I cleaned out my pantry and refrigerator today. Boy, did I find some interesting stuff! Leftovers, half-eaten bags of snacks, old candy, and even a couple of impressive science-looking experiments that were taking on a life of their own. It was a mess. As I was tossing out the junk and reorganizing the shelves, I started thinking about how our hearts need to be cleaned out from time to time. I’m sure we all have some stuff in there that has gone sour or rotten that could make us sick. Maybe some leftovers. Or some things that we meant to

Parents do a variety of things to protect their children: childproof the home (inside and out), use car seats, monitor food and small toys for potential choking hazards, hold hands with the child when crossing the street, check references for childcare providers, teach “stranger danger,” learn first aid and CPR, etc.  But one of the most important things we need to be doing as parents comes from the book of Proverbs, chapter 4, verse 23:   “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Just as our children are dependent on us for their natural needs,