Monthly Archives: April 2009

I Want to Be Like that When I Grow Up!

There is a rambling yellow house with a big porch on Azalea Street in Berry Hill. It’s a funky little area, a mish-mash of cottages where purveyors of vintage attire, dolls, used CDs plus this-n-thats sell their wares from within oldish walls that have been revived to new life. The yellow house sits off on a quieter street but is filled with the voices of children and teens, most days after school and on weekends too.

The house is called Daystar, and it’s a place where kids can come and feel safe, where they can open up and discover who they were created to be.house Lucky for us–tonight Daystar staff came to our school tonight to share some of their tried-and-tested wisdom about Raising Kids of Character.

Just thought I would include some sound bites for your perusal. Feel free to stick around and chew on ’em. Take all the time you need…

  1. Parents tend to make their kids into what they think they should become, instead of who they were created to be.
  2. Character cannot be lectured into a child. And no, saying it LOUDer over and over and over again doesn’t make it any more clear!
  3. To the extent that your kids can predict your reaction, the more they will tend to dismiss you.
  4. If it’s hard to meaningfully interact with your child, try  the old “Drive-by Complement” approach.

Thanks to the Christ Presbyterian Academy PSF for sponsoring this event!


Yoga and a Used Vacuum Cleaner

I hate it when I’m late to yoga. I whip into the parking lot, locate a spot (hopefully near the door), jump out and jog past the front desk. With the room dark and peaceful, and everyone halfway to their happy place, I tiptoe around bodies to grab a mat, find a spot and start relaxing. And swear that I’ll get there on time, next time.

As class wound down yesterday, the music transitioned into Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and I was transported back into the past. The year: 1979. My dad is walking me down the aisle of a little Baptist Church and the music is Jesu, the guitar version. It was like I was there again. Strange how music does that.

Anyway, post-yoga I’m drinking coffee at Panera and contemplating the relentless passage of time. I can’t believe it’s really been thirty years since that trip to the altar. Alot of water under the bridge. I’ve moved to a different state, married again, become a mom, and now just this week became Facebook friends with that guitar player from my past. Circle of life stuff, I guess… Continue reading


Looking for Jesus

communioncups2Yesterday was Easter. It was just the second Sunday to be in our new church building; we’ve been meeting in an elementary school for almost six years. (Sitting on hard metal folding chairs. Oh, my aching back & butt.)

As usual, our pastor had a unique twist on a passage that I’ve heard about a million sermons on. My main take-away was that even if we’re not doing the very best job possible in searching for Jesus, if we are making the effort to find Him, He will not scold us for ‘not being good enough’.

Then it was time for the Eucharist. Peanut was sitting next to me; she always looks forward to taking Communion. I remember being six and eight years old and begging my parents to let me have a bread crumb and little glass of watered-down Welch’s. But I wasn’t allowed, because at that point I had not been baptized, and baptism had to be checked off the list first before you were “approved” to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Since I was too scared to face getting dunked in front of a bunch of people, I was denied my wish. Continue reading