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

Like Pancake Saturday, today had a lot of variety!

We got wonderful news regarding our oldest son’s newest condition: The MRI came back normal. I don’t know exactly what this means, as I found out via my e-mailed query to his pediatric neurologist. So, I don’t know if it means the seizures have resolved themselves and he no longer is classified as one who suffers from seizure disorder/epilepsy;... more

She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue (Proverbs 31:26).

As I have often shared, I grew up with undiagnosed ADD. My impulsive speech and poor social skills cost me many friendships and years of heartache. To this day, I bear those scars and find it awkward meeting new people for fear I’ll say something wrong.

Because of this experience, I ache when I watch my daughter as she struggles with her often rude behavior. It’s like re-living all the bad stuff all over again. And, maybe that’s why... more

Occasionally, several things of note will happen in a week. Not big enough to merit an entire post, but I mish-mosh them together like our traditional Pancake Saturday. Here is this week's round-up:

Pee Problem Past-Tense!: We’ve been using the kitchen timer suggestion for almost a month now, and the pee problem appears to be a thing of the past. Even though we didn’t... more

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (Mark 4:37-41; NKJV)

It’s... more

God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able (I Corinthians 10:13; NASB).

In our household, we cover the gamut when it comes to special conditions. We have ADD, PTSD, Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, anemia, spherocytosis, epilepsy…and those are just the ones I can whip up off the top of my head! In a previous post I’ve discussed the topic of parents with special needs. Today, I want to focus on siblings of children... more

Luke 24:2-6a (NIV)

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them… “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!”

Why do my husband and I continue to provide a foster home for older children? We serve a risen savior who asks us to provide for orphans and widows in their distress. (James 1:27) Yes, we could... more

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9; NASB)

I’ve been MIA for a couple of weeks and I apologize. The last you heard from me, my son had a couple of seizures that we attributed to the temperature spikes associated with the ear infection he had. After an EEG and a consultation... more

1 John 5:1-3 (NIV)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

How can we show our love for God? We can show our love for God by loving the children of God. What better way to love the children of God, then to provide a home for orphans. We can provide a home for orphans by providing temporary or permanent foster care or by adoption. There... more