Imagine if your pastor shared the following message the week before Christmas. “Here is our plan to celebrate the birth of Jesus this year as a church family. We have scheduled a ‘decoration day!’ You are all invited to join us as we decorate the sanctuary and set up some amazing lights outside. Our ‘decoration…
December 23, 2011 | Kendra Fleming | 0 Comments One of my favorite Christmas traditions is to bake a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve and decorate it with the kids. I usually try to make a multi-layer round cake, and when the kids were young I would dye the layers red and green. The taller the better!…
November 29, 2018 | Dr. Jim Burns | Traditions are important for families because they provide opportunities to keep your family legacy going. From the simple to the silly to the sentimental, traditions can create meaningful memories. Don’t hesitate to try out some new traditions this Christmas season and see what works and what doesn’t…
December 13, 2015 | Carey Nieuwhof | Instagram lies. Well, at least I’m sure it does at some point over Christmas. When I see people posting pictures of how wonderful setting up the tree is and how magical the decorating was (okay, okay, I’ve done this…I’m guilty), it reminds me how often that process has not been…
November 19, 2018 | Cindy Fiala | It was our first Christmas Eve, the dishes were piled in the kitchen after a traditional New Mexican meal of Posole and fresh-made tamales. The tree was glistening and Christmas music filled the house. Fresh baked cookies and homemade candies overflowed tins to the delight every sweet tooth…
November 13, 2018 | Jon Acuff | As parents, we know to teach our kids not to compare. With social media it’s easy for teenagers to compare their lives against the lives of their friends. For elementary school kids it’s easy to compare their summer vacation to the summer vacation of a friend. For kindergarteners,…
November 8, 2011 | Reggie Joiner | I personally think it’s important to be intentional about showing gratitude every day. We all look forward to our annual celebrations each year to celebrate the big and little things that have happened in our life. But if we live our lives without looking for ways to demonstrate gratitude more…
November 8, 2018 | Cara Martens | As parents, we are constantly trying to find the right balance between the extremes. Hands on or hands off? Am I doing too much? Or am I doing too little? I’m a parent with children in three very different stages: My youngest son is in elementary school, my…
November 5, 2018 | Ted Lowe | 0 Comments My name is Ted. My daughter’s name is Teddie. Ted and Teddie are a lot alike. In fact, my wife calls us “the Teds” because what is true about one of us is often true about both of us. We are both sensitive for others ….
November 7, 2018 | Amy Fenton | The Saga If you have any contact with a kid over age 8, I’m sure you have heard of Fortnite. If not, simply say that word around a kid and you will get a reaction. Especially boys. It is the latest and greatest in the App Store, Xbox,…