Long before Ariel captured the hearts of young girls in The Little Mermaid, I dreamt of being a mermaid… at least for Halloween. My mom is a master seamstress, but did I ask for her help in creating my costume? Nooo, I had to do it myself. Fortunately I’m not in touch with most of the people who saw me parade down the halls of Aurora 7 Elementary School that year! The costume was more reminiscent of a dead guppy than a mermaid… I don’t think my parents even took pictures. Sad.

Here’s what I love about that Halloween day back in 19… My mom could have stepped in and made the costume for me, and it would’ve been AMAZING! Instead, she held back and let me create my own (biting her tongue I’m sure). I remember trying to figure out how to make the mermaid tail out of fabric and experimenting to see just how much glitter really was too much. (The janitors were sweeping up blue/green glitter for days after the parade!)

Although I was a little embarrassed by the obvious homemade quality of the costume (and the fact that I kept tripping over the fins), I was more thrilled with the fact that I had done it! A dream in my head became reality and my passion for creativity was given wings. Thanks mom!

I’m sad that Halloween has become more about evil than about dressing up in fun, happy costumes. I’m a big fan of the Fall Festivals and All Saints Day celebrations… especially when they incorporate costumes! Why should our kids have to lose the wonder and creativity of dressing up? A lot of groups have “Bible character” costumes as part of their celebrations. One girl dressed as the “tree” in Psalm 1! Talk about creative!

One of our team members did a puppet show about Halloween at AWANA this week. To watch it click on:  dg4kids.com. It may give you some ideas for how you can have a fun conversation with your kids about Halloween and the character of God. This weekend will provide many opportunities to compare and contrast who God is and who the enemy of our soul is. I pray we will all capitalize on those teachable moments.  Halloween is a great time to be thankful for who God really is!!!

What started out as a glorious experiment called America is on the brink of crumbling into a Godless abyss; devoid of morals and crushed beneath the weight of her own selfish, insatiable desires. We abuse alcohol, drugs and loved ones at an alarming rate. Many of our young people experiment with sex, cheat on exams, and steal from their parents while declaring they’re satisfied with their personal moral standards. Most parents spend more time getting ready in the morning than they do talking with their teenagers (the average time kids and parents say they talk is 15 minutes a day, Revolutionary Parenting). Meanwhile, young children spend 40 hours a week soaking up what the media world feeds them… and parents wonder why they have so little control.

How did we get here?

Our Founding Fathers weren’t perfect, but they did get the most important thing right. They knew that this experiment called a Republic would only succeed if its people embraced a strong commitment to morality that flowed from an unwavering faith in God.

George Washington said:

Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

Washington also believed:

It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.

Our second President, John Adams, wrote:

Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

Our Founding Fathers understood that the country they were birthing would never survive apart from Biblical, faith-guided principles. Have we made mistakes along the way? Absolutely! However, our guiding principles have been the catalyst for bringing the darkness to the light and motivating our people to stand up for what is right. Tragically, in the last 60 years the darkness has slowly been gaining ground. When we stop living by our guiding principles, everyone suffers…even those who don’t believe in God.
There are many who point to the day prayer was taken out of our schools as our nations tipping point. The downward spiral in our moral and ethical values since that day in 1962 is stunning. However, it wasn’t the absence of prayer that caused the fall, but rather, the message the silence has sent to our children. Positive conversations about the God of the Bible and the role of faith in society have been systematically removed from the public classroom and text books. The lesson our children learn is simple: God is irrelevant to the public dialogue.
Sixty years ago we began allowing our children to be taught that personal faith has nothing to do with daily life. Those children are now our leaders, parents, grandparents, teachers and preachers. Think about it, if George Washington were alive today it’s unlikely he would be allowed to speak at a school assembly because he would never agree to divorce his faith from his message on leadership and the success of our country! Is it any wonder most Americans feel our best days are behind us?
We haven’t been “killing God” over the past six decades as much as we’ve been declaring Him irrelevant. We’ve been reinventing the God of Abraham and Isaac, Peter and Paul, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, and most of us have slept through it. It’s time to wake up and begin fighting for our children’s future by fighting for their view of God. It starts in our home.
Our children will be the leaders of tomorrow. Teach them who God really is and why it makes a difference in everything they do. If you do, there really will be hope for America.
If you need some help and encouragement go to: dg4kids.com

I’m not a fan of Hamburger Helper, but Brad loves it. When I leave town he runs to the store and buys a box.  It was inevitable that my kids would become Hamburger Helper lovers as well!  The health conscious side of me rebels but hey, at least they’re not eating donuts and candy bars for dinner!

