Why Sheila and I can’t be friends….

 I’ve been intentional lately about making myself tell real, live people that I’m writing a book about parenting. Last month, a random mom at a yoga event asked me what my job was and I told her about my book and said that it was about how being a mom is basically impossible and that

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To parents of college kids: it gets easier

These are the weeks when parents drop off their kids at college and emotions are high. A friend of mine once walked her college freshman up to the security line at the airport to say goodbye. My friend was crying so much and making such a scene that a TSA agent asked if she needed

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Giving joy the last word…

It felt like a gut punch. I’d been talking to a non-denominational Christian publishing company that seemed excited about publishing the book I’m writing about parenting. In a Zoom meeting, I broached the subject of LGBTQ+ children and their parents. I wanted this group to know that I was affirming and that I write about

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Leading is hard…

I don’t know what else to do.  As a mom who wants stricter gun laws, what action steps am I missing? I’ve written about gun violence, voted, called my representatives, donated to gun control candidates and “Everytown for Gun Safety.” I’ve joined Moms Demand Action. I’ve prayed for all of our students, administrators and teachers.

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This too shall pass…

I was standing at the pharmacy counter, with a very helpful employee, who was doing her best to explain why my anti-depressant was now going to cost thousands of dollars. As she went through the insurance information and faxed my doctor, my body decided it would be a good time to have a full-on hot

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Riding into 2023 with less fear and more hope…

I’m about five months into taking horseback riding lessons and while it’s much harder than I expected, I love it so much. Here are a few things that I’ve learned that are helping me in real life… 1. “Eyes up!” My instructor has to constantly remind me to stop looking down at the horse. Apparently,

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What sounds fun to you?

I knew that I was completely over-reacting; my disappointment was disproportional to the actual events that were unfolding. I was absolutely convinced that our summer was ruined. In June, most of my family got COVID, which meant that we couldn’t go visit our son in Michigan. For months, I’d been looking forward to seeing him

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“These things happen…”

A seminary friend of mine went through a divorce while she was a mom of young children, pastoring a small, rural congregation made up of mostly of older adults. She was worried about how her parishioners would take the news. Would they still trust her leadership? Should she offer to resign? There was no need

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Praying for “safety” as our kids return to school…

There is a new ritual in many church services that I adore. Congregations sometimes call it a “Blessing of the Backpacks” and it usually involves school staff, teachers and students coming forward for a prayer as they start the school year. A few weeks ago, the minister at the church we were attending used liturgy

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