“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). It seems like the Christmas season has gotten more and more frenetic as the years have gone on. Especially for parents, December seems like a blur. We have shopping, wrapping, cooking, Christmas parties for us and our children, Christmas […]
-Read More“More blessed to give rather than receive?” You’ve got to be kidding! What kind of a statement is that? That’s ridiculous! Of course it’s more awesome to receive than it is to give. That’s what we’ve been taught all our lives. That’s what makes us feel good isn’t it; getting more things? What’s your […]
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What if we’ve completely missed God’s intended purpose of Thanksgiving? What if this is the year we should “do it right” but missed it? There are great mandates to celebrate by remembering what God has done for us, and yet so often we celebrate the “celebration” and forget the intended purpose. The Lord’s Supper is […]
-Read MoreIn the Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” we get to follow the adult trials and the childhood trainings of George. Each time he faced a difficult situation he asked himself the same question: “What would Dad do?” Somehow George picked up lessons from his dad that helped him navigate life and become a community […]
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Every fall as we pass 9/11 and are in the thick of storm season, I sit and process the amazing sacrifice our first responders and their families make. I can’t imagine weathering a storm knowing that your father/spouse is at the station preparing to go protect and serve the community. What a truly heroic act. […]
-Read MoreWhen we are in the mountains on vacation, there is an amazing toy store. It is always so fun to go explore, and my boys save their money for months, looking forward to going. One year they bought a toy race car set. It had a race track with a groove down the middle of […]
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This last month our family spent some time in North Carolina. We love many things about being in the mountains: the fresh air, the trees, the rivers and creeks, and hiking. We usually spend several days exploring trails that lead us to amazing finds like gorgeous mountain tops and waterfalls. My two, like their dad, […]
-Read MoreThe volume and words a parent uses around their children and to their children has an impact on them. But what about the more subtle things we say? What about the things we say on our mobile phones, when we forget the kids are in the back seat listening? What about the things we say […]
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Fewer things influence our children more than the people they hang out with, their friends. Friendships have a powerful impact. Kids want to go where their friends want to go and do what their friends do and think the way their friends think. Knowing the impact friends have on our children, you would think parents […]
-Read MoreIs it okay for a husband and wife to disagree on the way they parent their child? This is a question that we get asked often! Parental conflicts It is not only okay, it is natural! The top three areas of conflict in a marriage are money, sex and parenting. These are also the top […]
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