Because of love

It was there, set carefully between the gift bags. A handful of assorted, beloved wooden nuts and bolts. One treasured Nepali coin. And a stack of homemade cards in brightly colored envelopes. Proof of their love.

Saturday had been a flurry of drawing, a whirlwind of, “b-I-r-th-d-ay?” and “Does this say, ‘Jack,’?” “What? It’s tomorrow? Can I make him a present?” Now here it was Sunday morning, and they were all pressing in, eager to see his reaction, itching for their turn to be twirled and bounced during the required birthday dance.

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The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies {review + giveaway}

We received a free product for the purpose of writing this review. Our family only reviews items that we actually find valuable and are able to be 100% honest about regarding our experience. We received no monetary compensation for our opinion. Links contained in this post may direct to affiliate sites.

It’s a shame that the idea of teaching logic– and I’m talking actual logic here, not “critical thinking”– has fallen out of vogue in modern education. Take a casual glance at media outlets and social platforms and you’ll be greeted with dozens of situations crying out for the application of some very elementary-level rebuttals and yet … there are so few people with the know-how to identify what’s wrong with the group think being offered up around the world today.

It’s a little depressing out there, folks.
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Remember when…

I’m riding in the back seat of a friend’s Mitsubishi when Alan Jackson’s “Remember When,” comes on the radio.

And I want to chuckle because the friends I’m with are Lahu, a hill tribe in Southeast Asia, and we’re driving to a remote village in Myanmar.
But my friends are singing away to a song they fully expect I should know because after all, isn’t Alan Jackson American? Well, sure, I assure them, but I don’t listen to country music.

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Keep the small things big

A friend, whose oldest child is inching towards kindergarten, asked me recently what advice I had to offer. As a member of the Mom With Mileage Club, I guess she assumes I have a tiny taste of the hindsight that comes with parenting through several stages. I remember well clinging to the words of wisdom offered up by just about anyone in those earlier days of trying to discern just what on earth I was supposed to do with and for this family in my care.

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Turning the demons into salt and light

Early last week, as we were pulling up to a small church under construction in northern Myanmar, I was asked to speak to the believers, mostly of Shan heritage.

I quickly began to pray for the right words to share. The man I’ve been traveling with suggested my talk (“Take up to an hour if you want,” he said) focus on God’s sovereignty over demons, an issue the Shan struggle with thanks to local village practices.

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2 a.m., Thailand

It’s 2 a.m., and I can’t sleep. Not surprising, really, figuring it’s my first night back in Thailand in about five years.
I’m jet-lagged (20-plus hours in planes), dehydrated (highs here in Thailand and Myanmar are low 100s), and I miss my family (I’m here, and they’re not).

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The talk

I have dreaded the conversation for years. Since the moment I first knew, I have felt ill just considering it. And yet there was never any choice but to say it out loud. Not just once, but over and over, until every younger sibling understands.

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Selfish

Someone, in the midst of attacking our choice to homeschool our children, once threw out an accusation that has stuck with me all these years: you’re selfish.

As in, “Your choice to homeschool your children is purely selfish.”

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Birthday

Jude skipped easily over the first birthday milestone yesterday, somewhat enjoying his cake, but very much enjoying his balloon and happy birthday dance. There were no presents (from the immediate family– Mamaw and Papaw brought one by, though!), we didn’t even get to go to church (making sure we’re 100% clear of a nasty strep infection that hit 8 of us this week), and it stormed for the better part of the morning.

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