Budgeting for Back-to-School Expenses I hate to say it, but back-to-school expenses are coming. Summer has been flying by and, depending on where you are, the school year is quickly creeping up on us. Here in Georgia, school started the first week of August! I know for me, last year was hard. Maybe that was… [Continue Reading]
The Better Mom
25 Ways to Breathe Life Into Your Day
25 Ways to Breathe Life Into Your Day Do you go through your day drained and exhausted? As a mom of ten kids, I understand. There is always so much to do, it’s hard to slow down … let alone stop to catch a breath. But as moms we need that. We need refreshment. We… [Continue Reading]
Frankly, my dear, I don’t trust in God’s compassion
Okay, here’s the truth, for most of my teenage years I tried to ignore God. Why? Because even though I’d grown up going to church, I wasn’t living as I should. And if I thought about God I’d think about how disappointing (and downright sinful) I was. So it was easier to pretend that God… [Continue Reading]
How to Regulate Yourself as a Mom … and Control Your Anger
As a mom, I can tell when I’m out of sorts. Sometimes I don’t stress about the sticky floor or the grumbling kids. And then there are days when everything seems wrong, and deep down I know the “wrong” is something inside me. Everything makes me angry. Have you ever had days like that? The… [Continue Reading]
How to stop your child’s angry cycle
The flash of anger in my tween daughter’s eyes surprised me. We’d been camping, and Maddie’s 6-year-old sister, Aly, had just burned her finger on hot ash. As I treat the wound, Maddie strode up. “I hurt myself, too,” she said, with attitude. “Last night when we were making S’mores.” “Hold on,” I said. As… [Continue Reading]
3 Ways Children Teach Us To Pray – Kari Patterson
As I type these words, my daughter is snuggled up next to me with her head resting on my stomach. She’s been mostly quiet, but throughout the past few minutes she’s softly spoken a thought: “I loved seeing the ducks today.” A question: “When am I going to Madison’s house?” A praise: “I love you,… [Continue Reading]
Staying Strong When Your Heart Feels Weak
I’ve never thought of myself as a weak person. That is until the day I crumbled onto the floor of my bedroom, feeling as if I had nothing left to give. Tears had flowed earlier that day, but not now. I’d been trying to reach out to my angry daughter throughout the day but to… [Continue Reading]
The Gift You Give God This Christmas
I have a favorite Christmas memory. I was in the sixth grade, and I received a cassette tape player that could record. After spending time at my grandparents that afternoon, my mom, step-dad, brother and myself sat around our dining room table and told stories into that recorder. It was special because it was one… [Continue Reading]
Encouraging Kids to Volunteer
Encouraging Kids to Volunteer You know the old saying, “It is better to give than receive.” For many families, the best gifts they can give is the gift of themselves … through volunteering. Family volunteering has been an interest to homeschooling advocates for years. Raymond and Dorothy Moore recommend an hour a day of home… [Continue Reading]
God Loves the Real You | Ruth Schwenk
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! —1 JOHN 3:1 A parent’s voice is powerful, isn’t it? I love that we belong to a Father who is not silent. He is a Father who not only speaks to… [Continue Reading]
How to Truly Love Your Middle Schooler
“Why don’t you just grow up? You’re thirteen. Act like it.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “How can I act like it?” my daughter said in desperation. “I’ve never been thirteen before!” I took a deep breath and sighed. My daughter was right. I was expecting a lot… [Continue Reading]
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