Last night I thought I would use whatever I could find in the kitchen to create a healthier version of their favorite Hamburger Helper.  This is what I came up with:

1 lb. Turkey burger

Pinch of salt kosher salt

Dash of pepper

Dehydrated minced onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 big spoons of sour cream

Red cooking wine

2 shakes of Worcestershire Sauce

Wide, whole-wheat noodles (cooked)

Brown the turkey burger.

Add salt, pepper and onion to taste.

Dump in the cream of chicken soup.

Use the can to measure the red wine (about half full) and stir into turkey mixture.

Add two big spoons of sour cream and a couple shakes of Worcestershire sauce.

Stir until all ingredients are mixed evenly.  If it’s too thick add a bit of water or a little more red wine.

Cook over med/low heat until mixture bubbles.

Keep warm over low heat until noodles are ready.

Pour sauce over noodles, mix together and serve.

(I wanted to cut down on pots so I added fresh green beans to the noodle water and cooked them with the noodles.  The result was an “all-in-one” meal!)

This is a very forgiving recipe!  The key is to test it along the way and add the ingredients to suit your taste… just be sure you leave some room for dinner!

My family loved the meal and so did I!

Food for thought:

A pinch of this and a dash of that works well for stroganoff but it is a dangerous way to approach God.  Many in our culture want God to conform to their preferences and tastes. They pick and choose what they like about God’s character and ignore, or deny, what they don’t.

I encourage you to be diligent to teach your kids who God really is and why it matters.  It’s the perfect recipe to set them up for true success!

“Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols.  Can people make their own gods?  These are not real gods at all!”  Jer. 16:19b

She was scared. She knew she wanted to do it, but her little mind conjured up a horrifying picture of what would happen when she did. In the end, she wanted Jesus in her heart more than she feared the consequences. She bowed her head, closed her eyes and began to pray,

Jesus, please come into my heart… but please, please… come in carefully!

She was so relieved when she said ‘amen’ and her heart was still in one piece! The little girl had envisioned a full sized man trying to fit in her tiny heart! No wonder she was afraid!

Children are concrete thinkers. They have a hard time comprehending something they can’t see, feel and touch. This fact can make teaching our kids about faith a bit challenging!

A young boy refused to accept Jesus as his Savior. His parents were befuddled. After some gentle questioning, their son finally revealed the problem,

I want to go to heaven, I just don’t want to go right now!

He had heard that when you accept Jesus you get go to heaven, but no one explained the time line. He assumed it meant he would go to heaven right away!

The boys’ parents did some ‘investigative’ work to discover what kept their son from accepting Christ. They didn’t pressure him to make a decision. Instead, they became students of their child. They asked him questions and listened carefully to his answers. It was during one of those conversations that the obstacle came out.

Brad and I have been intentional about weaving spiritual conversations into our kid’s daily life. I’ve discovered I’m not nearly as good a listener as I thought I was! It’s so tempting to jump in with my own opinion or to seize the chance to tell them what they should do or think.

By God’s grace I’m learning to speak less, listen more and pray for insight into my children’s heart and mind as we talk. If I hear ideas about God or Jesus that might need some correction I try not to “react”. Instead, I look for a teachable moment to address the issue (it may be right away, it may take a few days).

There is no substitute for talking with your kids! If you’re like me, your kids will teach you as much as you teach them! It’s such an amazing adventure! I encourage you to use the Table Talk questions we post on dg4kids.com. Click on the calendar and find one question per week to help you jumpstart table conversations!

Have you ever believed God for something and it didn’t happen? A friend believed God would heal her of a terminal disease, He didn’t (on this side of Heaven). A businessman trusted God would keep his company afloat. It went under. What do you do when your expectations of God don’t mesh with reality?

We’ve had some major disappointments ourselves recently and two questions have made the difference between bitterness and joy, expectation and defeat, depression and hope.

1. Is this disappointment a problem, or is it an opportunity to see God work in a way I didn’t expect?
2. What attribute of God am I struggling to believe is true in this circumstance?

Recently I heard Phil Vischer, the creator of Veggie Tales, describe the rise and fall of his dream. He repeatedly used the phrase, “God could have, but He didn’t.”

Phil knew his dream was in jeopardy and believed God would provide the funds to save it. On three different occasions he trusted God would defy the economic outlook and bless his projects. Three times God could have saved the company. Three times He didn’t do it. I learned a lot from Phil Vischer’s talk but it was his view of God that has intrigued and encouraged me.

“God could have.” The phrase reflects a confidence in God’s Omniscience (all-powerful) and Sovereignty (in total control). If God isn’t All-Powerful and in Total Control then we can have no confidence in His ability to do anything on our behalf. Have you ever longed to help someone but lacked the resources or power to do it? God’s good intentions mean nothing if He doesn’t have the power and the control to make them reality.

