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Contemplating my 20s – What I would do differently?
My 20s? What would I do differently? Everything! and nothing. . . A younger friend is reading a book (20-Something, 20-Everything) and asked me about my 20s. So first – the EVERYTHING I would do differently in my 20s Being single in my 20s felt like a disaster, I was “supposed” to be married and having babies so I could be the energetic, young mother of my dreams. I chased that ideal at the expense of everything else. Nothing has ruined my life more than trying to match it to the idealized version in my head. I wish I spent more time just living than worrying about plans. Focusing on…
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My Best Lessons from our First Year Homeschooling
Homeschooling is more than just teaching school at home. Even after 17 years teaching public high school, I had so much to learn this first year of homeschooling. Last summer, we decided homeschooling was our best option and love the flexibility for scheduling and curriculum choices, and the joy of learning together. Homeschooling has brought our family much closer. I knew homeschooling would be educational – I didn’t realize all I would learn as the teacher. 1. The most important lessons aren’t always in the curriculum. I learned that teaching one child I love is very different from teaching a beloved subject to 100 children. Structuring lessons around her meals,…
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Why Tragedy Makes us so Quick to Criticize Parents
WHY are we so quick to criticize parents in the wake of tragedy? What is it about alligators, gorillas and car seats that turn rational, compassionate people into cruel, armchair parenting quarterbacks moments after tragedy strikes? When I hear about a child’s death, I immediately imagine the pain of losing my sweet girl. Even in the middle of the night, I’ll go scoop her up, kiss her face, smell her hair, knowing it is only by the grace of God my girl is healthy and alive. It certainly isn’t due to perfect parenting. I fail daily. So why are people so quick to criticize parents? Because we’re afraid. In the…
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Do you know how to have an Abiding Love?
Can I just have a minute to speak into your soul today? I want to talk to you about the kind of love I hope you have today, the kind of love I hope you have everyday, an abiding love. Abiding love is safe, enduring, permanent, sacrificial love. Our worship pastor once read to us from John 15, verses about abiding love, the love of the Father that Christ demonstrated for us through his life of purity and sacrifice. And I just wanted to sit down in the middle of those verses and ABIDE. Like curve into an cozy chair by the fire, swathed in a rich blanket. Abide means…
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What Rape Did to My Life
Rape left a jagged wound on my life, but through the media bombardment since the horrifyingly lenient sentence for Brock Turner, God has been reminding me how He has used my darkest story to minister to brutally wounded girls. Even though I’m reliving bits and pieces of my own story, I can’t look away. Its like I’m standing in solidarity with her by acknowledging the truth of her story; she was not exaggerating, not being dramatic, not lying. So, I’ve quietly read the articles and the letters: first, from his victim, trying not to let her eloquent words reach too deeply so I don’t break down three feet from where…
