Their Jesus Stocking would be emptier this year.

Each year, our friends, the Gebhards, put up a ‘Jesus Stocking’ at their house in December. All month, they collect money, and then use the funds to buy a gift for someone in need. All month, they thumb through the Samaritan’s purse catalog, hoping to be able purchase...

Grumbling about Giving

Many years ago, we tried an experiment with our older two kids. Our poor kids have endured a lot of experiments, but this was one we thought they would enjoy: We gave them their own spending money for the month.Twenty dollars each! For two elementary school kids who...

Words that Give Rise

Words of blessing, allowed to sift into a soul’s murky depths, often act like yeast. Over time, these yeast-like words have the power to activate and give rise to areas of giftedness which otherwise might have lain dormant. Words can cause people to rise and expand...

If Your Little Boy Struggles

As a mom, one of the most painful things in life is to see my kids struggle through something that is humiliating. I alternate between wanting to fix my child and eradicate the struggle, and wanting to pummel anyone who would dare to snicker or poke fun at...

Consumers Gathering Around the Christmas Tree?

When Lindsay was five, I took her shopping and let her choose a Christmas gift for each family member. For Mamaw (my mom), she chose a figurine of a little girl. You can imagine how lovely it was, since it was from the Dollar Store.Mom, of course, gave Lindsay a big...

Shopping for Ms. Hard-to-Please

Some women are hard to shop for. They just are. You weave through the store, muttering, “Nope. She won’t like that. Probably not that, either. Or that.”Last Christmas, you spent far more than you budgeted on something that you had no idea whether...

A ‘Breakable’ for His Grandma

When I arrived at our elementary school’s Santa’s Secret Shop, my son had already been assigned to shop with another mom. So, I rushed over and said, “I’m here! Sorry I’m late…” After she handed him off to me, he confided,...

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