Hands up if you’ve started your Christmas shopping? Even if you’re the last minute type, I can almost guarantee you’ve got a list somewhere - even if it’s only in your head! You may even have managed to add a bottle of Shloer or a jar of cranberry sauce to the weekly shop.

Our next Overnight Getaway is just around the corner and preparations are underway for another fantastic weekend! The theme this month is “What am I afraid of? Strong Roots, Brave Voice: Living with Virtue in a Complicated World” and we’re thrilled to welcome Alex Loewe as one of our speakers.

Years ago, when I started out on my teaching career, I heard the phrase “education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.” Although it has been attributed to the great Irish poet, W.B. Yeats, there’s actually no definitive proof that he ever said it.

I remember once having a conversation with another mother, who was understandably exasperated at her children’s inability to get themselves ready for the school day. As we chatted, a few others joined in and agreed that even the simplest of tasks seemed impossible.

Earlier this week, I stumbled across a few Instagram posts extolling the virtues of self-care. Which was probably understandable given the fact that Mother’s Day is celebrated this month and we all know mothers need a little TLC.

Maybe you’ve been distracted by the run-up to Christmas - frantically buying last-minute gifts, worrying about the budget that was stretched too far or dealing with tough family dynamics. To quote the well-known cliché, we can end up forgetting the real reason for the season - God made man - and that all these things we do, are a means not an end.

Recently I asked my youngest daughter if she was excited about starting back to school. Like most little children, she lives completely in the present and it took her a moment or two to even consider what it might be like following the routine of a school day again. Eventually she said “it’ll be nice to see my friends again.”

Looking back on it now, I don't think I really knew what to expect when I got married. The man I had chosen to spend the rest of my life with was my best friend, and a part of me believed that once we were married, life would be perfect.

But when I talk about culture here, I’m referring to the beliefs and attitudes that permeate our homes - our own unique family culture that sets us apart and binds our family together. Here are 3 ways to begin building the culture in your family.

Whether we realise it or not, the various parts of our lives can either be helped or hindered by the thoughts we allow ourselves to have. Take a moment just to ‘think’ of all the thoughts you might have in a day and then ask yourself…are they always helpful or do they sometimes hold me back?

How many times do we tell ourselves stories that actually hold us back from achieving the things we want in a day? I’m not talking about huge tasks. Very often, these are simple, normal, everyday things. Perhaps wanting to read more, or wanting to exercise more.

What if instead of having to live your one life one day at a time, you could sample every life you could possibly have? Would you be happier? Would you find “the one?” The life in which everything fits? We don’t have a problem owning our smaller decisions, because the consequences are limited. But bigger decisions can be harder to own, to find peace with them.

Mary is Jesus' mum. Mary was with Jesus his whole life. What does that tell us about Mary's role in His life?

One of the great things about being the mother of a large family is that there is always someone to hand the baby to when you need a few minutes to get something done. One of my little girls is the ‘go-to’ second mum in the house and she delights in being her little brother’s first choice!

When we think of Easter at this time of time of year, with spring in the air and the end of winter we can be joyful. But it is also a feast that speaks of who God is and who we are. God who has died for us and we, his children who are so loved.

About a month ago as I was making my way down to bed, I began tapping on my phone to set my alarm for the next morning. Suddenly the screen froze completely. Realising quickly that frantic continuation of the tapping wasn’t going to fix it anytime soon, I did what any good IT expert would do … turned it off and on again. Unfortunately, nothing.

As a child, one of the first things I often heard people mention about Lent was to ask the question, “what are you giving up?” Random strangers or people who never seemed to talk about anything else to do with matters of faith, would suddenly speak about what they were ‘giving up.’ And the default was always chocolate and sweets!

At this time of year, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner we may find our thoughts are turning to things romantic! Whether or not you’re a staunch believer in the usefulness of Valentine’s in promoting love and affection, or you simply think it’s another money making racket, it’s hard to ignore the cupid’s arrows, cuddly teddies and heart shaped confectionery. All the typical Valentine’s paraphernalia!

Thick in the trenches of parenting small children and balancing professional work, I’ve had my fair share of overwhelm over the years, and in quiet moments of prayer I’ve often thought does God really care about all this? Does any of this actually matter to Him? Do I really matter to Him?

January is without doubt the time of renewal and fresh starts. When we think of January we think of resolutions and plans, objective and goals. Most of us have an idea of the things we want to do, or the ways in which we want to better ourselves. Whether it’s a change in diet, a new fitness regime, or a new skill we want to acquire.