3 Signs of a Tender Conscience
Last week, my husband got into a bit of a funk. As we lay in bed after another exhausting day of parenting, work, household chores, and church activities, he opened up about feeling like he wasn’t doing his best to help our special needs son, to support our family, and in serving others in the community. We can all feel like we are not living up to God’s expectations. We question our…
Intimacy with God is a One-Size-Fits-All
A little more than four years ago, my husband and I separated due to sin in my husband’s life. I soon found out was there was quite a lot in my own and it was primarily due to my shallow intimacy with God. It is my default to try to play god in my life and in...
Tales from a Reluctant Rush-Junky
So today marks my first official day as a “self-supporting” full-time writer. And—no joke—I’m a little petrified. I’ve fancied jumping off this cliff for a long time. I’d stand a few feet from the edge gazing up into the bright, clear sky, feeling God’s warmth and...
What Are Ya Tryin’ to Prove?: How Rejection Affects our Self-Worth
“So why do you think you are the best person for the job?” asked the interviewer. I hate that question. If they ask it, it’s usually at the end of your interview. It means you have to (#1) have a sober estimation of yourself, and (#2), brag a little. I’m not very good...
Dishtowels and the Aware-mess of Being Imperfect
This morning I washed the last breakfast plate clean, set it into the dish drainer, and burst into tears. My life was kinda like that movie Crash when everything comes together just so as to cause this major collision. First, my husband and I—separated for almost four...
Who Gets the Bigger Cookie? (or How We Rob our Children of Opportunities to Grow)
In our house we love homemade cookies—Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal, and Snickerdoodles. Course I cheat a little and buy the Betty Crocker packaged mixes so I only have to add butter and eggs. After 50+ dozen, I still haven’t quite gotten the hang of making...
A Fish ’n’ Loaf Faith
I can be such a twit. I imagine Jesus shaking his head and sighing deeply over me just like he did with the Pharisees and even his own disciples (Mark 8:11-21). They just didn’t get it. About 15 years ago when my son was first diagnosed with autism, we heard about a...
Playing God and Robots
Recovering from codependency is kinda like living in Florida—days go by when everything is sunshine. Then wham! out of nowhere, you’re hit with a surprise storm and find yourself drenched head to toe standing in the onslaught, wondering how it snuck up on you from a...