Lighthouse Keepers

I love warmth. Fuzzy blankets on hand at all times, socks and slippers, fleece lined leggings that you can wear under pretty much anything, fingers curled around a mug of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee. In these winter months I will do pretty much anything to stay warm. Somehow my children missed my cold genes because from my 6 year old down to my 10 month old I cannot keep a jacket or blanket on them willingly. The season of Christmas should be one of warmth; not only outwardly but inwardly as well! Here are a few ways we can stay warm inwardly this season. Be Intentional We tend to get caught up in our own lists and to-do’s that we miss out on what is most important. Take time to slow down and do things on purpose with a purpose! This is a perfect time to teach your children the importance of giving, whether its writing christmas cards, making and delivering baked goods to friends and neighbours, or packing an operation christmas child box! Make this time count! Lo...

It was a few weeks before Christmas. Money was tight, expectations felt high and then came that hydro bill for over $800. Long story short, I ended up snapping at the Hydro One employee on the phone and then hung up on her. As far as she knows, I have stopped feeding my kids so that we can forever pay the hydro bills. Truthfully, it was not her fault. She was simply the messenger and who knows what I did to her day.  Looking back, I am disappointed at how I handled the situation. I like to think that I learn as I go and have grown since, though I am sure I have more great stories to come.  It is that time of year again. We sing and speak of love, joy and peace. We prepare gifts and are full of excitement. Or are we really? It is also possible that we are busy, overwhelmed and frustrated. As we go to town, we see the hustle and bustle all around us. With the hustle and bustle, there is a lack of smiling faces. Chances are we will experience bad customer service, get cut of...

Isn’t it wonderful that we can celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ this Christmas season?! ( Original Post )    One homeschool morning a few years ago now, I had just settled down at the table with the days lessons with our son who found it very challenging to sit and put his brain to work on something that was not his idea of being worth thinking about.   We heard a car stop close by and out stepped a couple of nicely dressed people and of course, one had to be walking towards our door. I groaned inwardly and I then told one of our daughters to tell this lady that their mother was not available. It must have been the Holy Spirit opening my eyes to this opportunity and I quickly changed my mind. “Wait, let me get the door”, I said. I put a smile on my face, opened the door, and this is how I greeted this woman who was here to share from her Jehovah’s Witness training: “Isn’t it great to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savi...

I don't know about the rest of you but I love Christmas! Its seems that every year, about the same time as the furnace kicks on , is when I start feeling excited. Christmas is coming! I know that many of you get overwhelmed with the holidays because there is often much to prepare. I'd like to try to offer a few tips and suggestions that might help to make things less stressful and therefore make the holidays more enjoyable. For the meal... Who says you always have to have a Turkey Dinner for the holidays? It is delicious but there's so many other things that are just as good. Try to think of a meal where you can do some of the prep work a day or two ahead of time. Or have a pot-luck. Maybe have it for supper and then have some of the guests help with the preparations or even bring it already prepared. I think everyone has one or two meals that seem to always turn out well. Why not make that? Even if its beans and rice! Snacks are always a favourite. Choco...