by Shannon Popkin | Jan 1, 2015 | Fear, Goals, Holidays, Humility, Jesus, Serving
I laughed as I read my friend Jocelyn’s Christmas letter. She described how her 8-year-old, Elsa, has solidified her life plans–where she’ll attend college, her field of study, and her career objectives after graduation. Life is quite tidy for Elsa....
by Shannon Popkin | Oct 3, 2014 | Compassion, Humility, Jesus, Parenting, Roles, Serving
Dedicated to my friends at Thornapple MOPS. :)I’ll never forget the Hazens. We knew their family when we had preschoolers and babies. They had big, burly boys, who absolutely loved my kids–especially our new baby, Cade. They would ask to hold him, and...
by Shannon Popkin | Nov 1, 2013 | Holidays, Humility, Jesus, Wisdom, Witness
After a friendly email convo with a friend, who was challenging our reasons for trick-or-treating (posted here), I headed out to the neighborhood with my little morph man. As I chatted with old friends, met new neighbors, and smiled at cute little mice, princesses,...
by Shannon Popkin | Jan 15, 2013 | Jesus, Mistakes, Prayer, Speaking, Witness
Our first house was in a neighborhood that had no stop signs. Weird, I know. It was a grid of intersecting side streets, and our little house–situated on a corner lot–looked out upon one of the many intersections.There was an unwritten rule in the...
by Shannon Popkin | Dec 5, 2012 | Holidays, Jesus, Kids' Perspective, Wisdom
After my student played “Away in a Manger” for me on the piano, she asked, “What’s a manger?”I said, “Oh! It’s a feeding trough for animals. Remember how Mary and Joseph had to stay in a stable with animals, the night Jesus...
by Shannon Popkin | Oct 30, 2012 | Anxiety, Holidays, Humility, Jesus, Kids' Perspective, Mistakes
A repost from 2010–just because I love this story so much. :)Tonight, when I tucked Cade into bed, I could tell something was bothering him. It was his pumpkin. The one he made today, in first grade. “I tried to listen to the instructions, but I just...