A Prayer on the Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter

Tonight and all this week, Saturn and Jupiter will have a “great conjunction.” Since reading Michael Ward’s Planet Narnia this year, which gave me a layman’s course in the Medieval spheres, this conjunction has assumed monumental symbolic significance in my mind. Saturn is Infortuna Major, the sphere of suffering, old age, and death. Jupiter is […]

“Not a Mother-Woman”

There is a kind of mother who seems to hear the true calling of her life in her newborn baby’s cry. A mother who tells other expecting women, “When you see that baby for the first time, your whole world changes. It’s love at first sight!” There is a kind of mother who seems to […]

You’re Not Worried Enough: The Strange Key to Fighting Anxiety

Growing up in church, I have read Jesus’ sermon against anxiety, Matthew 6:25-34, what felt like umpteen-million times. Familiarity had coated this passage, causing me to skim it with the pride of experience rather than humbly approach it as the Lord’s effective comfort to His people. “Yes, yes, lilies of the field and all that.” […]

The Performance-Driven Mama

One afternoon, after a very bumpy morning that ended with me yelling at my kids (again), I dejectedly clicked on a link that promised to reveal my maternal “grumpiness trigger.” I answered a few questions and received an email telling me I had a Growth Trigger. In short, if my kids aren’t displaying character growth […]

Delayed Gratification is Good for the Soul

“Delayed gratification is good for the soul.” One of my college friends said that frequently, and I took it to heart, saying it even more frequently during my four years of undergrad. So frequently, in fact, that one of my best friends was pretty done with the phrase at one point: “If I hear that […]

Why Proverbs 31 Gives Me Panic Attacks

Cap was traveling. I had spent the day alone with my dear five-year-old, my adorable nineteen-month-old, and my moody, hysterical threenager. All day long I had placed her in her room so I could cool down, resist the temptation to erupt volcanically, cry out for help, and guide her patiently into an understanding that her […]

How Disney World Improved My Parenting

This post is the reason I love to have a blog. Because a thought, for me, does not remain in my head unless it is expressed in some way—verbally or written. And because writing out an essay for the sake of making the thought stick, but then throwing the essay away, doesn’t feel quite write. […]

My Solution to Resolutions

New Year’s Resolutions have come under fire lately. My whole adult life, I’ve heard the (perhaps deserved) cynicism. While I’m generally skeptical of what culture says we should do, I do like New Year’s Resolutions. The new year is a guaranteed fresh start, an official milestone to look forward to as the beginning of something good. […]

A New Year’s Fast

Every January, my husband and I make it a tradition to stay off social media as we plan and begin to pursue our goals for the new year. The break is always refreshing, and it’s always surprising to me in the first few days how often my fingers itch for Facebook and must be told […]

Writing Ruminations 2018

An online acquaintance of mine, J. M. Jablowski, started a writing tag for the end of the year. Since this time of year is usually marked by reflection (also overeating–and for me, board games), I thought this would be a good chance to look back at how far I’ve come–and look forward to where I […]