Goodbye Clutter! Hello Peace!
Today turned out to be the most wonderful day of the year for my youngest daughter and I. No, it's not Christmas. It isn't even either one of our birthdays. It was "spring" cleaning and the truth is, it was anything but wonderful. I found that my daughter had stuff collecting everywhere imaginable. It was a hot mess! But, how did we arrive at this point? I've taught my children to clean up their rooms daily, so I was baffled. Upon inquiry, my discoveries included the following: there was the cardboard box that had to be saved because it had potential for a future art project, there
Just Like Me
My daughter likes to walk around in my heels and wear my jewelry sometimes. It's amusing to see her shuffling with the shoes, trying to keep her balance. The other day, I was wearing a sundress, and she asked me if she could have it when she was all grown up. I reassured her that everything I had would be hers one day. I love that she loves to dress up and that we share that common interest, but most importantly it reminds me of an important lesson: she wants to be like me. It's actually a humbling thing to
Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride
My firstborn son, Josh, received his drivers' permit earlier this year. So here we were, in a parking lot. I asked my younger son to buckle up as his big brother was about to take over the wheel. When I turned around, this is what I saw. (See picture above). I couldn't help but laugh. What a perfect image of what I was feeling at that exact moment. Every stage of raising these little ones is exciting but scary. I'm no parenting expert as I'm still in the thick of it, and I'm learning new things every day. Thankfully, over
The Tipping Point
Just a few days ago, while my husband and I were out, he dropped me off at near-by Starbucks while he took care of an errand. I decided to make the most of my down time. I grabbed a drink and my phone, propped my feet up and started reading. As I sat there, I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation that was happening just a couple of tables away. It seemed that the guy’s marriage was in trouble. The friend was really trying to encourage this guy to do his part to save the marriage. I tried to focus &
The Impact of the Father
I remember when my children were infants, there were moments they seemed inconsolable. Whether they were in physical pain or something had upset them, the tears flowed incessantly and their cries were excruciatingly loud. Such moments were heart breaking. That is, until their Daddy said their name, gently stroked their head or cradled them in his arms. Suddenly, the weeping ceased and the hysteria disappeared. Their father's voice and his touch had a soothing effect and calmed them down. Experiencing those moments helped me visualize the instances when our Heavenly Father has done the same for each of us. I think
I Knew You
One of my favorite things to do while I was pregnant with my first child was settle in and read about how she was developing inside me. The book would describe my baby week by week, and would even use tangible, descriptive words to give me a better idea of how big she was: Week 12: your baby is the size of a lime Week 20: your baby is the size of a banana I found these portrayals a bit amusing, but it really did give me a better idea of her size and what organs were developing. Of course, my
Share Your Story
Since I was young, I have strongly disliked public restrooms (especially on road trips). I'm no diva....I just prefer clean bathrooms (and I have a very strong gag reflex). So, on such family trips, we had a routine. I would have my sister go in first, assess the bathroom situation, then let me know if it was safe to enter. (Weird confession, I know...but I promise I'm going somewhere with this). There was a comfort in knowing, whatever I was about to walk through, someone else had already been there and survived
Devotional: The Battles Women Face
We are so excited to announce that Whispers & Fringes has published our first YouVersion devotional plan - The Battles Women Face. Check out the link below to subscribe to the plan. These devotions, like the posts you read every week, were written by our team of leaders. We believe that you and hopefully many more women will be empowered to fight these battles we often face on a daily basis. Shout out to Life Church including Pastor Alan George, the YouVersion team and Jason Blackeye for the plan photo. https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/4391
New Things
We were on a road trip...and guess where we ended up for dinner? (Hint: check out the sign in the back). Talk about comfort zone. It was safe. It was predictable. We knew what to expect. We left full. The next day, my husband consulted Yelp and we ended up at a local spot. It was different. It was new so we didn't know what to expect. And it was great. We left full...and satisfied. It's a simple thought but maybe it speaks to where you are at right now. What new thing is God asking you to do? Maybe
Never Too Young to Make a Difference
I don't know what the teen years were like for you, but mine were not memorable. I was quite insecure and completely disliked being a teenager. Needless to say, telling others about God or thoughts about God's plan for my life were not anywhere in the forefront of my mind. In fact, I always thought that God's purpose for me wouldn't unfold until I was older. I mean, what could He possibly do with a girl like me, right? Wrong. We are never too young (or too old) to be used for the Kingdom of God. We just have to
