We’re at the movie theater in Detroit before I got married. Phil is walking ahead of me with a big tub of popcorn and Diet Coke. I’m trailing behind. He finds a seat — not too close, not too far away. “This good?” he says. “Sure.” He walks in and takes a seat. I […]
Brief Reflections Remembering Phil Read More »
Last night after the “fall festival” at school, wherein we made spiders out of handprints and a spider’s web out of popsicle sticks and yarn and put google-eyes into slime made out of Borax, I asked the kids if they wanted to swing by McDonald’s for supper. I thought there would maybe be pizza for
#McDonalds, Time to Stop with the Gendered Toy Thing Read More »
For the past few years I’ve offered an advent calendar to churches through my Etsy shop. This year I decided to offer it for free, both as a gesture of gratitude to all those churches and individuals who have supported me and my work, and also in the hopes of promoting Faithful Families. Faithful Families is doing great,
Free 2018 Advent Family Faith Practices Calendar! Read More »
Make Room: A Child’s Guide for Lent and Easter is a primer on Lent and Easter for young children. It’s part poetry, part practice and part storytelling. It’s divided up into four parts, making time, making space, making room and Holy Week. It describes difficult concepts such as sacrifice and emptying in ways that are friendly
I can’t imagine communion without children being present, partaking in the sacrament right alongside adults. I’m always taken aback, then, when I hear of people or churches requiring communion be reserved for children of a certain age, or for children who have completed some “to do” on the checklist, such as a public profession of
Children at the Table: Some Thoughts on Communion and Children Read More »
We like to mix up the dinner time prayer at our house. Sometimes we sing a short song or say what we’re thankful for. Sometimes we say a traditional prayer. Sometimes we try something different. Recently we tried a new exercise I wanted to teach you here today. The exercise was inspired by the video
A Dinnertime Gratitude Practice for Families: How Did The Food Get to the Table? Read More »
Treasure Box Tuesday is a weekly (well, mostly weekly, some weeks are skipped) email of all the best resources for Children/Family Ministries. I link to interesting articles, products, books, conferences and all sorts of great goodies. It’s also the main way I keep y’all informed about what’s I’m working on. I often include special discounts,
Treasure Box Tuesday Read More »
You’ve asked for it, and here it is! Children and Family Ministers have been asking me for months for a study guide for Faithful Families, and it’s finally HERE! Faithful Families is not a book that lends itself to traditional study because it’s a book of practices that are meant to be, well, practiced. I’ve been mulling
Faithful Families Study Guide: 4 Week Guide — FREE! Read More »
Does teaching belief in Santa lead to a feeling of betrayal once a child learns the “truth” about him? How should Christian parents teach about Santa in a way that fosters trust and encourages mystery? There are certainly a wide variety of opinions out there. Mine is this: Christian parents would do well to teach
Shared Truths About Santa and Jesus: How to Talk to Children Read More »
