"If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done." (Ecclesiastes 11:4, New Living Translation) If I waited for the perfect conditions to develop my writing life, I'd still be waiting. Back in the early 1990s, I did manage to explore writing as my work, as a way of life. I wrote and submitted a few magazine articles and met with … [Read more...]
Disney Survivor
We waited 16 years to take the plunge.We put it off mostly because it's the opposite of everything I would ask for in a vacation destination. And, to be honest, I wasn't sure this slow-craving, introvertive mom could survive it. But it occurred to us one cold winter evening that we only have a few more trips with our almost-16-year-old daughter before she heads off to … [Read more...]
An Atmosphere of Affirmation
At HighCallingBlogs.com today, Bradley J. Moore of Shrinking the Camel explores the question, "When is Negative Feedback Too Negative?" He spotlighted my post "Reward the Good and Ignore the Bad: Does it Work?"He asks: We know that unhealthy criticism for no good reason can demoralize. But how do you point out negative behaviors if you want to develop people, to help them … [Read more...]
The Collision of Work and Family: Bump
In A Circle of Quiet, Madeleine L’Engle wrote:During the long drag of years before our youngest child went to school, my love for my family and my need to write were in acute conflict. The problem was really that I put two things first. My husband and children came first. So did my writing. Bump.The conflict—or collision—of work and family summed up in a word: Bump.Ouch. … [Read more...]
Wogging the Mini
We're training for a half-marathon with our girls. Boy, has it been hard to drag ourselves out and log the miles. Thursday it was all we could do to make it out and back again for a total of 3.8 miles. And I can't call that outing a run; for that matter, it wasn't even a jog. Part walk/part jog ... I believe we went on a "wog." At any rate, this is our second year training … [Read more...]
Food on Fridays: Valentine's Day Feast
(smaller button below)Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—your link could be your favorite lentil soup recipe, but it doesn't have to be a recipe. If it’s about shopping at Aldi's or you want to share your plans for Lent, go ahead and link up!When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the … [Read more...]
The Lecture: Healthy or Harsh?
Three of my kids take piano lessons from the same teacher, so they take turns going first. They determined the order themselves several months ago. I thought it was all settled. It shouldn’t be difficult to maintain who goes first, second and third, right?At the start of a recent lesson, they argued.“You go first.”“I went first last week.”“No, you didn’t!”“Yes, I did!”The … [Read more...]
Don't Blink
*Blink*One morning I spied my son sitting on one of the kitchen chairs, his toes easily touching the floor. I stopped and stared. Something about his posture and those long, lean legs … for a moment, backlit by the morning sun, my eight-year-old boy looked like a teenager.Now, I was a little groggy, which may have added to the effect, but the thought of him that much older … [Read more...]
Big Books and Mega Memory: The Stuff of Lifelong Learning
"Absent"? "Irreverent"? "Indifferent"?Found it!So that's what they mean!We hope to inspire lifelong learning with plenty of resources on hand like maps and dictionaries to help our kids figure things out.But that's not the only way. We also encourage lifelong learning by modeling it ourselves, demonstrating an interest in ideas, critical thinking, reading, and … [Read more...]
Fathers Form Us
Fathers form us.Our fathers may have launched us into adulthood healthy, strong and confident having poured into us words of truth, love and life and surrounded us with the safety of strength and sensitivity.Or perhaps our fathers left us emotionally shredded, grasping for something to staunch the wounds as we limped into the world to find our way.Even if a father … [Read more...]
Served by a Prince
I've had the flu for the past three days. Bedridden.I haven't been sick like this in years, so my eight-year-old son has never seen me this, well, needy.Compassionate and eager to serve, he heard me ask for a piece of toast yesterday."Can I take it to her, Papa?" I heard him ask. "Please?"Apparently he was granted permission, though I didn't hear the reply. I only heard … [Read more...]
What Example am I Following?
Kids pick up stuff.I know this firsthand because over the past two weeks, we've gone through about 12 boxes of tissue and two bottles of children's Motrin trying to manage mucus and control fevers. Because, you see, my kids picked up the flu.(This is a big reason I've been rather quiet here on the blog—I've been attending to sick kids.)But kids pick up other stuff, too, … [Read more...]
Emerging Evangelist
My son wrote out this message to put on his bedroom door.His hope is that when people drop in, they will pause, read the sign, and respond accordingly. … [Read more...]
Recommended Reading for Soccer Families
The same link is provided at NotSoFastBook.com.Soccer moms, dads, grandparents, and coaches, please ignore the title of the following article and read it before this weekend’s matches:“For Kids Only…”(The end of the article echoes my post about doing the best we can.)Don’t miss a word: It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.Visit … [Read more...]
Bring on the Questions
I've been asked to help provide some of the content for HighCallingBlogs.com (HCB). Sometimes I'll submit a post of my own (written especially for HCB), and sometimes I'll point readers to great material published by a High Calling Blogs member. The overall topic I'm focusing on is the high calling of raising family.This week, I was pleased to introduce a post written by … [Read more...]
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