“Where’s my jacket?” my eleven-year-old daughter asked. There was panic in her voice. She frantically darted around our hotel room. First, she checked the closet. Next, our suitcases. Then, near the door. “I’m not sure,” I responded. “I don’t remember seeing it this morning.” Outwardly, I tried to remain calm. Inwardly, I panicked. This wasn’t […]
When One Kid’s from Mars, the Other’s from Venus
One of my girls is a night owl. The other’s an early bird. One likes sweet. The other prefers salty. One is blonde and on the quiet side. She likes calm and order and daily planners with highlighters. She’s tidy and organized and meticulously neat. She’s on the cautious side, painstakingly weighing consequences before making […]
When a Spouse Travels for Work
“When will Daddy be back?” This was and is a question my kids frequently ask. Since they were born, my husband has traveled for work. For years he was gone at least two nights a week and sometimes a week at a time. There’s been no routine, no consistent presence of their father home every […]
Making Love to a Memory
It’s one of Satan’s most common and successful traps. Most people have done it. Many of you are doing it. Fantasizing about people from the past who distract you from a spouse in the present is like opening the door to hell just to see what it smells like. Because every marriage is difficult […]
Break the Anger Cycle: the best resources for families
I’ll never forget holding my firstborn baby in my arms. Seeing her tiny toes and long fingers, hearing her gentle coos, and smelling her newborn head made my heart burst with gratitude. I remember staring into her eyes wondering how any parent could ever yell at their kids. Nine years later and three more kids […]