Josiah's Calling

Josiah believes that God is calling him to be a missionary.  Recently he attended the World Vision 30 hour famine at our church and this is his story...

During the 30 hour famine I learned how God can use just a little to do a lot, and how very little people in different parts of Africa and other countries have.  Often time in American we get caught up in all our own stuff and never take time to listen to God.  However, when we take time to listen we can hear God and listen to what He's calling us to do and to be obedient to follow.

So, as I was saying, when I did the famine at church I felt God touch my heart and felt him opening up my heart to listen to what He had to say.  I heard Him calling me to be a missionary and to open the Word of God to other countries. 

When I got home and then went to church on Sunday I saw the Guatemala mission trip in the bulletin and I thought, "This must not be a coincidence."  So later I asked my mom if I could go to the meeting.  She told me to ask her later so I did.

On Tuesday I asked and we both went and learned more about the mission trip.  We learned that we needed to raise $1800.  So now I would kindly ask if you would like to donate to help us be able to help those in Guatemala who need spiritual and physical help?  We would be grateful.

Sincerely,

Josiah

The mission trip to Guatemala is one led by The Webers from our church.  We will be going as part of a team.  The focus is medical, building, and going to the Palencia school.  Josiah's focus would be working with the children during the time that the adults are in the medical clinics.  The trip is in June

If you are interested in joining Josiah as a partner in the mission trip, you can write a check to First Presbyterian Church and send it to our home address.

In His Image

Designed to Create...

I remember from my earliest school days writing.  Not sitting down at the school desk and completing assignments but WRITING.  I would create my own books.  I would take two pieces of construction paper and cut out a shape and then cut lined papers to match the shape and write within the pages of that book.  They were adventure stories, with me of course, being the main character of my book.   My heart's desire was to create...and maybe someday, to have my name on the outside binding of a book.  Published. 

Heading off to college that dream died quickly.  No, I didn't head into my college years with the vision of becoming an author.  I shot for an attainable goal, to become a teacher. I achieved that goal and went on to teach for several years (and loved it).   But somehow, that love of writing, and the ability to communicate with written words didn't disappear.  For you see, it wasn't just a crazy notion, it was how I was designed. 

In His Image.  In Genesis 1:26 God said, "Let us make man in our image..."

What does that mean?  Does it mean I look just like him?  No, but I was made to be like him, his nature, his character. Of course, that was all damaged in the fall, and man forever since has been trying to be god himself, rather than to reflect his Creator. 

However we all have this innate desire to create, to build, to bring beauty...all because we are made to be like Him, our Creator

I see it in the hands of my boys and their creations...Lego's, first built to look like the picture on the box, and then taking on a new design to fit their dreams on that day.  I see it in my little girls that love to draw and color.  I see it in the fingers of my oldest, who has spent untold hours clicking away at the keyboard, on her way to be an author.  (She has written several books and is hopefully on the way to get this one published!) 

Over the years my writing has been mostly in journals and prayer letters.  Occasionally I'll come up with a new idea and run with it, but at this season motherhood is in full swing.  I have no doubt that God has given me a love to write for His purpose and glory.  Someday maybe I'll write that book and be published...or maybe my love of writing will carried on into the next generation and I'll see my dream fulfilled in the lives of my children. 

Of course I do have works in progress...and maybe once Courtney gets published, I'll be on the way too!

One Thousand Gifts

Some time last year someone mentioned the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  The title intrigued me and I picked it up thinking it would be a great read.  Although it was a great book to read, it was much more than that...it was a challenge to "live life fully right where I am".  It is a challenge to look at life differently, to see the little things in life that are often missed and to give thanks in them. 

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 we are instructed to:

"Be joyful always;

pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

In giving thanks it changes the focus off of me and puts my focus back on God.  In giving thanks it causes my heart to grow in contentment rather than in discouragement or complaining.  My list of gratitude has not been just words scrawled across a page in a journal, but in a transformation of heart.  Thankfulness is transformational.  Looking at all of life as a gift is a gift in itself. 

My list of One Thousand began with...

1. Blue sky peeking through the clouds
2. Hugs from children
3. Laughter
4. Flowers waiting to be born
5. Trees waiting for spring to burst into bloom
6. Eyes with which to see (and read)
7. Children learning to read
8. Sharpened pencils
9. My husband
10. God who has blessed us with His Gift

At the beginning of 2012, when I decided to do things a little differently with my children, I got them journals too and together we are recording the things that we are choosing to be thankful for.  What a treasure it is to begin our school day with 5-10 minutes of us taking time to reflect on and record the gifts in our lives.  To me, it has been an incredible gift to treasure these moments with my children and to encourage them in giving of thanks.  To see my children growing in thankfulness is a GIFT! 

