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Dad, Your Kids Are Watching You – Video

June 17, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

Happy Sunday! Oh, how we love our dads. There is a saying, "Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. But in our society today, dads are getting a bad rap. Just turn on any sitcom and see who is the "joke" of every laugh. Dads get far too little respect. And our sons and daughters are watching. As we celebrate Father's Day today remember your dad. perhaps they are not pleasant memories and you still have bitterness to hand over to the Lord. Perhaps you have just got caught up in life and have not talked to him lately. Maybe, if you are a dad it is time to be a dad, and not just a withdrawn father. We couldn't resist sharing a couple of our favorite videos today. If you are receiving this in your email, you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Parenting, Parents of Adult Children, Videos, What's New? Tagged With: Family, Father, father's day, Home, Lord, Parent, Rodney Atkins, Stay at Home Fathers

Devotion: Who Defines When We Are Really Grown Up?

May 26, 2012 By admin 10 Comments

"Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered." (Hebrews 5:8) My wife and I were "Helicopter Parents." Having a child of the Millennial Generation, like so many parents of our time, we hovered over our Millennial child, raising her carefully with much involvement in her life. In the book "The Millennials" by Thom S. Rainer, and Jess W. Rainer, we are described quite well, as are the Millennial kids. In general the parents of Millennial children stay heavily involved in their lives well into adulthood, and the children want it that way. The problem is, we were never meant to continue parenting these kids well into adulthood. Though we are always their parents, and they are always our kids, somewhere along the line … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: Family, Generation Y, God, Home, Millennial, Ohio, Parenting, Thom Rainer

Cute Frame With Dry Erase Marker Can Encourage You (Or Your Child!)

March 20, 2012 By admin 1 Comment

My son, 9, doesn't like compliments. He says, "yeah, yeah, whatever," and yet he still needs to know I do notice them. Lately, his attitude and actions have left my husband and I throwing up our arms in desperation wondering what to try next to get through to this growing strong-willed blessing. Here is one thing I am trying: positive reinforcement! I bought a little 4x6 frame at the thrift store and painted it aqua blue to match our coastal cottage bathroom. Then I found a clipart-style beach background and some sunglasses clipart that I added to the right bottom corner. I put the words, "YOU ARE A COOL KID" on it in a fun font at the top and printed it out and framed it with the glass. Did know dry erase markers write easily on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Founder's Blog, Hobbies-Crafts, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Parenting, What's New? Tagged With: Do it yourself, Home, Marker pen, Paper, Picture frame, Pinterest, Walmart, Whiteboard

God LOVES You – Free Printable to Share

February 10, 2012 By admin 2 Comments

The song says, "All we need is love. . ." but what happens when we look around our life and we just don't feel loved? You may feel forgotten, invisible, dismissed, or even a low priority in the lives of those who you love. If Valentine's Day leaves a bitter taste in your mouth take a moment to print out this scripture, Jeremiah 31:3, ""I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Stick it in a pretty frame or just post it on your refrigerator. This week when everyone seems to be talking about roses and valentines and chocolates. . . remember that all of those things are temporary. In fact, none of them will last longer than a week or two. But the love from God is eternal. He has drawn YOU, and with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Free Printables, Love, What's New? Tagged With: Classroom, Facebook, God, holiday, Home, Jeremiah, Opinions, Valentines Day

The Five Essential E’s When Your Child is Ill

January 30, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

A New DVD Offers Help and Hope for Parenting Children with Special Medical Needs Parents who have a child with a chronic illness or special medical condition are faced with some very difficult and special challenges. The creators of the popular Love and Logic parenting program have just released a new DVD to help parents learn how to encourage their children to solve their own problems, become more confident, and accept responsibility for their own healthcare. Lisa Greene, mother of two children with cystic fibrosis, spent many years learning how to deal with the special challenges of children who fight over food and medications. The new Parenting Children with Special Medical Needs DVD she created with Foster Cline, M.D., and Charles … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Books, Links, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, What's New? Tagged With: Bullying, Child, children with chronic conditions, children with illness, chronically ill child, Family, Home, kids in hospital, kids in the hospital, kids with cancer, Learning, Logic, Parent, parenting a special needs child, sick kids, when your child has a medical condition, when your child is chronically ill

An Unexpected Best. . . Day. . . Ever

August 29, 2011 By admin 4 Comments

"Mom, this was the best day ever." My son is riding in the backseat nibbling on a star chicken nugget. I woke up just a few hours earlier. I had been up most of the night fighting side effects of a medication. Sick again and worst . . . headache . . . ever. Twelve hours of a cold washcloth on my forehead had done nothing. Last day of summer. Oh, Lord, this is not the day I imagined. No energy = no fun. Now what? I texted a friend at 3 AM to see if she was taking her kids to the movie morning. 7 AM, I drag myself out of bed to check for messages. No reply. She calls by 8:30, busy day. She feels bad. I don't want her to feel bad. I understand. Everyone is getting ready for school tomorrow. Mommy friends are running around … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Founder's Blog, This is Me, What's New? Tagged With: BBC, Chicken nugget, DVD, Home, ITV, Lord, Parenting, Scooby Doo

