For a few months now I have been paralyzed by the numbers. Number of page views. Number of followers. Number of likes. Number of comments. Numbers. Numbers. Numbers. Numbers are important in publishing. Agents and publishers won’t look at you if you don’t have high numbers. Books won’t sell unless you have high numbers. And […]
As I Felt Discouraged this Week :: Jesus...
Tim and I were fighting, again. I don’t remember what we were fighting about, but I do remember the feelings. I remember my gut churning because once again we were not communicating well. I remember my heart racing and palms sweating, because “what if we can’t find our way out of this one?” I remember the heaviness settle […]
Welcome!
Hello and Welcome to the new home of The Toothless Grin! Please subscribe for all future posts on the right. —>>> Here I hope you will find the same ol’ me in a bit more polished, personal format. Until I get everything transferred, take some time to look around. Check out my bio, my sermons, […]
8 Ways Mothers are Courageous
We moms don’t think of ourselves as courageous. When you wake up in the morning, you can guess how the day will go. The toddler will demand breakfast. The kindergartener will dress himself in something strange. You will make all breakfasts and lunches within 30 minutes of your day and make the mad dash that […]
What I am Fearing the Most (and my lifel...
He approaches the steep blue slide with excitement and gusto. The same slide that we went down together a few weeks ago only to have him cling to me and cry out in fear as we dropped to the bottom. I have never seen Ben go down a slide by himself, let alone this massive […]
I Don’t Believe in Lent
My friends showed up to volleyball practice with crosses of ash smeared on their foreheads. I looked on with incredulity at the morbid (to me) signs on their forehead as they lamented that it was the beginning of Lent when they couldn’t eat chocolate or candy. The entire purpose of this season to them was […]
How these Superbowl Ads are Going Agains...
The Superbowl commercials have been celebrated for decades. We watch with great expectations. To laugh. To cry. To groan. To cheer. Mini-movies which make us laugh, cry, groan, cheer, fall in love, and of course, want what they’re selling. And yet, my friends, for years I avoided the commercial breaks. The message many of the […]
How I am rising above shame (and the win...
The past week was full. Full of tears, grief, sorrow, and pain. Full of joy, laughter, hope, and excitement. Full of new people, new friends. Abundant. Overflowing. At times I was overwhelmed, felt behind, wanted to crawl in a hole to sleep, because it was almost too much for this girl who gets over-stimulated. And […]
Why I Have a Dream
This is my family. My boys and my cousin’s son, in their Christmas jammies, completely oblivious to the fact that 50 or 60 years ago this would not have been possible. Unaware that hate between their races exists in the world. Instead, they embrace each other. They love each other. Last week, Jack came home […]
How Grieving Has Brought Me Joy :: A bit...
When my son was born, the experience was anything but what I anticipated. We planned for a natural birth, but 12 days before his due date an ultra-sound told us he was breech, amniotic fluid was low, and the cord may or may not have been wrapped around his neck. We were already in the […]