I read a book last week called The Art of Making Memories. It was fascinating, though nothing like I expected. In this week's episode, I share what I learned and what I think of this work.

- John 16:21 - "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world."

- Deuteronomy 11:19 - "Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

- Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

- John 10:10 - "...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

- The Art of Making Memories by Meik Wiking

- Episode 28 - Bible Memory Tips

- Episode 85 - Memorize Proverbs 3 with Me

- M Is for Mama - Abbie Halberstadt's birth stories

- Glad Tidings - the first 25 years of Flanders Family Christmas Letters

- Monthly Holidays & Quirky Celebrations - and free printables and other fun resources for enjoying them to the full

Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -weekly themed link lists of free resources

Instagram: @flanders_family - follow for more great content

Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life - parenting tips, homeschool help, lprintables

Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home- encouragement for wives, mothers, believers

Each and every one of us has been born with qualities that cannot be altered and into circumstances beyond our control. The question is, how will you approach the unchangeables in your life? Will you learn to accept and live with them (and maybe even appreciate them)? Or will you allow bitterness and resentment over those unchangeables fester in the depths of your heart? The choice you make will have a profound impact on the purpose and contentment you find in life.

1 Peter 5:7 - "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Psalm 68:5 - "Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy."

Matthew 25:15 - "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey."

1 Thessalonians 5:11 - "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

James 3:14-16 - "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing."

Genesis 3:19 - "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

James 4:14 - "You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

Psalm 90:12 - "Teach us to number our days so that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.”

Psalm 139:13-16 - "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."

Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Serenity Prayer (attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr)

Praying for Your Parents (my free printable prayer guide)

The Long Winter (book by Laura Ingalls Wilder)

"How Can I Accept Myself the Way God Made Me" (impactful teaching I first heard at an IBLP seminar)

On Becoming Free Indeed (my review of Jinger Duggar's book )

Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -weekly themed link lists of free resources

Instagram: @flanders_family - follow for more great content

Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life - parenting tips, homeschool help, lprintables

Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home- encouragement for wives, mothers, believers

Father's Day is less than a week away, so I thought this would be a wonderful time to share a story about my father. I have lots of cherished memories to choose from, but this is one of my all-time favorites.

I'm sure that, in the midst of the childhood crisis I was experiencing at the time, my dad never dreamed what a lasting and long-reaching effect of his response would have in my life, but it did.

1 John 3:1 - “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”

Romans 8:38 - “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 1:12 - “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”

5 Lessons I Learned by Losing a Diamond

Fathers Matter (Every Day of the Year)

A Letter to My Father

Free Printable Prayer for Fathers

A Hero in the Making: Like Father, Like Son

Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -weekly themed link lists of free resources

Instagram: @flanders_family - follow for more great content

Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life - parenting tips, homeschool help, lprintables

Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home- encouragement for wives, mothers, believers

Our oldest son just celebrated his 37th birthday and told us over dinner what he considers the two most important and impactful things his dad and I did for him growing up, so I'm unpacking both this week's episode. I hope you'll listen in.

James 1:23-25 -“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who ....”

Psalms 1:3 - “...his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Matthew 5:20 - “Unless your righteousness surpasses the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees....”

Matthew 23:27 - “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs....”

Romans 8:26 - "...the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words."

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 - “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and....”

Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Psalm 51:10 - “Create in me a clean heart, O God!"

Romans 8:28 - "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God...."

1 Corinthians 3:6 - "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth."

Matthew 25:23 - "Well done, my good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your Master.”

Lies Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

EP 28: Bible Memory Tips & Tricks

EP 85: Memorize Proverbs 3 with Me

EP 55: Smoothing Your Child’s Passage to Adulthood

31 Verses to Pray over Your Child

Praying for Your Unborn Child

Praying for Your Children from Head to Toe

Our Teens Need Prayer

Praying for Your Adult Child

Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -weekly themed link lists of free resources

Instagram: @flanders_family - follow for more great content

Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life - parenting tips, homeschool help, lprintables

Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home- encouragement for wives, mothers, believers

The best way I know to "meditate day and night" on the Word of God is to commit large portions of Scripture to memory. Then you'll always have it with you. Want an easier way to do that? Listen in to Loving Life at Home for a simple, straightforward way to memorize Proverbs 3 with me -- the entire chapter.

