Raising kids is relentless work. There’s joy, too—lots of it—but when the sink is piled high with dishes, the infant is teething, the grade schooler keeps singing the same five bars of “Home on the Range,” you’re fighting a stomach bug, and the whole household is running late again, joyful feelings can seem tauntingly elusive….
Have you ever leash-trained a dog? We’re on our third Labrador, and we haven’t successfully leash-trained one yet. Our first dog never needed it; she naturally stayed with us and behaved on walks. Our third and current dog came to us at the age of six via our son’s fraternity. He has plenty of bad…
If you’re a follower of Christ, then you know my Jesus. He’s amazing, loving, generous, kind, truthful, merciful, and just. He’s the best–worthy of being followed and worshiped. It’s quite possible, though, that you’ve grown up around church and yet have never met him. How can this be? Let’s explore a few of the possibilities….
The other day I wrote something I was really proud of. Then, because no adults were around to share it with, I decided to read the piece to my children. At the ages of three and seven, they’re a little young to really understand, but I hoped a little bit of what I thought God…
Our back deck has white vinyl railing around the perimeter. It’s a nice contrast to the brown decking, but as you may already know, vinyl easily attracts dirt. My spring-cleaning chores include wiping away grime that collects on the railing over the winter months. The first year I attempted this task, I pulled out anti-bacterial…
I had a perm in kindergarten. Every morning my mother diligently primped my hair with her curling iron to perfect it before school. (Never mind that she also had my two-year-old brother to care for at the time.) One morning, probably in a rush to do all the things, my mother accidentally singed the top…