GO TIME

Good morning. It’s a rainy Monday, cool-ish. I was up early with the kids, making toast for Henry, feeding Mac yogurt, and now I’m all set up in the empty little office at the church where I work sometimes. It’s a ghost town around here, with good reason. After the rush and energy of the Leadership Summit, everyone’s moving slowly for a few days, and I’m glad. 

I sneaked out of the Summit early for a quick trip to Dallas to speak at the MOPS Convention. Because the world is just that small, one of the key MOPS staff members is my friend Kendall from Westmont. We haven’t seen each other since her wedding 12 years ago (!), so it was so fun to catch up with her and also with my friend Rebekah Lyons, and to meet another Chicago writer, Tracey Bianchi. 

It had been about six weeks since I’d traveled to speak at an event, and that’s a longer break between trips than I usually have, so it was fun to stay in a nice hotel, to order room service and put on makeup without anyone hanging on my legs or asking me about my favorite dinosaur. 

My friend Steve told me years ago that the best thing is when you love going to work and you love coming home, and I felt a deep sense of that this weekend. I loved being with the MOPS community, and it was an honor to speak to them about the importance of friendship, vulnerability, and truth-telling. And at the same time, I couldn’t wait to get home, so excited to snuggle my boys, all three of them. Thankful all around. 

One thing you know about me is that I like to have a few goals or themes for a given season, to keep myself on track and use my time well, to give me a framework by which I make decisions. A new season officially begins this morning, and it ends on September 27th, the day I turn in my manuscript. 

After I turn in my manuscript, I’ll speak at a retreat in Santa Barbara, one of my favorite places on earth, and then Houston and Dallas and Atlanta later in the fall. But between now and Sept 27, I am home and writing—it’s GO TIME for this book. I know what chapters need to be re-worked, what new stories need to be told, what themes need to be brought closer to the surface, what needs to be trimmed and re-focused. I’m in the final stretch, and my first theme for this season is to finish this book: GO TIME.

Local pals: I’m only speaking twice locally this season: at Willow DuPage on Sunday morning, September 2nd, and then at an event in Orland Park that next Saturday, the 8th.  I’d love to see you at either one.

And my second theme or focus is OPERATION KINDERGARTEN. Henry starts kindergarten at a great public school in two weeks, and my other major project is to help him start that season well. On one hand, it’s not such a big deal. Instead of going to preschool, he’ll go to kindergarten, and he’s ready and excited about it. But at the same time, it’s a passage I want to be present for. Superman backpack? Check. New shoes? Check. Tears at the thought of him climbing the stairs of the big-kid bus? Check. Check. Check. 

What is this season for you? What are the themes or things you’re focusing on? What passages or projects are at the forefront of your mind and heart in this stretch of time?

Also: any advice from veteran parents on how to celebrate & be present for this passage in Henry's life?