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From our home and hearts to yours…
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moreThe Ultimate Girlfriend Gift
On Wednesday, May 08 th, 2013We threw stones first. I mean — after we’ve all been bloodied by stones, why not just start there? Effie Bryce sat near Nan Marlin. And Greta Vanderhoef and Darlene Finch, and 75 year-old Mrs. Margaret van Veen who led me to Jesus when I was a kid and the elderly Mrs. King who lives on the farm behind us and has brought Easter gifts to our kids for the last 16 y...
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moreA Life Plan When You’re Overwhelmed: Sanity Manifesto Printable
On Saturday, January 26 th, 2013So I’m a mess and we’re all failures — at least all the honest of us are. And the truth is, no one ever runs before they take baby steps. So I scratch down these 25 points, like my own sanity manifesto, and there are a thousand ways in a thousand seasons to make a life glorify God. I scrawl out mine, which would be different than yours, and make a place for...
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more‘Jesus is the Greatest Gift’ Christmas Gifts for Neighbors: Free Printable
On Wednesday, December 19 th, 2012The kids have Adore Him playing and they’re singing along and off key. And the house wafts of sugar cookies and anticipation and names of neighbors to bless! “You done drawing now, Mama?” Kai’s leaning hard over my shoulder. “Can we just call it done?” And I’m thinking so, and we cut out this little hand drawn cookie ...
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moreBlessed December! Joy Dare! And 10 Wondrous Links for Your Advent Weekend
On Saturday, December 01 st, 201210 Wondrous Links for Your Advent Weekend 1. This quiet simple fun today with the kids… 2. and this will take 2 minutes and will make you smile so, really, why not? Instant grace-decoration! 3. This really might work — I want to try! 4. Doing at least one of these — and we’re writing it on the calendar for this advent… Which one did your fa...
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moreFree Family Advent Christmas Devotional with Jesse Tree Ornaments
On Thursday, November 29 th, 2012When we haul a tree in the front door and untangle the lights on the darkest days of the year and look hard, keeping looking hard, for the star for the very top — I think I know what I want for Christmas. I don’t want a Christmas that you can buy. I don’t want a Christmas that you can make. What I want is a Christmas that you can hold. A Christmas that ho...
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moreFinding The Perfect Gift {Free Holiday Printable}
On Thursday, November 22 nd, 2012…. (excerpt) But now had arrived and unwrapped like a gift — The embrace at the door, the loud laughter in the twilight greying, the clock ticking down after the still — all unearned — her here at all. So after the turkey and Aunt Eileen’s pie, she’d written it down and taped it up, to remember when everything would spin fast fo...
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moreHow to Have the Best Holiday Season? Your Turn
On Tuesday, November 20 th, 2012Praying His astonishing joy for each of you… Walking with you and kneeling long and thanking you for grace. Your turn is always waiting here or here for whenever you’d like to share your God-story: We’re all ears and heart and prayer and believing He’s just waiting to lavish you with joy. in. Him. Res...
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moreA {Christian} Family Thanksgiving Activity: The Thanks Giving Tree {Free Printable}
On Wednesday, November 07 th, 2012Leaves aren’t ever purely green and not everything is as it seems. The kids and I walk through the orchard and November. That’s what I tell the kids. That all summer, the chlorophyll of the leaf, all that green, absorbs the sun and releases food and it this cycle of chlorophyll that cloaks the leaves’ pure colors. Shalom kneels under the pear tree, picks he...
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moreThe Real Truth about the Real First Thanksgiving {Free Printable}
On Friday, November 02 nd, 2012That field of beans west of the barn, it looked gaunt come end of October, bean pods all hanging like bony ribs. Whenever the wind sighed, the whole field just rattled skinny. That’s how my Dad always spoke of a railish man, that you could count his ribs. Nothing in me wanted to count those beans, know the yield, from this spare field. When the Farmer rolled the combine in a...
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more3 Ways to Really Make New Habits . . . . {Free Printables}
On Wednesday, August 29 th, 2012When we read this book , there’s this character that puts on her “habit.” A little hand here pats my shoulder and asks, “What’s a habit?“ The amaryllis on the sill, it’s swelling in hope. And I tell Shalom this: a habit is something that is worn. She flickers recognition, nods, turns back to the page. She waits for me to read the next l...
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moreHow to Unplug {More}: 10 Things to Do {Pick 1 Before You Click}
On Tuesday, June 19 th, 2012Print out and tape to the side of every screen: Why slow down and unplug {more}: ‘They say time is money, but that’s not true. Time is life. And if you want the fullest life, you need to find fullest time. God gives us time. But who has time for God? This makes no sense. Life is not an emergency. Life is brief and it is fleeting but it is not an emergency. Emergen...
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moreFree Easter Devotional Book to Make a Jesus Easter Tree
On Wednesday, February 22 nd, 2012I can’t seem to follow through in giving up for Lent. Which makes me want to just give up Lent. Which makes me question Who I am following. Which may precisely be the point of Lent. Last week, I’m standing on a table, snapping the shutter on a bouquet of roses, when by brother calls. Levi picks it up, his eyes twinkling, stars risen early. I can only hope Levi doesn...
