From My Many Open Tabs 4
I love a good Canadian Tuxedo moment (anytime/anywhere, TBH) and twinkly lights and indigo skies make me feel like I’m in a movie. I got a dose of both during girls’ night with some of my oldest friends last Sunday evening. Well, by evening I mean we had a reservation at 4:45pm. It’s fine though, because that meant we got to sneak out of dinner and bedtime with our kids. ;) I think between us we have 27 kids! HOLY COW THANK YOU LORD FOR ALL THOSE TINY ONES! And, also for husbands who are also great fathers.
I don’t have many hard and fast parenting thoughts anymore (simply because the longer I’m a mom the more I know how little I really know…oy humility!). However, here’s pro-mom tip I’m really serious about:
When you have a baby, let/encourage/gently force (😉) your partner be an equal parent from the beginning.
The stakes are so low when it’s diaper changing and picking them up from a crib. I’ve found dads to be among the best swaddlers, in fact. But, they need to build the confidence that they aren’t going to break that little baby…and you need to build YOUR confidence in THEM that they aren’t going to break that little baby. :) I’ve seen too many dads sit on the sidelines of early parenting because they were kind of edged out in the early days and didn’t get their feet wet when both mom AND dad were newbies and learning. It’s an easy (necessary) way to ensure that you’ll feel like you can leave the house when they’re older and there are more of them! Empower your husbands to rise to equal parenting…and then empower your kids to age-appropriate independence. I promise, promise, promise…no matter how safe and sure and under-your-control it feels to do everything as the mom, that is not a sustainable life habit. I’m 13 years into this mom thing and that’s nowhere near a seasoned parent, however, it does make me a survivor of the tiny years. ;)
Okay, I didn’t mean to go on a parenting rant because I am no expert…but that’s a soapbox I’m willing to stand on.
BECAUSE SOMEONE SHOULD BENEFIT FROM MY 56748 OPEN TABS:
Tracee Ellis Ross (yes, Diana’s daughter!) talks hair and taking up space.
Why ARE American homes so big? A fascinating nugget from this brainy article: “[A] nation of homeowners, of people who own a real share in their own land, is unconquerable,” Franklin D. Roosevelt said in 1942. Of course, it doesn’t necessarily follow that a nation of homeowners must own big houses, but a slew of policies—from the creation of the Federal Housing Administration in 1934 to the zoning mandates of individual towns and cities—fueled the growth of suburbs, and in turn the growth of the houses of which they were composed.”
If you need a heart-warming, feel good read, head here. Just promise me you’ll read to the end.
Gen Z and how they might change what we hear at church.
I’m planning to listen to this sermon series The World, The Flesh, and The Devil from Bridgetown Church. I’ve always admired John Mark Comer and the way he thinks and communicates (his mom is rad, too!). I was pointed to that sermon series from this thread started by Sharon Hodde Miller on the emergence of talk on “brain science” in contemporary Christian writing. Since I wrote quite a bit on brain science in Preach to Yourself, color me interested.
You can count on the fact that I’ll be wearing this sweater 3/7 days of the week this winter. I bought the heather black color last year. Should I get the almond or heather gray this year? I always go for neutrals in pricier items. ALTHOUGH, that mustard is singing to me. The rose is so pretty, too. OH NO. I love Everlane, period.
Finally, next week look for more info on my Sept/Oct Book Club reading my book Preach to Yourself! I’ve lassoed in two friends who are licensed therapists + authors to weigh in with their Professional Two Cents!