An Innocent Spill

"QUICK!  GRAB THE B-B-Q SAUCE!" I said to Caleb who had accidentally let it slip from his hands.  Unfortunately it had landed on the floor vent with the cap off and b-b-q sauce was quickly spilling from the opened container. 

The vent on the floor is perfectly situated for keeping us cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  Many times little feet can be found standing on it to warm up during the cold, winter months. 

It does however, have a major drawback.  Being so close to the kitchen table the vent also collects a lot of crumbs.  Tiny pieces of scraps that fall during a meal, or that are inadvertently swept in the wrong direction by a careless child are quickly gathered into its depths. 

After Caleb grabbed the bottle off the vent I took off the cover to wash it.  What I found underneath the vent cover was disgusting! Crumbs, dust, debris had been slowly building up over time unnoticed.  (Yes, it has been cleaned out several times before!)  But then I began to wonder...how much of my life is like that vent?

Daily I go about my tasks letting little things slip in unnoticed...an angry thought, a disappointment, a frustration with a situation.  Rather than taking it to the Lord, the crumbs fall into the hidden places of my heart and are forgotten.

Over time, my life may appear fine on the outside, but the inside is another story.  The crumbs don't just sit there innocently.  They cause the diseases of the heart to grow, to multiply.  And those little crumbs don't just stay put.  They come out in other ways...a harsh word, a lack of peace, discontentment, a critical spirit.

Just like the vent cover needed to be removed and the insides vacuumed out, so my heart also needs to be cleansed through confession of my sin and the work of the Holy Spirit. 

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

Psalm 139:23-24

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just

and will forgive us our sins and purify us from

any unrighteousness."

1 John 1:9

How thankful I am for God's forgiveness and grace.  Now, if I'd only remember to have Him check the "vent cover" of my heart a little more frequently!

An Encouragement for Moms

As a mom, it is so easy to get discouraged by the daily challenges of life and motherhood.  But how would you like a chance to get away and be encouraged by other women? 

In March, why not attend MomLife's Bootcamp at Pine Cove in Tyler, Texas?  Check out the video on the right sidebar to find out more about what MomLife Bootcamp is all about.

And, better yet, how about if you could win free registration for the event?  Check it out today.  Go to MomLife Boot Camp Giveaway and leave a comment to be entered to win!  I hope you do! 

Kindness

Yesterday I shared about prayer and my commitment to pray daily for my children using the book  

While They Are Sleeping: 12 Character Traits to Pray for Your Child.  Today, I had an inspiration of how to help develop the character qualities in my children using the poster and certificate set that corresponds with the book.   Each poster has one of the character qualities, what it means, and also a verse that goes along with it.

I covered the posters with contact paper and hung them near the table where we do school.  The character quality will not only be the focus of my prayers for my children, but it will also be the focus of the teaching for the same amount of time. 

FamilyLife also has some beautiful certificates to go along with each of the character qualities.  But, with seven children, the organization of award certificates is more than I realistically wanted to deal with...so I decided to cover the certificate with contact paper as well and place it on the wall next to the poster.  When I see a child consistently exhibiting a particular character quality, I will write their name on the certificate with a dry erase marker.  That way I can reuse the certificates and give incentives for my children to actively participate in the quality we are studying. 

I also thought I would allow my older children to look for ways other siblings are showing the character quality and let them write a name on the certificate as well.  Not only would it help them learn to look for kindness (for example) but it would help them to continue to cultivate kindness in their hearts as they look for it in the lives of their brothers and sisters. 

How do you help your children grow in kindness? 



A Confession

Okay, I'll admit it.  One area I am weak in is prayer.  I love to spend time reading and studying the Bible.  I love to write and contemplate, but when it comes to prayer I get so easily distracted. 

Perhaps it is the little ones that seem to get up just when I should be praying.  Maybe it is the older ones that are preparing for school. Or maybe it is because prayer is a battle.  It isn't just a battle to pray, but when we pray when enter the battle for the hearts and minds of our children. 

