Ladies, you know how much I love the fall season here in New England. I love the crisp, cool air and the colorful foliage and the promise of a new school year. But, obviously, this year feels so different. Thankfully, the pandemic can’t steal the beauty of the fall foliage from us, but I fear that it may steal some of our joy about this season of new beginnings.
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We know that many of you did not get to finish your Mom to Mom meetings in person this past year because of the pandemic. Several of the Mom to Mom board members are part of local MTM groups that also had to make a swift transition to virtual Mom to Mom meetings.
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At Mom to Mom we often talk about the need to get other people “on your team” when parenting children. Kids just do better when they have other adults investing in their lives, whether it’s grandparents, youth group leaders, teachers, or coaches, etc. The global pandemic has forced many of us to isolate ourselves in our homes and it feels even more important to involve other trusted adults in the lives of our children. It is just too exhausting for parents to be all things to their children. However, the isolation in our homes makes it more challenging to connect with those other adults.
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I snuggled up in my favorite “prayer chair” with my “prayer shawl” blanket that a dear Mom to Mom sister had crocheted for me. Then I gasped in delight as I saw the sweet faces appear on my laptop screen, one by one. These were the precious women in my Mom to Mom small group who I had been missing during these days of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is Mom to Mom, “social distancing” style!
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As we approach Valentine’s Day this month, I have been reflecting on a passage of scripture that always makes me think about marriage. In Ecclesiastes 4:9 we read “Two are better than one” because they can help one another and protect one another. Isn’t that a big part of the marriage partnership? It means we don’t have to go through life alone. But we know that marriage partnerships require some effort to make them thrive and flourish.
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Let’s face it, sometimes in life we have to deal with difficult people—at work, in our neighborhoods, in our churches, and even in our own families. Sometimes we find ourselves dealing with a difficult person in our Mom to Mom small groups. But in church circles, we don’t say “difficult people” because that could sound unkind. Instead, we sometimes refer to these individuals as “extra grace required” people.
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I have never been the type of person to make New Year’s resolutions. I guess I feel that any time of year is a good time to focus on self-improvement, so I haven’t made a habit of setting new goals at the beginning of a calendar year. However, I have a friend who chooses a theme word at the beginning of each calendar year and I have been intrigued by the concept. I like the idea of focusing on a particular word during each year —so this year, I have decided to focus on the word “surrender.”
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“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” I know that popular song was written about the Christmas season, but when I think about “the most wonderful time of the year” I instantly think of Thanksgiving . . . my favorite holiday! I love hosting our entire family in my home for this annual celebration of family, food, and God’s faithfulness. Maybe you share my enthusiasm for this holiday . . . or maybe you dread the thought of hosting Thanksgiving because it just feels too overwhelming. Let me see if I can offer a few tips to make the day a little more enjoyable.
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“Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”
I love this line from the classic movie You’ve Got Mail by Nora Ephron. Why? Because I love fall, too! Here in New England, we are experiencing the first few days of cool, crisp air that ushers in the most glorious of seasons. Nora Ephron may think fall in New York is lovely, but it certainly can’t compare to the beauty of the autumn foliage we experience here in New England each year.
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It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting warm and students are counting down the days until the end of the school session. For us moms, the thought of summer vacation typically inspires two different responses. Some moms look forward to summer vacation with joyful anticipation. “I can’t wait! We are going to have so much fun.” Some moms think about summer vacation in a fearful panic. “How am I going to entertain these kids all summer long without school, sports and other scheduled activities?!” And there are many moms who vacillate between these two reactions, depending on the day!
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