We were all excited. I’d planned a sparkling Christmas family night: soup with cornbread, making popcorn balls, and then cuddling up together for “The Polar Express.” Ahh. Christmas! What started…
Faith
Christmas is About Jesus
Christmas is about Jesus. The Son, the only Son of God. The Word in the beginning. Creator of all things. The Lamb, the image of the invisible God. In Him…
What the Manger Taught Me About Motherhood
Every day, day after day, for over 20 years, I have been immersed in the task of mothering. No one told me before I was handed that swaddled bundle how…
Birthday Gifts for Jesus
My children were only preschoolers when they became caught up in the “what am I gonna get?” view of Christmas. This is a hazard of the season we must all…
Keeping Christmas Fresh
As I walked through the airport, I was surprised to see my gate decorated with several flags. There were glass cases along the walls filled with all sorts of medals…
Our Family Advent Calendar Tradition
When my children were younger, I wanted to find some ways to celebrate Christmas with an emphasis on spending quality time together as a family, particularly during their Christmas break….
Gratitude 101
Five boys. Five loud, active boys with their own unique personalities and preferences. Personal tastes, too. So at dinner a week or two ago, several of them expressed those preferences…
Helping Kids Understand, Recognize, and Face Temptation
A tearful friend recently shared about her child’s struggle with an issue. Her face fell as she relayed how her child had succumbed to temptation. My heart broke for the…
A Note for You on the Day You Blow It
We’ve all had them. Sometimes you can see them coming, as if watching a sippy cup of red juice fall on someone else’s beige, suede sofa in slow-mo. Maybe you…
Do We Know What “Right” Is?
Have you ever not known if something was right or wrong? The importance of knowing came home to me when I took our grandchildren bowling. As the electronic scoreboard tallied…