Hi Reader,

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I started taking piano lessons when I was around 7 years old. I continued them through my senior year of high school.

Day after day, week after week, I learned the fundamentals of music. Later I learned to play the clarinet in my high school band and sing on the church worship team.

I'm not a great musician. But I'm glad I learned all the same.

As I was reflecting once about my music lessons, I kept thinking about my piano teacher, Carol. I stayed with her the entire time. I went to her house every week for 11+ years.

Through my parents' divorce and subsequent remarriages. Through multiple moves. Through changing schools, changing friends, changing sports teams, triumphs, failures, and heartaches.

She never counseled me through my life's tumult; she just taught me how to play piano. But she was always there, an anchor throughout my childhood.

She played at my wedding, and we continue to exchange Christmas cards even while I live thousands of miles away.

I wonder sometimes what my kids will remember as their "anchors" in childhood. We prioritize rituals like a weekly family night, one-on-one times, family devotionals, and road trip adventures.

It's getting harder to do with teens and littles under the same roof, with their competing needs and schedules. But just like I always made room for piano lessons, we prioritize these rituals.

As summer approaches in the northern hemisphere, it's easy to get a little lazy. I'm all for a more relaxed rhythm as the kids are home more, but I also don't want to miss opportunities to connect.

What are the anchors in your family's rhythm you can create or lean into this season? They might not last for 11 years, but they have their effect. No matter how trivial they might seem, just showing up is often what matters.

Write the Word | Motherhood

When I was at home full-time with three kids 5 and under, I struggled to find purpose and frequently found myself overwhelmed and angry. The journey through that struggle was one of the things that led me to blogging.

Some of my first posts (like this one) were about Bible verses that helped me as a mom. I would write them out and repeat them to myself over and over.

It took time to figure out the verses that were the most meaningful. It would have been nice to have a journal with a list of verses all ready for me to copy.

I'm clearly not the only one who has thought of this because Cultivate What Matters* just released a journal that does just that!

I love Write the Word Journals and have used them for years, any time I need something simple but powerful in my daily quiet times. These beautifully designed, undated journals provide a verse each day to copy, plus room for your response.

This particular volume helps cultivate peace, perseverance, and praise no matter the season of motherhood you are in.

Check out Write the Word | Motherhood or the rest of the Write the Word collection.

Have a great week!

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*I'm an affiliate for Cultivate What Matters, which means I receive commission if you make a purchase. See full disclosure.