Yes, we can make Valentines. Claps, squeals. Stickers, pink and red construction paper, sharpies all mix together and little hands churn out love notes. Littlest concentrates. An eldest boy is not too shy to make a special sentiment for a teacher at church. Stacks of valentines are pushed aside. Glue dries. Lunch is served and [...]
Above is a cartoon version of the amazing accident we experienced yesterday. It really was a crisis at the time. A traumatic Thursday. My motherhood and faith were tested in several ways. Here’s Middle Girl with her part of the story… I was in little brother’s room playing with him after lunch. I was playing [...]
When there is someone with amazing talent in your midst, you can’t help but share. Maybe since I’ve grown up with her paintings, her artistic touches, I might have taken her gifts for granted. These gifts she has. Being able to look at something and copy it with her artist’s eye. To see it and [...]
On this Gratitude Monday I’m counting gifts, sharing some encouraging thoughts and tools for the new year plus offering a giveaway of one copy of Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts! First… 1. Prayer Changes Things – Last January’s new habit resulted in a paper ream full of answered prayer. “Back in January, at the start [...]
As I drop each of my younger children at the Sunday school door, I pat a shoulder and whisper, “Shine for Jesus,” in that little ear. See, it’s a habit we parents adopted a long while ago. Because being positive is so very powerful. Rather than saying, “don’t do… or remember to…” The focus is [...]
In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. He only had one major hurdle to overcome — funding the project. He lay awake nights, worrying, thinking, [...]
We’re riding over to my aunt and uncle’s house for the reunion type holiday gathering. The Christmas music is playing from the local Christian station. An ad comes on. The voice lists all the goodness of the season. Christmas lights, children not able to sleep on Christmas Eve, good food, family. This is what Christmas [...]
Infant holy, infant lowly, For His bed a cattle stall; (~ Middle Girl singing a solo last night in church special, Get to the Manger) …Oxen lowing, little knowing Christ the child is Lord of all. Swiftly winging, angels singing, Bells are ringing, tidings bringing: Christ the child is Lord of all! Christ the child [...]
With all those gifts coming from family friends over the holidays, it’s time to enjoy some art. Yes, writing thank you notes is a form of art. Just plain cardstock is the start. Even construction or printer paper is a good base. When we compose thank you notes we are: pulling out fun scrapbook paper [...]
Delightful December. Blessings busting. Crammed calendar! I had started to dread the week by Saturday afternoon. Sighs. How? How to handle it all? My head hit the pillow weary-like that night. “Mama, come see the pretty sunset!” Littlest Guy exclaimed, pulling up our blinds at 7:15 the next morning, drawing our attention to the sunrise. [...]
“Push me high! Push me high and we’ll fly all the way up to the moon,” …he says through giggles on a sunny Saturday before his birthday number four. Just Wednesday he rode on a train around a mountain. The boy has to go. Loves things that move. It’s pure boy joy. Build a road. [...]
A – All things bright and beautiful. B – Birds at the feeder. Boys and trains. C – Cranberry sauce! Cornbread. D – desks in our homeschool room. E – Each of these! F – Family. Friends. Freedom. Faux Pecan Pie. Football this weekend. G – God’s Goodness. H – Home. Hand print turkeys. I [...]
Thanks!
