Time. We never seem to have enough of it. Some seasons it crawls by, stalling out and creeping slowly along in excruciating detail. Other seasons it flies by, scarcely allowing us a moment to take a breath, carrying with it experiences in an endless rush. I (Camilla) am particularly reflective of time right now as I am about to send my youngest child to college and have recently lost my mother to Alzheimer’s disease. When we moved mom to a memory care facility, she said in a rare and heartbreaking moment of complete clarity, “I just thought I would have more time.” 

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Happy Summer! We hope you all are enjoying this season with your families. 

We tend to throw around the term “hope” and use it in all sorts of ways. We used it as a greeting above: “hope you have a great summer!” It’s also common to hear: “hope you feel better” or “hope to see you soon!” These are all a common part of friendly conversation, but our everyday use of the word can cause us to forget the power of hope in our lives, and the danger hopelessness can create. 

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Time. We all have a limited amount of it. We have limited time on earth. We have limited time with our children in our homes. We all know we need to be intentional about how we spend it.

Influence. We all have influence and we are all influenced by others. Who influences you? Who influences your children?

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If you are like us, you started the new year with some new plans. Maybe you didn’t make resolutions (maybe you did!), but you have a vision for your year, whether you put it on paper or whether it exists in the form of unspoken expectations in your mind. Planning is good. Interdependence on others is good. But, what happens when life throws you a curveball? When your plans fall through? When someone fails you? When you face a health crisis? Or an economic crisis? Or some other catastrophe? 

How flexible is your faith? 

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We are back! We took a short break from the blog in the new year. Late in 2022 one of our founders (Camilla) lost her mother after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. We celebrated her life and her legacy, we celebrated her successful baton pass to the next generation, and we also took time to grieve our loss. 

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Throughout this season of advent, we have waited, we have hoped, and we have expected. And what have we received?

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Recently Dolly Parton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She was also awarded the Courage and Civility award from Jeff Bezos (which comes with a grant of $100 million dollars to spend on philanthropic projects!). These awards are meant to commend her for her musical contributions, talents and gifts and for her charitable contributions to society. The list of her contributions is quite lengthy and inspiring. 

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Christmas is in full swing: trees are up and decorated, lights are on, wreaths are hung. Children’s programs are being planned and practiced. It’s (almost) universally agreed that it’s not too early for Christmas music. (For some it’s never too early). Amidst all the activity and decorating, Christmas inspires generosity and gratitude for the gift of Jesus. For some it’s a time of sorrow and reminders of loss. Perhaps more than any other theme or emotion though, Christmas is about hope. Here we are collectively, some hoping for presents, others for familial reconciliation, and others for simple joy. During advent, hope abounds. 

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Advent. A season of expectant hope. A season of waiting, of hoping, of expecting and ultimately, of receiving. In this time of waiting, we can also be consumed with the December activities that we love but that are, well, numerous! During times like this, we run the risk of running on empty, but God offers us refreshment and provision.

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We have unprecedented access to the news of the world today, and much of it is full of darkness and strife. Technology opens doors to hearing of the tragedy down the street and also the horrors across the globe. We are continually aware of the suffering of this world and it can become overwhelming to look at all of the pain and heartache. As believers, however, we are called to shine the light of Jesus into the darkness.

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College football is in full swing and there is much discussion about the relative strengths and weaknesses of various teams’ offensive and defensive programs. A good defense is important to stopping the opposing team’s efforts. Without a good offense, the team won’t gain any ground toward their goal line.

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