OK.  I only have an N of 5. But we just finished our 2nd round of college tours, this time in Philadelphia with friends.  Our crowd included my 2 girls, a rising junior and freshman, my friend Mona, and her 2 daughters, a rising sophomore and freshman who are also my girls’ oldest friends.  We visited University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore and Villanova. After visiting Northwestern and University of Chicago last trip sans friends—let me tell you it’s a lot more fun... Read more

My 12 year old pulled an all-nighter this week.  Not because he’s working desperately on a school project, but because with summer vacation his sleep schedule’s gone completely wacky. Of course, I feel somewhat to blame.  Because school ended about 2 weeks earlier than normal due to no snow days and an earlier start to the year, I somehow blissfully went along planning my normal work life without seriously thinking about what to do with my youngest child.  After all,... Read more

I’m a hypocrite. As a Biblical feminist who writes, speaks and teaches about women’s equal call to follow Jesus and build the Kingdom of God, I must confess my practical theology breaks down in certain arenas. Like dead things. All my life I’ve had a pathological fear of dead things, probably stemming from my pathological fear of death developed while very young. Unfortunately for me, animals love to drown in our swimming pool.  Mice, birds, toads, and even a squirrel,... Read more

As someone who likes to start things (but not always finish them) each summer I create grand goals for family life (last year it was Family Rehab), only to see them wither within weeks, if not days.  Some failures include: Bible Study every morning Kids cleaning up every night One beach towel/kid/week An hour of reading/kid every day Kids learning how to cook This summer, I’m renewing my last goal.  I feel the need to pass on my best skill... Read more

“I’m bored,” said my 12 year old son. About 200 times. My kids have been out of school for 2 whole days, and ennui has already swept my family.  The last day of school came with a big hurrah—my oldest daughter hosted a pool party with 23 high school friends and then we celebrated my middle daughter’s 8th grade graduation. Then she and her father flew to DC for his board meetings and their tagged on father/daughter 14th birthday getaway, leaving me with 2... Read more

Notice the murky pool–not safe with a gazillion hormonalteens!   Some Stats on Yesterday’s Pool Party # of kids Ling said were coming:  20Time I thought they were showing up:  11:30Time Ling popped into the house while I was still having a supervision app’t:  10:50# of kids outside my door:  21# of boys:  8# who signed in on my sign-up sheet eventually:  23# of kids who weren’t at least part Asian:  4Minutes a girl who signed in stayed at the party:... Read more

“How many kids can I invite to the pool party?” Ling asked over the phone last weekend while I was away on a women’s getaway.“How many do you want to invite?” “About 20.” “Um, that’s kind of a lot,” said I, mostly thinking about how many hot dogs I’d need to buy for a pack of hungry teens. “But I don’t know who I can cut!” “Well, OK, but keep it to 20.” She kept it to 26. And of... Read more

BK (before kids) I met 2 women with vastly differing parenting styles, both of whom rooted their parenting in their beliefs about the nature of God and humankind—their theology. Donna emphasized God’s order and the sinfulness of humanity.  Therefore, providing babies with a structured environment including scheduled feeding, napping, and playing would corral their sinful natures.  The baby was not the center of the universe.  Instead the baby was a part (albeit an important part) of a community, so the... Read more

I recently attended a writer’s luncheon at my church, where we were given the assignment of writing a 6 word poem about either our life story or writing.  Here’s mine: God called I obeyed I write That very morning, as I served on the prayer ministry team, a woman told me that God gave her a picture of me writing. “Yes, and. . .?” (Hoping that she had visions of what I’m supposed to be writing, that I’m supposed to... Read more

In the midst of reflecting on the reunion/college tours of last week (click here and here to read), my friend Marya asked me for my tomato soup recipe. And it made me think about connections. Marya and I met my freshman year of college through InterVarsity when she and her husband Kevin were lofty seniors.  That meant that when we re-met 25 years later, I remembered them clearly and they vaguely maybe remembered me.  Freshman year I dropped by InterVarsity occasionally,... Read more