Looking through pictures for my last post, I began remembering how life had been and how good those days were. I liked my house. I loved our yard. Dan was there and was such an intentional dad with his kids. We had a vision for our family.

So much of that died with Dan. Part of grief is processing life as it was and will never be again.

We will always have a hole in our hearts.  I realize much of what we had is irreplaceable. But I do not want to just survive these years.

I want to live well, fully, with intention and joy and warm rhythm to our days. And I especially want my kids to have a beautiful childhood.

One of the hardest things for me has been to re-establish a sense of family. Every family has a culture, built on traditions and shared experiences and inside jokes. What do you do what you are grieving the family you no longer have? 

Proverbs 14:1 says the wise woman builds her home.

For the rest of October, I’m going to be very intentional to re-build the traditions and laughter and rhythm into our home. I’m taking the 31 Day Challenge here. (Yes, a day late. See? That’s how it’s been around here!) You can scroll down to click to each day’s post or subscribe at the top of this page.

God promises to restore the years that the locusts have eaten.

I know it will be different but I want our family days filled to the full with every bit of goodness and grace and joy and love that we can eke out of them.  God has done so much healing in our life and I trust Him to bring this healing as well.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

*     *     *

Day 2::   {re}building family with Play
Day 3::   {re}building family by Parenting Without Fear
Day 4::   Sabbath rest
Day 5::   {re}building family: Dinner at the Table
Day 6::   {re}building family by Praying Scripture for Our Children
Day 7::   {re}building family by Smiling More!
Day 8::   {re}building family: not just writing about it
Day 9::   {re}building family: All Things Work Together for Good
Day 10: {re}building family: One-on-One Time w/ Each Child
Day 11:: Sabbath rest
Day 12:: {re}building family: Words to Live By
Day 13:: {re}building family: Hands Free Parenting
Day 14:: {re}building family: Our Kindergarten Teacher’s Best Ever Advice
Day 15:: Sabbath rest
Day 16::  {re}building family: Monday Night Football
Day 17::  {re}building family: Giving Out of Need
Day 18::  Sabbath rest
Day 19::  {re}building family: 6 Things Every Parent Should Say
Day 20::  {re}building family: Paradoxes in Parenting

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