We’ve turned a corner into a new year. January was named for the ancient Roman god Janus, who had one face looking to the past and one looking to the future. As you spend these days at the turn of the year, may your reflections and your dreams be filled with holy imagination. 

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What If Motherhood Was Meant to Be Hard?

Lauren Weir meditates on the ways motherhood–and parenting–shapes us in the image of God.

• Motherhood is hard. And all the mamas said, “Amen.”
  Motherhood requires every ounce of us. As soon as we sit down, the baby cries. As soon as we stand up, the milk spills on the floor. We try to finish just one task before the day is done, despite all our children’s best efforts to thwart it.
  The demands of attending to small people are often mind-numbing. The pressures of decision-making, disciplining, and discipling are never-ending. The challenge of doing something we’ve never done before, only to see it change just as we get the hang of it, is enough to make us a little crazy.
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Wherein an Anthropomorphic Tree Upends Me

Frankly this piece makes the cut on title alone, but Amanda Dykes’ story of how she was moved by Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie is worth reading as a reminder of what we are made for.

• My husband and I were playing catch-up with the rest of the world, sitting down to watch Guardians of the Galaxy a few years after everyone else had. Not my usual genre, but isn’t that one of the glories of marriage and friendship? Bringing us outside of our walls and helping us to see new horizons?
  In this particular moment in time, “new horizons” meant a movie about a motley band of misadventurers accidentally bent on saving the world.  While this isn’t an endorsement of every aspect of the film, it was good fun for the most part. And then…it happened. That tree—that big, lovable galoot named Groot—did something that changed everything for me.
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January Read-Alouds That Aren’t About Winter!

Need some reading to stave off the January blues? Erica at What Do We Do All Day has you covered.

• The dark days of January are perfect for snuggling up with a good book and reading aloud to your children. Of course, I could say something similar for any month of the year–and I probably have! In any case, I know you book-crazy families are looking for something new to start off the New Year! Well, you are in luck, none of these books have been featured (yet) on any other book list.
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Letters to Taylor: On New Beginnings

Rachel Wojnarowski has been sharing letters to her daughter as Taylor spends her final days here on earth, and they are a beautiful story of trusting the God who knit together Taylor’s body just the way He meant to, even if losing her seems so wrong. New beginnings has a different meaning for Taylor today than for you or me, but may we face them all in the same faith.

• My girl,
  This week you’ve settled into a new groove. It’s one that I knew would one day come, but oh how strange it feels. While we are down to days of seeing the rise and fall of your chest, Daddy whispered last night in my ear, “She’ll be well soon.”
  I can hardly express what a beautiful thought that is.
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Around the Warren

Little Pilgrims, Big Journey

Lesley Gore recommends an entry point for children into the classic Pilgrim’s Progress.

• We could hear our 5-year old’s heavy footfall coming down the stairs after being tucked in for the night.
  “Mama? Papa?” he called. “When am I going to get my burden?”
  His question set our own feet into action and we met him at the bottom of the stairs. “Whenever He’s ready,” my husband assured him, “God will give you one.”
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Your Stories: To Cross the Sea and Other Stories Printable Booklet

Don’t forget! We’ve got YOUR stories ready! Thanks so much for participating in our writing prompt.

• I’m happy to say that we have compiled a PDF with all of the short stories inspired by Jamin Still’s painting! Use the link below to download To Cross the Sea and Other Stories, and you can print the whole document, or just the cover page with Jamin’s painting, and your own stories. Thanks so much to everyone who participated–it was great fun to see the breadth of imagination and creativity in your submissions!
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Something to Do with Your Kids

We’re coming up to the end of Christmas this weekend and it’s time to transition the decor from “Christmas” to the more generic “Winter.” So you need these toilet paper roll snowmen.

Something to Watch

At The Dad Lab, Sergei is experimenting with his boys how air bends around a bottle. It’s fun to see the different shapes of bottles and which are the most effective for blocking the air.

Thanks for reading. We’re on your side.

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Carolyn Clare Givens

Carolyn Clare Givens is displaced Northerner exploring the foreign ways of the south.

Latest posts by Carolyn Clare Givens (see all)

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