Ordinary Blessings for Parents by Meta Herrick Carlson

Ordinary Blessings for Parents by Meta Herrick Carlson

Those of us who care for children--biological moms and dads, adoptive parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, godparents, foster parents, big siblings, chosen family, and all the rest of us--know how hard and heroic caring for young people can be. But when we're caught up in the day-to-day challenges of raising children, from teething to teen relationships, we can easily miss the sanctity of these moments.

Gifted poet, empathetic pastor, and mom of three Meta Herrick Carlson names the moments we take for granted or that make us second-guess ourselves. Her blessings call out the simple struggles that remind us we are in good company and that we are loved in the midst of loving children. Ordinary Blessings for Parentsis a spiritual high-five for parents in every stage of raising kids. The book includes blessings for washing bottles, for belly laughs, for the death of a beloved adult, and for the legacy we want to pass on. If you're a parent or caregiver, you are bound to find a word you didn't know you needed and to pass a blessing or two on in solidarity with other families in your life. Take this moment today to pause, reflect, and appreciate the sacred ordinary within your family.

Meta Herrick Carlson is a pastor and writer passionate about building connections and courage in liminal spaces. Her theology has been influenced by work with recovery communities and survivors of sexual violence. Meta serves Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities as the campus pastor and redeveloper at the Minnetonka campus. She is a co-creator of the podcast Alter Guild and author of Ordinary Blessings: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Everyday Life (Fortress, 2020). She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and three loud, sticky kids.