When our oldest ones were little and went to bed early, Tom and I would go into their rooms after they were asleep and pray over them.  We were united and our children were covered in prayer.  As life got busy, somehow this important event got put on the back burner.  It wasn't that we weren't praying, but it was no longer consistent and intentional.  Prayer became more of a 911 emergency call, rather than consistently planting and weeding a garden. 

One book that I have decided to use this year to help in my prayers for my children is While They are Sleeping: 12 Character Traits to Pray for Your Child.  It is a beautiful book focused on consistent prayer and application.  There are 12 chapters, each focused on one character trait with five days of prayer per trait.  There is also you and me time, live it out, and a journal area to record answers that you see to your prayers. 

I like the idea of focusing on kindness, humility, teachability, forgiveness, obedience, discernment, purity, responsibility, courage, servanthood, contentment, and endurance.  I know that at the end of this year I will see a difference in my children, but I will be different as well.  Prayer does that.  It changes the situation, but more importantly it changes the one praying.  Spending time at the feet of Jesus does that. 

I am excited for this adventure.  Anyone else want to join me this year as we consistently lift our children before the Lord?

A New Year, A New Perspective

As a former public school educator education has always been important to me.  I was the first in my immediate family to go to college, earn a degree and go on to get a master's degree.  I love learning and I think passing on that love for learning is important in teaching and parenting too. 

 

But how much of my focus has been on turning out children to succeed in the educational arena?  Our oldest was taught at home until 9th grade, went to a private school for two years, and then the public school for two years.  She exceeded in her studies.  So much like her mother, she loves to study and to learn.  Thankfully, she also has a heart to love and serve the Lord.

 

The questioning of myself has been on just "getting the job done".  With seven children, four of which are still learning at home (and a preschooler too) much of my day is focused on just getting done the bare necessities. 

 

God has used the last few months to convict my heart.  Perhaps some of it is due to a child who is very smart, but doesn't like to complete his assignments.  I know he can get straight A's but that is not his priority.  His priority is friends. 

 

In my attempts to get him to  "do what needs to be done" I am pushing him away and it is creating tension in our home. Yes, he does need to be held accountable and do the best he can do, but, in my focus on his scores alone I have left out something more important...his character and True Greatness.  In Tim Kimmel's book, Raising Kids for True Greatness he challenges parents to strive not only for their kids to succeed but to reach greatness.  Here is an excerpt from his book:

One date in recent history permanently seared its mark onto America’s conscience: September 11, 2001. This defining moment exposed the best and the worst things about us. It forced us to look in the mirror as a nation and ask ourselves what really matters.

The terrorists who slammed airplanes into the World Trade Center caught us completely off guard. In the middle of a business-as-usual morning, they showed us how naive we were about the magnitude of their hate and the extent to which we could be humbled by their violence.

Many successful people found themselves trapped in the clutches of this ghastly event. At 9:03 that Tuesday morning, their SAT scores and the cars they drove to work meant nothing. There was very little that their pedigrees and résumés could do for them. The famous as well as the obscure became equals in the statistics. In the Twin Towers, “Who’s Who” died side by side with “Who’s he?”

But in the midst of this crisis, there were magnificent people who responded to the urgency of the moment and gave everything they had for the sake of others. As the successful rushed down the stairs of the World Trade Center, the truly great ran up. As the well-heeled and comfortable ran for their lives, the truly great slipped inside the nightmare to see what they could do to help those who were left behind.

And after the smoke cleared, thousands of truly great people stepped out from their quiet positions within the ranks of successful Americans and opened their hearts and their wallets to those whose lives had been shattered by this cataclysmic event.

Isn’t it ironic that as a nation we worship those who are successful, but when tragedy strikes, our survival depends upon those who are great? A cry for help is always answered first by people who live for something more valuable than their own fame or fortune. They respond even though there isn’t a thing in it for them.

That’s why, when it’s time to bury our dead, we mourn the loss of those
who were successful, but we celebrate the memory of those who were truly great—the firefighters, the EMTs, the rescue workers, and the countless civilians who sacrificed everything they had for people they’d never met.

Truly great people seldom simply happen; they are carefully groomed for the moment long before they are forced to face it. Long before they get to these challenges, so many of them have lived within the proving grounds of a family that inspired them to true greatness.

An excerpt taken from Raising Kids For True Greatness, pp 11-12, Tim Kimmel, Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Isn't that inspirational?  I want my children to be truly great in the eyes of the Lord.  I want them to seek to serve, rather than to be served.  I want them to follow the example of Jesus, who lived to give his life for others. 

