by Shannon Popkin | Jul 19, 2013 | Faith, God, Humility, Mistakes, Parenting
In my hands, I hold the strings of the three kite-like kids whom God has blessed me with. I have a lot to juggle with three–wanting each one to soar high in the sky. It’s so fun to have the other people around me tilt their heads back and admire the...
by Shannon Popkin | Jun 13, 2013 | Change, Communication, Faith, Food, Teens
Dear Seventeen-Year-Old Me,Let’s talk about boys. It’s going to be rough for a while. You’re going to crave the attention of boys, but mostly because you want to know that you’re OK. You want to know that you’re pretty enough, smart enough, and fun enough… And...
by Shannon Popkin | Mar 29, 2013 | Beliefs, Faith, Sin
Lindsay had this cute, little white sweater to go over her Easter dress when she was about three. But by mid-afternoon, the sweater was no longer completely white. It had little chocolate smears (and drooly drips) all over it. So my cousin, Nicole, said, “Want...
by Shannon Popkin | Dec 11, 2012 | Anxiety, Compassion, Faith, Holidays
In one afternoon, her serene, predictable life disintegrated.She hadn’t done anything wrong, but everyone would think she had. Even though her community knew her to be a sweet, kind girl, she would still be presumed guilty until proven innocent–not the...
by Shannon Popkin | Nov 20, 2012 | Faith, Holidays, Parenting, Salvation, seasons, Witness
When we moved into our house two years ago, the previous owners were kind enough to give us their big basket of Christmas lights. They even went so far as to give us a diagram, showing which strand of lights went on which roof peak.I was delighted! Now, at long last,...
by Shannon Popkin | Oct 12, 2012 | Faith, Father, Speaking
There’s a story Jesus told about two brothers–one who disgraced his Father by running off with an early inheritance, and the other, who stayed behind dutifully slaving away, but was just as distant from his Father’s heart. The story is about both...