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Middle Schoolers, Motherhood, and Mountains.
If you have or have had middle schoolers, you’ve experienced the Middle School Moan, the eye rolls, etc. Every Friday I have the privilege to be a contributing writer at Not Alone Mom. All parents...
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Tanya’s Story: A Response
Today I’m posting at She Stands. Stop for a heart check! If you didn’t read Tanya’s inspiring story posted this weekend, read it here. It’s a beautiful story of hope and redemption after a life of...
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What is Your Drug of Choice?
Vodka and Vicodin. What’s your drug of choice? This weekend I’ll be sharing the powerful story of a young mom who found herself unexpectedly turning to Vicodin and Vodka and ended up in rehab. This...
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Parenting Series: The Middle School Years
“I hate middle school,” a friend recently texted, asking for advice and prayer in a difficult moment. I knew those moments all too well. Our kids are three years apart, so we have a revolving door of...
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Updates
It seems like forever since I’ve posted. It’s been one of those weeks. Do you have weeks like that? This past weekend my husband and I traveled 22 hours to be with our daughter for 36 hours, moving...
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{Dis}Courage
Does it feel like sometimes there’s a big, thick wall surrounding you, isolating you from all that is good on the other side? I call this wall discouragement. I don’t like it. Are you discouraged?...
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Stop the Train, I Want To Get Off
This past week, we had three theater performances, four basketball games, a science fair project, an Aztec pyramid model to make, a major scholarship interview, youth group meetings, a Valentine’s Day...
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Steps to Health and Healing – Pushing Through Fear
“Ouch, that hurts,” I told the physical therapist working on my knee. He was trying to figure out what was stable and what needed to be stretched after last week’s surgery. “We’re going to get you...
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Running Away, Giving Up and the Benefits of Being Caught
This week, I’ll be speaking in Western Michigan for two women’s groups on Hope Beyond the Picket Fence. I’ll be sharing what I call “my angry mom story.” It’s the hope and truth our family has lived...
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March Madness and MVP’s: It’s All in the Assists
It’s March Madness and I’m a Hoosier. Every stereotype about Hoosier Hysteria lives in my hometown, in my own house. I married Mr. MVP, who comes from a family of basketball MVPs. My babygirl...
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Inspiring Stories: Ingrid’s Story
It’s my great privilege to have a dear friend share her story of cancer survival. This is Ingrid’s story: My friend holds her daughter’s hand, whispering prayers as the daughter lay in the Intensive...
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The Parenting Series:The Simple Question and the Not-So-Easy-Answer
Last week my son came to me with a simple question. “Mom, are you busy?” I groaned inside because I knew the answer. The right answer was “No. ” The wrong answer, which was inside my head, said “I...
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Parenting Series: What Have I Gotten Myself Into? By Shannon Dew
It’s my privilege to have Shannon Dew, author at Dewing Life, to guest post today. Visit her site – it’s full of encouragement and practical advice for parenting blended families. I’m thankful to have...
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Parenting Series: 101 Summer Boredom Busters for Boys
By contributing writer Josh Kissee of Manbuilders.com. The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. -Dorothy Parker Are you dreading your boys asking to play video games, watch...
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Between A Rock and Hard Place {Or A Buggy and A Pig}
I live in the middle of the third largest Amish community in the United States. Driving in our area requires a certain level of acquired proficiency. Slow-moving horse and buggies are plentiful, and...
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What You’re Born To Do: Lesson From a Killer Dog
I learned a lesson from a killer dog. This spring our Boston Terrier was killed by another family pet, an English Shepherd. Both were outdoor dogs along with our German Shepherd. The kinship reminded...
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Home Improvement: Having Faith in the Unseen
There’s a machine making background noise as I’m typing. It’s a dehumidifier taking the moisture out of the heavy summer air. Every twelve to fourteen hours, a light on the machine says, “Bucket Is...
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Friday Chat
I’m sitting in a hotel room with my family trying to quietly type. I don’t think it’s working. There are lots of things happening in the ministry of Life Beyond the Picket Fence. Parenting: First, I’m...
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How To Be Strong When There’s A Weak Link
I’m 4% permanently partially paralyzed. A fancy way to say I have a torn ACL from a workman’s comp injury. I have a weak link. As my surgeon released me from treatment, he said my knee will only be as...
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Slow and Steady Does Win the Race: The Challenge of Consistency
Remember that Tortoise and Hare? There’s a saying, “slow and steady wins the race.” Other words describing this principle are consistency perseverance doing the work Is it hard to be consistent and...
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