Proverbs 3

Psalm 119:97

EP 28: Bible Memory Tips

Memorization Toolbox by Abigail Martin

Pretty Printable Copy of Proverbs 3

Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -weekly themed link lists of free resources

Instagram: @flanders_family - follow for more great content

Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life - parenting tips, homeschool help, lprintables

Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home- encouragement for wives, mothers, believers

Several months ago, a reader named Donna sent me the following request: “I’d love to hear your summary or take away of how not to diet but lose weight."

So on this week's episode, I'm discussing Dr. Michael Greger's book, How Not to Diet, and the amazing effects implementing his suggestions have had on my health, weight, and energy levels.

Psalm 139:16 - "Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."

How Not to Diet - by Michael Greger: "The Groundbreaking Science of Healthy, Permanent Weight Loss"

How Not to Die - by Michael Greger: "Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease"

How Not to Age - by Michael Greger: "The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older"

nutritionfacts.org - Michael Greger's informative website (excellent!)

Daily Dozen App - use to track progress on your smart phone (on 12 foods &/or 21 tweaks)

Daily Dozen free printable chart - I keep this one posted on my refrigerator as a reminder

Episode 52: Helping Your Husband Make Better Food Choices

Episode 70: Unwrapping Cancer for Christmas

Garlicky Lentil Soup Recipe - a Flanders' family favorite

Winkie’s Tonic - a natural antibiotic with an apple cider vinegar base

Bigelow Matcha Green with Turmeric - my favorite green tea (I drink 3 cups daily)

M is for Mama - my friend Abbie's website (w/links to her books & podcast) - hope you'll check them out!

- Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies - (weekly themed link lists of free resources)

- Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content

- Shop my books: Flanders Family Store

- Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, free printables)

- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so that’s what I’d like to discuss on the podcast this week. Even if giving birth to you is all your mother ever did, she would still be worthy of your gratitude and respect. But for most of our moms, the end of labor and delivery was when the real work began.

Ephesians 6:2-3 - "Honor your father and your mother --which is the first commandment with a promise--that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.”

Proverbs 31:28-29 - “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also praises her saying, ‘Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.’”

Leviticus 19:3 - “Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must keep My Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.”

Proverbs 23:22 - “Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”

Matthew 15:4 - “For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’”

1 Corinthians 12:17- 18 - “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? [Or] If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design.”

EP 2: Dealing with Difficult In-Laws - the wonderful relationship we enjoy today makes me glad I didn't give up

BBC Documentary with Miriam Margolyes - scroll halfway down this post to view our 12-minute segment

A Christian Home - the hymn I sang at the end of this episode

- Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies - (weekly themed link lists of free resources)

- Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content

- Shop my books: Flanders Family Store

- Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, free printables)

- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Much of the material from this week's podcast comes from a blog post I wrote on cultivating contentment over a decade ago, but the same strategy still works today. If you've ever found yourself fixating on your problems, stewing about things over which you have no control, or struggling to "rejoice in all circumstances," this episode is for you!

1 Timothy 6:6-8 – “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.....”

Philippians 4:11-12 – “... I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances....”

2 Corinthians 12:10 - “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships....”

Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have....”

Proverbs 19:23 – “The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”

Proverbs 14:30 – “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

Proverbs 15:15 – “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

Ecclesiastes 6:9 - “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have....”

Ecclesiastes 5:10 – “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied....”

Luke 12:19 – “And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy....’"

EP 10 – We Find What We Look For

EP 19 - Amazing Stories of God's Provision

EP 51 – Waiting in a Way that Honors God

EP 61 – How to Handle Deep Regrets

EP 81 – When You’re Barely Treading Water

Free Printable - Empty Nest List

Free Printable - Do It Now List

- Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies - (weekly themed link lists of free resources)

- Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content

- Shop my books: Flanders Family Store

- Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, free printables)

- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)