If you're a parent, I'm sure you've probably had the conversation during communion where a little body next to you leans in and whispers, "I want a cracker too." It's only happened a few times with us. We quickly explain it's for grown-up Christians, knowing they're not ready for all the details yet, though we're getting closer. And they yearn to grow older so they can participate.
Lately, my son also wants to help pass the trays. The cracker one isn't quite as nerve-wrecking to allow him to handle as the juice. But often, it just takes longer for him to be allowed to hold it for that extra second or two than for my husband to hand it over him to me. And I have to remind myself to allow him those extra seconds. Because he's yearning to serve.

Have you ever grown sunflowers? I plant them every year. I've loved them since high school, when they were all the rage as patterns and accessories (I still wish I could fit into that denim and sunflower skirt I had as a teenager). They're just such happy pretty flowers.
This year, we have two giant sunflowers that have blooms at the top and then scattered all the way down their stems. And we have several sunflowers of a variety that blooms browns and oranges instead of just yellow.
Have you ever watched sunflowers through the day?

Do you ever do things because they're good for you? Exercise? Eating less junk food? Going to bed instead of reading one more chapter? 
Yeah, okay. Just because it's good for us doesn't mean it's always fun. Though there are things that are good for us that are fun too. Like attending worship services. Or going on dates with our spouse. ;)
Well, I made my son do something that was good for him, though he didn't expect to love it. He rather dreaded it, honestly.

How far would you go to impress your future father-in-law? That's right, I said FUTURE. Well, guest author Meghann Whistler is here today to talk about her real-life romance when she did just that. Read on.

​I met my husband on a blind date in Boston in September 2003, during my last semester of grad school.
 
I’d been single for about a year and half before I met him, and I’d been on my fair share of bad blind dates during that time, so I didn’t have high hopes.
 
That all changed, however, when I met him. Paul was tall and handsome, and he was Canadian, like me! He was also kind and polite, and after dinner, we stayed out talking until two o’clock in the morning.
 
It wasn’t long before we fell in love. 💕

My husband is about to stop letting me go to the store. Not really, but there has been a trend lately. This time of year, many stores are getting rid of plants in order to make room for fall items. Yes, it's only July, but it's after the fourth. That means school supplies and fall decorations will soon take over the aisles.
And I am taking advantage of the marked down flowers. Pots of daisies and on clearance for under $2? Yes, please!
​Are they in the best shape? No. But they're not dead yet.