About

An Update

I started this blog in January 2018, before the birth of our fifth child. At the time, our children were 5, 3, 2 and 1. ‘Testing toddlers and nighttime wake ups’ were the norm in our home.

Now our youngest is long past the toddler stage and things look quite different. (Although the relentless chores have not eased up just yet!)

We are still home educating, and now dipping our toes into the waters of exams and qualifications for our eldest children.

Our oversized ruler no longer hangs at the bottom of the stairs. It is gathering dust in our garage. But the sentiment written across the front of it remains at the forefront of my mind. ‘Love Grows in our Family’.

Love, like any valuable crop, does not grow without careful cultivation. And cultivation is a skill that needs to be practiced.

Just as weather patterns and ground conditions constantly change, so do life’s circumstances. The Bible has proved itself trustworthy to speak to all the complexities we have encountered thus far. So, I am continuing to seek guidance from God’s word, as we navigate the ever-changing terrain of family life. This blog remains my way of sharing that journey.

Through trial and error, listening to good advice, and consistently practicing what we learn, love can blossom and bear fruit in our lives.

My children do not use spoons and crayons as avidly as they once did. But I still believe in expressing love in practical ways – sitting around a table, sharing food and conversation, and providing tools for them to learn to express their thoughts.

Along with observations on passages from the Bible that have spoken to me on my journey, I write about practical resources that have blessed the family. Sometimes that might be a recipe, a particular book or curriculum, or a craft activity.

It is my prayer that this blog blesses you and that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment (Philippians 1:9).

Jan 2018

In our home we have an over-sized, wooden ruler. “Love grows in our family” is written across the front of it.

Caring for children is challenging. Testing toddlers, night time wake ups and relentless chores can make it easy to become grumpy and annoyed. Sometimes simply maintaining love can feel like a struggle. At worst, love can feel like it is diminishing. Yet our love toward one another ought to be increasing.

How can we ensure love is growing in our families?

I believe the answer can be found in God’s word. So I am searching the Bible and seeking God’s guidance to find out what I can do to love my husband and children more. Spoons and Crayons is my way of sharing this journey in the hope it will bless and encourage others in a similar situation.

Love is more than a feeling. Real love is expressed in actions. Consequently, with each blog post I try to include a practical way that we can provide for our families – e.g. with a recipe or craft idea.

We sustain our family with what we put on the end of their spoons. We nurture the minds of our little ones when we direct their crayons.