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A Simple Gift
At Christmastime, I like to try to get my shopping and responsibilities done at least the week before Christmas, if not before. Try, being the key word. Some years it doesn’t happen. But the years it...
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My Christmas Decorations
I can’t remember a Christmas I didn’t put out decorations of some kind. Some years I put them out with a certain excitement and anticipation of something wonderful. Other years I was less enthusiastic,...
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Believe in Your Project
The hubs and me Last week was very eventful in my little corner of the world. My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. That’s a big deal. The very same day, I was awarded a book...
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The Hospitable Introvert
By nature, I am an introvert. I tend to avoid people and I recharge by having time alone. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy people when I’m with them. As a matter of fact, most people would be surprised...
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The Fine Art of Faithfulness
I was recently taken aback one Sunday after church when a man in his early thirties said to me, “I’m so proud of you.” “You are?” I couldn’t fathom why he’d be proud of me. He was about the age of my...
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She Did What She Could
I attended a writers retreat with my critique group in the tall pines of Pine, AZ last fall. One of our members, Judy, owns a house there that she opens up to us for writing, learning, eating, and...
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Honoring People You Don’t Respect
You may wonder, Why would I want to honor someone I don’t respect? If I don’t respect them, do they really deserve my honor? Chances are, you don’t want to honor that difficult person in your life....
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Nurturing Resistant Teens
I know what you’re thinking. Aren’t we supposed to raise compliant teens? Don’t we want them to be obedient and easy to get along with rather than resistant? Well, yes. And no. Compliant and resistant...
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The Power of Hope
It lives on the edges of my mind, permeating everything I do. Without it, I’m sad, downcast, listless, feeling like my life doesn’t matter. But then hope walks in and changes everything. Even David of...
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When Your Child is Hurt by Someone’s Words
I remember my children crying from time to time because another child said something either to them or about them that hurt their feelings. Maybe it was simple name calling, or some accusation that...
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My Writing Space
People sometimes wonder what a writer’s “office” looks like. Uh, well, mine looks a lot like my living room. In fact it is my living room. I’ll tell you all about it today. It’s nothing special, but I...
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When Fear Overtakes
It was just a simple misunderstanding, but even after it had been cleared up, it took my heart a little time to relax and my mind to slow down enough that I could drift off to sleep. The wee hours of...
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What Kids Need Most from Their Dads
Father Playing with Son — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis It’s almost Father’s Day, so let’s talk dads. Dads do tons of things every day to provide for their kids. They’re pros at wrestling with them...
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Never Fear Aging
I love this New Living Translation of Isaiah 46:4. So many people fear getting old. There are so many questions that can accompany aging. Will I have enough money? Will I be lonely? Will I be able to...
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5 Tips if Your Child Wants to Volunteer
When my daughter, Ashley, was 12, we went to a guinea pig rescue to get her a new pet. Who knew such a place even existed? Apparently lots of people change their minds about having small pets and they...
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The Best Mothering Advice I Ever Got
When I was a new mother, I felt woefully inadequate. Though I loved being a mom, I also felt like I didn’t know what I was doing. Why did it seem everyone else was so much more confident than I was? I...
View Article7 Benefits of Having Your Kids Sit In Church With You
I’m a proponent of having children, even very young ones, sit in church with you if they want to–and maybe even if they don’t! I understand how hard it is. I know you don’t get much out of the sermon...
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Are You Salty?
If living in south Florida has taught me anything, it’s that August is a really hot month. Really, really hot. So when it comes to seeking refreshments, you won’t see me reaching for salty snacks....
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When to Discipline Young Children
A few days ago I was at the zoo with my son’s family. We walked by a grandmother sitting on a bench with two young children. They were eating ice cream and her grandson dropped his on the ground. As...
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Be-attitudes for Building Healthy Friendships
“Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace. We have promised by the Lord that we will be friends…'” 1 Samuel 20:42a (ICB) Helping our children build healthy friendships amidst the growing presence of social...
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