A prayer for peace. Don't we always need it? Peace is rare in these parts. As an introverted mama who craves calm and quiet to settle her soul and center her mind, I start to spin some days when the boys don't stop talking/whining/crying/shouting. I know in my bones that this busy, bustling life is so good and the very gift I wanted, but it is still so frenzied at times that I can barely hear myself think. And peace in pregnancy? It's a nearly laughable prospect. My last journey down those nine months brought not only the severe morning sickness I've come to know (and loathe) as part of pregnancy, but also all the fear and anxiety of carrying a child after miscarriage. When I think about what to expect when you're expecting, peace would be last on my list. I try to remember that the God of Peace is always present with us, always calling us back, always inviting us to slow down into silence with a deep breath and a moment's pause. But peace is still fleeting in this season of life, … [Read more...] about 9 weeks for 9 months: prayers for pregnancy (month 3)
peace
for the mornings we yell
For the mornings we wake up determined to make it a better day, and then we don't - For the times we promise to soak up the sweetness of these fleeting years, and then we wish them away - For the days we want to fill with laughter and song, and then they're darkened by bad moods and cross words - For the meals we make with love and hope that they'll be enjoyed, and then we grit our teeth as they're gagged while chewed - For the playdates we plan to share the long days with good friends, and then we're annoyed that a sick child screws up our schedule - For the glossy parenting magazines whose advice we dog-ear with good intention, and then we shove the stack in the recycling bin instead - For the calm, cool, collected moms we envy when we wrangle our whiny bunch into the grocery cart, and then we glower over how we're doing worse at this job than everyone else we know - For the naptimes when we catch up on the world's news and resolve again to treasure the rare gift of healthy, … [Read more...] about for the mornings we yell
