The Sparrow's Home: Life is hard. God is good. We need each other.

Use these questions to break the ice ‘a Skittle’: An easy ice breaker for people who hate ice breakers.

May 7, 2021 by Susan 4 Comments

Low-pressure questions and candy ease tension and set the stage for people to have fun and get to know one another with this easy ice breaker. *Free Printable*

Ice breakers are not my favorite thing.

But getting to know people is not unpleasant. Candy is not unpleasant.

So when I needed to come up with a new way to engage a class in a sharing activity, my mind went to a couple of other things I’ve done before. (Why re-invent the wheel, right?)

I thought of a question activity where folks got to choose the question they wanted to answer. Because isn’t it always the case that when you get assigned a question, you always wish you had the question someone else gets??

And I thought of an M&M Ice Breaker activity that is a lot of fun. Because…chocolate.

Liking both of these ideas, I decided to combine them to create something new!

The beautiful children’s book that tackles loneliness, fear, & the vulnerability it takes to find connection.

April 6, 2021 by Susan 6 Comments

A lovely children’s book to teach kids to reach out to the lonely, encouragement be kind, or just to enjoy reading with your favorite little person.

Every once in awhile you stumble upon something remarkably great.

I was looking for books to use in the literature-based class I teach at a homeschool co-op when I found a book to order that I thought would fit nicely into a theme of reaching out to the elderly, the lonely, especially during this season of separation that we’ve been enduring.

It wasn’t until it arrived and I read it in full, complete with the lovely illustrations that I wept and knew that this was no ordinary children’s book.

This book is not just for those with littles in their lives…trust me.

How to know the ‘next right thing’ to do in these uncertain times

March 1, 2021 by Susan Leave a Comment

In the midst of uncertainty and dark times, where do we look for wisdom to heal our churches that have suffered so, continue to intentionally love people, and improve our own relationship with God?

Guest Post

My friend Aaron Winner is a gifted worship leader and the kind of teacher every kid wishes they had. He lives in Williamston, South Carolina with his lovely wife, Jennifer, and their twin toddlers. Besides being ‘dada’, teaching eighth grade science & social studies, and leading worship at his church… in his spare time, he blogs. I’m so pleased to have him sharing with us here today.

Welcome, Aaron!

Frozen 2. IMHO — The lesser of the two Frozens.

I know. I’ve lost some of your already because – A. You think Frozen 2 is better than the original or – B. You despise or cringe at the Frozen genre all together, much less reading a post that begins this way.

While I could easily fill a blog with an argument of why Frozen is some of the best storytelling of all time, or list bullet points of why Frozen 2 is the lesser of the two, you must know that Frozen 1 & 2 are both staples in our household. We probably watch a little bit (and full disclosure, some days, a lotta bit) of Frozen several times a week because it settles toddler rage, let’s us catch our breath, and gives us snuggle time. With my watch count probably somewhere in the mid 20s, I feel l know both movies pretty intimately. The lines and lyrics invade my subconscious all the livelong day and cause me to chuckle, to feel a bit annoyed, or to contemplate their presence in my mind, as they do today, inspiring these words.

In my most recent viewings, there is one scene still catching my attention after the constant repeat of airplays.

100 Bible verses that say who you are, what defines you, and why you matter

February 1, 2021 by Susan 4 Comments

100 Bible verses that will remind you of your worth, your identity and how God sees you…in case you forget sometimes.

The way we view ourselves has been marred by decades of lies we’ve absorbed and it’s not hard to imagine that it would impact more than just how we feel about ourselves. Relationships, decisions, our faith…everything really.

And as hard as we try, we’re not going to find the truth in a self-help book (even if it’s really witty and well-written), from our friends (even if they are the best people on the planet), or “inside ourself” (insert eyeroll).

Nothing changes us like God’s word. So scroll through these verses and see what hits you, then see if you can put a verse or two to memory.

You’ll find a free, printable, version of all 100 verses at the bottom of the post, too!

When your child struggles with reading…finding a reading curriculum and resources that are easy to use is everything.

January 4, 2021 by Susan Leave a Comment

Whether you’re a veteran teacher, or phrases like “phonics” and “reading comprehension” freak you out…you will love this reading program for struggling readers.

I was compensated for my time in writing this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

When I receive inquiries about tutoring, reading comprehension is often at the top of the list of concerns for elementary aged students. It doesn’t seem to matter if I’m working with kids who are in homeschool, public, private, or charter school. Lots of kids struggle with reading comprehension.

I’m always on the lookout for resources to use with my clients, as well as things I can wholeheartedly recommend to readers here. And after using PRIDE Reading Program with my own students I thought, as we sometimes say around my house…quoting a movie we enjoy… “That’s a Bingo!”

The Absolute Best Cinnamon Rolls

December 7, 2020 by Susan 4 Comments

This simple recipe can be made even by a complete beginner but is still my go-to recipe for the very best cinnamon rolls ever. Soft and gooey, with a sweet, maple-flavored frosting they are everyone’s favorite!

I’m about to tell you an embarrassing secret about myself: I kind of hate it when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Awful, right? I mean, it is Jesus’ birthday, after all. As a Christian I always feel like I’m supposed to say, “What better place to celebrate!” and ring a bell, or something.

But the reason is what’s so embarrassing: It’s brunch.

Christmas brunch is quite literally my favorite meal of the entire year. And we skip it when Christmas falls on Sundays, dagnabit.

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