The Best Time to Make Up Your Mind

As a teen, no one let me in on the power of my heart. I wish they had. Can you remember how you didn’t even know a guy existed, then your friend told you he was crushing on you? Next thing you knew, you were crushing back. Mental drool took over and he was all you could think about. From there, it was just a matter of following your heart. Your mind hadn’t already decided what you were going to do when you found yourself overcome by such powerful emotions. We just listened to what we were told: “Follow your heart.” Maybe …

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15 Lessons Learned from Multiple Miscarriages

October 15th was National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. It was also the day I lost my first baby to miscarriage a few years ago. Since then, I have lost three additional babies to miscarriage. I have become, by default (and most definitely not by my choosing), a miscarriage expert. Here are a few of the lessons I have learned. Lessons Learned from Miscarriage – 3 Years Later: 1. Children are a blessing. If I had known when I was pregnant the first time that he would be my only surviving biological child, I would have treasured each kick so much …

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A School Time Prayer

Father God, as I place my kids in the care of their school I pray Your hand of safety and guidance surround them. Help them to develop a love for learning. Give their teachers wisdom in how best to inspire a love for knowing. May their desire to know draw them closer to You. Father be with the other kids in their classes. May my kids be lights of encouragement to all the kids in their classes. Help them to treat others how they would want to be treated. May they point others to Your love and kindness. When they …

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Is Your Child on Something?

She looks different to you.  Her eyes are glassy. Or is that a twinkle? Giggling, she can’t keep quiet. Gushing all of the great things about him, all conversations now lead to this one subject. If she were back in her light up shoes, the strobe light would be blinding as she twitters around the room. It’s like she’s on something. And she is. It’s infatuation. Although it’s not deadly or illegal, it does give this mama heart cause for concern. It’s a drug that can blind our kids, causing them to miss what is glaring to everyone but them. …

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Back to School!

Each year, when summer comes and school lets out, it makes me reflect on my childhood summers. You know…those summers that seemed to last forever? I think about all the wonderful days I experienced growing up. We all had so much fun. Forced to be outsiders, we actually got exercise by running around playing tag, kick ball, or roller skating. We circled the neighborhood subdivision on our bikes until dark and the bugs hit our teeth, or Mom rang the bell to come home. Our parents never worried about us. Because a high level of trust in one’s neighbor existed, …

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“Grown-Up Time Out”

Lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, … teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up … -Deuteronomy 11:18-20 We all have those proud mom moments when our children surprise us and make us look like the mom of the year. You know… that rare family dinner out where all of the kids display their best table manners with no whining or crying and they …

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Precious in My Sight

  I wasted a year of high school starving myself. Tall is fine when you’re 30-something, but back then my 5-foot 9-inch healthy frame didn’t fit the tiny sophomore cheerleader mold, and I concluded—I must be a big girl. I was a smart girl, too, who should’ve known better. Straight A’s looked great on college applications, but they did nothing to enhance the mirror image. So I did what good overachievers do. I set a goal. My goal was to be skinny—and I chased it with gusto. For breakfast, I rationed exactly half a cup of cereal because the box said …

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Have You Fallen Into the Planned Parenthood Trap?

I felt helpless laying flat on the table, doctors talking in hushed whispers as they hovered around me. I gripped onto my husband’s quivering hand as he sat and sobbed. As the ultrasound wand circled my swollen belly, I felt like a lab-rat being inspected from the inside out. The pictures on the ultrasound screen spoke two different messages: one to the doctors of deformity, illness, malady, dysfunction; the other to me of a precious silhouette with hiccups, clinched fists, cute crossed legs, sweet nose.  The professionals started urging me to take the “best road,” to terminate the pregnancy and …

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Are Power Struggles Your Kryptonite?

  Are power struggles your kryptonite?  Kids are in it to win it, aren’t they? They are all in when it comes to fighting for their way. Power struggles are exhausting for the parent. Exhilarating to the child. It has helped me to understand why power struggles occur. Then I am better able to avoid my parent kryptonite. So WHY?  Just ‘cuz. Just ‘cuz that is how we are all wired. One of our most basic needs is the need for freedom and independence. We need opportunities to make decisions for ourselves. Of course as parents  we know our end goal …

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Bite Your Tongue

  My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, James 1:19 NIV Sometimes it is better for everyone involved if you just bite your tongue. Oh, I know, it’s not easy to do and believe me, this is something that I struggle with as a mom, wife…and well, as a person, but hear me on this- there is strength in not saying everything that comes to your mind. There is strength in not saying everything that comes to your mind. Bite Your Tongue. Click To …

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