You can create and maintain a healthy relationship with your mother-in-law through proper communication.I remember picking up a joke book as a twelve-year-old girl and finding an entire section on mothers-in-law. The in-law relationship between daughters and moms is presented as one of conflict and impossibility. At twelve, I couldn’t know what my future relationships would look like, but I knew I didn’t want what the joke book described!My friend Susan shared her perspective as a ... continue reading...
The Secret to Loving Your Mother-in-Law
Maybe loving your mother-in-law, or showing love to her, isn't the easiest thing in the world for you. I hope these tips can help you.There is a secret to loving your mother-in-law. It has everything to do with you and nothing to do with her. She doesn't have to change one thing about herself for you to love her! That is GOOD news! Your mother-in-law is neutral. Did you know that your mother-in-law (or, insert another name) is a neutral circumstance in your life?She is there. She is ... continue reading...
3 Ways to Encourage Your Kids to Try New Foods
Are there foods (maybe some vegetables...) that you just don't like? Can you think of a time from your childhood when you decided that you didn't like that particular food?I can think of many instances where I discovered I didn't like certain veggies as a kid. One of those times was when I was really young, and a neighbor boy tricked me into eating mushrooms out of our front lawn. I didn't know I had done anything wrong and that night around the dinner table I declared over a slice of pizza ... continue reading...
How to Find Time to Do the Things You Love
Why is it that when you become a mom, finding time to take care of yourself seems impossible?I remember a time after college when I would read 11-12 books a week! I would go out to eat whenever I wanted to, go shopping, or even take a road trip somewhere. I still love to read. I enjoy listening to music and seeing good art. All those things I loved pre-mommyhood I still love. But in this season of little ones, most of the things I love have been put on the back burner.Can you ... continue reading...
10 Things I’d Love for My Daughter-in-Law to Know About Me
I’ve been a mother-in-law for 23 years now.And the things I’ve learned over the years have come mostly from the mistakes I’ve made.I've had lots of opportunities to learn with having 5 kids -- three daughters and two sons -- and all of them married. In addition to my own experiences, I’ve also discovered many insights from older women, as well as from hanging out with younger women.After asking a few questions and listening closely to their responses, it's become increasingly clear ... continue reading...
How To Derail Anxiety
Bending down to pick up another toy, I feel a little twinge in my side. Huh. I wonder why my side hurts? What organ is mid-back, under my ribs? I think that’s where my kidneys live. Why would my kidney hurt? I do have a nodule on my right kidney. You know, the one they found a couple years ago. The doctor said it was nothing to be concerned about... What if something changed? My yearly ultrasound isn’t until March. Hmm. I bet it’s growing. I bet it’s become something serious. I must have ... continue reading...
Helping Your Husband Care for His Mom
Four years ago, I got the phone call that my dad had died of a heart attack while snowmobiling. My mom began the widow’s life. It was a painful time, but I watched something beautiful happen because of it.I live 12 hours from my mom, so I felt helpless in the weeks and months after Dad’s death. I couldn’t do anything to help her except on occasional visits. But my brother and his wife began loading their three young girls in the car and driving five hours to Mom’s house, from Colorado to ... continue reading...
The Simple Thing I Do When My Husband Isn’t Leading
Do you struggle with your husband leading in the things that are spiritual?A few years ago I was sitting in the living room, bible open on my lap at 6 AM. About an hour later, my husband got up, went through his morning routine, and left for work. As he walked out the door, resentment welled up within me. Why doesn’t he think to join me in my bible study? Why doesn’t he initiate spiritual things?I’m not alone in those feelings I faced in early marriage. Many other young wives are at a ... continue reading...
Practical Ways to Disciple Your Children Every Day
What does it look like to disciple our children? How can we do it practically in the day-to-day?Let’s face it. Life is busy. Even if your children don’t participate in an abundance of extracurricular activities, life is still busy. Keeping house keep mothers busy. There is always something left undone by the end of the night. It is so easy to get caught up in those things that are immediately seen. You see dirty dishes and dirty floors and know you must wash them. You see unfolded laundry ... continue reading...
Freedom to Dance in Front of the Mirror
We need to fully understand and own the freedom that is available to us.One weeknight, not too long ago, my family and I decided we were long overdue for a family dance party and quickly remedied that. Somewhere between ‘YMCA’ and ‘Getting jiggy with it’ my daughter and I realized that we were the only two left in the family room dancing our hearts out.I’m pretty sure my husband and son just gave up because our sweet moves were simply too impressive for them to handle. Or they were ... continue reading...
The Secret to Staying in Love
Almost seventeen years ago I wore that slip of a white dress and said: "I do."I might as well have been twelve and spending my parents’ savings on a new bike, with my little life experience. I was full of zeal and opinions and I'd found a man who liked that. I'd also found someone who would carry my secrets, tenderly.We were young in heart, wearing big kids’ clothes at Christ Church on that day. We said our vows before a crowd of three hundred and whispered secrets to one another about ... continue reading...
How to Be the Mom Your Strong-Willed Child Needs You to Be
Do you have a strong-willed child? Wonder how you can be the best mom to such a determined kid? Here's encouraging and helpful advice from a mom who knows!I can clearly remember the day.When this beautiful, brown-eyed, curly-haired child - simply bursting with personality - walked into our home.As if she owned the place.I think she might have been all of four-years-old, but that didn't seem to matter much. At least not to her.Normally, such behavior would have greatly ... continue reading...
