I know it says something about me that I felt immense peace and maybe even giddiness as our little world shut down because of COVID-19. Now that I have a kid crying in the shoe closet, denied a birthday party, I feel more conflicted. I keep reading articles that are vague in how strictly we should be quarantining–probably because no…
Relationships
Recently I was listening to a podcast titled “Emotional Currency” that argued that money really is about relationship. If there wasn’t an “I’m giving you something to get something” sort of thing, we’d all be alone. The podcast mentioned the illogicality of gift-giving. It makes more sense to keep your money and buy yourself something you like while your “friend”…
Planting seeds
While I was listening to the readings during church this morning my mind drifted, as usual. I started thinking about two girls who have just started high school this year and at the same time pulled away from church. I am sad to lose them, both because I want to build something meaningful and supportive for high school kids and…
Should I care?
It’s November 14, 41 days until Christmas and 40 days until the Christmas pageant. We have picked out a pageant script and held an organizational meeting, which is an ironic name for the meeting because of the chaos going on in the room with kids crafting and using Legos, parents arriving late and having to step out for various reasons.…
Birthday
Today is my 48th birthday. Natalie asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday and I essentially told her I’d like to hide. I don’t care about the age thing at all. Day by day we get older, our bodies and minds change, whatever. But I would rather have this be a secret day where only the family…
Expectations
I get really anxious over expectations. I think through the years I have tried to keep my expectations low about a lot of things so that I wouldn’t be disappointed. But, inevitably, I’m disappointed, or disappointing, sometimes. With the kids, there are frequently the exclamations of “not fair!” And I have to tell them that I try to be as…
God’s Dog
So here’s the start of a blog. Yet…another…blog. Really, it’s my journal, the stuff I think would be ok to make public and might help someone else. But if no one ever reads it, that’s fine. This morning is overcast, a bit chilly, spitting rain. I walked Grover through the neighborhood to get my Monday morning exercise and time to…