Author Archives: Ann Kirsten
Don't Shut the Door on Multi-Age Small Groups
When I was a young mom, I walked into a small group at a new church and saw women there from ages 20 to 80 years old. I have to say that freaked me out a little bit. What did I have in common with you...
Ann Kirsten Mar 23, 2022 photo credit: iStock/DisobeyArt
Marriage Humor
Perhaps the best tool my husband and I have found to keep our marriage viable is humor. If you can laugh at yourselves, those pesky "big issues" in a relationship shrink down to a manageable size. Thi...
Ann Kirsten Mar 15, 2022 photo credit: iStock/iridi
Rainy Day Umbrella Craft
As we head into spring, the rains have come and I'm trying my best to look upon them with joy. After all, they are necessary to prepare the earth for rebirth. The flip side to this is all the gray and...
Ann Kirsten Mar 09, 2022
Letting Go of the "Must-Do's"
We all have those things we feel we MUST do every day. For some, it might be making the bed. Others might feel bad if they don't cook a meal or bathe the kids. I think if we're honest, we have whole l...
Ann Kirsten Mar 04, 2022 photo credit: iStock/globalmoments
Opposites Attract
My husband and I were folding our laundry side-by-side the other night and I couldn't stop smiling. We are just so opposite from each other. As my husband folded his many pairs of navy-blue underwear,...
Ann Kirsten Mar 02, 2022 photo credit: iStock/jemastock
Spring Rain
My youngest grandkids got their first umbrellas this week. They were cause for much excitement. All the old rules and wives' tales went out the window as they used their umbrellas inside, outside and ...
Ann Kirsten Feb 18, 2022
The Names We Go By
When my kids got to the preteen/teen phase of life they needed some gentle reminders that mom was still in charge. And, because each of my children are wired differently, I accomplished this in a uniq...
Ann Kirsten Feb 09, 2022 photo credit: iStock/Andrii Yalanskyi
February is a Gentle Month
Well, January is over already. I've written about January many times over the years. Some years I am motivated to start the new year with goals, and some years I am exhausted and just want the world t...
Ann Kirsten Jan 30, 2022 photo credit: iStock/AlexRaths
Truths Some Parents Refuse to Accept
I read an interesting article the other day. Someone on Reddit asked the question: "What are some truths that parents refuse to accept?" Being a parent myself, I instantly felt defensive. The answers ...
Ann Kirsten Jan 21, 2022 photo credit: iStock/fizkes
I Didn't Want a Word for 2022. God Gave Me One Anyway.
You know how people pick or hear a word for the new year and that's their focus for improvement? Words like: organize, faith or health? Well, I didn't want to pick a word for 2022. 2021 was hard enoug...
Ann Kirsten Jan 17, 2022 photo credit: iStock/asbe