Christian Grandparenting Blog

You might be surprised to see a blog for grandparents on giving gifts to their grandchildren. After all, wouldn’t that be like offering suggestions to Rembrandt on how to paint or to Tiger Woods on how to play golf? However, we encountered many frustrated Christian parents when we interviewed them before writing A Parents' Guide to Great Grand-Partnering. One topic that triggered many requests for our advice was how to rein in the grandparents’ out-of-control gift-giving habits. Alas, as is so often true, even good-hearted people can lose perspective and turn blessings into burdens. We’re writing to help you avoid creating these challenges for your families.

Grief is a normal and unavoidable response to loss. It doesn't take a break when the holiday season arrives, so plan to give yourself and others lots of grace. And remember: God is with you through it all.

Freshen up your family gatherings with some new menu items. Some of the ladies at CGN got together and collaborated to share the special menu items our families look forward to during the holiday season. This post is all about sharing them with you. Bon appetite!

Being thankful is a clear and fruitful blessing. It doesn’t mean we like everything all the time, but it does mean we can find God’s gifts all the time, every day, in every circumstance. Without gratitude we can become self-centered, believing we achieve everything on our own. Thankfulness keeps our hearts in the right relationship with God, the giver of all good gifts. We can have thankful hearts even when our circumstances do not cry out for thankfulness.

“So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!” (James 3:5, NASB). As the Wildfire Chief in a state’s Natural Resources Department for much of his career, my husband was very familiar with the dynamics of fire science. He explained the three key “fire triangle”components required to ignite and spread a fire: fuel, heat, and oxygen (air). The comparison of these with the “wildfire tongue” described in the Book of James is insightful, considering the similarities.

What does it mean to have a “prayer burden”? Let me give you some examples. Have you ever been in the midst of prayer, sitting in the office or driving down the road when thoughts about your college roommate – the one you haven’t talked to in years – break in and persist for a significant period of time? Or, perhaps it’s a fellow co-worker sitting in the next cubicle or your grandchild who is in middle school. Thoughts like this persist when the Holy Spirit is nudging us to intercede for that person or situation in prayer. We recognize prayer burdens by their persistence, intensity, and urgency.

Pew Research reports that one out of six minor children live in blended families. One-third of all weddings today form a blended or step-family. This means either one or both the bride and groom bring one or more children into the marriage. All newlyweds face adjustments and challenges, and these are multiplied when the family unit begins with more than a husband and a wife. Self-control is vital to successfully joining together a divergent group into a family unit.

Self-control is exactly what it sounds like: control of self. Biblically it is the resistance to temptation in the ways of the world. It’s not about depriving oneself but about living a life in harmony with God’s purpose. It’s a reflection of the transformation in [...]