Growing up with two brothers I learned to easily adjust from playing teacher with my dolls to playing pretend war between the Russians and the Americans with my brothers. Growing up under Former USSR, somehow the Russians always won. (Today our family enjoys a peace treaty with the Americans, since I married into the culture. 🙂 ) Continue reading
“I’m so proud of you sweetheart!” genuinely tells the father to his little one, as she’s nervously doggy-paddling for the first time in the sea. Continue reading
My heart greeted the wee hours of last Tuesday with JOY as I woke up the girls for school, tickling and giggling their way out of bed. But, it quickly got stolen away from me as my heart welcomed WORRY as I read an unsettling message. My heart shook hands with IMPATIENCE as disobedience entered the scene.Continue reading
What would you tell someone who lost their father at an early age, was sexually abused, then saw the oldest brother literally lose his mind because of the burden placed at the age of 17 to care for his six siblings and his widowed mother? How would you encourage that same person knowing that these were just raindrops before the soon-coming life storm?
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Each morning, before I take the girls to school we read the Bible, we review memory verses, and we pray. (To put your mind to ease, we also brush our teeth.) One day Bella, our youngest, had a short and simple prayer “Dear Jesus, please help the adults today to be well and obey. Amen!” Continue reading
As I mentioned last time, these are lessons learned on Sunday, Mother’s Day. My second hiccup happened right before tucking the munchkins in bed. I asked the girls to brush their teeth. Well, some disobedience followed because of mommy’s crazy request. A toothbrush flew angrily in the sink, and toothpaste splish-splashed in various places.Continue reading
Sunday was Mother’s Day. It was perfect, except for a couple of hiccups. Today I’ll share the first one. For Mother’s Day my husband decided to make me feel special. After enjoying a lavishing breakfast in bed, my amazing husband surprised me with a home-made voucher to have lunch and flowers of my own choosing. Continue reading
A friend made this comment on Facebook to my first article on the topic of the Drained Teabag Syndrome: ‘Drained teabags are good for facial’. Slow thinker as I am, it stuck with me. And I started chewing on that thought like teenagers chew gum in church (not judging, I do too). Continue reading
We get the Drained Teabag syndrome because we feel the pressure to deal with our responsibilities perfectly, without fault, blame, or shame by wearing the hat of a secretary, cook, house manager, fashion adviser, shop assistant, therapist, doctor, teacher, chauffeur, baker, entertainer, referee. You name it. Continue reading
As I’m fiddling with my words in trying to come up with the perfect introduction to my article in a way that it would impress you, (to grab your attention to read it top to bottom) I’m at a conference. Over 200 women, from over 25-30 nations meeting near Amsterdam united in Christ, and being fed by God through Jill Briscoe as the speaker (inspirational speaker).Continue reading