“It’s Your Kid, not a Gerbil”  I couldn’t resist picking up this book by Dr. Kevin Leman.  I love the title and I love the concept he goes after.  The sub-title is “Creating a Happier & Less-Stressed Home.”   When our children arrive in our lives, we fall in love with them.  We want the best for them. We imagine all the possibilities for their lives.  We want them to have every opportunity.   As we hold that precious child, we dream big dreams for their lives. As have parents through the centuries….but we are the first generation or two in...

Not quite three years after the flood disaster here in High River, we find ourselves journeying with another town facing disaster in Alberta – Fort McMurray.  While wild fires create different issues and circumstances, there is so much the same.  I find myself watching the news and hearing comments of people who are being evacuated, and remember making those comments myself or hearing others in High River make those comments.  I look at the people’s faces and I know the feelings: the fear, the disbelief, the pain, the deep sadness, the confusion, the frustration and the utter exhaustion.   As a...

Humility!  A spirit of humility has long been a valued quality of faithful people. The apostle Paul often urges those who follow the Way of Jesus to make humility central in their lives.  “I beg you,” he writes to the church at Ephesus, “to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness and patience.”   Yet, humility has a bad name in our day and age.  We prefer, in parenting and teaching children, to talk about the need for self-esteem and for children to think well of themselves.  Humility, as it...

I’m having a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”  Well, actually it’s not totally terrible, but my brain feels like it is swimming through jello and I’d like to be curled up with a cup of tea and a good book at home rather than trying to put two coherent thoughts together. Know what I mean?   “A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” just happens sometimes. Things just don’t seem to go quite right, you’re tired and you’d just like to go back to bed and try again tomorrow.  That’s exactly how it is for Alexander in Judith...

What exactly is Easter?  In the stores, we see bunnies and eggs and every cartoon character molded of chocolate or fashioned into a basket. Yet, at church, we wave palms and speak of betrayal and denial, the tragedy of Jesus’ death and the wonder of his resurrection.  How did all of these images get lumped together into what we call Easter?  And why don’t we celebrate Easter on the same day each year as we do for Christmas?   Like Christmas, Easter is a celebration that Christians partly borrowed from pre-Christian cultural practices.  In a very astute move, when deciding on...

What is Lent? Lent is the 40 day time period leading up to the celebration of Easter.  It always begins on a Wednesday.  Now if you sat down with a calendar and counted up the days, you’d discover that it is actually 46 days long.  That’s because the 6 Sundays aren’t counted.  Every Sunday of the year, even during Lent, is a “mini-Easter,” a little celebration of resurrection.   Why is Lent 40 days long? The 40 days comes from the story of Jesus going out into the wilderness for 40 days at the beginning of his ministry, such as told...

“I’m booooored.”  Oh, how I love to hear those words come out of a child’s mouth.  My enthusiastic response is, “Wow! How lucky for you. What a great opportunity!” Usually at that point, my kids groan and walk away, though I have to say that I haven`t actually heard them say that phrase for many years now.   It’s not our job as parents to solve our children’s boredom.  Boredom is an opportunity for our children, a learning opportunity.  It calls on their creativity, their imagination, and their inner resources.  If we jump in as parents or adults and immediately try...

Is busy the norm for you these days?  Do you feel like you are shirking your duties as spouse, parent, employee and volunteer if you are not busy from the moment you get up to the moment you go to bed?  Does a long “to-do” list shape your day?   That seems to be the norm in our society.  Everyone is busy and on the go.  What happened to family suppers where there was time to talk through the events of the day and share stories?  What happened to weekly Sunday dinners with friends, where the kids disappeared and played for...

Family Christmas Candle Lighting  Various family members can read each scripture,  or one or two can take the lead.  You will need 7 candles in holders.  Carols can be sung without accompaniment & from memory.   One verse is sung of each carol  You may wish to have several copies of this for people to share.   Gathering:  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)  In the light, let us gather. Let us hear the story of Christmas.   Let us sing and rejoice in the birth of the child who is Emmanuel, God with Us.   Prayer: In...

I love the ritual of preparing the table for the Ukrainian Christmas eve supper.  Each step has a special meaning to remind the family of the holy event we celebrate.  Fresh hay is placed either under the table or on top of the table under the table cloth to tell of the manger in which Jesus laid.  A white or embroidered table cloth covers the table and in the centre is placed a loaf of bread braided with three strands to represent the Trinity and a candle in the middle for the Star of Bethlehem.  Twelve dishes will be served (no...