Selfless Love By Barbara Russell   The most selfless love ever shown to mankind was that of the Lord, Jesus Christ, leaving the glories of heaven to be born into a sin-cursed world, to later become sin, so that we may have the opportunity to accept His sacrifice for sin, and to have the peace […]

My “Mean” Mom Barbara Russell Shortly after I was married, I was at the grocery store, when much to my surprise, I came upon a CAN of ready to use beans and a CAN of ready to use pumpkin.  I was elated! I couldn’t wait to get home to call my mom and share with […]

Unconditional Love By Barbara Russell Thirty years ago, I gave birth to my first child, a boy. Again, two years later, “It’s a boy!” my husband announced. I must admit there was a twinge of disappointment because I already had a boy, so I thought having a girl would be nice. But as the midwife […]

Subliminal Opinions By Malissa Custer Proverbs 19:20- “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.” Recently, a friend asked me for input. A seasoned mom brought a thought to her concerning her child. Hard to swallow, yes. A blow to her pride, I’m sure. A lot to think about, […]

Naps & Snacks By Malissa Custer One of my very favorite Bible stories is that of Elijah.  In 1 Kings 18, this theatric story unfolds.  The challenge has been given to the prophets of Baal, and what a dramatic scene unfolded there.  My God, the same God of Elijah, showed up that day and proved […]

Daddy’s Girl Climbing trees, shooting BB guns, driving tractors…yes, I grew up a country girl. We lived on a farm with cats, dogs, and occasional chickens and horses. Being outside working with my dad was way more fun than being stuck in the house cooking and cleaning. One day, I approached my mom and declared that […]

Consistently Inconsistent By Malissa Custer Life is busy.  Chaotic.  There is always a valid excuse for letting something slide.  Recently, the kids all got a wicked cold – the worst I’ve ever seen.  When my kids get sick, I get really soft about quite a few things.  I don’t require them to clean their plates, […]

    Let It Go By Barbara Russell Choices.  Life is full of them!  One choice we make every day is whether or not we are going to “Let it go!”  There came a time in my life when I realized that it just wasn’t worth it to hold on to past hurts, or the pain […]

Angry Baby By Malissa Custer Those cute, chubby cheeks are adorable.  Those impish smiles are distracting.  Those belly laughs are intoxicating.  With each new word and trick, your parental pride grows.  Those are the healthy feelings of a devoted and doting parent, making it all the easier to ignore their difficult times.  I’m not going […]

Capturing Their Heart By Malissa Custer When you were young, did you ever notice something that your parents loved, and wonder why it was so precious to them? When I was a kid, my grandma had a bunch of odd knick-knacks and glass paper weights that meant very much to her. They were always dusted […]