When You’re Feeling Worthless

Motherhood, the Christian life, and life in general offer many opportunities for feeling flawed and hopeless. When we sin, we feel unworthy of God's love. When we make parenting mistakes, we feel our children deserve better. When family and friends reject us, we feel despised. I am beginning to realize how much of my adult … Continue reading When You’re Feeling Worthless →

When Looking Young is No Longer a Goal

I was married at the age of twenty and enjoyed decades of being told I looked too young to be the mother of seven children and the wife of 30+ years. Those days are done, for sure. When I tell people I'm a grandmother, they don't flinch. As hard as that may be to accept, … Continue reading When Looking Young is No Longer a Goal →

When the Bride Wears Black

With two weddings in my family over the span of six weeks this summer, I have had many opportunities to enjoy and reflect upon the beautiful rituals associated with marriage ceremonies. Central to those traditions is the bride wearing white. A bride is the focus of the day; the beauty of the hour. She is … Continue reading When the Bride Wears Black →

The Prison of Perfectionism

Since the beginning of time, moms have wanted to be perfect. It started with Eve, enticed by the serpent who offered her an amazing deal: "Eat this and your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Who doesn't want to be like God? Isn't that the aim of the Christian life … Continue reading The Prison of Perfectionism →

Do You Monsterize Yourself?

You're a mom, NOT a monster. Yet how often do your mistakes become your reasons to feel evil and ugly? This struck me as I was reading Feeling Good, a mood therapy book that exposes destructive thinking habits. While author David Burns uses "monsterizing" to describe how we label others who make us angry, my thoughts … Continue reading Do You Monsterize Yourself? →

Mother’s Day Gift Idea #4: The Gift of Praise

OK all you fans of moms the world over. Allow me to let you in on the dirty little secret that may be plaguing the mom in your life: she puts herself down every day. If she's been a mom for even a week, she has begun to nit-pick and obsess over whether she is … Continue reading Mother’s Day Gift Idea #4: The Gift of Praise →