“Why is it important that Jesus rose from the dead?” A fourth grader asked. I’m working on explaining that in 13 minutes or less for the Easter sermon in a way that a 4th grader can understand and will change his life. How has the resurrection changed my life? Does it change my life on […]
Yesterday, one of the kids in Sunday School broke one of my Resurrection Eggs. It made me upset, I might even say I was mad! I know, it’s just an ordinary plastic egg, and if it was just any plastic egg, it wouldn’t matter. But the Resurrection Eggs are special to me…not the plastic egg […]
When I went to college, I attended a junior college near home for one year, then transferred and lived away from home. I didn’t come back home to live until after I got married. My husband and I lived with my parents for one year while saving money to buy our first house. Living with […]
With empty nest approaching for me, we are down to one child at home. With only 3 of us home now, without grandma or the 2 older kids, we are down 50% of the number of people in our house. I only do laundry once a week; I cook enough rice for 2 meals at […]
My son has an ideal life right now. He is good at doing something that makes him good money. And he enjoys doing it. And he can do it anywhere in the world. And he will do just that. He’ll be traveling. Where? Anywhere he wants. He has nothing that ties him down. He can […]
On Sunday, I taught the concept of Lent to the children. Lent is generally practiced among Catholics, but it doesn’t hurt if we Protestants practice some kind of giving up of something in preparation for Easter. I explained to the children that whatever we sacrifice, it’s nothing compared to what Jesus did for us when […]
Today I made french toast with the kids at church. Three of the kids each cracked an egg for the mixture. I was pleasantly surprised that not a single egg shell fell in. After we mixed the egg with milk, I asked the kids, “What do you think we do next to make french toast?” […]
As part of the Bible lesson on Sunday I told the children at church about my aunt being in the hospital and most likely going to die. “Have you had anyone in your family die?” A boy raised his hand, “Yes, my great grandfather, great grandmother, and all my ancestors died.” Let me rephrase that […]
It’s interesting how a slower economy effects everything. Recycled paper is the biggest export by volume from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. It is bought mainly by paper mills in China and made into packaging used to box up goods for exports. (Los Angeles Business Journal, November 10, 2008) Recycled paper was […]
I heard not one, but 2 people, on the same day, say: The only justification for Prop 8 is from the Bible. It’s a religious issue. To maintain separation of church and state, Prop 8 should not be supported. Prop 8 says – Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized […]
VBS gets better and better!
Do this with your kids. See if you or your kids figure it out first…or do you dare risk being embarrassed by your kids? Leave a comment and let me know.
What a great day it was for the Walnut Family Festival! The day was nice and cool, no rain, just right to spend a day enjoying life in our community. In a small city of 30,000, there is not a whole lot to get excited about. So this annual affair complete with a parade, games, […]
Kids bring out the best and the worst in me. I love kids – when they are cute, sweet, cuddly, behaving well, and doing what I tell them to do. But today, I had to yell at some 8th graders. I lost it. They did not respond to any act of kindness and I had […]
It gets easier, but it’s still not easy. It’s been 2 years since my son started college. When he left Sunday to go back to his apartment, I still feel a wave of sadness. The hardest part in raising children is not the midnight feedings, or the sacrifice of your career, or paying big money […]
On Sunday, I asked a pharmacist at our church to talk to the kids about taking care of their health. She said, “After you blow your nose, see if the stuff is clear or green.” A boy said, “Why would I want to look at my snot?” ——— I said, “What’s the matter? Why won’t […]
“You are a good mom. I want to be a mother like you one day.” Someone said that to me yesterday, and it is to me the best compliment I could ever receive. There is not a single thing I have invested my life in more than what I have put into my children. Seeing […]
Today is Elliot‘s birthday, same day as Martin Luther King’s. A small incident today woke me up to the realization that Elliot is a man, no longer a boy. We went to visit my friends to see their bunny (why we wanted to see their bunny is another story.) When I introduced Elliot, Audrey, and […]
We waited over 45 minutes for our take-out order. “We could’ve bought food at the market and cooked our dinner, mom” said Audrey. “It’s a good thing you are with me, Audrey dear. The time waiting is not wasted because we are together” I replied. I am very impatien when it comes to waiting for […]
In short, any student that goes off to college will be presented with situations where they will be called upon to make responsible moral choices. There comes a point in every parent’s life when they must trust that they have raised their child to make the right choices. I do not so much trust my […]