Tag Archives: Family
Take Care of Your ‘Neighbs With Some Simple Compassion
Today, one of our local news reporters delivered his thoughts on this record-breaking weather while stationed up to his thighs in snow on a fake deck. Nice touch, I thought. One leg was in a “normal” section of the snow … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, Book Review, Compassion, Contest, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, FREE BOOK, Friends, Gifts, Giveaway!, God, gratitude, Home, Kids, Literature/Books, Matters of the Heart, Prayer, Seasons of Life, Things I Love!, writing/work
Tagged Blog Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Book review, Contests, Faith, Family, FREE BOOK, Giving/Sharing/Generosity, God, Seasons of Life, Spiritual Development, spiritual formation, Zondervan Publishers
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Family Friday: Spiritual Formation
I’ve been thinking about posting this for awhile now, and thanks to the encouragement of a friend am finally getting around to it. This Friday I thought I’d share an idea I had for bringing Scripture into the kitchen–which we … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, crafts, CRAZY kids, Decor/Organizing, Discoveries, Faith, Family, Family Friday, Following Jesus, God, gratitude, Growing Pains, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Prayer, Recipe/Kitchen Success!, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Candice Olsen, Christian, Divine Design, Family, Genevieve Gorder, God, Holland, Home, Home and Company, Kids, MI, Mothers, Parents, prayer, Scripture, spiritual formation, teaching your kids
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Last Thoughts: The Year of Living Like Jesus
Tonight, over sour cream-laden chimichangas and icy Cokes, my husband and I had our annual gift-giving budget conversation. At our house, November and December are packed with several family birthdays and, of course, the simultaneously beloved and commercially vexing: Christmas. … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Following Jesus, God, gratitude, Holidays, Literature/Books, Uncategorized
Tagged Adoni, birthdays, budget, chimichangas, Christmas, Coke, Dayenu, December, Ed Dobson, Family, gift-giving, Judaism, November, Passover, Seder Dinner, sour cream, The Year of Living Like Jesus
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Four More Days
One of the great joys, and simultaneous “pinch-me’s” of my days, is a more fervent awareness of the slipping away. Time slipping away. Childhood…slipping. Days, seasons…slipping. It sounds depressing, I know, but actually I feel joyful that God has given … Continue reading
Posted in Family, gratitude, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Play, Seasons of Life
Tagged Berenstein Bears, boys, Changes, Children, Chocolate Milk, Family, God, Kids, kisses, Love, Motherhood, Seasons of Life, snuggling
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A Slow Burn
Last week I told you about Daisy Chain, a rare and wonderfully gripping piece of Christian fiction from author Mary DeMuth. The first in her Defiance Texas Trilogy, Daisy Chain weaves a tale of suspense and fear, grace and deliverance, … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Heartbreak, Literature/Books
Tagged A Slow Burn, Changes, Children, Church, Daisy Chain, Defiance Texas Trilogy, Disappointment, Emory Chance, Faith, Family, Friends, Giving/Sharing/Generosity, God, guilt, Hope, Jesus, kidnapping, Longing, Love, Mary DeMuth, Motherhood, Rejection, Seasons of Life, Spiritual Development, Zondervan Publishers
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Medieval War Games
Well, they did it again. Made a game out of wood and jumping and self-inflicted wounds. Little did the feudal lords of the middle ages know that their catapulting weaponry would be such a hit in the backyards of the … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Home, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Nature/Outdoors, Play, Random Fun, Summer, Uncategorized
Tagged Bill Nye the Science Guy, Biology, catapult, Children, Family, Friendship, Kids, Lever, Midieval Times, Midieval Weapons, Pulley, Screw, Simple Machines, tools, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Wedge
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Moments With Love
Ever since I was little I’ve had a nudging–gentle, but there–prompting me to act of behalf of those with small voices. Or no voices. I remember vividly lying in bed one night when I was probably 11, drawing a picture … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Friends, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Marriage, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Seasons of Life
Tagged adoption, capitalism, Children, Faith, Family, Giving/Sharing/Generosity, God, Hope, Jesus, Kids, Longing, Love, mission trips, mission work, Motherhood, Seasons of Life, Spiritual Development, Uganda
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Arctic Dog Mushing On Labor Day
Leave it up to the neighborhood kids, my own included, to create a game that is so wonderfully ridiculous I can’t help but document it for you. Yesterday’s game had me laughing so hard the residual giggles followed me indoors … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Friends, Home, Kids, Nature/Outdoors, Neighbors, Play, Random Fun, Seasons of Life, Summer, Uncategorized, Vehicles
Tagged Beef Chunks, Children, Family, Friends, Friendship, Fun!, Indian Summer, Jerky, Kids, Labor Day, Mushing, Neighbors, Nome, Salmon, Sled-dog racing, snow
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Teaching Kids About Friends
When I was in grade school I was teased mercilessly. I remember, shortly after having moved to a new school in the 5th grade, crying in bed at night and having to confess to my mom that I just didn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Faith, Family, Friends, Home, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Play, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged betrayal, bullies, Changes, Children, Disappointment, Faith, Family, Friends, Friendship, God, Jesus, Kids, Seasons of Life, Spiritual Development
3 Comments
My Quarterly Bonus
Being a stay-at-home mom is something that I love and worry about in equal measure. I love it because I get to have a front-row seat to the lives of my children. It’s messy, both in literal and figurative terms, … Continue reading
Posted in Chores/Duties/Jobs, Faith, Family, Home, Kids, Marriage, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Seasons of Life
