by Kimberly | Jan 8, 2018 | Books
Our boys are 5 and 4. And if there are a few things we’ve learned over the years it is that our boys are different…and our boys are always changing.
What works one day may not work the next and yeah, most of you will understand.
Some nights our evening family worship time (right before bed) works great. Other nights it is a complete disaster. That doesn’t mean we give up.
It might mean we change things up a bit.
And this book right here has helped us change things up a bit.
In the morning, my mister gets up with the boys, get the older one off to school on the bus, then eats breakfast with the younger. And this book has been a great addition to the breakfast table. It shares a verse and a short devotion, perfect for his preschool attention span.
And you can use it in whatever way suits your family:
- If you are homeschooling, you can trace the verse, have your kids journal this verse, memorize the verses, etc.
- You can write it on a home chalkboard for your kids to see throughout the day.
- You can read it together over a meal or at night.
- You can pray it over your children as they go to bed.
- You can journal these verses as their mama and give it to them when they are older for them to see how you prayed for them and how God answered.
However you choose to use it, know that it is the Word of God, and it is powerful to bring about change in your kids’ lives (and yours).
And you can win won from Tommy Nelson Mommies. Just share with me which one of the above ways you would use if you had this book. I’d love to hear!
Thanks Tommy Nelson for this book and for the giveaway book. All opinions are my own.
by Kimberly | Dec 31, 2017 | Books
Well, this may be the first year that I’ve ever set a book reading goal – and surpassed it!
So, next year I’ve upped the number by just saying “I want to beat this year”. I’ve got some reading goals for next year, but that’s for next year – so stay tuned.
Below are the books I read in 2017 and the ones with the talk are the ones I enjoyed the most.
What was your favorite you read in 2017?
What are you looking most forward to with reading in 2018?
The Magnolia Story
Nothing to Prove: This was my first Jennie Allen read and it was what I needed at the time I read it. I thought it was great!
Magic of Motherhood
Martha Washington: An American Life: This was the first in my First Lady bio books. I really loved how it focused on her and not her husband.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
You Are Free
A Letter from Lancaster County
Fools Rush In
Between Heaven and the Real World: Definitely my favorite of the year. I sobbed all the way through it and I’m not allowed to mention SCC’s name in our home I don’t think for a while. So good! I love biographies!
Dreamland Burning. Another great one. YA. Injustice. Racial terror.
Dear Mr. Knightley. First of three I’ve read by her this year. And I really enjoy her writing. Weaving faith, romance, literature, travel. This one was my favorite
Gracelaced
The Bronte Plot
Winter Kisses
A Change of Heart
Trusting Grace
Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck
Seeds of Hope
Austen Escape
The King’s Locket
Hidden Christmas . Tim Keller. Easy to read Tim Keller. Fabulous look on Christmas.
Kinfolk Table. I probably have notes on every page of this biographical compilation cookbook with stunning photography.
She Reads Truth. If you need a book to encourage you in truth right where you need it, this is it. But, word to the wise, don’t read it in public. There were many chapters I sobbed reading it while on the bike at the gym.
Letters to Grief
Earth Psalms
Growing Up
Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing. I love this. Its a re-read. And I’ll probably re-read it every year.
by Kimberly | Dec 29, 2017 | Books
I have really fallen in love with reading to my boys. It is a sweet time on the couch or on their bed. We read chapter books or picture books.
But, I also let them pick out many of their own books at the library. They like to wander through the picture book section and find books that have dogs and fire trucks – at least for now.
I also like to get as many from this list. It is super helpful. I’ve not found we like them all, but it gives us new ideas and brings us new authors I wouldn’t have known about.
So, here are our favorites from December. We probably read over 60 picture books. These are our favorites because the boys picked these over and over.
Pirate Boy. I’ve read this so much the last two months. And it is mommy’s as heroes – so its a perfect one to read with your boys.
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. My boys laughed at the animals wearing clothes. But, it talks about being who you are supposed to be. As believers, we don’t necessarily need to tell our boys to “be all that they can be” but we need to point them to God’s plan for their lives.
Can You Growl Like A Bear?
This was definitely the funnest book because they boys were acting out every animal in this book every time we read it!
Snowmen All Year: This is one we got from the RAR list. And the boys definitely loved it. Even if we didn’t see any snow this year.
Oliver Finds His Way. A bear and a journey. And talk of home.
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
A friend of mine gave us this book, after we read it all weekend our friends were here. So fun! Believe me!
by Kimberly | Dec 21, 2017 | Books
I heard recently that if we are believers we have to think about and do something about injustice in the world, because our God is a God of justice.
This world will never be perfect in justice – for that we get to wait for Heaven.
But, Cara Putman, works hard to bring out these thoughts of justice in family relationships and family messes in her book, Imperfect Justice. Being that I love legal thrillers in the movies and netflix, this was a good choice.
So, if you love justice, Christian fiction, and a well-written legal thriller, this would be a good book for you. And if you haven’t read the first book in the series, don’t worry – this one is a good stand alone.
Thanks Litfuse for this book. All thoughts are my own.
by Kimberly | Dec 14, 2017 | Books
I’ve read a lot of fiction this year. And mostly, I’m a non-fiction/biography person. But this year has taken up a lot of mind space and heart space, so when the heart work is heavy, I want to get lost in a good story. And if you choose the right fiction, you can still do heart work while reading an engaging story.
One of the genres I’ve been enjoying is Christian Amish Fiction. And the latest one was Seeds of Hope. I really enjoyed this. Going back and forth from English world to Amish world, Barbara Cameron weaves a good story with yes, a predictable end, but there are twists and turns along the way that you wouldn’t expect.
One of the things I love about Amish fiction is entering into a world that I don’t know much about it – but is still real. Dystopian books are very popular, but it is hard for me to get into those because they are so far from what is real now. Amish living actually is right now, just not where I live. So, it is interesting. Not ideal where everything always works out, but just a bit of change from my norm, city-life.
Thanks to Litfuse for this title. All opinions are my own.
by Kimberly | Dec 14, 2017 | Books
I’m always eager to get good books in my boys’ hands. And for boys, I can’t anticipate that they will love Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. Though they might. And I will read those books to them (or have them watch the movie.)
But, as they get older, they probably would like stories that contained adventure, battles, journeys, animals, and heroic tales.
The King’s Locket I think would be really good for young boys, a short chapter book that is an analogy of the themes in the Gospel story.
The story of a family dwelling in perfection.
The Fall of someone who wanted everything for himself.
The adoption of those outside the family.
The betrayal and hurt of going outside the realm of good.
The rescue that the Prince had to engage in to defeat the sinful presence.
The welcoming home celebration.
And even the groaning of all creation under the weight of the sin that crept into everything.
I loved the conclusion of this book: adoption, wholeness, celebration, glory, beauty, friendship. Just what the Heavenly Father anticipates for His adopted children. These things we may not experience here, especially in their fullness, but we can anticipate. And wait with eagerness. And teach our kids how to anticipate well.
Thanks to Jacob for passing this book to me. Your kids will like it – especially as a read aloud. It gives you opportunity to talk to your kids about biblical themes from a short chapter book filled with lovely illustrations. It would be good for a family read aloud and would capture even young readers.
