Have you noticed how certain words always pop up during this season—as though signing them on greeting cards or singing them in carols will somehow bring about the promises they claim? I’m talking about words such as Peace! Hope! and Joy! What’s in a word anyway? As Christians, we clinch tightly to these words since they do…
You know the feeling. Sitting in your work space while staring blankly at a report, while your mind is miles away! Could happen because it’s early Monday morning (or late Friday afternoon), but it may also be a sign that you need some vacation time away. Face it—everyone has the need for time off now…
Suicide is on the rise.” I heard the somber statement again on this morning’s news. Recently, several cases of well-known, successful celebrities suddenly ending their lives have been mentioned over media outlets. We hear about them with shock and sadness—and so do our children! We may think about these headlines as sad or unfortunate. Kids,…
Summertime! It’s great for kids to be out of school and everyone more relaxed. But you may be thinking, What do we do now with everyone home all.day.long?? Sometimes our plans turn out differently than what we were thinking about earlier in the year, so it’s good to have a backup plan. Consider some of these…
Dads, do you ever think of the legacy you’ll one day leave with your children? The word “inheritance” is usually associated with material possessions such as money, but there is another kind of legacy that’s even more valuable. Although it can’t be seen, counted, or measured, a spiritual inheritance is the most priceless gift you…
Everyone has a theory about what makes up a real family. But this post isn’t about a theory. Rather, it’s about family—a “forever family,” as Mike McClanahan calls it. This is a peek through an open window of Mike’s household and expressly his heart, made up of five children—four of which he adopted in 2016. Mike’s story During…
Congrats! You’ve made it to the last stretch of this academic school year. Just a few more weeks to go! And just as the Fall kickoff was a bit stressful, these final weeks of class time and end-of-year activities can be demanding as well. Sometimes a diversion from the norm is good for me when…
“You just don’t get it!!” As kids, we all had this thought running through our minds when it came to our parents and their “old-school ways.” After all—how could they not see things from our perspective? Were they blind, or what? Now, we are our parents—in many ways. And trying to “survive” living with kids who…
Easter is a fun holiday to celebrate with children. But beyond egg hunts and brightly-colored Spring clothes, sometimes it’s hard to know how to experience (and explain) the true meaning of Easter with younger kids. Other than taking them to church on Easter—which is a great thing to do—consider additional avenues of educating your children…
It’s not exactly breaking news to say that men and women converse differently. This fact has been obvious to most of us from days we played together on the school playground! And many of us have read the popular book—or at least shared the opinion—that Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. Just sayin’—we’re…