by Shannon Popkin | Apr 22, 2014 | Anger
Journal entry from 2005Oh, Lord, I am so full of sin and I’m so tired of it. I’ve lost my temper with all three kids already this morning, and It’s only 8:10 a.m.Cade pulled his diaper apart and wanted me to change him and he kept whining over and...
by Shannon Popkin | Mar 15, 2014 | Control Girl, Parenting
My friend, Missy, remembers the day that she and her brother were fighting over who was to sit in the front seat of the car. Their mom impatiently said, “Whoever is coming, get in!” So they both jumped in the front together. (This was back in the day of no seat-belt...
by Shannon Popkin | Jan 23, 2014 | Anger
It was Saturday morning–the only morning of the week which held the possibility of sleeping in. But rather than hugging my pillow, I was gripping the steering wheel, frantically scanning unfamiliar old buildings for an address which matched the brochure in my...
by Shannon Popkin | Jan 17, 2014 | Faith, Fear, Gifts, Humility, Kids' Perspective, Pain, Parenting, seasons, Teens
As a mom, one of the most painful things in life is to see my kids struggle through something that is humiliating. I alternate between wanting to fix my child and eradicate the struggle, and wanting to pummel anyone who would dare to snicker or poke fun at...
by Shannon Popkin | Nov 26, 2013 | Control Girl, Holidays, Women
Holidays have a way of bringing the ‘Control’ out in the ‘Girl’. It’s because we have visions of–not sugarplums–but Pinterest images, dancing in our heads. With each heightened expectation comes something new to control. But here’s the thing about Control...
by Shannon Popkin | Nov 25, 2013 | Control Girl, Faith, Fear, Humility, Parenting
My friend, Amy, struggles with fear. Especially fear of something happening to her kids. She used to be convinced that if something life-threatening ever endangered one of her kids, she would go into a fetal position in the corner and never come out.But when I talked...