Picture this: you are in your house alone watching television and you hear the front door open and bang against the wall. You jump off the couch. Your heart is racing and you stand frozen for a moment. Then you start to run but you don’t know which way to run or why you are…
4 Ways to Honor God on Valentine’s Day
I love loving the people who are special to me. I love all things sweet and sappy and sentimental. I love red puffy hearts and pink shiny bows and glittery Valentine cards. I love heart-shaped pancakes in the morning, heart-shaped sandwiches at lunch and heart-shaped pizzas for dinner. I love presents covered in heart wrapping paper…
How to Help Your Kids Crush Comparison
How to Help Your Kids Crush Comparison My daughter was in second grade when she decided that she hated her hair. Anyone can see that her hair is beautiful; in fact, strangers have often stopped us on the street to tell us so. She has gorgeous light brown ringlets with blonde highlights that frame her…
Why Our Family Doesn’t Celebrate Halloween
There are many schools of thought about the observance of Halloween by Christians. Should we participate in the activities around us? Do we dress up and hand out candy? What about the harvest festivals hosted by local churches that are intended to offer an alternative? Our family has made very deliberate, carefully considered decisions about…
Celebrate the Harvest Season with Your Family
har·vest //ˈhärvist the consequence of an effort or activity the season for gathering crops the yield from plants in a single growing season the gathering of a ripened crop gather, as of natural products The harvest is the time when you reap what you sow. As a verb, to harvest something means that you pick…
Praying Over Your Children in the New Year
With the New Year upon us, I begin to think about the things that I want to do in the next few months. Some of the ideas come quickly, and some require more thought. But there is one consistent commitment I make each year and that is to grow closer to the One to whom I’ve…
Prayer: A Special Nighttime Ritual
Motherhood crept up on me. I know I know, I had nine months to prepare for my first child. But as an only child myself, I was not exposed to a lot of babies, much less taught how to care for little ones. I followed my doctors advice and actually didn’t read any parenting books…
How to Start Conversations About Jesus with Kids
Conversations about Jesus: Get Inspired Conversations about Jesus are important to have when you’re children are growing up and starting to understand their faith. Even though my daughters are 6 and almost 10, we got a copy of the adorable board book My Jesus Bible a few weeks ago, and we have been reading through…
Jesus or the Easter Bunny: An Easter Memory
As I think back on the years of celebrating the Easter holiday with my husband and children, my memories are filled with Easter morning church services, frilly handmade dresses, matching ties, and baskets full of fresh fruit, plastic eggs, and inexpensive treats. I remember Easter afternoons spent vacuuming the green plastic Easter grass off our…
Good Friday and Children: Making the Cross Real to Your Kids
Teaching children about Good Friday isn’t easy, especially if you’re talking with younger children. How do you explain why Jesus had to die? That Jesus knew ahead of Good Friday that he would die? And the true meaning of the cross as Jesus’ sacrifice for our ultimate salvation? Teaching children about Good Friday isn’t easy,…