Living in the present isn’t easy. In part 1 of my two-part blog series on seasons, I talked about how nostalgia for the past and dreams of the future can become idols if we use them to escape our present. Another way we’re tempted to avoid the present is by writing off seasons as either … Continue reading Seasons, part 2: the good and the hard
Seasons, part 1: Protect the present
“This is such a unique season.” The number of times I’ve said this since having a baby is nauseating. And while it’s true, just acknowledging the “uniqueness” of any given season doesn’t stop me from missing previous ones or imagining future ones. While we were at the beach, I found myself missing how easy it … Continue reading Seasons, part 1: Protect the present
The freedom to change.
You’re allowed to change. As I sat on the beach this week with my son, the same beach I grew up on, it hit me how much I’ve changed over the years. And yet, I’m still so resistant to change. Namely, changes I see in myself. Whether it’s my priorities, my goals, my schedule, even … Continue reading The freedom to change.
Don’t believe everything you think.
We’ve all been cautioned at one point or another to not believe everything we hear. Whether it’s something someone else tells us, something we see on TV or something we read on social media, we recognize the importance of determining for ourselves what is true and not blindly believing every piece of unverified information that … Continue reading Don’t believe everything you think.
For our good and our growth
My son hates tummy time. And even though we only make him do it for ten minutes a day, he pretty much screams the whole time. While it kills me to hear him cry, I know how critical tummy time is for his development and for strengthening his little muscles. I know it will serve … Continue reading For our good and our growth
Power. Love. A sound mind.
Yesterday morning, I sat in the rocking chair in my six-week-old Jessen’s room and watched him sleep. School shootings have always wrecked me. But now they do on a different level. I found myself thinking about his first day of kindergarten. How it’s supposed to be such an exciting day, but one that I’m already … Continue reading Power. Love. A sound mind.
At peace ≠ in control.
"At peace ≠ in control." This was all I wrote in my journal the other day. Because as I’ve watched my baby learn to self-soothe, I’ve realized the healthy and unhealthy ways I too tend to self-soothe. In moments of stress or anxiety, my way of coping is to find something to control. They aren’t … Continue reading At peace ≠ in control.
Stop waiting for a worry-free season.
We’re two weeks in to being parents and the worries haven’t stopped. I knew deep down they wouldn’t - that they would just “transfer.” During pregnancy, I was scared of losing the baby. As we got closer to our due date, I was scared of something happening during delivery. And now that he’s here, I’m … Continue reading Stop waiting for a worry-free season.
Lent 2022: Choose the better thing
I first felt compelled to try to give up hurry and worry for Lent when I found this note tucked in my Bible next to the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. It was a poem I had written some years back and it read: Lord, prune the Martha spirit away from my … Continue reading Lent 2022: Choose the better thing
Lent 2022: fasting hurry, surrendering worry
The timing of Lent this year feels special to me because it also times up with the final weeks of pregnancy. Baby boy is due at Easter, and while we actually have no clue when he’ll make his appearance, I love the idea of spending these last weeks intentionally fasting something in preparation for this … Continue reading Lent 2022: fasting hurry, surrendering worry
HJC 