THE AWKWARD MOM

because uncomfortable conversations are the ones worth having

Tag: hope (page 1 of 2)

“Everyone thinks I’m okay”

Reading Time: 5 minutes

everyone thinks I'm okay

I sat with a friend recently, warming my hands over a fire pit as the nights here in Colorado begin to slide into fall. What she and her family have been through is nothing short of horrific, and it felt sacred to listen to her story in relative silence.

They’re on the other side of tragedy now–the side they weren’t sure they’d ever see. But because they made it through the trauma, she explained quietly, everyone thought they were okay now. read more

A Christmas Blessing. Sort of

Reading Time: 4 minutes

May all your kids come home, and may they get along with each other. Or at least fake it.

May you have a white Christmas to the point that you feel Christmas-y and can say no to an activity you didn’t really want to go to, but don’t lose electricity and heat. May everyone wipe their boots. read more

When Change in Your Child is S-l-o-w

Reading Time: 5 minutes

change in your child

I’ve been feeling an unexpected, if not undesired, kinship with my man Moses lately.

Remember when Moses comes down the mountain to the all-out idol-worshipping party of 2 million people (who God just brought out of Egypt and is about to give the Ten Commandments)? Moses loses it and breaks the stone tablets in half. read more

Hope: It’s What to Chew On (FREE Printable)

Reading Time: 3 minutes

hope

So there’s this chance raising teenagers could kill me.

I’m (again) in one of these parenting seasons where hope feels like a mind game. There is indeed a battlefield in my brain, in my soul. read more

When You’re Scrabbling for Hope for *That* Child

Reading Time: 5 minutes

hope

Anyone else out there go through these seasons when you’re struggling to find hope around one of your kids?

Gnawing on this recently, I realized I’ve gone through seasons of this with each of my kids. Some more than others, sure. But there was that year when I was deeply concerned about my daughter’s manipulation. Or my son’s ADHD taking a wrecking ball to his relationships. Or that kid whose ego I could see splintering him off from listening to God. read more

5 Quarantine Gifts We Don’t Want to Lose

Reading Time: 4 minutes

quarantine gifts

Here in Colorado, our shelter-in-place ends in a matter of days, yielding to reduced prevention measures. As we celebrate a homebound birthday of my most extroverted child today, I’m reminded how tough these weeks have been for him–resulting in some signs of stress. He opened his quarantine gifts sent by Grandma and Grandpa, and we’ve got a cookout, and all-family games of hide-and-seek and kickball on the docket.

I think, too, of my friend waiting to finally grieve her husband’s passing in community.  I long for worship services in person. For fear to subside. read more

When Your Child is Driving You Crazy

Reading Time: 3 minutes

crazy

I could tell you my son has energy. But that would be kind of like me telling you Bill Gates is kind of good at computers.

We’re on a sports rotation at my house. It is not because we love to be busy (we try not to be?), or love getting up on Saturdays for games (nope), or think he’ll be a star someday (odds are pretty slim). read more

Bouncing Back: Helping Your Child Open the Gift of Failure

Reading Time: 6 minutes

My thirteen-year-old and I sat across a sticky table from each other at the local donut shop. If I remember right, he had this maple-frosted thing that was the size of a small planet, totally at my permission (unusual for my Sugar Nazi tendencies). His tears had dried by now, leaving a whisper of salt on his cheeks.

“I just feel like I have more setbacks than wins,” he shrugged, so clearly in pain. read more

A Christmas Blessing. Sort of

Reading Time: 4 minutes

May all your kids come home, and may they get along with each other. Or at least fake it.

May you have a white Christmas to the point that you feel Christmas-y and can say no to an activity you didn’t really want to go to, but don’t lose electricity and heat. May everyone wipe their boots. read more

“Is it okay for me to hope in something other than God?”

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Her road has been long.

A friend of mine has a husband whose cancer treatments were at last beginning to show signs of promise. read more

« Older posts

© 2024 THE AWKWARD MOM

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑

Show Buttons
Hide Buttons