That kind of life will not be learned in the pressures of daily life, with a focus on schooling alone.  It is an intentional life, one that is not only taught but caught.  As a mom, my life needs to first reflect love for my Savior and to set an example of living for others and not for my schedule alone. 

For this new year my focus will be differnt and my teaching of my children will be different.  Yes, they will still need to accomplish their daily assignments and tasks, but in the midst of life, I want to help them to get a glimpse of greatness beyond themselves. 

I hope to achieve this by a few intentional things:

• Pray diligently for my children
• Help them establish good, healthy routinues in their daily lives.  One thing I am going to try is a daily planner by Ann Voskamp from A Holy Experience
• Read great books.  Since most of my children are taught at home I can have an impact on what they read.  This year I am committed for them to read great literature and heroes of the faith.  I want them to get a glimpse of others who had a bigger picture than themselves.

If you have any other ideas I'd love for you to share them below so together we can help our children reach for true greatness

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Christmas Breakfast

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of my favorite childrens' books.  A tiny caterpillar slowly eats his way through the week and various objects of food.  It's an adorable story and I have always enjoyed reading with my children.  But when a real caterpillar shows up in breakfast...well, that's another story.

The table was set with fruit, quiche, bacon, and a birthday cake for Jesus.  We were half way through breakfast when Benjamin said, "Something is moving in my food."  He continued with, "There is a caterpillar in my cake!"  Much to his dismay, his breakfast was ruined. 

It didn't matter that the caterpillar most likely came from the raspberries, there was no way he would eat another bite (and I don't really blame him!)

No matter how much time and energy go into planning the perfect Christmas breakfast (or some other event) the little unexpected things in life can try and steal away our joy and peace.  If my hope had been in everyone having a perfect meal and meaningful conversations around the table, then my Christmas breakfast would have been ruined too.  But my hope is in the One we celebrated today - Jesus - and His hope never disappoints.

I did feel sorry for my son, whose stomach was a little queasy all day, but I do hope someday he can look back and laugh at the Christmas that a very hungry caterpillar got to enjoy his cake. 

After all, isn't it unexpected things, whether good or bad, that tend to stick in our memories for years to come?

A Different Kind of Labor

Over 18 years ago I had the joy of bringing my oldest into the world. It was a painful process, but there was joy at her arrival. Last weekend I had the privilege of taking her to college. From the day she was born she was destined for this, and I as her mother, had to undergo another kind of labor...the labor of letting go.

It was a new kind of birth...Courtney spreading her wings and finding out what God has designed her to be. There is joy in seeing her try out her wings and succeed. But there is death in this process too. The pain of childbirth has returned, not the physical contractions to bring new life into the world, but the emotional ones of letting go and trusting God to continue to do His will in her life. At the end of labor I had a child in my arms. At the end of this new kind of labor, my arms are empty of her embrace.

Isn't this what motherhood is all about? To give them wings so they can fly-to become who they were designed to be...but just as a kernel of wheat must die in order for new grain to grow, the season of mothering Courtney is also dying...to create new life in her. Oh, the dying is painful but I know that joy will come in the morning!

A Challenge

Last fall a good friend of mine was interviewed for MomLife Today. She was asked, "What is one thing you have done well in parenting?" Marilyn told the story of how she and her husband Don issued a challenge to each of their children when they reached the age of 13.

The challenge placed before each of their children was to read the Bible through in one year and write a commentary. For each and every chapter of the Bible they had to write a 2-3 sentence summary on the chapter. Each day they would read a chapter in the Old Testament, a chapter in the New Testament, a Psalm and a Proverb. If they completed the challenge within the year (with some grace allowed) they would receive a big prize of their choosing. (Marilyn mentioned each one chose something of their liking...a computer, clothes shopping, a sewing machine, etc).

My oldest two are well past the age of thirteen but I thought it would be a wonderful challenge, so we sat them down and gave them the opportunity to write a commentary as well. What an incredible gift...to have the knowledge of what is in the Word from beginning to end.

I am excited to see how spending the time in the Word and summarizing what each chapter is about will impact my children!

My next child is twelve and his birthday is in October. I had really thought about waiting awhile to issue this challenge to him. However, he WANTS to do this! He is so excited about the opportunity and it has blessed my heart tremendously! Thanks Marilyn, for sharing your words of wisdom!

