A month ago I took a huge risk with my special needs family. And it paid off. It began almost twenty years ago when, as a 21 year old exchange student in Europe, I discovered the needs of people across the globe through weekly prayer meetings. My heart began to beat for villages with no clean water, societal violence toward women, entire groups of people ignored and left to die because of their … [Read more...]
How I’m getting my instincts back (and you can too).
"Mom?" asked my sixth grade daughter on the way home from school, "Isn't it true you should always trust your instincts?" I stifled a laugh, trying not to let the Diet Coke in my mouth shoot through my nose. Three responses sprung simultaneously to mind: Should you have gone with your instinct to hit your little sister yesterday? Or did that end badly for you? Should you go with your … [Read more...]
Who Else Wants Their Joy Back?
What does joy mean to you? And how do you know if you've got it? These are questions a fresh wave of challenges with my 10-year-old have pressed on my mind. As I wrestle to have more joy in the struggles---and to recognize it when it's there---I'm finding it's different than I used to think. For me, joy is relief. It's cool grace over a searing heart. It's letting go of heavy burdens. And it's … [Read more...]
The Trick That Saved My Child From Imploding
Slam! She stomps into the house, tossing her bag across the floor with contempt. I lurch upward, nearly dropping my glass of water as she flops hard on the couch next to me. "Another tough day, huh?" I ask, barely suppressing laughter over her outrageous theatrics. "Need a snack?" I ask. She grunts (I think it was supposed to be a "no"). "Need an iPod?" I casually reply. And instantly she's … [Read more...]