anxiety

What to do when You’re tired of worrying.

The first family who lived in our current home moved in before women had the right to vote. They knew nothing of Prohibition, the Spanish Flu, the Stock Market Crash, and the two World Wars to come.

Despite the expansion of travel and increased connectivity, you and I probably share many of the same worries and concerns as the other families who have lived in my home over the past 100 years. I think we have added few more worries to our minds because of the speed of modern life coupled with the amount of information we access daily.

Letting Go Prayer for Mamas with College-Aged Children

Father, I thank you for the gift of mothering this child. I believe you love him/her more than I do. As this child leaves my home to go to college our relationship will change. I worry I didn’t do enough to prepare us for all we will encounter. 

You know there are many things I need to let go of in order to hold on to what matters. Help me to be alert and available in my conversations with my child so that I pay attention to what You want me to see and hear. Distract me from my worries about grades, popularity, and future employment. 

Release me from my fear of not being liked by my child. Give me wisdom to counsel this child when they ask for my help, strength to hold my tongue when my advice is not needed, and the courage to intervene if his/her safety is at stake. 

Adjust my heart so that I see my child as the young adult he/she is growing into. I know that the good memories of their childhood will remain and I trust that we will continue to make new ones in the future. 

Jesus, give me a heart like yours to love my child. There will be times when I do not approve of their decisions, opinions, or choices. Despite this, I want to remain in relationship with them. Holy Spirit, be the point of connection between us. Let my child know how deeply and fiercely I love them. Strengthen the bonds of our family and inspire us with new ways to remain connected. 

So much of my life has been dedicated to raising this child. As I adjust to life in this stage of my journey, help me find purpose outside of parenting so that others may benefit from the lessons I have learned. I look forward with hope to what is to come. 

Amen 

Katie Kibbe


Filling Your Empty Calendar

When life is uncertain, it is tempting to try to wrestle other people into submission. This is not a life-giving strategy when we must remain with them in close quarters. This virus has me rethinking how I spend my time when it feels like there are no adults in the room.*

Moving forced me to recreate my schedule in much the same way as being quarantined.

Establish a Routine

Thick fog blanketed the lake this morning making it nearly impossible to see the trees on the other side of our cove. Looking out at this landscape for two years now, I know the trees remain firmly rooted in the soil. But, the veil of fog distorts my vision leaving me wondering what the herons and ducks are doing over there.

Uncertainty makes the days feel foggy.

Our current circumstances feel equally as murky and unsettling. The dentist called to cancel the appointment for a cleaning. I am certain my hair appointment is going to be the next victim of the pandemic.

Yes, these losses are superficial in light of the graduations, proms, jobs, internships, and vacations sacrificed by others. But, the battle of the roots is real, friends. You know this if you have ever been blonde or are currently fighting a losing battle against the grey.

Finding Wonder and Joy in 2020.

Steep and Icy.

If there is anything I can say about myself it is that I am realistic. As much as I want to idealize holidays, they can be hard work. Divided up over the past month there was probably about 30% fabulousness, 30% stress, and the remaining 40% somewhere in between the two. I hope you edged closer to more fabulous than anxiety ridden. Whatever the mixture, know that you are not alone. The past few months for everyone have been a mixed bag of emotions with a conglomeration of highs and lows.

It is easy to get distracted by the emotions and forget that our peace can be restored if we pause. A little too much together time can make it difficult to remember what it feels like to be calm on the inside. Our interactions, at times, are fraught with unpredictability and our minds run in the opposite direction of the truth that we really do love these people.