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Traci Smith

An Immigration Policy We Can All Agree On: #EndChildDetention #EndFamilyDetention

4 Comments / controversial, Current Events, immigration, made me think, pcusa, personal, sad

I’ve been visiting a mother, Alicia* in family detention in Karnes City for a few months now. Family detention is the almost unbelievable practice of locking up young mothers and their children in prison. No matter what we think about the right of immigrants to cross the border without proper authorization, it’s hard to imagine […]

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Poetry as a Spiritual Practice for Moms (and everyone!)

2 Comments / Art & Writing, Parenting, personal, San Antonio, Spiritual Practice, Uncategorized

If I had a dollar for every time a mother said to me (about parenting) “make sure you enjoy it, because it goes by fast,”  well, I’d definitely not have to say to Clayton “Not today because mama doesn’t have any dollars in her purse” when he’s asking me to go on that train in

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World Mental Health Day: 5 Thoughts from a Pastor’s Perspective…

4 Comments / Church Leadership, Current Events, personal, The Church, Uncategorized

Today, as I’m sitting in a hospital waiting for my mother to come out of recovery for her knee surgery, I’m reminded that today is World Mental Health Day. Here are five things that are on my mind a lot when it comes to mental illness… 1. Mental Illness deserves the same treatment as physical

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5 *More* Tech Tools for Pastors and Other Busy Professionals

1 Comment / Administration, Church Leadership, leadership, technology, Uncategorized

As you may have gathered from the first and second posts just like this… I like tech tools that make life easier. I’m not a naturally organized person, so I have to fight to find tools that help. Here are some of the latest tools I’ve been using in ministry. Hope there’s something here that

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Why I Won’t Remain Silent on Adrian Peterson

5 Comments / controversial, Current Events, Parenting, sad, Uncategorized

First: Adrian Peterson did not “spank” his child, he beat him bloody. This is not a matter of a “judgement call.” This isn’t “well some people think differently.” He beat him up. Look it up. There isn’t room for debate here. Second: Prominent evangelicals as well as Adrian Peterson himself defend this type of action

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7 Reasons Family Dinner is Worth Fighting for & Resources to Make it Happen

4 Comments / Children's Ministry, Parenting, Seamless Faith, Spiritual Practice, Uncategorized

I recently read an article on Slate called “Let’s Stop Idolizing The Home Cooked Family Dinner.” In the article, two sociologists from North Carolina State University point to evidence that the stress of putting together family meals is not worth the tradeoff.  They conclude that the tradeoffs aren’t worth it. I disagree… strongly. Parents are

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Five reasons I’m telling the awful story about one of the worst moments of my life.

4 Comments / Parenting, personal, Uncategorized

This isn’t a mommy blog, but this is a mommy story. I felt like I couldn’t not tell it. Tonight my two year old child choked on a piece of fruit. By “choked” I don’t mean that he was coughing and sputtering and I said “whoops, careful, honey.” I mean no crying, no breathing, no sounds…

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