Words can build up; words can tear down… this is true in the words we use regarding our children. Unfortunately, moms can often be heard openly griping about their children. I believe that we have to be intentional and thoughtful in the words we speak TO or ABOUT our children. And I believe those words ought to be kind, […]

Sometimes I want to be selfish. I like having things go my way. I like being in control and I don’t like it when things happen that are A- outside of my control, or B- directly the opposite of what I would want to happen. Sometimes I want to sit in my room and pout […]

Have you ever considered: what or who is the primary earthly source of encouragement in your husband’s life? There are really only 4 options: Your husband’s primary source of encouragement is someone/something else, and he/she/it is not very encouraging. (Meaning: Your husband has little-to-no regular encouragement in his life.) Your husband’s primary source of encouragement is someone/something […]

Imagine the pressure– (perhaps you feel this pressure over the holidays!?) Christmas dinner will be at your house, and everyone’s looking to you to make it. Only problem is, you cook infrequently, don’t really know your way around the kitchen, and are relying on ingredients you only rarely use or eat. The pressure to produce […]

Is a grumpy child just destined to be grumpy? Since his lip naturally turns downward and his arms easily fold and his body crumples, should we just give in and let him be a grump? Well, no. Just like anything else (how our kids approach their schoolwork, what sort of attitude they bring to family gatherings, […]

We LOVE to use questions (“would you rather…” “what if…” “which of these…”) to start discussions with our kids over meals, during hikes, and in car rides. We’ve used books, and card sets, but they often contain foul or off-color questions or prompts. So I thought I’d share some of the questions we use, to help […]

Last weekend at our church, we had a ladies’ conference called “Identity in Christ.” In my session, I discussed how the roles of womanhood, and particularly motherhood, can be idolatrous if we let them form the basis for our identity. DON’T MISS THIS! CLICK NOW TO LISTEN — “Identity Idolatry” IDOLATRY SHOWS UP IN OUR DESIRES & […]

Q: I would like to see practical tips for how to make it a priority and how to feel ‘in the mood’ when I am so tired… A: Well, since you asked a straight question, I’m going to give you a straight answer. 🙂 I think waiting and hoping to feel “in the mood” may be […]

This question came in response to the article where I shared that on school mornings, we read aloud for about an hour/hour and a half. Q: “how do you keep the littles occupied during that 1.5 hr reading time? Are they sitting right there, if so, doing what? How do you keep their attention. Also what about […]

This question came in response to my advice about handling tantrums— Q: I have a 3 year old daughter, who I think should just be re-named “stubborn”. I know I am going to have to put my foot down and insist, always, that what I say is followed through with. When my daughter is raging, and […]

We have a bush, a beautiful bush that used to grow in our yard. (It was a Japanese Barberry— love them!!) But that was exactly the problem. It grew in the yard-– it had been planted in the middle of the grass. For two years, I mowed AROUND the bush, week in, week out. So earlier this […]

Last night I got up out of bed because I remembered this wonderful advice– I needed it and my soul wouldn’t rest until I found it and reminded myself of these truths.  Perhaps you need it too? I’ve added some Scripture references for each point, for further meditation. PRESCRIPTION FOR CONTENTMENT: Never allow yourself to […]

Almost 6 years ago, we decided to stay in America, after (almost) 6 years of living abroad. I flew to Istanbul, Turkey (our former home) to sort, sell, and pack our belongings there. While there, I stayed a week in our friends’ home, observing her normal household routines. Mother of four kids (then, ranging from 8 to 20 […]

Is this you, Mama? Are you tired of fighting against this sin? I get tired of it, too. Over the last 10 years, I’ve made progress in my fight against sinful anger, but I’m not “over it”– oh how I wish I was! Unfortunately, it is still a sin I have to actively fight, or else […]