So, what happens when you know God could’ve done something, but He doesn’t? That’s where the rest of the attributes of God come into play. Do you believe…

• God Loves you perfectly? He loves you so much that He will say ‘no’ to your expectations when they conflict with His perfect, love driven plan.
• God Knows Everything. Because He knows the past, present and future, He knows that saying ‘yes’ to your expectations is not the best thing for you. (even if all your human knowledge and understanding says the opposite).
• God is Everywhere. He has not abandoned you (even if you feel like He has). He is with you every step of the way.
• God is Faithful to fulfill every promise. He didn’t promise that life would be easy. He didn’t promise to make every dream come true. He did promise to cause everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) It may not feel like it, but God is faithfully working to accomplish His perfect, love driven plan in your life.
• God is Righteous. He knows what the right thing to do is and He won’t compromise what’s right in order to make us temporarily feel better (about Him and about how He works in our lives).

Are you disappointed because God could have done something on your behalf and He didn’t? You are not alone dear friend! We’ve all been there! God is not surprised by our disappointment. He wants to help us wrestle through the emotions and hold on tight to the truth.

Ask yourself the 2 questions above and filter your disappointment through the character of God. It won’t necessarily take away all the pain, but it will give hope for the future!

Poverty in America is on the rise. Although poverty in the U.S. is far different than poverty in many other countries one thing is universal, the children suffer most. What do we do about it when we’re struggling just to hang on ourselves? I heard a story this week that is a moving reminder of how a simple act of kindness can not only fill a child’s stomach, but also transform their heart’s and change their destiny.

Janice was a high school junior when she met Mary. They played on the softball team and shared some classes.  It didn’t take long, however, for Janice to realize that one thing they didn’t share was lunch. Mary never ate lunch, nor did she have a snack before practice. Janice was concerned that her lack of nutrition would cause weariness and a weakness that could affect her studies and softball.

Janice didn’t know what to do. As she and Mary became better friends she discovered that Mary’s mom paid little or no attention to her daughter. Their apartment was often without food, but rarely without alcohol. Janice wanted to help her friend but didn’t want to offend her. With her parents help, Janice discovered a way.

Janice’s dad began packing a lunch each day for both girls. When the noon bell rang, Janice made sure to seek Mary out and offer the lunch that was packed especially for her. Janice and her family fed Mary for 2 years simply by taking a little extra time to pack an additional lunch.

Over the next few years Mary saw God’s love in action through Janice and her family and knew she wanted what they had. Janice and her mom were with her when Mary surrendered her heart to Jesus and trusted in His saving grace.

Last weekend Mary married the man of her dreams and is joining him in full-time ministry to college students. The wedding was small.  Only a few of her family members attended, but Janice and her mom were there along with many college students whose lives are being changed because of Mary and her new husband. Tears of joy overflowed.

What started with feeding a young girl’s stomach has multiplied into feeding the soul’s of countless more. And it all started with a little extra lunch.

Increasing poverty will provide many opportunities for others to see God’s love and provision through us. How can you and your family meet the needs of those around you? A little bit can go a long way!

A few years ago we changed our breakfast routine. Cold cereal, toast and 2 slices of turkey bacon had been our usual fare… not bad right? Think again…

I wasn’t implementing what I knew to be true: a high protein/low carb breakfast stays with you longer, provides more energy and, as a side benefit, helps control weight gain. All of us were struggling with weight and energy. I packed huge lunches for the kids and they were still hungry. So, we decided to get up a bit earlier and prepare a high protein breakfast. The results have been remarkable. Not only have we shed some pounds, but the kids lunches are now half what they used to be (including an after school snack) and they’re satisfied!

If this puts you under the pile let me assure you, high protein doesn’t always have to be eggs and bacon or sausage. Oatmeal is a easy and healthy choice. Wait, you say, where’s the protein in that? Here’s a little “magic” trick!

Add a ¼ cup of Quinoa to 3 cups boiling water and let cook for 8 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ cup oats, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla and cook another 5 minutes. Quinoa is a whole grain packed with protein!

I like to add a few pecans, a sprinkle of Purvia (a sweetener from the Stevia plant) and whatever fruit is in season.

Our body needs a good, protein rich breakfast. Likewise, our soul needs the spiritual food of God’s Word and the life-giving energy that comes from focused time with Him. My husband knows when I’ve skipped my morning “energy boost” with the Lord. He sees it in my countenance and the way I respond to my circumstances. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does he’ll inevitably say, “Did you miss your time with the Lord this morning?” Frankly, it irks me when he says it, but I know what I need to do. I can’t make it through the day without connecting to my Savior first!!

