Learning to parent with great expectations is one of the earliest lessons I learned as a way to plant hope in the hearts of my children. Hope not only for what they could do but for what God could do and wanted to do through them. Continue Reading
Cultivating a Confident and Humble Heart
Don't we all want our children to become confident and humble human beings? For years I hung a magnet of “100 Ways to Praise Your Child” on the front of my refrigerator. Until one day I decided to toss it in the trash because it was doing more damage than good. Although the intentions were admirable, it fell short of helping me cultivate a balance between confidence and humility. Like most parents, I wanted my children to develop a strong sense of who they were regardless of whether they succeeded or failed. And by focusing on praising them for every accomplishment, I was placing too much emphasis on the reward and not enough on the process. It's in the process, not the reward where refining and character building takes place. Even when the process includes failure and Continue Reading
On Stepping Up as Keeper of Our Child’s Dreams
I remember vividly the day I realized my calling to parent my children was also a calling to be the keeper of their dreams. Dreams which began as a passing glimmer in their hearts and required vigil and nourishing. The kind of dreams that shape a soul and a future. And the kind that can’t be accomplished in a young and tender heart without the gentle coming alongside of a parent. ~a 10 year old's passion for european history grew from a desire to connect with his Scottish heritage and play the bagpipes ~a 9 year old's passion for worship ministry grew from a desire to play the guitar and sing like a rock star ~a 9 year old's passion for biology grew from a desire to own and draw every animal possible Each dream unique yet each equally profound in its potential to shape a life for a Continue Reading
5 Ways to Parent a Child in Their Bent
I don't consider myself an expert on raising children, but I am passionate about parenting! In this monumental task of parenting, we've all learned some things along the way. And to not share is to fail to encourage where we can. So I hope you'll view this series as just that - an encouragement for how to keep hope alive throughout the many facets of parenting. I remember frequently being in awe of how different each of my children were from one another. How personalities and interests could be so diverse left me curious and constantly learning in the midst of wanting so much for these three souls. And now so many years later, as I graduate my second from university, I'm reminded of how glorious different and unique really is. A History Professor who lives in China, a Continue Reading