by Shannon Popkin | Mar 19, 2012 | Compassion, Fear, Funny, Kids' Perspective, Parenting
It’s Yellow Ball Monday, and the Farmer’s Wife has the ball!Work-from-home moms tend to use rather unconventional methods of keeping their children quiet while making business calls. I’m not proud of it, but I used a frog and a bathtub with my three...
by Shannon Popkin | Feb 18, 2012 | Communication, Compassion, Mistakes, Parenting, Sin, Speaking, Wisdom
When I was in high school, I loved piano. My choir director asked me to accompany the choir on a a couple of our songs. I said sure, I’d be happy to, though I had never accompanied before.I practiced the songs, which were easy enough, at home, but I guess I...
by Shannon Popkin | Nov 4, 2011 | Compassion, Parenting, Sin
“I want to go punch that little boy in the nose!” I punched the air with my free hand for emphasis, and almost dropped the phone. My friend on the other line commiserated with my story. She understood how my heart hurts for my own child, and how I long to...
by Shannon Popkin | Jul 27, 2011 | Compassion, Differences, Jesus, Kids' Perspective
On vacation a couple of years ago, while I was checking into our hotel, five-year-old Cade wandered over to the lounge area. I could see him talking to an older man sitting there. If you had surveyed all of the men in Chicago, searching for the one who least wanted...
by Shannon Popkin | Jul 22, 2011 | Compassion, Jesus, Love, Witness
At the meat counter, my friend, Angela, heard an elderly woman say to the deli attendant, “I would like some turkey, please.” The young man said, “Ok…. What kind of turkey? Smoked? Honey? Roasted?”She replied, “Oh… Well, I don’t know. I just need some turkey.”He said,...