How about you? I implore (yes, I do mean implore) you to make time every morning to feed your body and your soul with the life giving food they need. No excuse is worth the consequences of not implementing what you know is true.  The rest of your day depends on it!!

What four words will stop even the most “active” child in his footsteps? When asked this question at a conference last weekend I thought of… ‘I love you’—no, that’s three words… ‘Time for dinner!’—three words again… ‘Stop right there young lady!’—five words… When the speaker told us the answer the audience responded as one voice, “of course!” So, what are the four words?

Once upon a time…

Those four words have captured imaginations, young and old, from the beginning of time. The master storyteller can sway the direction of a culture, for good or for ill. Our kids hear stories in a plethora of venues and their young minds are being shaped by what they read and hear.

The speaker also asked what movies have had the most negative impact on our culture. Horror movies or extreme violent movies were common answers. Mine was a bit different. Movies that erode our view of God are far more dangerous than violence and horror alone.

Bridge to Terabithia blatantly attacked the idea that Jesus is the only way to God and taught that a truly loving God will let you in to Heaven simply because you’re cute and sweet. I doubt most parents picked up on it, but I assure you the message was logged into your child’s brain and will re-surface one day…maybe in college? The Golden Compass also came to mind. The movie was extremely well done and shrewdly effective at undermining who God really is.

Read what your children read and watch what your children watch. It’s time consuming and it can be boring (I’m not interested in most of the shows they like), but it’s the only way to know what stories are filling their minds and shaping their hearts. My kids read much faster than me now, but I still try to skim most of the books they read. I want to be able to talk about it with them and help them think through the truth of what they’re reading.

The next time you cuddle up with your family to watch a movie or read a book, ask yourself, “What is this communicating about the character of God?” and then talk about it with them. These “Once upon a time” moments will prove precious and powerful!

It’s been a while since I last wrote. Our summer was full to overflowing and time got away from me. We traveled through 14 states, ate way more than we should have, enjoyed rich relationships (much more than we deserve) and saw God at work everywhere we went. I have so much to share with you! I thought about writing a “what I did this summer” blog, but it was too long and too overwhelming. You’ll probably hear bits and pieces over the next few months but I won’t bore you with it all at once!

I want to leave you with one thought for today; God is at work in a big way! Everywhere we went we heard stories of how God is working. It’s easy to be discouraged when so many negative stories fill the newspapers and airways. Sometimes I need to step back and look for what God is doing in the midst of the challenges. State after state, city after city we heard stories of God’s faithfulness, mercy, love, power, presence and Spirit-given joy and peace. God’s people are waking up to the reality that God really is bigger than any problem they face. His Spirit is breaking the chains of doubt and fear. Such an awakening cannot help but spark a fire!!

Bless you dear friends! Whether you feel it or not, God is at work in your life and in the lives of those you love! Read Psalm 145 (preferably the New Living Translation) and be encouraged!!

The eyes of all look to You in hope; You give them their food as they need it. When You open Your hand, You satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
Psalm 145:15-16

My ipad was on the bathroom counter (note to self: never take the ipad into the bathroom… what was I thinking?!). I lifted a hand towel and watched helplessly as the ipad tumbled toward the toilet (note to self: remind family members to put the toilet lid down…I know it’s hopeless cause but one can always keep trying.). Then something incredible happened, instead of crashing into a watery toilet grave, the ipad took a totally unexpected turn and fell harmlessly onto a padded carpet.

In the span of 5 seconds I felt horror, despair, anger, relief, joy and exultation… it wasn’t even 7 a.m. and I was exhausted!! I stared at the ipad and thanked God. Something that could have gone terribly wrong, went right.

Every day there are hundreds of things that “go right.”  Even on those terrible, no good, very bad days we can find something that went right. Each one is an opportunity to thank God and fix our eyes on the Author of faith, hope and love.

The enemy wants you to focus on what goes “wrong” today. Refuse to give him any ground. Thank God every time something goes right! Then, just to remind the enemy of joy Who’s really in charge… thank God for the things that go wrong.  Claim His power, sovereignty and promise to cause all things to work together for His good!

What’s gone right for me so far today…

*ipad saved from a watery grave!
*I don’t have to tell Brad my ipad met a watery death!
*Beautiful day for a morning walk!
*Fresh blueberries!
*Quiet Time with God in the midst of busy schedule.
*Took my daughter to get a haircut and she likes it!!!
*Diet Pepsi for $1.50 for six pack!

What’s gone right for you? Ask your kids what’s gone right for them today and enjoy giving thanks together!!!