When Love and Money Collide Have you ever looked at your bank account and wondered how caring for the people you love has quietly become one of your largest expenses? For millions of adults in the sandwich generation, caregiving is no longer just an emotional or physical commitment. It is a growing financial strain that compounds stress, disrupts long-term goals, and reshapes family life in ways few anticipated. According to recent studies, unpaid family caregivers contribute hundreds of billions of dollars worth of care each year, often at significant personal cost. Lost income, rising healthcare expenses, inflation, and extended...
Caregiving Is Becoming a Financial Stress Multiplier: What the Sandwich Generation Needs to Know Now
January 26, 2026 in Family Life, Raising Parents
When Love and Money Collide Have you ever looked at your bank account and wondered how caring for the people you love has quietly become one of your largest expenses? For millions of adults in the sandwich generation, caregiving is no longer just an emotional or physical commitment. It is a growing financial strain that compounds stress, disrupts long-term goals, and reshapes family life in ways few anticipated. According to recent studies, unpaid family caregivers contribute hundreds of billions of dollars worth of care each year, often at significant personal cost. Lost income, rising healthcare expenses, inflation, and extended...
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When Patience Is the Assignment: Learning to Trust God in the Waiting
January 19, 2026 in Chickens & Animals, Faith & Family Life, Faith & Heart, Family Life, Homestead, Raising Kids, Raising Parents
Learning to Trust God in the Waiting (Caregiving, Motherhood, Homesteading, and the Sacred Work of Becoming) The Prayer We’re Afraid to Pray Have you ever caught yourself saying, “Lord, give me patience”—and immediately wanted to take it back? I once had a friend gently warn me, “Never ask God for more patience. He’ll show you just how much you already have.” At the time, I laughed. Later, as life unfolded, I understood exactly what she meant. Because patience isn’t usually delivered neatly wrapped with a bow. It comes disguised as: Another sleepless night with an aging parent A child...
Running Your Household Like Jesus
January 12, 2026 in Devotionals, Encouragement & Prayer, Faith & Family Life, Faith & Heart, Family Life, Raising Kids
Why Your Home Needs More Than Good Intentions Home is holy ground. It’s where faith is lived, not just talked about. It’s where character is shaped, forgiveness is practiced, tears fall, joy rises, and family life unfolds in real time. But most families don’t drift naturally toward peace, intentionality, or spiritual growth. Without direction, homes often default to stress, survival mode, and emotional overload. That’s why creating a Family Rule of Life matters. What Is a Family Rule of Life? A Rule of Life isn’t a list of strict rules or expectations. The word “rule” comes from regula —...
Becoming Somebody’s Miracle: A New Year of Intentional Kindness
January 5, 2026 in Devotionals, Encouragement & Prayer, Faith & Heart
Every year, we talk about becoming “better versions” of ourselves. We set goals, make plans, and try to craft a life that feels meaningful. But as I listened to “Somebody’s Miracle” by Brian Free & Assurance, a different kind of goal stirred in my heart— What if this year wasn’t about becoming better… but becoming more like Jesus? More gentle. More present. More aware of the people right in front of us. More willing to be somebody’s miracle. This song reminds us that miracles don’t always look like parted seas or instant healings. Most often, they look like a...
Setting Goals With God for the New Year
December 29, 2025 in Encouragement & Prayer, Faith & Family Life, Faith & Heart
The last week of the year can feel like standing in a doorway—one hand holding everything you’ve just walked through, and the other reaching for what’s ahead. If you’re in the sandwich generation or caregiving for aging parents, your year might have felt less like a neat planner and more like a fire drill. You may be ending December tired, a little heartsore, and wondering how you’re supposed to think about goals when so much of your life feels out of your control. That’s exactly why setting goals with God is different. Instead of hustling, striving, or trying to...
15 Meaningful Christmas Activities for Kids and Grandparents
December 22, 2025 in Faith & Family Life, Holidays, Traditions & Celebrations
Christmas looks different when you’re caring for aging parents or grandparents—especially when mobility, chronic illness, or memory challenges change what your family can realistically do. But different doesn’t mean less meaningful. Some of the most beautiful Christmas moments happen when we slow down, gather close, and create connection in simple, gentle ways. Whether your loved one is in their own home, living with you, or in a more dependent season of life, these activities help bridge generations and build memories your kids will carry forever. Here are 15 heartfelt, low-energy Christmas activities designed specifically for families in the sandwich...
Winterizing the Chicken Coop & Run
December 15, 2025 in Chickens, Chickens & Animals, Faith & Family Life, Faith & Heart, Family Life, Homestead, Printables, Seasonal Living, Uncategorized, Winter Homestead
There’s something magical about winter settling over the homestead—quiet mornings, frosty fence posts, and chickens who suddenly walk like they’re wearing tiny insulated snow boots. But winter also brings new responsibilities, especially when it comes to chicken care. This year, we discovered we had an unexpected twist on the farm: One of our “Bahama” hens was actually a rooster! Yep. My daughter came running inside, insisting a coyote was howling near the coop. We rushed outside—only to find our rooster proudly puffed up, shaking himself with a wobbly, off-key “mrrrr-AAWWW!” He was literally finding his voice, and honestly, aren’t...
How to Add an Additional Chicken Run (DIY Plans & Instructions)
December 9, 2025 in Chickens, Chickens & Animals, DIY Projects, Homestead, Homestead Planners, Repairs & Builds
Expanding your run gives your flock more space, reduces pecking order battles, and lets them stretch their wings without roaming too far. Here is a simple plan sized for 6–10 chickens. Supplies Needed 2×4 lumber (treated or sealed) – approx. 10–12 pieces Hardware cloth (½”) – 50 ft roll Exterior screws Zip ties Hinges + latch for a small gate Roofing panels or corrugated plastic for a covered area Ground stakes or paver stones Step-by-Step Instructions 1. Choose Placement Attach the new run to an existing coop wall or current run. Aim for full sun in winter, partial shade...
Losing the Holiday Spirit: Finding Hope When One Season Feels Too Heavy
December 8, 2025 in Encouragement & Prayer, Faith & Family Life, Faith & Heart, Family Life, Holidays
The holidays don’t always come wrapped in twinkling lights and warm cinnamon scents. Occasionally they sneak in quietly, settling over us like a heavy blanket we didn’t ask for. This year, maybe you’re grieving the way things used to be. Maybe your family rhythm is different, your caregiving responsibilities are greater, or life simply feels too busy, too broken, or too burdened to celebrate well. On the homestead, seasons teach us a powerful truth: You cannot rush growth, healing, or joy. And the same applies to our hearts. As a caregiver, a wife, a mother, and a woman walking...
Advent on the Homestead
December 1, 2025 in Faith & Family Life, Faith & Heart, Holidays, Traditions & Celebrations
I didn’t grow up celebrating Advent. In fact, for many years, the word itself felt like something reserved for “more traditional” Christians or families who followed specific liturgical calendars. My family loved Christmas, of course—but Advent was just one of those words floating around that we never fully understood. If that’s you too, friend, take a deep breath. You’re not behind. You’re not “less Christian.” Advent is simply an invitation—one that many of us discover as adults—to slow down, make room for Jesus, and prepare our hearts for the miracle of God-with-us. And the homestead, with its rhythms, stillness,...