After 34 years of parenting, I’ve put on a lot of miles in my journey as a mom. I’m now one of those people you young parents scratch your head and ponder…an empty nester. Yes, I’ve crossed to that mysterious...

There is a quality and a substance of character that we long for our kids to have, but which can only be worked into their very fabric through difficulty. If we remove every trial and tribulation, every hard thing from...

I’m convinced that the fundamental and distinctive characteristics and qualities of an individual - call it their moral and spiritual DNA, is formed by what is taught and trained, ingrained in them day-by-day over years and years. This process creates...

I have to ask, how are we assessing our kids? A proper assessment assures us we’re on the right track as we aim our children toward their destinies. When my sons were growing up, most schools administered broad assessment tests...

Here in the USA, gittin’ hitched is averaging $25,000 - 30,000 dollars per celebration. Gulp. Great pains are obviously being taken to plan the Big Day, but judging by the dismal outcome of too many of these pricey unions, many...

We read to our kids out of books like Berenstain Bears, Dr. Seuss and Thomas the Tank Engine, but do we regularly open God's Word to our children? This common, all-time best seller—the Bible—isn’t just a book; it is a...

Here in the USA the natives are restless in schools across the nation as they wrap up their studies this month and anticipate a lengthy summer break from the monotony of classroom routine. How we define 'school' and 'education' is...

My daughter-in-law has always had a passion for gardening. This year she’s gone all out, studying, planning and growing what’s termed a square foot garden in multiple raised boxes built by her hubby.  The more I reflect on raising my...

I opened my Merriam-Webster Dictionary app and the word of the day, CRUCIBLE, flashed at me in psychedelic neon. (I made that last part up.) OK, it may well be in black and white print, but the effect on my...

With all the Hoopla of the Academy Awards buzzing on social media over the weekend, I was reminded of my favorite year's telecast so far, the 2011 Oscar presentations, and the film that dominated that year. I think you might...