Time is a valuable commodity squandered by those with an excess of it, which often seems to be a result of the roles we play in our family lives. I am originally from Sebrepor, a town in Tema, Ghana; and came to the US for College in 2004. I am now a permanent resident living in New Jersey with my husband and two sons. My experiences have shown me the way in which the differences in culture relating to gender roles have an effect on the time spent on enjoying family life. The differences in gender roles can most easily be expressed by examining the activities involved in daily life.
Continue reading Life In Two Worlds →

It would seem that valuing money is pretty straight-forward, right? I mean, a dollar’s worth a dollar, 50¢ worth 50¢, and so forth. That seems pretty obvious at first blush [and I won’t go into comparing currency values!], but then I think about all the amazing finds I’ve gotten from thrift shops – just because I paid ⅛ of the retail price doesn’t make it any less valuable to me! On the flip side, if I paid twice as much as I should have,… well, yeah, I might be a little more protective of it.

My husband made a great point, the other day: he said he wanted to get on our nine-year-old son’s case about ALL the stuff in his room, the need to appreciate it and and take care of it, etc, but then it occurred to him, ‘Wait a minute, is that really what we want to be teaching our son, that material possessions are so important?’ I must say, I think he’s onto something. The Lord tells us time and again that we shouldn’t rest our affections on THINGS! Continue reading The Value of Money →

As I grow older as a parent of three children, I grow to have a deeper appreciation for my own mother and come to understand the decisions she made and the way she raised us. I feel grateful when I realise that, apart from the Lord, she has been my guide and my inspiration for the person and the mother I have become.

There were definitely some tough lessons, but always from a place of love. I see how much we as parents are the role models for our children and the pressure I sometimes feel because I cannot live up to being the ‘perfect parent’. However, I realise that as long as I am a ‘conscious parent’ who can be aware of and guided by the needs of my child and supported by the Lord and His Word, then I am doing the best job that I can do.
Continue reading My Journey to Conscious Parenting: My Mum – My Inspiration →

I have the mental capacity of a preschooler. This may come as a shock to those of you who knew me in my glory days of brainhood. You know, those days of late nights, straight A’s, Bachelor’s degrees, Deans Lists…The Thinking Times. Now, I’m a mother. I have no use for such things. My children have no use for such things. They do not care if I could write curriculum, prattle on about Early American History, or write music with triads. They want dinner. NOW.

Are you worried for my spiritual state? You shouldn’t be. Because though my brain is mush, the Lord is actually able to reach me much better in my current state than He could while I was cramming for exams. While I was doing “that thinking thing”. So much thinking. When you are surrounded by children, the Lord’s truths are obvious and brilliant and clear. Meditation isn’t necessary to feel His presence. You are bombarded by it like your baby’s foot to your head at 6 in the morning: “HEY. I’m HERE.” And it’s beautiful.
Continue reading When Brains Turn to Mush: Is There Spiritual Hope for Young Mothers? →