Trusting in God’s promises
Once upon a time, we had a failed adoption. Actually, we’ve had more than one, but this particular story is about ‘our’ little boy.
We’d been with birth mama since the beginning of her pregnancy—the doctor appointments, the anxiety-filled 3 a.m. phone calls, the sharp pains, and redemptive joys that come with all things adoption.
A painful surrender
Adoptive paperwork was signed with a…
Why aren’t you calling me?
He didn’t ask me to tuck him in last night. I heard the click of his light and waited for the invitation. Silence.
Why wasn’t my Eli calling for me? Maybe he’s praying, or stretching, or reading with a book light? Was something wrong?!
I’ll tell you what’s wrong—my boy is growing up. And I’m not ready. I crept out of bed and peeked into his room. He looked longer, his jaw a bit wider,…
Giving grace instead of advice
Keep the advice—I’ll take the sucker
Sometimes mamas need help and advice. But all the time, they need grace.
Once upon a time, at Trader Joes, I allowed my three angels to push their own mini-carts. So—they decided to play bumper carts down the aisle of wine bottles. Smack in the middle of the horrific scene, another mom sauntered by, her two children peacefully pushing one cart and said,…
Summer traditions: Teaching our children to pray for the world
I would love to travel the world with my kids.
I imagine we’d get lost down colorful alleys, pop into restaurants beckoning us with the smell of butter and spice, and marvel at the variety of creation surrounding us.
But right now, we spend most of our time at soccer practice and school drop-off lines. It’s our current life stage, and I adore it.
However, I long to instill a sense of…
Confident parenting: Barefoot before the perfect Father
“Didn’t you know? We live like animals around here,” I said, a bit embarrassed.
The other mom’s face lit up, “Oh, we don’t have screens, either,” she smiled, watching my daughter climbing through our window, cradling a rabbit. “But I did notice your kids don’t wear shoes very often.”
She listed the various times and events she’d witnessed my shoeless children. Funny thing, I don’t recall…
Three things to do when you don’t know God’s plan
Knowing you may not hold someone you love for much longer leaves the days feeling fresh and fragile. I remember sitting next to my Poppa when he was passing away. I listened carefully for the next breath, knowing any moment the next breath wouldn’t come. I wanted to be with him, inhale deeply next to him, sing to him, pray with him, hold his hand while it was still warm.
I find myself watching…