Graduation

~Graduation...a time to celebrate~

On June 3rd we had the privilege of watching our oldest graduate from high school. We also had the chance to cheer her on as she gave the Salutatorian speech for her graduating class. We were so proud, not just of her achievement, but of who she is becoming to be. It is an honor to see her choose to walk in faith and to follow the giftings that God has placed on her life. Way to go Courtney! We are so proud of you!

Ingredients Matter

In honor of Courtney's 18th birthday, and because she has gone vegan, I decided to make her favorite German Chocolate Cake " vegan style". I found a great recipe online and baked the cake. It smelled delicious baking! The frosting however, was a different story. I mixed the ingredients and put it on the stovetop to heat. After awhile the frosting doubled in size and was foamy. I transferred the frosting to my biggest pan and was a little amazed when it continued growing in size. Finally it bubbled out of my pan and onto the stove. I was mortified. I so wanted to bless Courtney, but I had made a mess of the frosting and the stove.

When she came home I told her what happened. She said, "Mom, you did use corn syrup or cornstarch?" I looked up in the cabinet and saw the cornstarch on the shelf and realized I had never taken it out of the cupboard. I had used Baking Soda instead! Oh my. No wonder it acted more like the boys' volcano science experiment rather than frosting. By the way, Josiah fondly calls my concoction "frothing" rather than frosting! With a quick trip to the store and all the right ingredients, the cake was completed. But I sure learned a lesson. Putting something in that doesn't belong can spell disaster. Ingredients are important!

What is your recipe for life? Is your life bubbling out of control like my "frothing"? What kind of ingredients are you putting inside of you? Are there things in your life that you are compromising or substituting for the ingredients that really belong? I know that listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit are so vital in life. Sometimes I ignore what God might be trying to tell me thinking, "Oh, this is no big thing" but God knows what is best for me. He designed me (and He designed you too) and He knows what is best to make each of our lives perfect in His sight.

An Incredible Tool to Help You Understand The Heart of Your Child

Discover Your Child's Heart with the
Kids Flag Page

This is a resource created by Tim Kimmel and Mark Gungor. "Consider this the operating manual that SHOULD have come with each of your kids...BUT DIDN'T."

Having seven children you think I would have figured out this parenting thing by now...but having seven children has shown me just how much I still need to learn! What works for one of my children does absolutely no good with another. What motivates one, frustrates another!

I found this resource and thought I would give it a try. It is a "game" for a parent and child to do together. At the end, you will have a great handle of who your child is and what is needed to motivate them. The guide says it works best with children from 6-11, but I used it on my 14 year old as well.

This is the best parenting tool I have ever used! What I learned from doing this one on one with each of my children has opened my eyes up in a way to understand them and their unique personalities and how to parent them individually.

To begin you find a quiet place to play the game one on one with your child. They look at each of the cards and decide if it is Always Me, Sometimes Me, or Never Me. The cards say things like, "I think it's possible" or "I like things to stay calm" etc. All the cards reflect one of the four "Home Countries" (The Perfect Country, The Peace Country, The Control Country, and The Fun Country) The child puts the cards in one of the three piles according to how they see themselves (not how mom or dad sees them). Then they choose their top 6 from the Always Me pile and then out of the 6 they choose their favorite.

From the way they place their cards the parent tallies them up and finds out the "Home Country" and the "Adopted Country". There is a book that goes along with the game that helps to explain what each country means and things you see from children that belong to the four different countries. The thing that was extremely insightful was understanding how the Home Country and the Adopted Country play out together in how children act and respond to situations. This was the so eye opening to me to help me see into the heart of my children. It was an incredible blessing and has helped me in parenting them according to what motivates and encourages them, rather than what could hurt my relationship with them.

You can find this resource at Family Matters. There are four flag pages in each game, enough to do with four children. If you need more flag pages you can order additional pages separate from the game itself. If you use this resource post a comment and let me know what you think about it!

The Joy of a Lost Tooth

For two weeks Whitney has endured a loose tooth. It has wiggled. It has hurt. It has changed her eating habits, until...it fell out when she was sitting on the couch. What a surprise and what a joy! Now she looks forward to drinking through a straw through the hole where her tooth once was!

I don't usually find joy in the things that I lose...car keys, a child's shoe, etc. Those items bring frustration, not joy when they are lost.

There are other things however, that would bring great joy to lose...anger, a word spoke too harshly, a critical spirit. I have noticed these things are not easily lost, they must be uprooted and the soil replanted with the qualities that come from time in the word and time with God.

