Category: Family

Leading Our Children to God

Part of my husband’s and my courtship consisted of sitting on tiny chairs in the children’s section of a bookstore, reading pictures books to each other. We were homeschool curriculum junkies before we even had children. We went to a homeschool convention when I was expecting our first child. So we were pretty hyped about schooling our own children. When we had the opportunity, we asked a friend who was […]

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Bedtime.

Bedtime. It can be a challenge. About the time you think you have them all settled for the night, a just-potty-trained toddler has to go! The little guy in the crib starts calling for a “bah”, a spider calls across the wall, or a little girl is suddenly desperate for a drink — and then desperate for the bathroom thirty minutes later. Is there a way to simplify the bedtime ordeal? I […]

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We’re Members of His Family!

I thought of my granddaughters as we studied 1 John 3 last month. My daughter had posted this picture of her little one-and-a-half-year-old on Facebook early in the month. (I love the rainbow umbrella!) A walk to the park — the big park — had been promised earlier in the day. After going through all that it takes to get three little people into coats and boots and out the door, they […]

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Showing Our Children How to Love God’s Word, PLUS a New 30 Day Study!

How can we inspire our children to love God and His Word? What can we do to raise children who will love God and live their lives in joyful obedience to Him — even after they leave our homes? Of course, our most effective tool is prayer. God is the one who does His work in the hearts of our children. But He will use us in the process, and one of […]

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In Awe of His Grace

I welcomed another new little grandbaby into the world last week. She was born in a rustic A-frame house that my daddy built many years ago, and I cried as her other grandma and I stood in awe at her arrival. It was like life had come full circle, and I was overwhelmed by the reminder of God’s love and grace as we met this beautiful little girl. That A-frame […]

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Courtship in Our Real World, Part 2

Did you enjoy the first part of Susannah and Peter’s courtship story? I am so glad she’s taking the time to get it written down! It is such a testimony of God’s love and grace! One of the things I think we’ve learned — after spending a total of at least five years of our lives overseeing courtships and engagements — is this: We don’t write our children’s love stories. God […]

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Courtship in Our Real World, Part 1

Courtship is an emotional topic. The very word — courtship — can stir up some pretty heated discussions. I think this is partly due to the fact that everyone seems to have a different definition for the word courtship. It’s probably also due to the fact that courtships do, after all, involve emotions. And I’m pretty sure a lot of strong opinions exist about courtship because we, as parents, inevitably make mistakes while trying to do […]

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Glorious Chaos

This was the year. It’s been coming. We’ve always been committed to savoring the present opening — one person at a time, one present at a time, while everyone else watches. But that takes a long time with 20 different people giving presents to each other — especially when one of them is a present-junkie like me who never does less next year like I always say I’m going to do, and especially […]

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Dates with Daddy

It’s usually a spontaneous decision. When dinner is over, I’ll tell one of my girls (age 2 and 4) to hop in the car with me for a quick “daddy date.” This proposal is usually met with much excited bouncing, looking for shoes, and deciding which dress to wear before we set off on our adventure (which usually involves searching for ice cream in some form :-). In the car, […]

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Because He Loves Us

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1). Our “baby” is getting married in 4 more days! The young man she is marrying loves her. It’s been such a delight to watch him studying her and finding out what she loves and what will please her. He discovered her love of […]

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