Tagged Africa, babysitter, business lunch, Children, Deuteronomy, Faith, Family, God, Hallmark, Hope, Jesus, jobs, Kids, Love, Lunch, manners, Messy House, Mother Teresa, Motherhood, quarterly bonus, recognition, Serving, Spiritual Development, stay-at-home mom, success, Sunday, white-glove
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I Couldn’t Sleep, So I Thought About Names
The other night I went to see The Proposal at the movies with my BNE. It was really cute and I have to say, I was even a little surprised by some of the elements that I thought would be … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties
Tagged C.S. Lewis, Chuck Swindoll, Clive Staples, crystal ball, Dietrich Bonhoffer, Faith, Family, God, Jesse James, Jesus, Kids, Love, Motherhood, Names, Rob Bell, Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, Scarlet Johansson, Spiritual Development, The Proposal
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“Things I Don’t Understand” Thursdays: Kitchen Tornadoes
It seems like I spend most of my time in the kitchen. You can’t relate…can you? Breakfast prep and cooking. Breakfast clean-up…but wait…the dishwasher needs unloading first. What? A mid-morning snack? Let me just get that for you…and your five … Continue reading
Posted in Decor/Organizing, Family, Food, Friends, Home, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Neighbors
Tagged Children, crafts, Family, flip-flops, hot chocolate, husbands, kitchen, mess, Messy House, Motherhood, Murphy's Oil Soap, Neighbors, Oprah, President, President of Bolivia, snacks, tidy, washing vegetables, wrestling
2 Comments
Bedtime Prayers
It’s exciting and gratifying to share this post today. I have been feeling badly that I don’t give enough attention here to the wonderful, curious, and edifying things our children do; after all, silliness and general chaos often make for … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Home, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties
Tagged bedtime prayers, Children, Church, Faith, Family, Giving/Sharing/Generosity, God, Hope, Jesus, Kids, Love, Motherhood, Spiritual Development
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“Things I Don’t Understand” Thursdays: Indoor Baseball?!
Well, this really got my goat. After withstanding numerous accidents in the house ranging from family photos being knocked off the wall [that was dad modeling great behavior] to lamps crashing to the floor, we have banned indoor throwing/pitching/catching/baseball/homerun derby. … Continue reading
Posted in Decor/Organizing, Discipline Issues, Family, Home, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Random Fun, Seasons of Life
Tagged baseball, Family, Fun!, household accidents, Kids, Messy House, wrestling
2 Comments
Son of a BEACH!
What a day. Last night I was so exhausted after our elusive hunt for beach parking that I just couldn’t even tell you about it until now. Well, let’s be honest: it was the exhaustion and the fact that the … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Nature/Outdoors, Random Fun, Uncategorized, Vacation
Tagged beach, Coast Guard Festival, Disappointment, Family, Fun!, Grand Haven, Holland, Kids
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Who Needs Whale Watching, Anyhow? Part 2
I know–I said I’d write this sequel on Thursday, and it just didn’t happen. To all 4 of you out there waiting with bated breath, I’m sorry if the torture of suspense may have elevated your blood pressure or aggravated … Continue reading
Posted in Nature/Outdoors, Random Fun, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation
Tagged Bainbridge Island, boiled eggs, Children, Family, Lunch, OOPS!
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Fill It Up Again
I’m borrowing this title from the Indigo Girls who, if I believed in reincarnation, I would totally want to be in my next life–at least musically speaking. Their guitar playing–to die for; their poetry–kills me; their harmony–makes my heart stop … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Nature/Outdoors, Travel, Vacation
Tagged Children, Family, Friends, Fun!, Indigo Girls, Longing, Mountains/Ocean, Nature
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Grandma
I’ve been cautioned by wise and well-meaning people that my penchant for emotions (namely crying) may alienate those who don’t struggle with waterworks the way that I do. But today it’s not to be avoided. As I was downloading photos … Continue reading
Waiting for Mountains, Yearning for Sand
Every now and again I get into kind of a funk. I usually write it off as fatigue or hormones, but really I think it has something to do with geography. We’re planning a trip out west this summer and … Continue reading
The Closeness of Home
In recent days I’ve had reason to consider my story. I’ve had reason to ponder the forks in the road and the winding path that led me to where I am today. Who would have ever thought that a simple … Continue reading
White Buckets = Love
I was sitting at a stoplight lost in the silence of our car when the solitary, melancholy piano took me away. In an instant there was a loneliness–an isolation conveyed on the ivory that made me think of him. The … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family
Tagged Brothers, Church, Disappointment, Faith, Family, Giving/Sharing/Generosity, God, Hope, Jesus
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Shoot the Moon
Yesterday we got out the guns and clay pigeons and had ourselves a birthday. This was no small shindig–this was a full-on, expertly crafted and perfectly executed surprise party for my brother-in-law, Jason, who will ring in 30 years in … Continue reading
A Seed Planted
One of my dear friends, dear in a way that few are or can ever be, lives three time zones away in a small city just west of the Rockies. Talking to her is easy, as it should be … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Friends, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties
Tagged Baptism, Children, Faith, Family, Friendship, Jesus, Kids, Motherhood, Spiritual Development
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Bye Bye, Baby
My five-year old daughter is captivated at the thought of a new cousin in the family. Each time we ride out to my sister’s house she asks me, “Mom, how big do you think Aunt Cindy’s belly will be?” “Probably … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Seasons of Life
Tagged Changes, Children, Family, Motherhood, Seasons of Life
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Last One on the Kickball Field
Unless you had the good fortune of being a fast runner and skilled kicker, I think everyone can remember the feeling of being the last one chosen for teams when the kickball was rolled at recess. That was always me: … Continue reading
