• Forgotten

    Did you know, that after you said goodbye, I quit sleeping? On the hot summer nights in my bunk I thought of you. I tried to talk to the God who claimed you for himself, but it hurt so deep that my words just came out as silent tears drowning in the nightly chorus of screaming crickets and cicadas. I watched as she changed. We rarely spoke of you, but you were there. In each circular conversation as her mind…

  • Motherhood: The Measuring Stick – Part 1

    By nature, I am a student. I love the entire process – the initial curiosity, the exploration, finding answers, applying the answers, and the evaluation. When I finished my PhD back in 2007, I found myself at a loss. I switched to the role of teacher and suddenly the only measurement of my work was if I was kept employed and student feedback. Typically the students that give you feedback are the disgruntled ones. As a mom I feel it’s…

  • We Joined the Country Club

    I can’t tell you how often I feel the envy rise in my blood when I see pictures of friends’ beach vacations or read about yet another date night or impromptu road trip via Facebook updates. I am just not good at being “not the jealous type”. Last week I was starting to feel a little sorry for myself, but then I realized, I’m 29 (yes, I am implying that is young). I have a toddler and am expecting another…

  • Engineered, but not Reversed

    Our church does this yearly practice in early January called “Reverse Engineering”. Individuals and families are asked to prayerfully assess nearly all aspects of their lives: priorities, habits and patterns, relationships, finances, daily schedules, vacations, emotional and physical health, spiritual development, family life, etc to make the most of the time and resources they have available. The idea is to look at where you see God directing your life – 1,2,5 and 40 years into the future – and begin…