Sometimes we blame our anger on circumstances (“it annoyed me that he kept doing x”), people (“she just gets under my skin,” or “our personalities just clash”), and sometimes–perhaps more rare– we own it all ourselves (“I’ve got an anger problem.”) However, I think there’s one thing that is nearly universal in the way it…
When Your Kids Need You To Be Stubborn
We all start out with high hopes for our children. But over time, as moms, we get worn down. The years… the fussing… the hormones… the reality of daily life with sinners– it all swirls together and we find ourselves in a mental “place” we could not have foreseen when we stared down at our…
20 Thoughts About Honeymoon Sex for Virgins
My husband, Doug, and I are privileged to be able to do marital and pre-marital counseling through our church. Here are some of our thoughts for the about-to-be-married virgin couple about having healthy, realistic attitudes about honeymoon sex: 1. GO SLOW. For her: Your body takes time to relax and open up. Let yourself warm up…
Where Are the Titus 2 Women?
“Older women are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to teach what is good, so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands, so that God’s message…
Is Your Parenting Focused on the Wrong Things?
Recently, I watched a video that appeared on my Facebook feed. Filling the comments section was a litany of moms who claimed they “couldn’t even watch the video because they were so distracted by the fact that none of the kids were buckled into their carseats correctly.” It got me to pondering… There are a whole lot…
When Your Life Is Devastated
Yesterday our family drove to Mount St. Helens, the famous volcano in Washington state that erupted in 1980. The eruption enacted complete devastation in the blast area. It “blew down so many trees that the toll was calculated at 4 billion board feet, the amount of lumber to build 300,000 two-bedroom homes.” The blast zone…
Why Getting Older Is a Good Thing
{Editor’s Note: I wrote this more than 7 years ago. It’s just as true now as it was then. Only difference is, I need to actively work to hear it and believe it more than I did then.} An acquaintance of mine recently asked our group of friends if we ever felt like the best years of life were…
Are You Letting Your Kids Walk All Over You?
I sometimes hear moms almost bragging about it… “it’s been ages since I’ve used the restroom alone.” “She’s persnickety & suddenly won’t eat anything I make!!” As if being a Mommy Martyr makes you a good mommy. There is a HUGE difference between what the average mom puts up with today, and what would have been allowed…
When You Can’t Do It All: Mom on Purpose, Day 3
(Though these “Mom on Purpose” posts are being published over time, they were written days in a row.) First, I asked myself the main question of essentialism. Two days ago, I got clear on the principles of what’s essential for me right now. And then yesterday I put essentialism into practice. Today was a tougher day than…
Avoid Emphasizing the Wrong Things to Your Kids
In parenting, not everything can be in bold print. We can’t emphasize EVERYTHING and have our children “get it” all. We just can’t. IF YOU’VE EVER SEEN SOMEONE WHO TYPES EVERY MESSAGE ON FACEBOOK IN ALL CAPS, you know it’s true. After a few sentences, your eyes glaze over. It’s too much to take in. It’s…