Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

Hello, March!

by Leave a Comment

Hello, March! 

Honestly, I’m glad you’re here. I’m going to need to recap February, just for documenting purposes and while hoping spring truly comes this month.

Cate came home early from school the first Monday of the month because she (and her class, and turns out probably her whole basketball team) was exposed to Covid. Ben came home early the next day because he didn’t feel good. He had strep throat. His Covid test was negative. 

My mother-in-law Peggy, who had quadruple bypass heart surgery on Jan. 4 and recovered at our house, had an issue with her incision the same day Ben was sick, so I actually was on the way to the surgeon’s office an hour away when Ben called. Her incision was fine, but I’m glad we got it looked at and brought some advice home. 

Rachel’s preschool teacher was exposed through a different student not in that class so Rachel didn’t go to school that week either. The irony of the Covid cases at school was the timing. We hadn’t had any students and only one teacher test positive while school was in session since August. Then the week multiple middle & high school students then teachers tested positive, several of us were able to get Covid vaccines. I’m thankful my part-time job at the school gave me the opportunity to get a vaccine.

On Thursday that first week of February, Cate started feeling tired and achy. She was up in the middle of the night with severe chills. I took her to get Covid tested on Friday morning. The rapid test said she had flu A, but we also did a send-off Covid test, which came back positive on Monday morning.

We all – including Peggy who was still with us – quarantined. Then on Monday, Ben’s teacher started with Covid symptoms so she and the students who had been at school were quarantined at this point too. Miraculously, nobody else at my house got Covid and a Cate was a champ quarantining in her little sister’s hot pink room while her Gran-Gran was living in her bedroom. (I shared some on Instagram here and here, if you want to read more about our Covid experience.)

Ice closed the school that second week of February – not that my kids were going at that point anyway. Then on Valentine’s Day, our last day of quarantine, we had a snowstorm. It snowed multiple inches multiple times that week. (Yes, of course, I posted some snow pictures here and here and here and here.)

On Monday, Feb. 22, all three kids returned to school after three weeks at home. The same day, the heart surgeon cleared Peggy to resume normal life, so she moved home that Tuesday after more than six weeks at our house. My sweet mother-in-law celebrated her 70th birthday on Saturday.

Last seemed incredibly busy because I was catching up on things with our vacation rentals, taxiing kids to and from school and basketball games, following up on emails and phone calls I’d put off, and sitting at the orthodontist’s parking lot for two hours while the dentist caught up on Cate’s mouth.

On Thursday, during one of those taxi services, I was rear-ended while stopped at a red light. At first I didn’t think much was wrong with my van, but I soon realized the trunk isn’t working properly. It’s dented right at the latch, so the vehicle thinks the trunk is open when it’s not and now it doesn’t actually open at all. We went to Walmart on Saturday morning, and I had to crawl into the back seat to get the things we put back there. A body shop is waiting on the green light from the insurance to repair my van, which, of course, really just seems like something else to deal with at this point.

We were on the way to church on Sunday morning when our road started flooding. We ended up not going to church. While watching church online, we heard what sounded like thunder and looked out our front window to see a mental culvert from our road not where it belonged. About an hour later, we heard the sound again. This time the second culvert from the same spot in our road was floating down the creek. Not long after, a third culvert, not belonging in our road, floated down from somewhere. We had almost four inches of rain in the morning hours Sunday. Once the water receded we saw just how destroyed our road is. It rained more that night. (See photos here!)

At this point, we are thankful for a house on higher ground, where we’ve been sheltered from so much this month. We’re thankful there’s another way out, and the school taxi commute is only about five minutes longer than usual. We’re thankful for health and each other and God’s goodness and provisions even when – perhaps especially when – we have no idea what’s around the next corner.

How was your February?

3 Ways to Boost Our Kids’ Confidence

by Leave a Comment

Perhaps one of the most important gifts a parent can give a child is teaching them to be confident. Of course, there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. For instance, teaching children to make justifications or excuses for every mistake will certainly leave them able to defend their pride quite readily but unable to truly connect with others as part of a team.

