning how to better communicate with my family and friends. Most recently, I learned how often I like to rescue and react when someone comes to me with distressing emotions. So, hypothetically, when my pre-teen begins to share about her day, I go into rescue mode. Then, I react with all sorts of dramatic […]
The One Thing You Can Never Schedule
Today I recall what’s missing from our family life these days: spontaneity. This blog began, after all, as that spontaneous decision to dance in my kitchen with my neighbor. Living with flair meant something natural, joyful, unconstrained, and surprising. It was a way to open up my life to make room for God’s unscripted insertions […]
Battlefield Cookies
For the past four years when I visit the battlefields of Gettysburg, our host brings us the most delicious cookie I’ve ever tasted. I refer to them as “Battlefield Cookies,” and I think about them when I return home. Yes, they have some coconut in them. How did you ever guess that? This year, I […]
I Actually Did It (a Homemade Owl Costume)
With special thanks to the pattern from Alpha Mom blogger, I travel to the fabric store. My daughter has asked for an owl costume, and I can’t find one pre-made anywhere. “Can’t we make one?” Oh, no. Anything but this. If you know me, you know I have absolutely zero crafting or sewing skills. I do […]
He Will Rescue You
As I read Psalm 35, I’m suddenly struck by the repetition of one word: rescue. I learn afresh that God rescues us from what comes against us. I recall all I’ve been rescued from, and I can hardly contain the joy inside of me when I remember. But today, I ask God to rescue me […]
What You Really Mean By That
Today I realize that people make time for things they want to do. They do. So when I proclaim, “I don’t have time for this,” I’m really articulating something else. I’m really arguing that I don’t want to do it or that it’s simply not important enough. I’m revealing something about my own heart. I […]
New Eyes
This morning I read Marcel Proust’s quote that “the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” I pray for new eyes to see beauty exactly where I am, to know the amazing Creator is here, and to understand the importance of where I am in God’s plan. […]
And By Chance
I’m driving through the little town of Gettysburg. I’ve been on this road before, and I know my favorite little shop is coming up on the right. The man who sells Civil War artifacts and books has a sign that says, “By appointment and by chance.” I just love what the sign represents: it’s a […]
What Matters Most: A Journey Out of Micro-Managing
I find myself returning to old patterns lately. These life scripts try to narrate what matters most. For me, it’s the Three A’s: Appearance, Affluence, and Achievement. I find that I’m healed over these false sources of security and identity for myself, but they rear their ugly and devious ways in how I parent my […]