As a mom, I look forward to a little pampering on Mother’s Day. Of course, I don’t expect lavish gifts or for my kids to wait on me while I lounge around eating truffles. Rather, I look forward to seeing the excitement they have to give generously. Their handmade cards are filled with love, and I can see the effort they put into them. They are excited to shop for brunch ingredients and flowers with Dad. It’s sweet and enduring, and no matter…
It was January 1, and I was gung-ho to begin my New Year’s resolution. My plan was to start a rigorous elimination diet in the hope of feeling better. I purchased ingredients to make healthy meals, and I set aside time to cook for the week. I knew it was going to be hard, but I reached a tipping point in my chronic illness and knew I had to try more drastic measures. After a week, I started to regain…
During the Advent season, the Lord invited us—the weary, worn out, and overwhelmed—to come to Him. He invited us into silence and stillness with short Scripture verses, Christmas hymns, and pondering prayers. In our time with Jesus, we found hope—even in the midst of waiting, because we discovered that we are not alone in our waiting. He is waiting with us. And hope brought joy! The weary world rejoiced indeed on Christmas Day. I pray that this Christmas season has…
As I sat in front of my computer on Cyber Monday, browsing the websites of various retailers, irritability peeked its ugly head. Site after site, I wasn’t finding what I was looking for at all. I was running out of ideas, and panic filled my heart. I closed the browser and walked away with a big, heavy sigh. It wasn’t even December 1, and I was already feeling behind on all of my Christmas preparations. But why? Looking at the…
I am so excited to be part of CatholicMom.com’s 2016 Advent Guide, a collection of articles and reflections to help you prepare for the Advent season. Today, I shared An Advent Plan for the Weary Woman’s Soul. *** Sitting across the table from a friend, she sensed my tension. After making small talk, she asked, “OK, what are you holding back?” As she invited me to be real and honest, it all came pouring out. How life just seemed really hard,…
It is hard to believe this is the last day of my Write 31 Days series on Dyslexia Awareness. I was nervous to take this on, as I stated in yesterday’s post, but God has given me so much grace to endure. To endure during these 31 days of writing. But also to endure in this journey I am on with my daughter. “… for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and…
“So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) When I first started seeing promotion for this Write 31 Days challenge, I was not sure what my topic would be. I was not even sure I had any business writing for a month straight, because my own personal and mental health was a bit weak. I have been battling chronic illness for about…
I anticipated another Scripture Sunday today, but I had the privilege of attending a Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota event with my husband and three of my children. It was a chance for the kids to play at a ninja warrior park while parents talked, networked, and learned about Dyslexia and how to help our children who are living with it. Being at the event helped me remember that I’m not alone in this journey. Not only is it a family affair,…
Today’s post was first published on CatholicMom.com. Looking back on her preschool years, I now recognize the early warning signs, such as difficulty hearing rhyming words, like cat, hat, and mat. Throughout Kindergarten, I saw her struggling, but I wasn’t worried, until I started receiving notes from her teacher that she falling behind. In Kindergarten? Really? No amount of phonetic worksheets would catch her up, though. Nor would a repeat of Kindergarten. You see, my daughter has Dyslexia. She is the one…
As a Catholic mom, I am grateful for the belief in the communion of saints, the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. On earth, they strived to live holy lives, following God’s will, practicing virtue, and overcoming sin. Now, they are in Heaven, and God has generously given them the opportunity to pray for us on earth, who are still striving for our Eternal Home. I often teach my children about particular…