The Bible offers many names and descriptors for God, but one of my favorites is Heavenly Father. I realize that this moniker might not be appealing to everyone, particularly those whose earthly fathers were absent, abusive, or lacking in some significant way. Thankfully, my own dad was none of those things. In fact, in both… Continue Reading
“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” ~ Pope John Paul II I will be stepping away from the blog for a few days for a personal spring break, but I’ll be back before you know it! Until then, I hope that you have a wonderful… Continue Reading
Easter is just over a week away (how did that happen?!) so this week I’m sharing some creative ideas for non-candy Easter Basket fillers. On Wednesday I shared some Easter books, as well as gifts for the musical child and some alternative basket ideas. Today we’ve got several more Easter gift ideas—some fun, others functional, and… Continue Reading
It’s ironic that I spend months looking ahead to, and planning for, the other big holidays like Halloween and Christmas, but Easter always seems to sneak up on me. That’s especially the case when Easter falls earlier in the spring, as it does this year. I had a slight moment of panic last week when… Continue Reading
It must be the Elementary School Teacher in me, but I can’t approach a holiday (even a token one) without getting giddy about seasonal crafts or holiday-themed goodies. Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, and over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been having entirely too much fun exploring Pinterest’s sea of shamrocks, leprechauns, and pots… Continue Reading
Happy Valentine’s Day—the holiday adored by half the population and loathed by the rest. I happen to fall into the adoring camp: our world can always use more love, even of the commercialized variety. After all, a well-chosen Conversation Heart, given in just the right way, can do wonders for one’s self esteem or love… Continue Reading
“God seeks to influence humanity. This is at the heart of the Christmas story. It is the story of light coming into the darkness, of a Savior to show us the way, of light overcoming the darkness, of God’s work to save the world.” ~ Adam Hamilton This will be my last post before the… Continue Reading
Come along with me on a stroll through a Christmas wonderland . . . . Take a deep breath. Inhale the fresh pine needle smell, mingled with the scents of mulled cider bubbling on the stove, of gingerbread baking in the oven, and cinnamon candles flickering from the mantle. Close your eyes for a minute.… Continue Reading
December is a month for frolicking and festivities, so you know we had to celebrate the season with our own little virtual happy hour. After all, the next best thing to reveling in the season’s merriment is talking about all our Christmassy faves! So make yourself cozy, settle in with a seasonal beverage of your choice… Continue Reading
I love Christmas. LOVE it! It’s sort of ironic, really: the Christmas season takes place just when the weather is getting colder and the nights have grown oppressively long—two of my least favorite things. But the merriment, twinkling lights, evergreen boughs, and joyous carols more than make up for December’s shortcomings. It’s a stressful season, and… Continue Reading