emotions
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Doc Answers: Angry God or Loving God?
In the last two posts I’ve been discussing the ins and outs of anger, including how to keep it in balance and when to pay attention to it. This week, though, I’m digging into the subject of God and anger. Sometimes God seems extremely angry in the Old Testament, especially with the people who are…
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When to Give Anger a Green Light: The Ins and Outs of Anger, Part II
“Have you given yourself permission to be angry?” Several years ago a counselor surprised me with that question. Pretty sure my answer was a big, fat “Nope!” McLeod and I had been in marriage counseling for two months, but I felt stuck like we weren’t making much progress. In fact, one of the things I…
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Toasty Warm or Too Hot to Handle? The Ins and Outs of Anger, Part I
A friend posted earlier in the week as we got our first real cold front of the fall: Texas will be closed today. We’re all looking for our jackets. I would add, and our fuzzy socks. There’s nothing funnier that watching Houstonians bundle up against 60-degree temps. We know we’re being a little ridiculous, but…
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Let Joy Find You!
I remember the first time Caroline ate blueberry pancakes. Sitting in a high chair at the grandparents, she grabbed fistfuls and shoveled them in. With gusto. Then, she caught me watching (camera in hand) and broke into full-on squeals of delight in the midst of a purply mess. Joy snuck up on us, turning breakfast…
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everybody stresses out. here’s why I say bring it on.
Does your “To Do” list look anything like mine? Sandwiched between get groceries and take kids to practice is one little word that’s got me stress-eating mint chocolate chip ice cream and avoiding my desk at all costs: Taxes. I even use a CPA now so it’s not as if I have to go it alone.…
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healing prayer when past pain roars back to life
Ever have an emotional hurt from the past explode to the surface at a weird time? Take the infamous “Tamale Incident” at our house. One night as I transferred tamales from bubbling steamer pot to platter, my kitchen tongs betrayed me. Corn wrappers began unraveling and the tongs started slicing through the super-heated corn meal…
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3 Truths Teens Need to Hear
If you were asked to fill in the blank, “Sometimes, I feel like I’m not ___________ enough,” what would you say? What would your 15-year-old say? I asked 50 or so high school women just that. Here’s some of what they told me: Sometimes, I feel like I’m not Pretty Smart Strong Popular Involved Interesting…
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confessions of the world’s worst barista
Note to 1995-coffee-house self: NO MATTER WHAT, ALWAYS PUT THE CARAFE BACK UNDER THE AUTODRIPPER BEFORE YOU PRESS “ON.” Even if that old crank with the bad hair fusses that her bagel is charring in the toaster, even if your boyfriend is chatting you up for free coffee, DO NOT FORGET THE CARAFE. Of course,…
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when the battle for “likes” wrecks your child
We are creatures made for community. We have a longing to belong and experiences with rejection that shape decisions, relationships, and our willingness to take risks. This week, I’ve asked a friend to share her life-in-the-trenches parenting story of just how subtly the feelings of rejection and unworthiness can creep in. She and her husband have…