
During this Advent season, we eagerly anticipate the celebration of our Savior’s birth. But for some, they don’t feel like celebrating for various reasons. And probably, any adult reading this is enduring some kind of trial or hardship. But if we look closer at the history and the story surrounding Christ’s birth, there is so much hope mingled in for us! Advent is a time of waiting. And many of us are waiting–for a prodigal child to come home, for […]
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We all know that keeping lines of communication open is key to helping your teens grow to maturity and wisdom. But knowing how to do that isn’t always easy. We also know it can be quite a challenge precisely because they are in a stage of gaining their independence, weaning away from us in a sense.
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Prices are rising but incomes are not. That’s a reality for just about everyone I know. So if you’re like us, you need some creative ideas to stretch your dollar if you are trying to maintain some semblance of life as you’ve always known it. Why not make money doing what you already do? I have been trying some things out and wanted to share 5 ways I am making a little extra money doing the things I already do. […]
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College Disclaimer: Before I answer if your homeschooling will make your children ready for college, my college disclaimer: I am not a fan of going to college just because you have graduated high school. It doesn’t make sense to me to accrue debt and waste time without a clear focus and reason to attend college. Outside of the STEM careers, the world we live in offers SO MUCH opportunity for business/learning/training/online work–that college should be considered one tiny option […]
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A few months ago, our family began a different way of eating. Most of you have probably heard of the Mediterranean Diet (again, not really a diet, but way of eating.) It’s doctor recommended for heart health, losing weight and overall health benefits. So far we are enjoying this way of eating. To be fair, we allow cheat days. Sometimes you’re invited to dinner and you eat what’s there. Or sometimes, you may just want to splurge and eat something […]
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“They’re distracting.” “Moms need a break.” “They can’t understand.” Sounds reasonable, but I believe with all my heart, children need to be smack dab in the middle of grown up worship, and we do them a great disservice to put them elsewhere. Children learn almost everything by experience and observation. Yet we take the one, most important thing they will learn–the WORSHIP of of God–and exclude them. When Jesus said, “Let the little children come” I think He really meant […]
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As Christian women look across a cultural landscape fraught with anger, confusion and evil, we can become really discouraged; we can also feel at a loss when it comes to fortifying our children against the ideologies that wage war with Scripture. A new documentary “Eve in Exile” powerfully and simply addresses how Christian women can live joyful, beautiful lives amid the chaos of our culture. Fleshing out the book, Eve in Exile (I highly recommend), Rebekah Merkle tackles the subject […]
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Last December, my son told us he had decided to enlist in the Marine Corps. I was really shocked because years ago, when I mentioned the military for him, he was adamantly opposed. However, various experiences brought him to a place where he desired greater discipline and more challenges for himself, and once we got over the shock/fear, we believe that it has been an excellent choice for him. I have not been silent about the fact that raising Ashton […]
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In the third (and possibly last) of the series on serving, I can’t fail to talk about the most obvious–our home and family. And because it’s the most obvious, it’s the most overlooked. If Jesus said that serving was the most important human act and will receive a great reward, how can service to our family–the ones He put in front of us–not be of extreme importance? How is it that we actually serve our family? Thinking back over the […]
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In our quest to do the most important thing–SERVE–we can’t overlook the overwhelmed mom. Most often she is a young mom with small children, but older moms have their own, different share of overload and stress, and desperately need encouragement too. Verbal Encouragement One of the greatest gifts you can give a struggling mom is the comfort that she is not alone. Motherhood can feel isolating and that loneliness exacerbates her stress. Something as simple as sending a text with […]
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