Everyday life is full of disappointment and mistakes, so why on earth do we expect the holidays to be any different? Because we were made for perfection, once upon a time in Eden, our hearts still long for that experience of untarnished peace, unguarded relationships and unequaled love; so we attempt to create a semblance […]
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My kids all knew from the time they were little that books would be under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. And my husband was also a recipient of a book bag. Reading has been a love of mine since I discovered Nancy Drew in my single digit years. With my legs dangling over the […]
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Dear Barbara, How should our family handle the popular tradition of Santa? I know Christmas is about Jesus, so is it wrong to talk about Santa too? Like many of you, Dennis and I kept our favorite childhood holiday traditions alive as we began growing our new little family: Santa, cookie recipes, all white lights […]
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Read the story below together at dinner or bedtime. Then talk about it. Have you ever wondered why the wise men, the magi, were searching the stars for signs of a coming king? Why stars? Why not maps? Did they know were they looking for? Did they have a name and address? How did they […]
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Since college graduation my life has been invested in ministry; reaching high school and college women, then engaged and married women, then moms, then empty nesters. Now my ministry vision is for all women; single and married, young and old. We females are the makers and keepers of our homes, the guardians of traditions, the […]
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TODAY only get 30% off these three favorites! No code necessary, just add to cart! AdoreHymns: Two things I love about these lacy edged wooden ornaments. One is the unique mostly unknown stories printed on the back of each featured Christmas carol. Second is giftability. These ovals fit perfectly in a Christmas card, tie on packages […]
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I hope you and perhaps your family, too, have made this month a focus on thankfulness and gratitude. But God desires for us to notice and not forget His goodness for much longer than one month. The frenzied pace of Christmas has already begun. Are you forgetting already to be thankful? “God satisfies your YEARS […]
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There is a story in the Bible that seemed exceptionally harsh to me. It’s the story of the Israelites being punished for ingratitude by wandering in a desert for 40 years. But as a parent, I began to understand a little of how God felt. I hated it when my children complained about what they […]
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It’s obvious to every mom, every teacher, every grandparent that gratitude is not natural in children. It is an attitude that must be modeled, taught, and nurtured. Our family’s travels to impoverished places in other countries glaringly revealed our lack of gratitude for all we have in the United States. Prosperity breeds entitlement not thanksgiving. […]
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Quietly attentive children sitting around a table listening to their father reading the weekly Advent lesson with the warm glow of candle light illumining their sweet faces: this was my vision of how our family should prepare for Christmas every year. And it was clearly my vision alone. Failures abounded in this one seemingly simple […]
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