Lessons Learned in Sportsmanship

Vickie Estler
1 Mar 2016
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The spring schedule of sports and the arts are in full swing. As parents, we desire to give our children a variety of experiences to broaden their horizons. Whether sports or the arts, getting along with others is imperative for any group activity.   Play well with others Sportsmanship is the appropriate and fair behavior used while participating in a competition; it should be a life goal. The “gets along well with others” skills our children learn at a young age will carry them through middle and high school, college and into the adult years of jobs, board rooms, committees […]

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Parenting the Parent

Vickie Estler
5 Jan 2016
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Reversing roles with our parents is surreal. It is not easy to assist our parents as we witness their decline physically and mentally.  We find as parents age, the Mom who patiently taught us to cook or the Dad who taught us the no-fail way to parallel park are no longer the same. I recall my mother telling the story of my father being stationed in Korea. Knowing my father only by his framed picture, I greeted him with, “You’re not my Daddy!” when he returned from serving in the Korean War. If your parent is declining, you too may […]

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Wise Men Still Seek Him

Vickie Estler
7 Dec 2015
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Christmas is coming, and we see “Wise men still seek Him” on bumper stickers, magnets and tree ornaments. Wisdom gets lost in the hustle of December. Fatigue, over-scheduling and unrealistic goals cause us to throw optimism out the door. Let us inquire, probe and investigate (Deuteronomy 13:14) with hearts keeping Christ in Christmas! Seeking ways to be wise with our time takes concentrated effort for families, couples and singles alike. The psalmist tells us the Lord makes the simple wise. (Psalm 19:7) May we have the desire making a concentrated effort celebrating Christmas the right way and seek Him for […]

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Fostering Gratitude

Vickie Estler
8 Nov 2015
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Gratitude has more to do with our reactions to our circumstances than the actual circumstances. Gratitude starts within the heart. How easy to have a pity party and say, “Why me?” Once, I was struggling with despair and a dear friend responded to my self-absorption with, “Why not you?” This truth made me stop and think. I learned (which wasn’t easy or quick) to look at my obstacles as opportunities to see how God wanted me to change, what He was trying to teach me, and how I could foster a grateful heart. Gratitude is a training field requiring time, […]

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Build a Foundation with Bible Memorization

Vickie Estler
6 Oct 2015
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  People today are busy. We go non-stop 24/7 and are pulled in a million directions. We need strength, wisdom, and hope. We are at times desperately short of reliable information to raise children and live with a happy heart in a happy home. We need to look no further than the Bible. It is unchanging; it is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We would be hard-pressed to carry a Bible everywhere, and Bible scripture memorization is the next best thing. Memorization helps us to have a firm foundation; plus, we find that fear, panic, and anger no longer […]

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Creating a Family Mission Statement

Vickie Estler
3 Aug 2015
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Family Mission Statement

  Time passes quickly. Goodbye to the hazy, lazy days of summer. Hello to getting ready for school and college. Checking items off our “to get” list and merely thinking about schedules and routines make our heads swim. A new school year calls for recommitment and is the perfect time to create a Family Mission Statement. Trust me; like any well-planned vacation or activity schedule, if we do not plan, we will miss the opportunity to establish purpose and wander aimlessly throughout the year. “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT). […]

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Deja’Vu: Caring for An Aged Loved One

Vickie Estler
7 Jul 2015
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Standing in line at Home Depot with a cart full of boxes, moving paper, bubble wrap, and tape, the cashier said, “Ma’am, you’re next.” In a haze, deja’vu, so to speak was I. An overwhelming sense of familiarity, “I’ve done this” washed over me. Less than two years ago we lost Mother to cancer, moved Daddy to the independent/assisted living apartment of his choice, packed up and sold their home, and then took a plethora of furniture and heirloom items to the grandkids. Daddy had hip replacement surgery last January and has spent most of this year in rehab. Advance […]

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Deja'Vu