I’ve been taking inventory of my tennis shoes. It started after my daughter came home from college for her monthly rummage through my closet (the one where she confiscates any last redeemable clothing I might own). After looking through my shoes, she looked at me sternly and said, “Ugh, Mom, all you own are tennis…
My 48 hours with the Substack Siren
I made a surprising decision last night. I joined Substack a few days ago so I could simply read another author’s article on Catholic social teaching (one of my favorite nerd interests). In doing so, I also stumbled into the land of positive writers. Unlike the darker and snarkier atmosphere of my Twitter feed, my…
Healthy Boundaries or Just Excuses?
For much of my adult life, I’ve lived as a people pleaser. Despite raising five children and having the responsibilities that come with it, I’ve often felt compelled to accommodate anyone who’d ask anything of me, no matter the chaos it created or the strain it might put on my personal wellbeing. That is, until…
Writing, Honest to God
One of the worries I have historically faced as a writer (both at this blog and elsewhere) is over what happens if I commit an opinion or idea to print that I no longer hold years later. It feels daunting knowing the world can forever recycle my old thinking even when I might have personally…
Getting Pride Out of the Way of Mission
Several years ago, at a time when I felt “on fire” for God and my Catholic faith, I started this blog as a mission. I even chose the name “Choosing God” because I wanted to use my writing to focus hearts on God and prepare them to choose his kingdom above all else. Over the…
An Off-Your-Feet Perspective
After a foot surgery last week, I was forced to lie in bed for several days and hope family life moved smoothly on without me at the helm. It was a strange place for any mother to be—sitting vulnerably on the sidelines (or in this case, her upstairs bedroom and crossing her fingers the house…
GREAT DADS
I have a great dad. Growing up, my dad made sure we kids had everything we needed. He checked our tires, gas tanks, bank accounts, the weather—anything he thought might interfere with a smooth day. He asked questions. He worried. He got angry. He said he was sorry. He was engaged. (In fact, we still…
Can Quitters Win?
One of the last writing prompts I gave my high school students before this school year ended was to write a narrative about a time they rebelled against the status quo and what they learned from it. Interestingly, the vast majority of the students wrote about feeling pressure to commit indefinitely to a sport or…
Why Christians Must Cancel the Cancel Culture
Over the last several years, academics, politicians, and journalists have generated a culture that presents theories and perceptions as facts. Among their many theories is that white Americans harbor an innate racism that society must now extinguish no matter the cost. To further their theory, they often uncover historic sins of men and stake a…
Today It Snows
Today in Birmingham, Alabama, we woke up to an unusual sight–snow. After a long few weeks filled with some hardships and sadness, I was inspired to write the poem below:) Today It Snows Today it snows. Gently she rests upon barren branches And layers upon the cool ground, Covering the quiet losses, Soothing the discordant…