Family by God&#039;s Design

A Christmas Pickle? You Bet!

In our family we started celebrating the “Christmas Pickle” several years ago. I tried to find the reason for the Christmas Pickle when we began this celebration. Rumor has it that the pickle is an old German emblem of good luck. So, the tradition began. Hide the Christmas Pickle in the tree and the first...

christmas family intimacy fun traditions

December 10, 2016

Play for a Better Marriage

Play offers innumerable benefits to your marriage. Let me name a few. Play allows you to spend time with your spouse and enjoy your spouse’s company. This builds intimacy. Play can deepen and broaden your marital relationship. It provides a time in which we are absorbed in your marital relationship. Play helps to heal any...

acceptance family intimacy fun marriage play trust

October 17, 2016

What is Shaping Your Children’s Mind

Recent data from Extreamist showed children between 2-18 years old stream about 1.8 hours of content from Netflix, Hulu, Your Tube, or other online services each day. This adds up to 650 hours per year. On the other hand, data from the National Wild Life Federations suggests children spend an average of 4-7 minutes playing outdoors...

Celebration Family Shepherds

creativity fun healthy development play

September 10, 2016

3 Lessons from Family Camp 2016 (Plus a Cherished Experience)

We had another great Family Camp weekend at Camp Christian this year! Tim Jones was the speaker this year. He shared some fantastic insights for our lives and our families. Let me share three of these insights plus my most cherished experience of family camp. Adored people become beautiful people. This is true for our...

family intimacy fun play

August 20, 2016

Two Observations on Parenting (Than Can Save You Money)

Over the years of observing families, I’ve noticed a couple of interesting things about children and their interests. I’m sure you’ve noticed them as well. Children playing on a cell phone, watching TV, or playing a video game do NOT listen well. They are preoccupied with their TV show, game, text, or pic on the...

Family Shepherds

fun healthy development maturity play teach

July 16, 2016

12 Simple & Creative Summer Activities for Your Family

Having fun with your family does not have to be expensive this summer. Try some of these ideas. Go get ice cream cones together. Go for a walk in the woods. Have a picnic at a local park…or in your back yard. Enjoy an evening of stargazing. Tell stories about various constellations. Enjoy a free...

family intimacy fun laugh play summer

July 2, 2016

3 comments

5 Benefits of a Family Adventure

My family and I just returned from vacation. We had a great time…fabulous. With my daughters getting older, we decided to go someplace new, someplace none of us have visited before. We all love food and music, so we chose New Orleans. We enjoyed a steamboat ride on the Mississippi, New Orleans jazz, historical museums,...

Celebration Honor

family intimacy family relationships fun parent child relationship play

April 9, 2016

Build Forts to Build Mature Children

I lived near a very small (I mean, very small!) patch of woods for part of my elementary school and middle school years. I remember the joy of going “into the woods” and finding natural enclaves under bushes that I could make into “my fort.” A few minor adjustments and additions turned those branches into...

Family Shepherds

children creativity fun healthy development play

February 29, 2016

Laughter is Good Medicine…& A Great Date Night

Sarah Algoe, assistant professor of social psychology at UNC-Chapel Hill, believes “little things” like gratitude and laughter “help relationships flourish.” I agree, but she went so far as to test this belief. She and a graduate student asked 77 couples to describe how they first met. They watched and listened as the couple answered. After...