“My Heart is Ever at Your Service”

  My heart is ever at your service. William Shakespeare Hi awesome mommies, As a romance writer I love that quote from the bard. Can’t you just see the handsome, muscular hero pledging his deep love to the heroine? But the more I think about it, the more layers I see for me as a…

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The Joy of Unstructured Play Time

Hi awesome mommies! As I sit here writing, I can hear Abigail and Christian’s laughter. I honestly don’t know what they’re doing. Something naughty? Definitely possible. Whatever it is, they’re having fun. And the best part is, it’s fun they created. Part of the awesomeness of summer is our flexible schedule. We don’t have to…

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Performance-Oriented Me: An Honest Look

“Ocie,” (folks called me Ocie back then) “you’re performance oriented. A people pleaser.”  I remember the scene so well. I was about 17, sitting on the gorgeous grounds of my high school on an off day during the summer.  Monty, my youth leader, said those words.  Yep. Pretty much describes me. Over the years I’ve…

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You Mean It’s Worth It? Hope from a Stranger

It was the last morning of the conference. I’d never met the woman sitting next to me at the breakfast table, but by the kindness in her southern-accented voice, I knew she cared about my struggle. I don’t know why I shared, but I did. “Since he was two, we’ve battled with our son. He’s…

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Rejoice in All Things? Really?

The Bible says to rejoice in all things. All things? Really? Even the yucky stuff that comes with being a mommy? I know the Bible says I’m supposed to, but it’s hard, don’t you think? Usually, when that tinge of conviction comes that perhaps this is an opportunity to rejoice (instead of complain, whine, or…

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Mommy-O Prayer: You Know Me! I’m Not Alone

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind…

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Mommy-O Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for being a loving, kind, serving master. Your grace is amazing beyond words. Please help me to get through this day, filled to abundance with your peace and trusting completely in you for my strength. Dear Lord, I pray you keep each child in your loving hands today. Help them rest…

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Walk in Love and a Saturday Morning Hike

“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Eph. 5:2 ESV This past Saturday our family went on a long long walk. Well, long for us. We traipsed through a forest trail that was two miles in and two miles out. Four…

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Real-life Conflict and a Father Who Loves Me

As a fiction writer and reader, I love conflict. Bring it on! The more the better. Is my character brokenhearted from a nasty breakup? Awesome. Let’s have her get fired from her job too. Cool! Oh, and maybe she could struggle with a secret jealousy of her stepsister. Yippee! But conflict in my own life…

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When I Say Stop, I Mean Stop!

On Saturday, my oldest and I spent the morning volunteering at a triathlon. The Seattle rain splattered us as we directed the cyclists which way to go. We also directed traffic. To instruct the cars to make way for riders, I threw my hand forward and yelled, “Stop!” The bicyclist’s safety depended on whether the…

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