In Colossians 3:5 God tells us to "put to death, whatever belongs to your earthly nature" and then later in the chapter He tells us what to "put on"...

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly love, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14

It takes time and intention to make these changes...I'm ready for a few things to be lost! How about you?

Letters & Ribbon

While Tom & Courtney have been in Guatemala, I've been busy getting creative! A few months ago I spray painted letters to put in Whitney's & MaryElise's room, but I never hung them up. I knew I wouldn't be able to get them all straight without Tom's help...then I had a brainstorm. I glued polka-dotted ribbon to the backs of the letters and staggered them on the wall. They look adorable and the girls love them too.

Father's Day Craft Idea

Tile Coasters

I saw this idea for a Father's Day Gift on the Frugal Family Fun Blog. She made coasters using tiles and tissue paper. I thought it was a great idea but decided to add pictures...because I love decorating with photos. So here is how we did it...

First, we gathered all the supplies:

• tiles
  
• Mod Podge
• foam paint brushes
• assorted colors of tissue paper cut into squares
• family snapshots (I used wallet-sized photos that can easily fit on a tile. I ordered my photos through Wal-Mart and got 2 wallet-sized photo on one sheet)
• wax paper (to put down on the table underneath the tiles)
• sealer or glaze
• felt protective circles for the back of the tile (to keep the tile from scratching surfaces)
  

Next, the children chose the pictures they wanted to use.The next step was to place a layer of mod podge on the tile, followed by a layer of tissue paper.After the tissue paper was placed on the tile and covered with another layer of mod podge the picture was placed on the tile and another layer of mod podge was added.

The finished product was beautiful!
We made enough coasters for Dad and both Grandpas!

The kids had lots of fun too!

Mom, Shouldn't You Ask Me to Forgive You?

It had been a rough day. One of my kids had been disobedient and in trouble all day long. Another bad choice by this child caused me to unleash words that were supposed to be of correction, but they were spoken in anger. I was furious. Didn't he get it? In exasperation I walked out of the room. I don't know how he found the courage to do it...but he followed me into the next room.

His next words cut through the hardness of my heart, "Mom, shouldn't you ask me to forgive you?" Ouch. He was right. The words I had spoken were not out of love but out of frustration. They may have been justified but they were not righteous. I wanted to say, "You deserved it" but I couldn't. I had been wrong and I had been teaching my children that when they made a mistake and hurt someone else they needed to ask for forgiveness.

God brought me back to the cross at that very moment. As Jesus hung on the cross, dying for my sins and for yours, He said, "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34

I immediately got down on my knees and asked my son to forgive me. He quickly said yes and we hugged and then prayed together, with me asking God to forgive me for my harshness and asking him to help me be gentle and kind.

I am not perfect, nor will I ever be. But God is a loving parent who is gently teaching me, and so often it is through the eyes of my children.

A Sweet Moment

I was asked to do something that is way out of my comfort zone. I shared the situation with my daughter as I drove her home from school. When we got home she said, "Let me pray for you." She then put her arm around my shoulders and prayed the sweetest prayer!

She has offered before to pray for me, but this was the first time she offered to pray with me and for me. Her prayer brought tears to my eyes because she offered a gift to me in her words that she prayed over me. I never expected to be asked to do what seems so difficult, but what a awesome blessing from God to see the work of His hand in the life of my daughter!

Favorite Books

Maybe it is the teacher in me, but I have always loved children's books. There is nothing better than snuggling together on the couch and enjoying a good book. For my youngest ones I love the sturdy cardboard books that they can hold and turn the pages. My two favorite are The Little Noisy Book and The Little Quiet Book. When Courtney was a baby we read these books so many times we could recite them as we drove down the road and she looked at the book while in her car seat.

For my older boys we love The Ranger's Apprentice books by John Flanagan. Isaiah started reading these as a pre-teen and I picked the first one up to see what he was reading and I found myself pulled into the story and loving every minute. There are now seven published in the U.S. (he is an Australian author) and book 8 and 9 are scheduled to come out in May and August...we can't wait!

Reading books together is also a great way to bless your child, to encourage them, to teach them and just to love on them. Some books are so tattered from years of reading and re-reading. I'd Choose You by John Trent is one of our favorites as well as The Treasure Tree (also by John Trent & Gary Smalley) and Paw Paw Chuck's Big Adventures in the Bible by Charles Swindoll. Perhaps one of the best things about reading together is the gift of time as we share in the adventures together.

What are your favorite books?