Did you grow up hearing the Golden Rule? The verse that is frequently referred to as the Golden Rule is found in Luke chapter 6, verse 31 and it says, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (NIV) I think that most children, even those who are not part of a church family have heard this rule. One of the purposes of learning Bible verses is so they can come into your mind when you need them. Believe me, after helping many children memorize verses to recite on AWANA club nights, I have learned many. Obviously, the children recognize these verses when I recite them as well.... more

Recently an email came around as a forward on our homeschool loop at Yahoo groups. Frequently, I just delete forwards without even looking at them, but something made me read this one. Maybe it was a little nudge from the Holy Spirit. Shannon Ethridge who is the author of Every Woman’s Battle and coauthor of Every Young Woman’s Battle wrote the article being forwarded. The article was only about the way women dress, teenager girls in particular, as that is Shannon’s focus for her books. However, as the mother of several teenage boys, I also insist that they take care in their... more

Today was a beautiful day. It finally felt like spring. The temperature was in the 60s, there was only a slight breeze, and the sun was shining. Everyone in our family has been sick for nearly an entire whole month so I encouraged everyone to spend time outside getting fresh air and sunshine. I took the opportunity to clean out our van and my mail delivery car while our toddler, Ami, played with her shopping cart nearby. A 15-passenger van carrying eight children around all winter can get pretty disgusting. I rarely visit the back two bench seats and for good reason. I shoved my... more

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)

I have posted several times in past about my daughter’s tendency toward rudeness, but today had to be some sort of world record! She had three separate incidents of indescribable rudeness toward those she calls friends. After each incident, I told her what she did and why it was rude. After the second one, I specifically told her not to say anything unless it was something she would want said to her. I was explicit... more

"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:14-17).

Though I do not currently have teens living in my home, I have had them in the past. Maybe because of our affinity for this age group, they seek us out - I don’t know. Whatever the case may be, I had an opportunity tonight to help a foster child attend a Bible study at a neighboring congregation.

The topic dealt with raising... more

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, (1 Peter 2:21)

People love “feel-good” buzz-words, and the phrase, “What Would Jesus Do?” is no exception. But, for my family, this expression has taken root in the hearts of my children.

Sibling squabbles are common-place and normal ... just a part of life in a big family. However, even though none of us is perfect, as Romans 3:23 reminds us, I think all parents expect their children to try to generally... more

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

Part of it is this crazy revved up time of year for children. Part of it is just sibling life. Part of it is acquiring two siblings overnight after nine years alone. Whatever it is, today it hit a fever pitch. The children have been squabbling about toys, turf, and tiddly stuff.

Since waking up on Monday morning, it’s been one roller coaster ride after another. A looooong drive, not sleeping in our own beds, lots of food, toys and presents, another looooong drive home, and more, more, more!!

Each meal... more

The last few days have seen a remarkable change for the better in all of my children:

We’ve embarked on a series of tweaks and adjustments with my daughter. Her insomnia, enuresis, encopresis and other issues due to her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis led us to try various techniques with her to alleviate her stress and ours. We may have stumbled upon the “right” combination of ideas, or, as her symptoms are sometimes cyclical in nature, we’re just experiencing a “lull.”

As mentioned in a previous post,... more

Generally within a congregation you will find many families that teach Bible class, hold meetings in your home or have people over frequently, participate in “work days” at the church building, help with the weekly church bulletin, etc …

With the arrival of new children, it’s been a little hard to get back into the rhythm we had pre-adoption. My husband serves as one of the deacons for the local congregation we attend, so we participate in home Bible studies, in addition to any number of things our family might be called upon to do. Today, I explained to our newest arrivals that by being a deacon, Daddy is a helper, and by extension, we’re helpers, too. The children were really... more

Several years ago, we crafted a family mission statement. Generally, when you hear the term “mission statement” you think of large, impersonal corporations or small, struggling non-profits. Wikipedia defines it thusly, “the intention of a genuine mission statement is to keep members and users aware of the organization's purpose.”

How can you translate this to the family?

Families are comprised of individual members, not unlike a company or an organization. As each member is unique, there will be diversity... more