At twenty-two, I was a fresh-faced college graduate, thrilled to be headed to Houston for my first teaching job. I had seen Dangerous Minds and Dead Poet’s Society, so I knew teaching would be hard. Thanks to these movies, I fully expected to introduce my inner-city/poor rich kids to the importance of literature. Shortly after that,...Continue Reading
This weekend Elisabeth finally learned to ride a bike. She mastered this skill a full two years after Sam–not that anyone around here is keeping track. (This is a joke. Twins are always keeping track. Elisabeth didn’t notice Sam zooming around on two wheels like Sam doesn’t notice Elisabeth is a full inch taller than she...Continue Reading
Am I the only mom who dreads the bedtime routine? Who is WORN OUT from the bedtime routine? This is the time of day when I “forget” to read stories, when sleepy kids cry during prayers, and everyone moves in SLOWWWWMOTIONNNN. Why? Because we are all tired. The day’s wardrobe malfunctions, spilled yogurt drinks, fights...Continue Reading
The end of this story is that Sam did, in fact, turn around before the escalator reached the bottom. He did not fall over those people or crack his head open on that tile floor. His habit of riding escalators backwards is just another nerve-racking adventure of parenting young kids. While he’s doing this, and...Continue Reading
This morning I gave chapel at the kids’ school. Let me tell you, kids are a tough crowd. Groups of grown-ups have sort-of made up their minds about me as a speaker before I even start. Some people in the audience are rooting for me. There’s also those in the group who are distracted or just...Continue Reading
It’s only Monday morning, and this week is already wearing. me. out. For real, y’all. All the volunteer commitments and kid nurturing, wifing, housekeeping, writing, speaking, email-answering and befriending have clustered up into BIG DEADLINES this week. I’m not complaining, but as I look at this week, I’m seriously wondering… Who will do all that...Continue Reading
5. It’s National Lutheran Schools Week! For one week a year, Lutheran School kids get to ditch their uniforms for to dress up like their Favorite Storybook Character and like a hippie from the ’60s. The really good news about this? If your kid goes to a Lutheran School, they probably wear a uniform the...Continue Reading
If you have ever worked at a ministry that can’t make payroll, you know the disastrous effect this has on employee morale. One week without compensation and employees start complaining. Their work becomes sluggish and negativity rules your workspace. Without a paycheck, employees feel unappreciated and unmotivated. This is exactly how volunteers feel when no...Continue Reading
The kids’ school has a Talent Show every year at the end of January. The four Hergenraders perform a “show” (using this term very loosely here) just about every night in the living room, so the promise of an actual stage and an audience not related to them sounded like the very best way to...Continue Reading
Two important truths we have all learned by now… First, every single person is extremely gifted in some unusual way. Not Mozart-piano-playing gifted. Not Steve-Jobs-visionary gifted, maybe. But in some equally important way, each of us can do one task or activity with extreme ease. Because this is a gift, we each take it for...Continue Reading
