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9 Things I Learned This Summer
We are closing in on the final days of Summer here, with just four full days of no schedule remaining. I find myself both sad to lose the carefree nature of no school, but also ready to get back into the regular rhythm of all the things. The kids are very eager for Tuesday to come, but it’s going to be a lot quieter this year with FOUR kids in school, and just Cooper to hang out with me all day. Once again I’m joining in with Emily in sharing “What We Learned”, a practice I enjoy participating in at the end of each season. In no particular…
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The Spiritual Discipline of Remembering
They say nothing really prepares you for motherhood. Almost nine years in, and five kids later, I agree. I read the books, I asked the questions, I watched those ahead of me on the path. And yet when I started having babies I had to figure everything out. The nursing, the quieting down a screaming infant, learning how each child responds differently to structures, their own emotions, and the people around them. One milestone is reached, one routine established, one question answered, and the next day you find yourself starting all over again. If you like order, routine, and predictably, motherhood will throw you off your game in…
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Natali’s Bohemian Style!
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Start Day Positive
Cras eget elit convallis est condimentum congue non id sem. Proin metus dui, eleifend id mollis quis, pulvinar in metus. Nulla pharetra sapien ultricies dui blandit, eget condimentum tortor rhoncus. Donec gravida leo neque, ac consequat diam dignissim ut. In ligula felis, tempus vel est ut, pellentesque fermentum ligula. Proin at dui sagittis, rutrum velit in, fermentum nisl. Donec sagittis, risus vitae mollis pretium, tellus turpis feugiat mi, ac cursus nibh metus quis tortor. Integer ultricies ullamcorper nulla, nec consectetur mi hendrerit eget. Donec at elit vel ex pulvinar vestibulum. Cras tristique molestie leo malesuada sollicitudin. Nunc nec lorem id mi consequat rhoncus ac eget purus. Sed massa orci, volutpat…
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The Secret to a Loving Family
Bradley and I have a recurring conversation about raising our family, and it usually takes place after watching an episode of Parenthood, or when all of our children are playing together, having fun and getting along. We’ll look at one another and say, “This is great. I hope these kids stay friends like this forever. What can we do to make sure this happens?” In other words, what will make the seven of us always live in perfect peace with one another? We try to pay attention to the relationships of other families, noting the good and the bad, especially in adult sibling relationships. Is there mutual…
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9 Things I Learned this Spring
Spring is winding down and with it comes another round-up of things we learned with Emily. The silly, the serious, and whatever those things are that leave a mark on life is a practice that I enjoy and has taught me to pay attention to every aspect of my life. I hope that these lessons I share here will ignite something in you to join into this art of paying attention. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The sound of emergency vehicle sirens when I’m driving make me panic. Even as I’m typing this my heart is beginning to race because sirens=complete anxiety. I never know what to do–move to the left or…
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How to Study Your Bible Using a Notebook & a Pen
When I entered sixth grade, I began attending the youth group at our church and started learning about this thing called “Daily Quiet Time”. At the beginning of the school year we were given a quiet time diary which contained a Bible reading plan for the entire year. Each day had a passage of Scripture and then lined spaces to fill in the answers to two questions: What is the writer saying? How can I apply this to my life? We were encouraged to spend about 30 minutes every day reading our Bibles and praying, using this notebook as we went. I followed this method and it…
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7 Obstacles to Bible Study & How to Overcome them {Part 2}
This is the second part in a two-part post, listing 7 common obstacles to Bible study and some practical tips on how to overcome them. You can find the first post here. Have you ever heard a runner say, “I just NEED to go for a run”? As someone who struggles with a regular exercise routine, this statement always made me skeptical. I would mentally judge them, thinking they were saying this just to sound good and for others to praise the intensity of their commitment. It seemed ridiculous to me that a person would feel like running was a necessity. When I trained for a half marathon…
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7 Obstacles to Bible Study & How to Overcome them {Part 1}
Exercising regularly does not come easily to me. Growing up I was always involved in sports: soccer in the fall and spring, basketball in the winter, swim team in the summer. My life was a constant workout, at least it felt that way. But then I got older, had a job, became a Mom, and when organized sports were no longer in the picture neither was exercise. Any kind of regular workout routine was a chore. And I could come up with all the excuses in the world as to why I just couldn’t make this a priority in my life. Last fall I decided to train…
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3 Tips on how to read your Bible when you have young children
Before I had children there were certain rhythms in my life that came easily. I had a job that required occasional long hours and frequent travel, but for the most part alone time was available whenever I wanted, to do as I pleased. Even with the demands of a job, being a wife, and keeping our home in order, reading and studying my Bible on a daily basis was attainable. With motherhood a lot of things changed and reading my Bible was one of them. I wasn’t guaranteed any moments of quiet, and I was often too tired to use any quiet time that I did have for Bible…