My Grandmother’s Table

August 15, 2011 By admin 2 Comments

1954. My mother's mother got a new table. My mother was in third grade. Each day she came home from school and sat at it and had popcorn and grape juice. Now it sits in my home. My grandmother has been in heaven for over a decade. Her table traveled 1500 miles to reside in my kitchen. I have photos of me sitting in a baby bathtub on this table. I sat at it as a child. Grandma, can I have one more piece of cobbler? Even as a child I remember my grandmother's Bible sitting on this table. When I sit at it, I can feel her love. When I read my Bible at it, I feel God's love. My grandmother had feet that were very broken down. She always wore special shoes to help her keep walking. Grandma would sit down at this table after a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Attitude, Founder's Blog, This is Me, What's New? Tagged With: Family, God, Grandparent, Home, Mother, Parenting, Rest Ministries, San Diego

Saturday Morning Obstacles

August 12, 2011 By admin 3 Comments

Without hesitation I get out of bed. . . Ugh! The knee won't bend. I cannot put weight on it. A tiny piece of bone has moved into a place it should not be sometime during the night. And it is stuck. Oh, not today, Lord. Pleee-eee--ase, not today. If only we could be pain-free on the weekends. I lean over on the bed with my arms and try to bend and unbend the knee as my husband snores. He got home from work sometime around midnight. It was a deadline day. It was an impossible deadline. He worked 15-hour days all week and still didn't make the deadline. He will have to go back into work today, Saturday. I try putting weight on my foot again. Wince. Moan. I try to vocalize my pain quietly. I limp to the living room. Chair. I need a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Attitude, Founder's Blog, This is Me, What's New? Tagged With: Health, Home, Medical Specialties, Medicine, Mother, Rest Ministries, San Diego, Saturday morning cartoon

I’m a Good Mom Because… Lisa’s (Very Edited) Quote In Parenting Magazine

May 6, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

My mom had flown down from Oregon to help me when I had a major spinal flare in March. Among the chaos, I received the email, "We received your submission to Parenting: The School Years magazine and would like to use it, even though we've already completed the article. We need a photo of you and your son ASAP!" I sent a few photos off, but they said the lighting wasn't good enough. So I brushed on some make up and hobbled out side with my son and said, "smile and look cute." Four photos later, Grammy had snapped a great one I zipped off. Next I received an email from the fact-checker. All looked fine. The end of April I began my hunt for Parenting: The School Years magazine. A sub-magazine of Parenting, it was impossible to find, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Founder's Blog, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Parenting, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic Illness, Family, Home, lisa copen, Mother, oregon, Parenting, parenting magazine, Rheumatoid arthritis

The Art of Balancing Motherhood and Chronic Illness

April 26, 2011 By admin 5 Comments

Motherhood and chronic illness. If these two words relate to your life, chances are they are enough to keep you busy indefinitely. They can easily become a large part of your identity, and they both fight for control over your energy, time, and some days, your sanity. I have been working on a book about living with a chronic illness and being a mom for a few years now. It's about 70 percent done, but something keeps getting in the way of finishing it. You know what kinds of things: motherhood and childhood. And the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. As I work on a chapter about the latest lessons I've discovered, my house tends to erupt in chaos and I feel tested again. Was it God trying to stretch me so the book would … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption, Articles, Founder's Blog, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Parenting, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: Adoption, chronically ill mom, Family, God, Home, lisa copen, Little Gym, mom cancer, mom rheumatoid arthritis, mom with illness, Mother, motherhood, Parent, Pregnancy, pregnant and illness, Rest Ministries, Star Wars

Q & A: How Do I Know if God Has Motherhood In My Future?

April 20, 2011 By admin 4 Comments

I have been married for four years and have multiple sclerosis. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for some time and it's not happening. I think I am capable of being a mom, despite my illness, but it's making me nervous to see the clock ticking--and for those of us with illness, it ticks a whole lot faster! I don't want to grow bitter about not getting pregnant yet, but my friends are having kids, doing family events, and now, not only do I feel ousted because my illness slows me down, but I am just not at soccer games and Chuck E. Cheese. How do I cope with all these mixed up feelings? Leslie Leslie, My heart aches for you. I remember my own similar journey for years back in the late nineties until the day our son was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption, Depression, Fear, Founder's Blog, Help! Q/A, Parenting, Spiritually Struggling, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic, Chuck E. Cheese, Diet Coke, God, Health, Home, Infertility, Mother, Mother's Day, Parent, Parenting, Prayer, Rest Ministries

Devotion: How Can We Love Others When We Don’t ‘Feel The Love’?

February 13, 2011 By admin 4 Comments

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19 As I am writing this on Saturday, my husband just left to take my son to an activity. He asked me if I wanted him to drop off a prescription I'd mentioned I had. I said yes. Then I saw he had a book. "Are you going to Starbucks or something to read?" I asked. "Well, what if I am? Maybe. Is that okay?" In my head I was thinking, Two hours on a Saturday morning where we could actually have a conversation and you are leaving? While also telling myself, You still aren't dressed and do you really feel like having a conversation right now? You are barely awake! My husband could see my rambling thoughts and said, "Okay, I will spell it out. I need go Valentine's shopping for you, okay?" I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: Christian, Christian encouragement, Christianity, Chronic Illness, Chronic pain, Classroom, daily devotion for women, daily scripture readings and meditations, encouraging scriptures, finding bible scriptures, finding peace through trials scripture, free daily bread devotionals, free daily devotion, God, Health, Holidays, Home, illness ministry, inspirational bible scriptures, inspirational poems and scriptures, inspirational stories, invisible illness, Jesus, meditation, more daily devotionals via email, Opinions, our daily bread devotion book, Religion & Spirituality, Rest Ministries, Romance, short inspirational devotionals, Starbucks, suffering, Valentines Day