Category: Faith

Does your family have traditions? Are there traditions that you have started with your children or activities that you did as a child and now you do those things with your kids?

We are a family of many traditions. I blame that fact on myself. I thrive on things staying the same and having a plan and a routine. My kids are much the same. Growing up and even still, they need to know the plan for the day. As babies, they were better when the routine was in place. Our daughter is the die hard traditionalist though. It doesn’t matter how old she is, she doesn’t like things changing.

Take Christmas decorations for example. When the kids were young, I bought a snowman Christmas countdown calendar. It’s a giant snowman and he has a pocket for every day in December. There is a small snowman and he gets moved everyday to the corresponding pocket for every day in the month. When the kids were small, they fought over and tried to take turns to move the snowman every day. These days, with 2 kids no longer living at home, that snowman countdown still better be hung up when they come in. My daughter would flip out if it wasn’t!

Continue reading “Generation to Generation – Book Review”

Well, hurricane season is in full force this year and our part of the Gulf Coast has finally been affected. With hurricane Sally bearing down on our little farm, we have had to spend some time preparing for the storm.

Now if you have never had to be a part of storm prep, count yourself blessed. Water, gas, and food are just some of the top items to be taken care of. Gas cans are filled along with all of the vehicles; and on the farm, diesel tanks get filled too. In case of power outages, generators come in handy for keeping freezers and such going and the tractors will be a must.

Water is an easy one. We have well water, so no power, no water. Bottled water is needed for drinking and depending on how long the power is out, stored water could be needed for bathing and such! Most people fill their bathtubs with water for possible use. Thankfully, we have the pond, so we have a water source in case of emergencies, like flushing toilets! Food is a no-brainer, right? We need storm snacks! A grocery store run is expected, even if the cabinets are already full; it’s just one of those things that must be done! But seriously, food that can be warmed or cooked on the grill or gas stove are a must.

Continue reading “Preparing for the Storm”

Have you ever had an item that just reminds you of a particular memory? Maybe that item is old and worn out, but because of the memories that it holds, you can’t get rid of it or through it away? Sometimes we need a reminder!

For me that item is this pair of shoes. These shoes are 15 years old and worn out. I’ve had the heels replaced once, but I still wear them every now and then. They remind me of a time in my life when I hated myself and was pretty upset with God. These shoes are the single greatest reminder of love for me. I will probably wear them until they fall apart and even then, I won’t throw them away. As a matter of fact, I wore them this weekend!

See in February of 2006, I had open heart surgery for a congenital birth defect. It was my second surgery for this. My children were 6, 3, & 1 at the time, and I was devastated. I literally planned for my death. Although miraculous that I had survived 3 pregnancies, and the children had survived, after surgery I had a hard time being thankful or feeling blessed.

Continue reading “When I Need a Reminder!”