In 1991, Forest Home Christian Conference Center hosted the first of three annual conferences for Parents of Special Needs Children. At first, Tom and I weren't planning to attend because we felt we were dealing with our son's disability fine. However, the director told us they'd love to have some...
As a parent of three grown children, I have learned a few things along the way (usually via my mistakes). I hope you will find them helpful. 1) Be consistent! As a couple, we should decide how we're going to handle a situation and then stick to it until we both agree on a different solution! As...
I believe that the only "failure" in life is if we fail to learn from our mistakes and change for the better. God is eager to redeem our mistakes by teaching us valuable lessons. So, when we make a mistake, instead of asking God why He allowed it, we should ask Him...
I'm going to share a mistake I once made and what I was reminded of through that mistake. One Sunday, after the church service, I approached the pastor who oversees small groups and said I was praying about leading a women's group using the book I published on...
One day, while three of our young grandchildren were fishing (with adult assistance), they were delighted to catch some trout. Later, they learned that before the fish could be cooked, it had to be gutted and cleaned. They also learned that it takes skill to properly...
Posted in 2021. I highly recommend the book, Grandma was right after all! (Practical parenting wisdom from the good old days) by John Rosemond to anyone still raising children (or to anyone who works with children or wants to be a positive influence in children's...
Posted in 2021. The H.E.A.R.T. of Grandparenting (5 keys to being the best grandparent possible) by Ken R. Canfield, is a book I recommend for grandparents. This book covers grandparenting in the areas of: Heritage, Example, Angelic Influence, Reconciliation, Teacher....
I am learning that the more I trust the Lord and rely on the power of prayer, the better my relationships with others will be. For example, I will be less likely to give potentially hurtful unsolicited advice if I trust that God is watching over the people I'm praying...
We all have our emotionally stable times and our hard times. A friend reminded me that when the emotional times come, don't assume that means your faith is weak. It just means you are hurting. Jesus is the supreme example of that. He certainly knew how much his Father...
Normally, we don't think of practice and spontaneity as going together, but in the world of parenting, they do. We need to learn how to handle spontaneous decisions. Let me share two examples. (1) Imagine that a couple is in a room with their young children and some...
I have found that when I'm feeling tempted to give unsolicited advice, ask questions that are none of my business, or offer accountability to someone who hasn't asked for it, I'm usually lacking faith. I want to be helpful, but I probably won't be, and I even run the...
One thing I was reminded of daily through the Covid pandemic was the importance of surrendering my plans and seeking the Lord's guidance in all my decisions! The Bible tells us to take one day at a time in an attitude of total surrender to the Lord. I certainly got...
