“Mama, does Santa bring you presents if you are bad?” My five year old asked me that question this week with a worried look on his face. “Yes,” I said. “That’s not what I heard. I heard that if you’re bad you don’t get anything at all.” “Well, in this house, we don’t believe in […]
A Quick Thought About Santa Claus, Jesus and Unconditional Love When You’re “Naughty” Read More »
Last week when I posted about Advent Calendars, I mentioned that I’m planning on doing the “book a day” calendar with my children, starting on December 1. I’ve already wrapped all of the books (um, it took more time than I anticipated, but I was watching The West Wing, so it’s all good.) and
Christmas Love Letters from God by Glenys Nellist: A Review and Giveaway! Read More »
From time to time I’ll be talking to someone new about Seamless Faith (soon to be re-released as Faithful Families!) and that person will ask “Do you know Jerusalem Greer? I think you two would really get along.” The answer I give is always “Kinda.” The truth is, I “met” Jerusalem through the wild internet
Someone You Should Know: Jerusalem Greer Read More »
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that there’s a part of me that really thinks the best Advent Calendar idea is something that gives the child a toy every day. I’m particularly eying the Lego City calendar, the Plamobil calendar, and the Thomas the Train calendar. They’re cool, right? Getting a toy every day from the
5 Advent Calendar Ideas that Focus on Family Time, Kindness and Service Read More »
Walking through Target and the grocery store this week, I’ve noticed something: Thanksgiving seems to be missing from the shelf. Pumpkins and ghost napkins are 50% off, and the empty space that’s left is being filled with stockings and gingerbread. Out with goblins and pumpkins, in with Santa and stockings. On the one hand, this
Making Time and Space For Gratitude Read More »
I love getting good ideas (and giving them) for DIY stuff on Pinterest and have a whole board full of ideas for church stuff. For me a perfect “Do it Yourself” project should have all of the following to be considered a success: There should be some significant reason to do the project myself vs. purchasing
UPDATE: This post was written in 2016. All the advice still applies, but if you want to buy a calendar for your whole congregation to use, use THIS ONE for 2017. I’m not sure which wise mentorfriend (that’s a word, right? Mentorfriend?) of mine said “You know, I heard that pastors, if they are lucky
How To: Plan a November Gratitude Challenge For Your Church Read More »
A couple of weeks ago an article called “Fifteen Reasons Why Your Pastor Should Not Visit Much” by Thom Rainer was circulating widely on Social Media. It has been rattling around in my mind for a few days and I’ve debated whether or not to post my own thoughts on visiting. Ultimately, I decided to
15 Reasons Pastors Should Visit As Much as Possible Read More »
Is it just me, or are we all on edge lately? We have a lot to be overwhelmed about. This is a very tense election season. The stakes are high. Everyone has an opinion they’re trying to boil down to 140 characters and a bumper sticker. People are talking past each other, calling each other
When We’re All On Edge: 4 Spiritual Practices for Election Season Read More »
Where to start, where to start? I’ve been way far away from this site this summer, and many of the things that I planned to write this summer have been postponed or put on hold. Slowly, very slowly, I feel like I’m coming out of a sort of hibernation. For the past six weeks or so,
Goodbyes, Hellos, and New Projects… What a Strange Summer it Has Been. Read More »
