Have you ever traveled somewhere wonderful and discovered you brought along an uninvited and unwelcome guest? Last week when I packed for Allume—a conference for 450 Christian women bloggers—I had no idea Mrs. McJudgy Pants had come along for the ride. No wonder my suitcase was so heavy. Mrs. McP didn’t make her appearance until […]
Today you can be their gift: Speak up!
October 22, 2013 By 15 Comments
Have you ever felt nudged to speak up, share something, to offer help or hope, or simply to introduce yourself? Did you act on that nudge, or did you squelch it, thinking it might make you look foolish, put you in the uncomfortable situation of being rebuffed, or worse? Our little but loudly yipping […]
The Myth of Talent: How a mistaken belief is holding you back
October 7, 2013 By
When you were little, you probably believed in one or more myths: the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Santa Claus. For the most part, those myths were pretty harmless, except for the anguish and heartbreak you suffered when your older sibling or classmate gleefully broke the news that those beloved characters didn’t exist. As adults, […]
How to create a deeper connection with your husband
October 4, 2013 By
Do you ever feel like you and your husband aren’t really connecting? Do you sometimes think it doesn’t matter what you do, that it won’t bring you closer anyway? To the contrary, it does matter, very much. You just need to know the secret password. There’s an old cartoon classic, Ali Baba Bunny, in […]
Marriage and career: together forever for better or worse
September 12, 2013 By
Did you know your marriage is inextricably tied to your career? Yes indeedy it is, and no, it wasn’t anything you did, or can undo, for that matter. However, knowing and understanding this nugget of information can be quite useful. My friend Fawn of The Happy Wives Club touches upon this in […]
The inevitable transition of seasons
August 28, 2013 By 11 Comments
Seeing your little one off on the first day of school. Waving goodbye as your baby heads to college. Giving your daughter away at her wedding. Seasons. Our lives are full of seasons and the small and large In-Between times. I wrote previously about stubbornly refusing to let go of summer, as though […]
Dear weary Mom, hang in there!
August 19, 2013 By 25 Comments
I don’t know about you, but I am a weary mom today. Usually when I hear that term I think of bleary-eyed young women adjusting to their new role as a parent. But moms at any stage can feel tuckered out, worn down, full of worry and just plain overwhelmed. Moms of […]
Stop and smell the roses and sweet baby’s breath
August 12, 2013 By 10 Comments
Have you gone from stretching out in the hammock to being stretched tighter than a rubber band? Transitioning from one season to another can have that effect, whether you are moving cross country, becoming a parent, or getting the kids ready for another school year. We want to hang on to that bright and […]
How to duck when life throws a punch
August 5, 2013 By
We recently witnessed another one of life’s embarrassing and metaphorical moments. We were about to enter the restaurant where we were meeting friends for dinner. In front of us was a thoughtful husband sweetly holding the door open for his wife. She smiled and began to walk through. I think someone’s feet got in the […]
Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall,
You Don’t Own Me, Not at All!
July 29, 2013 By 31 Comments
Did you do your final check in the mirror today, making sure everything was just so? Did you find yourself murmuring that eternal question of comparison: Mirror, mirror on the wall. . . How about your heart? Did you remember to do a beauty check on that, too? That’s where we say beauty […]
