A few weeks ago an honest question about gender was posted in the ABCJesusLovesMe Facebook group. The longer I thought about the question and the responses, the more my heart hurt. The enemy has twisted something that used to be so simple into something that causes doubt, fear, and confusion. As you wrestle with the issue of gender, here ...
Impressing on Children
Chore and Budget System for Kids and Teens
In 2014, I shared a Money Management and Behavior System for Preschoolers. It worked beautifully in our home to teach our young children responsibility, encourage good behavior, and set a foundation for wise money management. Now five years later, our children are in school and entering the teenage years. I realize that we need to ...
Ideas to Make Easter Meaningful
Easter is a pretty big deal at ABCJesusLovesMe and on this blog. And for good reason! It’s the holiday that we celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior. But Easter can be a tough holiday to explain to children. Between the Easter bunny, loads of candy, Easter baskets, and Easter egg hunts, ...
4 Ways to Get Children Involved in Family Devotions
Most Christian parents believe having family devotionals are important. But with busy schedules, a mixture of children’s ages and personalities, and sheer exhaustion, the desire for family devos often gives way to guilt. Are family devos simply an unattainable goal in the 21st century? Not at all. Actually, I believe that teaching the Bible in ...
What Sins are You Teaching Your Child?
A few years ago I journeyed through Beth Moore's James: Mercy Triumphs study. So full and convicting as it shined light on areas of sin in my life which I had tried to ignore or hide. While focusing on the commandment "love your neighbor as yourself," Beth pulled in Matthew 5:19 which states, "Anyone who breaks one of the ...
Because They Are Only Little Once
The above image is filled with so much "good." A little girl learning with bubbles. Priceless. She is learning about gravity. She is learning about size. She is learning about breath control. She is learning about cause and effect. She is strengthening her fine motor skills as she holds the bubbles and ...
Making Your Own Christmas Traditions
Tradition. Tradition. Tradition! I can almost hear Tevye's strong voice singing the opening number to Fiddler on the Roof as he walks down the dirt road. My family had strong traditions growing up. Watermelon on July 4th. Carving jack-o-lanterns at Halloween. Pecan pie at Thanksgiving. Baking sugar ...
What All Families Should Do this Christmas
If you are an organized person, you have already started looking for the perfect Christmas activities for your family. The activities that will cause your children to fall in love with baby Jesus, make good choices, and sing your praises when they become an adult. If you procrastinate, you are hoping that you can pull together ...
The Power of Gratitude
According to a 2016 TODAY survey of 7,000 U.S. mothers, "42 percent said that they sometimes suffer from Pinterest stress – the worry that they’re not crafty or creative enough. Symptoms include staying up until 3 a.m. clicking through photos of exquisite hand-made birthday party favors even though you’ll end up buying yours at the dollar store, or ...
No Stress Thanksgiving Ideas
Sometime I feel sorry for Thanksgiving. The poor holiday becomes an afterthought to its more-popular sibling, Christmas. But yet I wonder if the popularity and busyness of Christmas is a trick of the enemy to keep gratitude from being our focus. The Bible is filled with verses such as this one reminding of us of the ...