Advent began yesterday, the first of four Sundays leading to Christmas. If you are like me, it always sneaks up and leaves me feeling behind from the start. Maybe it’s because I like to savor Thanksgiving and our once-a-year gathering with extended family that makes me reluctant to move on to Christmas before the Thanksgiving …

Did Advent Sneak Up on You? Read More »

    Only three days remain before the day which annually reminds us to express gratitude. Have you ever thought it’s not just an attitude of gratitude that’s important? What are you doing to make sure you and yours find ways to actually verbalize thanks to God for all He has given us? “Every good …

Giving Thanks Means Speaking Thanks Read More »

  Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I’m sending this month’s letter a week early because Thanksgiving is next week and I’ll be with family. And I’m so excited that we will have four of our six kids and their families coming to be with us! Only two weeks ago we thought we’d have none, so “hooray for …

Friends & Family Fridays #11 Read More »

  Our youngest child was just a toddler. Our oldest was double digits but not yet a teen. We were spending Thanksgiving as we had the previous six years at a conference we hosted for singles in Colorado called the Keystone Kaper. While the event was always amazing ministry and fun for our kids to …

Why Gathering for Thanksgiving Matters … and Always Will Read More »

  Books have been a significant part of my life in more ways than I can describe, including how Dennis and I parented our six. The recommendations of others introduced me to some of the best books in many categories including parenting, so here are the seven that most shaped our parenting. All are full …

Seven Books That Shaped and Guided My Parenting Read More »

  When the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in early 2020, did any of us have any idea how much it would still be affecting us in the final months of 2021? How it would disrupt our lives, our communities, our nation, our world? Unsettled describes life since March of 2020. But sometimes unsettled feels too mild …

Why We Need Gratitude More Than Ever Read More »

  Hello friends! This was a month we won’t soon forget and this letter to all of you … not what I anticipated in early October. The month began with our plans in place; I checked things off day by day, marking lines through my listed to-dos with great satisfaction. Made me feel in control. …

Friends & Family Fridays #10 Read More »

  A sweet friend has been struggling with her childhood and what she experienced from her parents. Like many of us when we become adults, get married, and begin raising our own families, she sees clearly as a mom of two all the mistakes her parents made. I understood because I felt the same way …

How to Forgive Your Parents Read More »

  “What is hair made from?” “Do lizards go to heaven?” “Why do we stop at red lights?” “Who’s your mom’s mom?” “Why do I have to tell Jesus what I did wrong when He already knows?” In our house with six kids, a menagerie of outside pets, and two often exhausted parents, our kids’ …

When Kids Ask Too Many Questions Read More »

    One Wednesday morning our Bible study leader asked us all to answer the same question: “What are you passionate about for God and His kingdom?” About 30 of us were present … young moms, middle-age moms, new empty nesters and a faithful group of women in their 70’s who we all admired. One by …

Do You Know What God Made You to Do? Read More »

  Dear friends, In my recent Friends & Family blog post, I talked about what I was learning in my “Bible Study Methods and Hermaneutics” class at Dallas Theological Seminary. I’m so encouraged by your questions about seminary and your eagerness to learn. So here’s an exercise and some suggestions for those who want more. …

How to Study the Bible Read More »

  If a vote were taken on the top cultural issues of our day, divisions and polarization would top the list, along with problems of racism and lack of trust in one another. But to me, one of most distressing trends today is how marriage is losing its value. Increasingly, younger generations view marriage as …

Your. Marriage. Matters. (Part Two) Read More »