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Why Should You Stop Throwing Temper Tantrums
Why should I stop throwing temper tantrums? As parents, those generally aren’t the tantrums we think about. But over the past few years, I have grown increasingly convicted about my anger, especially towards my daughter. And one verse today just wrecked me. And I want to come to you from that place right now: not a place of having conquered, but still conquering, sometimes still failing. But I see God’s work in my heart as I grow more and more. My temper tantrums were damaging my family. Yours are too. God has called us to control our temper tantrums now. I’ve been trying to rewrite this post for days, but…
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The Experiment that Made God’s Love Real to Me
A science experiment made God’s love real to me at my daughter’s fourth birthday party in an object lesson I never forgot. My daughter had a science themed birthday party when she turned four. I was searching for a cute gender neutral party theme, and thought science experiments would be something different and extra fun. All the kids wore labs coats and colorful safety glasses. They blew touchable bubbles from test tubes, and we performed several easy experiments. We covered the lawn with Mentos and Diet Coke, the kitchen with vinegar and baking soda. The party was a blast. One of everyone’s favorites was the packing peanuts experiment. I took…
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Welcome to the Club
It finally happened. I’ve officially joined the club of “mmm, she’s awfully quiet in there . . . WHAT DID YOU DO?” moms. Now I had to decide how to discipline. My mom joined the club when I was two and covered my crying sister with talcum powder, then made tiny powder clouds all over the upstairs of our house. My parents never got all the powder out of the deeply grooved tile floor and still blame me for my sister’s asthma. It is my earliest memory. I’ve actively avoided joining this club. We read Olivia as a cautionary tale. I hide ALL the Sharpies. All to no avail. I’m…
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Old Man’s Rubble
Do you ever have a song from your childhood just echoing in your head? I had an old Imperials’ (lyrics here) song that came to mind today. I’m not completely sure I can explain why, but I feel like God put it on my heart. Reviewing the lyrics, thinking about the Biblical truths that surround them, felt like answers to some prayers I had for some dear friends of mine that I was preparing to fellowship with this evening. Take a moment, picture your heart as a home. What does it look like as a home for Jesus? Is it dark, dirty, cobwebs in the corners? When I close my…
