Good morning... After pushing through our post Pregnant With Worry, around 2:15 pm yesterday little Lucy breathed her first breath. She now joins her family and friends on the adventure of her lifetime. I was overjoyed to receive the birth texts and first photos shared with loved ones. When it comes to parenting newborns and toddlers, "Retrospect is [...]
Good morning... "Very timely after reading your blog this morning," she texted after yesterday's post Depression: What NOT To Say. "A friend posted this today on Facebook," she wrote, sharing the story below. ****** It occurred to Pooh and Piglet that they hadn't heard from Eeyore for several days, so they put on their hats and coats and [...]
Good morning... Learning to care for loved ones who are struggling with depression, I deeply value the wisdom shared in chapter four in Parker Palmer's book Let Your Life Speak. On page 61, Parker candidly describes his own experience of being severely depressed in his forties. He helps us to know what NOT to say to our loved [...]
Good morning... "You're really on a role this week," said the heading of her email. Being "on a role" is different than being "on a roll." I thought about the difference. When we are "on a roll," we effortlessly flow down hill, naturally picking up speed as we go. When we are "on a role," we root ourselves [...]
Good morning... Yesterday's blog post shared practical tips for slogging through a season of depression. Summarizing Dave's list, these things may be helpful: Shower, hot or cold, as long as you'd like, as often as you need. (I personally prefer a long hot bath to candlelight.) Moisturize everything with your favorite lotion - tactile touch can help so [...]
Good morning... Well, anyone who follows college football will forgive me for posting late this morning. Congratulations texts after The University of Georgia won the National Championship came flying in around midnight. This morning I was given the unusual gift of sleeping in. When I was a kid we used to watch "The Wide World of Sports" on [...]
Good morning... "Have you ever felt like nobody was there?" begins the song. "Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere? Have you ever felt like you could disappear? Like you could fall, and no one would hear." I think we all have moments when we would honestly answer "yes" to these gut-wrenching questions. "Well, let [...]
Good morning... "I loved your devotional about feeling "torn to pieces" and God pulling us out of the hole," she wrote, referring to our exploration of Psalm 40:2 (VOICE), He reached down and drew me out of the deep, dark hole where I was stranded, mired in the muck and clay. With a gentle hand, He pulled me [...]
Good morning... One mid summer night in 2005, God startled me awake: "Host a Bible study in your home." I recently pulled out the manuscript which chronicles my formation as a writer, a teacher, a daily God-listener. We now pick up the story after our life-changing move from a tiny town in Pennsylvania to the bustling city of Atlanta, [...]
Good morning... I hate to disappoint people. I lose sleep over perceived mistakes. I feel most at peace when those around me are at peace. I am only as happy as my most unhappy loved one. Is this some personalized form of co-dependency, God? Why do I attach my cart to the perception of people instead of securely [...]
