While we would like to believe that childhood is a carefree and joy-filled time, navigating life is complex business for children, especially in today’s world. Most, if not all, of their core values, beliefs about the world, self esteem, and whether or not they will be able to be resilient in times of crisis will be determined during their childhood. Below is a list of what I believe all children need. I am listing them here and, in the weeks to come, will expand more fully on each of them. Each day of their childhood, children need: 1) To be blessed and to know that they are a blessing. 2) To be listened to. 3) To be cuddled. 4) To spend time in quiet and wonder. 5) To read. 6) To use thei
I rarely write about politics because I am a strict believer in the separation of church and state and as I write this, I realize that I am already making some of you (especially my Republican friends) nervous because I have used Hillary Clinton’s name in the title. As soon as I heard that Hillary had entered the race, I knew I had to blog about it, not because I want to speak in favor or against her political stance, and not because I want to sway a vote during this election. I had to write about her because she is a woman. Remember the last time she ran for office? People attacked her hair, her pantsuit and her low voice and laugh. I have already heard reporters discussing whether she can
One of the trendy preschool and Sunday School Easter gifts is a little baggie filled with different colored Jelly beans and a note that helps the children remember things like: Red means love, and green means growing. I have seen many, many different versions of these Easter Jelly Beans. The colors and their meanings change sometimes, except one… The black Jelly bean is ALWAYS the sin one. Black means sin. Not just for Jelly beans, but in so many places. If the word sin has to be described in art, music, hearts, the dress of villains’… the color black is always used and it is always associated with bad, sin, evil things. I would like to propose that in Christianity, black is NOT the color of