I am currently reading a truly amazing book, Same Kind of Different as Me, by Ron Hall & Denver Moore. It is the story of a homeless man and an international art dealer and the woman who bound them together in a deep friendship. It is woven with truth and I find it challenging me in much the same way the book, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan did.

Same Kind of Different as Me is one of those books that you have to stop yourself from reading too fast so that you can slow down and reflect a little, and maybe even consider how it (ok, not "it" but probably Someone a little mightier than a mere book) might change the person you are.

In doing a little personal reflecting, I feel like I need to encourage you to remember that the most important lessons you teach your children are not the ones in the school books. Those lessons are merely a means to an end. The school book lessons give them the tools they need to think , to solve problems , find answers and they prepare them for what their future holds.

But the lessons in how to live, how to treat others, how to be salt and light and how to live with integrity in a sinful world are far more important. Teaching your children to navigate a world that isn't black and white in a way that glorifies the afore mentioned Someone is your top priority and it happens every day. It happens when you set appropriate boundaries, when your give your children age appropriate responsibility and when you don't rescue them from failure. It happens when they see how you treat others, how you love the unlovable and when you choose not to gossip about your neighbor. When you listen to what your kids hearts say and when you talk about your faith and how it lives in your life. You all do an amazing job as parents and I just wanted to encourage you in that!

That's all for now...
Linda