children – Rev. Kris Mares

Love and Braids and Hot Tea

Cymbals in a drumline are great, but a bunch of clanging cymbals in my home and heart are annoying and just too much.

This year, I’m using the Present Over Perfect Guided Journal. I read Shauna Neiquist’s Present Over Perfect book when it came out a few years ago and so much of it just connected with me. When I saw she had created a journal, I knew it was right for this season of my life. TheContinue reading “Legacy”

How I Messed Up Mother’s Day

I wanted to be a grateful mother. I wanted to be an appreciative wife. I wanted to be good and do good. I even asked God for help. And then, I went and screwed it all up.

How DO I do it?

As a mom of many, I often get this comment “I don’t know how you do it!” or asked this question “How do you do it?” I always struggle with a response. Most of the time I want to say “I just do.” Sometimes I do say that. Sometimes I give some other short answerContinue reading “How DO I do it?”

Love to Read

I’ve always loved to read. I remember as a kid having the flashlight under the covers so that I could read. Even now, if it’s a good book, I want to read it to completion and neglect all the other stuff I have to do so that I can just slip away into an imaginaryContinue reading “Love to Read”

Saturday Morning

It’s 10:06 on Saturday morning. I’m still in my pj’s as are the 2 youngest children. It rained last night and is supposed to rain most of the day. The plans I had for “fun” aren’t going to happen. A laundry basket just came flying down the stairs. The owner picked it up and promptlyContinue reading “Saturday Morning”

Public Meltdowns

Yes, I have a two-year-old. Yes, two-year-olds are developmentally prone to meltdowns. Yes, Gorilla, who is two, did not want to share, wanted his way and proceeded to have a meltdown. In public. Here’s what happened… I took Girlie, Gorilla and the baby to the health department for an appointment. They each picked a toyContinue reading “Public Meltdowns”

When Did She Grow Up?

Today is Girlie’s birthday. She’s four. I know that’s not really grown up, but man she’s growing up. I look at her and remember her swollen eye from a bug bite. I see her walking insanely early. I see her climbing on everything. She still does that. We called her monkey when she was little.Continue reading “When Did She Grow Up?”

God Gave Us So Much

God Gave Us So Much is a collection of three stories by Lisa Tawn Bergren. The stories center on a polar bear family and the lessons of diversity, love and heaven that Little Cub learns. The artwork by Laura J. Bryant is soft, sweet and calming. The first story, God Gave Us the World, helpsContinue reading “God Gave Us So Much”

How does your Valentine “hear” love?

It’s Valentine’s Day and everyone (well, most everyone) is celebrating love. For those of us with spouses, significant others or children, learning how to love the “right” way can be hard. Racer and I love very differently. We “speak” and “hear” love in very different ways. The idea of Love Languages by Gary Chapman helpedContinue reading “How does your Valentine “hear” love?”