And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ – Acts 20:35 (NKJV) A couple of years ago, during a time of dreaming with God about my life, I wrote down, “I will hand make every gift I give for Christmas.” It is a lofty goal that…
Teaching Older Siblings to Care for Younger Children
Teaching older siblings to care for younger children is especially important to my family. My four children’s ages span a range of about eight years. My oldest is closing in on 13, and my youngest is about to turn five in just a few days. My first three children (often referred to in our home…
Keeping in Touch with Family from a Distance
I voluntarily chose to write on the topic of keeping in touch with family from a distance. Then, I had a slight panic attack. “What am I doing?” I thought. I’m horrible at keeping in touch. However, isn’t that how it is sometimes? God has us write or talk about things that we are growing in,…
Don’t Lose Sleep Over Kids Sleepovers
My kids love sleepovers. Who wouldn’t love staying up a little later while being with friends, laughing, playing games, and snacking on treats? It’s great fun that creates lasting memories. A lot of Christian parents think that nothing good can come from sleepovers. Perhaps you have memories of your own sleepovers growing up, when party…
5 Ways to Make a Splash with Summer Reading
The best predictor of summer loss or summer gain is whether or not a child reads during the summer. And the best predictor of whether a child reads is whether or not he or she has access to books. – Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen, “Bridging the Summer Reading Gap” Summer is a wonderful time…
What Makes a Great Dad
I recently asked my kids during our home school morning to write about what makes a great dad. As I read my son’s response, I was reminded that kids aren’t looking for someone with perfect character. They aren’t looking for a dad who is amazing at sports. They aren’t even looking for someone to buy…
Honor Your Father with a Scrapbook
We often hear people say “Honor Your Father and Mother”, but what does that truly look like lived out on a daily basis? It’s important that our children’s father feel honored, loved and respected each day of the year. We naturally, however, think of doing something extra special for fathers in June. A precious gift…