Posts about Families (2)

As Mother’s Day approaches, we recognize the complexity surrounding the holiday. While some people have much to celebrate on that day, others find it shrouded in pain. No matter where you fall on that spectrum, one thing remains the same: the character of God.

Spring has sprung! With April showers promising May flowers (and summer vegetables), now is the perfect time to plan and plant a garden with your family. The calendar tells us that April is National Garden Month and Earth Day falls on April 22nd. But there are other, more worthwhile reasons to get out in the garden together.

It is gut-wrenching to watch our kids suffer. When they fall and scrape their knee, we can brush them off and give them a Band-Aid, but when the pain is emotional, it can be more difficult to just kiss and make it better.

According to the store shelves full of plastic grass and chocolate bunnies, Easter season is well underway. But for the Christian, Easter is more than dying eggs and filling baskets. It’s an annual reminder of the eternal hope we have because of Jesus’ resurrection.

As I lay back on the ultrasound table, I felt a peaceful sense of familiarity. Of course, I was excited, but I’d been through this before with my two sons, now five and three. So I knew what to expect at this 12-week visit: my husband and I would get our first look at the little one growing in my belly. Our newest blessing.

March is national orphan care month. Often in our culture, the global orphan crisis and the domestic foster care crisis are viewed separately. While there are important differences, they share this same bottom line: children should not pay the highest price for the sins of a broken world. Without a champion, they will; they do, and that’s not OK.

I have always loved to read. As I look back, I am hard-pressed to remember a time when I wasn’t reading. And, yes, I am that person who always has a book (or two) on me, just in case I’m stuck in a line, or at a very long red light.

We had many reasons for moving. I did not get an email from heaven that would point the way, so I looked at our circumstances and gave this decision to the Lord. We are committed Christ-followers and desired to make a decision in alignment with that commitment. After thoughtful prayer and consideration, we decided this move would be best for our family.