Country living is the best. Well, it was awesome to me, anyways. For a time in my childhood, my Dad pastored a small church in a tiny Arkansas town, population 630. It wasn’t exactly a metropolis. We had one bank, one gas station, one small grocery store and one restaurant where you could buy anything deep fried. That’s it. Everything else consisted of houses, churches, dirt roads and cows. Lots of cows. Everywhere. Oh, I forgot to mention chicken houses. Growing up in a small, Read More
Family Life
Homeschooling Mishaps in History
Homeschooling is an adventure. It’s a study of exploring your children’s learning style, combined with discovering the number of emotions that can be expressed in one day, all while acquiring knowledge of how long a mom can lock herself in a bathroom with chocolate before her family calls 911. I’m baffled how quickly I can teach my kiddos something and have it drain from their spongy brains like sweet tea in a mason jar at a church potluck. This was never more apparent when teaching Read More
An Open Letter to my Son: What Kind of Girl Should You Date?
I know. This isn’t your world right now, buddy. You’re into Mariokart and Legos. Captain America and sharks. But while your mind is busy soaking up the wonders of learning letters, numbers and who put their mouth on the water fountain at school, I’m praying for your future…more specifically, I’m praying for you and your future spouse. It’s important. The people you choose to surround yourself with now determines the person you’ll become ten years down the road. The books you read, the music you Read More
An Open Letter to My Girls: Who Should You Date?
It seems like yesterday I was welcoming you into the world. I thought you would always be in diapers, watching Sesame Street and learning your alphabet. I blinked and suddenly we’ve traded Cheerios and sippy cups for makeup and iphones. And now, much to your father’s dismay, your heads have begun to turn when a handsome boy gives you a wink and a smile. Boyfriends will come and go. You’ll face heartbreak and joy, tears and laughter. As someone who is, ahem, a bit older Read More
Abortion: Speaking for the Silenced and Wounded
It’s taken me some time to process all the thoughts and emotions swirling through my heart with the passage of New York’s recent abortion law. Shock. Horror. Outrage. Nausea. Heartache. A throbbing, overshadowing heartache. We cry for civil rights, women’s liberation, and racial equality, yet we kill future civil rights leaders, murder females and males alike, and show no discrimination in the races we destroy. We insist on protecting immigrant children at the border but find no problem killing children next door. Who knows if Read More
Charlotte Elliott: Just As I Am
It’s been a rough couple of weeks. End of the year school activities. New summer schedules. Church classes to teach. Writing deadlines and an upcoming book to launch. Loved ones in the hospital and children going through tough stuff. Life can sometimes keep us spinning. To use a Southern turn of phrase…I’ve been dragging tail. I confess I’ve begun to wonder, “What if the demands never ease? What if I fail my kids? My family? My church? What if I can’t keep it together until Read More
The Problem with Perfectionism: Conditional Love
Perfectionism can be the sneakiest of beasts, bleeding not only the pages of our own stories but marring the chapters of our children and grandchildren’s stories as well. Not long ago, I had the privilege of visiting a beautiful riding ranch for children with disabilities in northern Arkansas. This equestrian center is set up like a miniature western town, complete with a post office, general store and chapel. Children, and even adults, with a wide range of disabilities come each week for riding lessons and Read More
An Open Letter to My Girls: Here’s What to Look For When You Date
It seems like yesterday I was welcoming you into the world. I thought you would always be in diapers, watching Sesame Street and learning your alphabet. I blinked and suddenly we’ve traded Cheerios and sippy cups for makeup and iphones. And now, much to your father’s dismay, your heads have begun to turn when a handsome boy gives you a wink and a smile. Boyfriends will come and go. You’ll face heartbreak and joy, tears and laughter. As someone who is, ahem, a bit older Read More
Butterfingers: Interruptions & Learning How to Be a Servant
Back and forth I went. Kitchen to bedroom, bedroom to living room. Every time I sat down to write, it seemed I heard yet another cry. “Mom! I need you!” “Mom! The dog just peed on the floor!” “Hey, honey, have you seen my socks?” “Momma! I want candy!” Through the chaos of barking dogs, calling children, buzzing dryers and ringing phones, I couldn’t suppress the inner voice bearing down on me. You have to get this book finished by the end of summer. You’re Read More
Raising a Wild Child Without Losing Your Mind
Wild child. Stubborn. Headstrong. Independent. Strong-willed. Although, having been one of those myself, I suppose I’ve always preferred the term “steadfastly-minded”. You know the type of kid I’m talking about. If you’re not sure, here’s a checklist. You might have a wild child if… -You’ve considered purchasing a taser as a disciplinary tool. Okay, not really. (But maybe.) -The medical personnel at the ER know you and your kid by name. – Your kid can unlock any child-proof device invented in under 3.7 seconds. Read More