A Mother’s Work is Never Done

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Have you ever had one of those days when your “to do” list feels so daunting that you want to climb back in bed and hide under the covers? If so, you are not alone because, as the old saying goes, “a mother’s work is never done.”

This Easter season, I am contemplating the difference between "do" and "done." As in, the daily work that we DO to keep our families on a good footing in this world (errands, appointments, chores, etc.) and the work that Jesus has already DONE to assure our good standing in eternity.

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Mom, Have You Let Yourself Go?

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Mom, Have You Let Yourself Go?

There are certain images that come to mind when we think about women who have “let themselves go.” Maybe stretched out yoga pants or unkempt hair. But that is not the picture I have in my head as I pray for the thousands (millions!) of moms who I know are hurting and exhausted out there. Women who have “let themselves go” to the bottom of the priority list as they tend to the needs of their families during these crazy times in our country and in our world.

As I ask Jesus how He would want to encourage these women in our midst, I am reminded of the age-old advice that we hear from airline flight attendants. “Be sure to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.” Indeed, I recall the Biblical stories about how Jesus would wake early in the morning to pray in solitude before setting out to heal the sick and share the Gospel. He was tending to His own needs so that He could meet the needs of people around Him.

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The Marriage Mirror: Is That Really Me?

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The Marriage Mirror: Is That Really Me?

It was only day two of our honeymoon and we were already having an argument that brought me to tears. We had been poking around a jewelry shop in a picturesque town and I remarked that I didn’t see any jewelry that I liked because the pieces looked coarse and unrefined. Once we left the shop, my new husband informed me that I had been rude to the saleslady because I criticized her merchandise. I thought I was just expressing an opinion. I wailed, “You care more about the feelings of that shopkeeper than you do about mine!”

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When We Set Our Expectations Too Low

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When We Set Our Expectations Too Low

Expectations. That word feels heavy, doesn’t it? We often think of the word in a negative context when we tell ourselves to “reset expectations” or “let go of expectations.”

But God has been speaking to me about expectations lately and instead of lowering my expectations, the Spirit has been encouraging me to raise my expectations – about what He can do.

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Have We Forgotten How to Be Together?

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Have We Forgotten How to Be Together?

Oh, no! I realized that the in-person church service our family planned to attend this past Sunday morning would be starting in ten minutes and we were still in our pajamas, enjoying a leisurely family breakfast. I had forgotten that the church service meeting time was one hour earlier than the online church service that we had been accustomed to attending during the pandemic. My brain had not yet adjusted to our new in-person schedule.

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Do You See the Potential in Your Children?

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Do You See the Potential in Your Children?

Spring and Easter. A time of growth… growth in nature and also growth in our spirits. It thrills me to notice the green shoots poking out of the thawed spring soil when I catch a glimpse outside my window.

I get really excited about spring because it is so full of potential. And I am reminded that one of our greatest privileges as moms is to help our kids grow into their potential. But how do we do that?

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Six Pearls

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Six Pearls

I’ve been feeling a bit reflective lately. Partly because we are approaching the end of this calendar year, which brought a pandemic and so many other changes in our world. And partly because I celebrated one of those “milestone” birthdays this year . . . I turned fifty, y’all!

As I looked back on photographs taken during the year, I paused over the photo taken at my 50th birthday dinner. The necklace I wore was one that I received on my sixth birthday. My mom had taken six pearls from the strand she wore on her wedding day and had it made into a six-pearl necklace for me.

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