Category: Encouragement

One of the most fun things about parenting is introducing your children to some of your favorite things. Seeing them light up at the things you love, brings a special joy to your heart. In fact, one of my favorite family vacations was when we took our daughter to New York City for the first time. We had the best week, taking her to all of our old haunts and watching her fall in love with the city.

What I enjoy just as much, is when my daughter introduces me to something she loves. Without my daughter, I may never have discovered some of the Indie musical groups she enjoys or Mental Floss magazine. The other day though, she really hit the jackpot.

Continue reading Mothers: Feed Yourselves!

When anyone teaches the story of Hannah, they tend to focus on the interaction between Hannah, Eli and God. After a discussion of Hannah’s fervent prayer, the teacher will usually fast forward to a few years later when Hannah fulfills her promise to God and leaves little Samuel with Eli. Hannah’s actions have a lot to teach us, but we are missing out on someone else who is just as pivotal in this story in his own way – Elkanah.

Elkanah was Samuel’s father and Hannah’s husband. The scripture actually tells us more about the kind of man Elkanah was than we think. You see Hannah was able to “parent like Hannah” because Elkanah was the husband and father Hannah and Samuel needed him to be. So what can Elkanah teach fathers who want to dedicate their children to God?

Continue reading How Dads Can Parent Like Hannah (Sort of)

For years I have heard over and over again about trusting your gut. My first advisor of the gut theory was a successful magazine publisher. On the train back from a sales trip, he regaled me with business stories from his youth. He counseled; that when I had a tough decision to make, I should trust my gut.

After my daughter was born, I got lots of advice about natural instincts and trusting my gut when parenting. I started believing it myself. I had a couple of times when I disagreed with my pediatrician. The good girl in me followed his advice, only to find out my “gut” was a better doctor.

As the years have passed though, I have noticed something. The “trust your gut” saying has become so common that it is becoming an excuse for poor parenting decisions. Suddenly Johnny isn’t disciplined, because it just “felt right” to let him run wild. Children aren’t fed healthy meals because “my gut” just told me they would eat what they needed.

Continue reading Parenting From the Gut

When I was a teenager, my mother would often call me Sarah. Not because that was my name, but because I was always a little impatient for what was next. She thought I was a little too much like Sarah in the Bible – trying to help God out a little or at least hurry him along. Maybe it was because I am a card-carrying optimist, but I was always sure bigger and better adventures were right around the corner.

Parenting can bring out the Sarah in the best of us. We (or at least I was this way!) can’t wait until our children are potty-trained. We are so excited about the idea of our children starting school, beginning to date, or learning to drive. We are sure that when our child reaches the next milestone, life will somehow be easier or more fun.

Continue reading Parenting for Results

If you knew me, you would know that “sporty” isn’t exactly an accurate description of my athletic abilities. I have taken lessons in a wide variety of sports with less than stellar results. One thing I vaguely remember from tennis and golf lessons though, is that your follow-through is very important.

If I understand correctly, follow-through has to do with physics. To get power behind the ball, you need to keep your speed fast and consistent, never slowing down. If you drop the bat, racquet or club as soon as you make contact with the ball, your ball will not go nearly as far as it could have. Follow- through is the result of continuing to play even after you have made contact with the ball. You may think you are finished when you hit the ball, but unless you follow through, your efforts won’t be rewarded.

Follow-through is also critical in parenting. Frankly, I think it is one of the hardest things about parenting. A baseball doesn’t care what kind of day you have. All it knows is that if you don’t follow-through on your swing at it, it isn’t going to go very far. Now as much as we delight in our wonderfully caring and loving children, there are times when let’s face it, they just need their needs met by us. How our day is going is of little importance to them at the moment.

Continue reading Follow-Through in Parenting