Helpless (When Faith Trembles)

Helpless. The word rose up out of my mind and offered itself to me in the middle of a dark night. I held a feverish child in my arms, watched his labored breathing, imagined the flickering candle of his precious little life before my eyes. My mind traveled farther than I meant it to go,…

Creative Family Advent (25 New Traditions for This Christmas Season)

It is almost Christmastime!  I am always looking for ways to savor the season more before it slips away, truly wanting to create lasting memories with my children.  If you feel the same, this post is for you.  Here you will find 25 new family traditions for a creative Christmas season.  These are low stress,…

Hope on the Inhale

hope on the inhaleafter the gut-punchthe diagnosis, bleak prognosislook into the mirrorbut your eyes can’t focuson any beauty but what’s lost hopeon the inhalein the breaking of headlinesthat beat on the shoreline, the rising of feartidesthat pull you back into despair hopeon the inhaleafter the deep sighafter the long cryafter the fists-raised-why hopeon the inhaleafter…

For Which My Heart Is Yearning

In the busyness of the the day, I forget that I am soul and spirit. I move, like a machine, through the mechanics of my life: Head turning at a sudden cry, arms lifting baby, voice humming softly like a washing machine. Fingers folding laundry, hands scrubbing muffin pans, feet moving through rooms, ears listening,…

Creative Family Advent, 25 New Family Traditions for the Christmas Season

It is Christmastime!  I am always looking for ways to savor the season more before it slips away, truly wanting to create lasting memories with my children.  If you feel the same, this post is for you.  Here you will find 25 new family traditions for a creative Christmas season.  These are low stress, nearly-zero-prep,…

Creative Family Advent Printable Calendar

It’s almost December!  I made this Creative Family Advent Printable Calendar so that you can have a visual of the days ahead.  Print it out, stick it on the fridge, and stay inspired to connect with your family through art, music, brainstorming, creative writing, storytelling, and more.  If you want more details about each activity and…

Today (Making Creativity Happen)

Please tell me you’ve gotten behind on your Creative Family Advent. (((Well, I have too.))) Just checking back in here to tell you (and myself) that it is ok!  This doesn’t have to happen every day, and you do not have to go back and make up what you missed.  If you have participated in…

Found Object Nativity Scene: Creative Family Advent Day 1

This was a really sweet project.  I told the kids we were going to make a Nativity Scene from found objects.  We bundled up, went out, and started gathering materials.  The picture I had in my head originally is drastically different than our finished product, but I am sooooo happy with the way it came…

Having Children: A Spiritual Journey

Over the last few weeks, I have been rereading old blog posts and speculating about my life.  The past year has been both incredibly sweet and difficult, trying to balance daily life with six young children with all the demands of three meals a day, the never-ending laundry, growing a home business, homeschool, planning for…

Longing

Longing.  This word won’t leave me alone.  It first jumped out of the pages of Mere Christianity (by C.S. Lewis) a few weeks ago, and since then, it has worked itself into every book, every movie, and every mini-drama of my life.  The word itself can give me the feeling.  (((Do you know what I mean?)))…