An Invitation to Be Beautiful
. . . This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful . . . We are invited, each of us, to be beautiful. To see and seek beauty in our everyday, in each other. And so our charge is not how to become more beautiful, but to ask instead: how can I add to the beauty? Does...
On the Everyday Ordinary We’ve Been Living
When you write from the heart, you can’t force words to surface. And so it’s been a week of quiet here, at the fence, but in our home it’s been anything but quiet. Our house has been listed for weeks now with no offers, zero interest, all negative...
When Self-Care Looks Like Iced Tea & Earrings
Last week on Facebook I saw a picture that you’ve all probably seen too: someone sitting by a pool, book in hand, toes against blue water, and captioned ‘self care’. I straight laughed, because earlier that SAME day I’d had my 21 week OB visit....
A Standing Ovation for You
I watch the Bachelorette. And the Bachelor. It’s my brain candy and while I’m sure it rots my synapses like cavities in tooth enamel, I can’t quit. It’s a little like a train wreck that I can’t look away from, drawn in while holding my...
On Hard Days and Do-over Grace
Today (yesterday, now) was a hard, hard day. We had a full beautiful weekend, attending a wedding and two days at family camp. We made memories and chose not to pick lots of battles. We allowed candy and late-night movies. Sam got to sleep on the top bunk and jump on...
On Why I Will Treasure All of My Kids but (maybe) Not All of the Moments
So many, many feelings. There is a fire in my bones about this, and I’m hard-pressed to think of another post in which I’ve covered something so hot-button. But I can’t stop the pit in my stomach when I hear the phrase spoken and watch the guilt wash...
On This Season of Sacrifice
My days are patchworked together much like the quilts we use for summer picnics. A moment for writing here, a minute for cleaning up there, a big chunk for work pops up, a few minutes of quiet before someone wakes. This season of raising small children? This season,...
on celebrating the everyday
Last weekend we celebrated Sam’s three full weeks of being diaperless. He’s amazing, y’all. And we are button-bursting proud of him, so last Sunday we celebrated. Donuts and a trip to the zoo marked the occasion. He had his first corndog, more treats...
On the Grace in Beauty
A few weeks ago I got asked when I was due. I smiled and kindly said, I’m not. And you know, my feelings weren’t very hurt because frankly, I didn’t blame the person who asked because if I’m honest, my belly looks poochy enough to be holding a...
On the Kind of Friend I Want My Daughter to Have
Last week some friends of mine were talking about their first and second grade daughters, specifically the nitty-gritty of the girls’ friendships. They said their girls will tell them that one day they’re best friends with so-and-so, but the next day they the...
For all the Moms: A prayer of Thanksgiving (the end of 31 Days of Mom Prayers)
Dear Lord, Thank you for making me a mom. Thank you for allowing me to be in the company of such incredible women. Thank you for what these mothers do, in a day, in a week, in their life of everyday enormity. They are the best women I know, these moms that I get to do...Meet Anna
Anna E. Rendell: Author, latte lover. Content Marketing Manager at (in)courage by DaySpring. Wife of Jared and mom of four littles. Telling real stories from real life, and encouraging you to find the extra in your ordinary.
Author
The Christmas Couch!