I often think: I want to raise kids who love Jesus and take responsibility. For me, that seems like a great combination for confidence too.

As much as I wish I could teach my kids all of life’s lessons one afternoon, that’s not reality. Parenting and teaching is a marathon with lessons coming in small doses over long periods of actually living.

Let’s consider then, how healthily boosting a child’s confidence can be achieved, what that even means, and how this can help your child grow up believing in themselves but also humble enough to know where they could improve. (Yeah, at 41 years old, I am still learning right alongside my kids.

Positive Encouragement

Positive encouragement is essential when caring for our children. We must make sure they feel as if we’re noticing their efforts, such as sharing toys with a sibling, taking turns, or even trying to unload the dishwasher. Of course, it’s also nice to compliment our children and help them feel good about their behavior. I know, it’s hard sometimes, especially with my personality that naturally seems all the room for possible improvement! I do want to praise my kids in our everyday moments because I know it’s valuable.

Socialization

Socialization is an essential part of making sure your child develops healthily. They can often get this from the best childcare services and schools – those that understand how children work in a social environment, how positive cues can increase their confidence, and how exposure to other children can help them develop healthy life skills.

I’m grateful my kids’ school believes in teaching more than academics and aims to equip students to grow into Christ-following people.  Yes, sometimes involving other people in our lives means we have to manage conflict, especially with other kids are who also learning. Socialization is so valuable even the hard parts are worth it.

Discipline & Reward

Discipline and reward go together quite nicely when we make use of it. (Yes, more than 13 years into parenting, and I still have to remind myself to be consistent!)

We use a marble jar for two of our kids. They earn marbles for completing daily tasks and chores, such as getting ready in the morning, cleaning their rooms, unloading the dishwasher, being kind to their siblings, and not complaining about dinner. Of course, they may also lose marbles for not completing tasks or behaving as expected. They can cash their marbles in for treats, extra screen time, or the freedom to choose dinner. This teaches them the foundational aspects of responsibility and reminds them of what they can achieve.

How have you seen a child’s confidence boosted?

Songs of Hope

by 1 Comment

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”

– Psalm 68:5-6 NIV

I want those who feel lonely to find rest in my home and companionship in our family. God’s ways as a father and defender were present as He built our family through three adoptions, but I don’t want us welcoming others in to stop there.

In the ESV translation of Psalm 68, verse 6 reads “God settle the solitary in a home …” This is about belonging. In other words, we are not meant to do this life alone.

*****

I contributed a devotional about Psalm 68 to “Songs of Hope (Vol. 2)“, which was compiled by fellow writers Keri Snyder & Sarah Frazier. This devotional spends 31 days in the Psalms.

We all need to sing some songs of hope, don’t we? Regardless of the disappointments and interruptions we face, we can still cling to hope. Of course, we want some rest from the weary, overwhelming parts of life. But so often we all seek the wrong answers.

“Songs of Hope” offers encouraging truth to bring hope to your weary soul. The devotional is a digital product so you receive the PDF immediately and can read it on any device. The purchase also comes with a 31-day reading plan and printable verse card. Right now, it’s on sale for $7 but will return to the usual $10 price soon. (Buy here!)

There’s also a first volume of this devotional book by the same name.

*****

In my contribution, I talk about how God built a sanctuary for me at our house in the country and how I want to share that with others. I end the devotional with these questions and a prayer:

  1. Where in your life can you invite others in with you?
  2. What places and peoples are places of refuge from loneliness for you?
  3. How has God been your father and defender?

Father God, let my home be a sanctuary where I draw nearer to you and a place where others can settle in. Set those who are lonely in meaningful relationships so we can go forth with singing. In Jesus’ name, amen.

*****

These links are affiliate links, so I will earn a small amount from your purchase, but I’m sharing this product because I’m proud to be a small part of this project that will encourage many.