It was my husband Andrew’s idea. We were missionaries in Far East Russia, and we’d experienced an endless winter against a pane of cheerless Siberian skies. My four children and I all felt the restlessness that creeps under the skin after a monotonous schedule and needed a change of scenery – something to brighten our landscape as we plodded into …
In Others’ Words: Eyes Wide Open (Guest Post by Author Rachel Hauck)
I’m a big sister. The second oldest of five kids with an older brother, two younger and a baby sister. At the age of eight, I’d mastered changing cloth, double diapers held together with stick pins! At ten, I went to my first babysitting job. It was the family next door, but still … I loved children. They loved me. …
In Others’ Words: Making Plans (Guest post by Author Cynthia Ruchti)
One of the pieces of “sage” wisdom—which is different from hunter green or celadon, as we all know, and not even close to kiwi—that I give young moms is “Write your schedule on your calendar in pencil. That way it won’t be so annoying when you have to erase it because of the kids’ flu/ear infection/pink eye/head lice/field trip/allergy appointment/soccer …
In Others’ Words: Do You Hear What I Hear?
I wouldn’t say I never listen. But there have been times when I haven’t listened. Sometimes it was a case of tuning someone out — yes, deliberately — because I didn’t want to hear what was being said. Sometimes it was exhaustion, pure and simple. And sometimes I didn’t realize my attention had wandered until something — a question maybe, …
In Others’ Words: Everything … or Nothing (& Contest Winner!)
I’m all for going for the win. For not giving up. For try, try, trying again. But I’ve learned a hard lesson — a life lesson that’s shaped me even as it broke me — that all the “try” in the universe doesn’t always get you what you want. Or who you want. And sometimes, along the way, you lose …
In Others’ Words: Compassion
Let’s end the week with a bit of hope, shall we? And there is an abundance of hope in Lisa Harper’s statement. Compassion encompassing mistakes … even more, Christ’s miraculous compassion obliterating my worst mistake. So much hope. How can I grasp it? Sometimes I forget this unfathomable truth. I forget the amazing should-bring-me-to-my-knees reality that I am forgiven. That …
In Others’ Words: Shortcuts
We all are looking for success of one type or another. Maybe you’re focused on personal success, becoming a better version of yourself in some way. Run faster. Think smarter. Live kinder. Or maybe now is all about professional success. Achieving your dream job. Or a promotion. Or recognition of some sort that says “You’ve done it” — whatever laudatory …
In Others’ Words: Sometimes
You ever have a week that felt like seven Mondays in a row? Or are you staring down a lo-o-o-ng Monday? Was last week filled to the brim with frustration … or discouragement … or sadness? And now it’s the beginning of a new week and, oh look! you’re still frustrated or discouraged or sad. Sometimes that’s just how the …
In Others’ Words: Attitude
I wonder what kinds of attitudes I’ve left strewn around this past week? Little bits of me, of remembrances … for better, for worse. (Of course, I’m prepping this blog post early, with all sorts of good intentions … but I’ll reread it at the end of the week, with perspective and conviction.) But I digress. (And let’s admit it: …
In Others’ Words: Progress
Sometimes progress is hard. It’s tears. And throwing myself on the floor in a virtual old-fashioned wail of a temper tantrum. And sitting in silence because there … are … no … words. And venting the emotion that won’t be exhausted no matter how much I hash it out. Again and again and again. But sometimes, oh hallelujah! Laughter is …