by Kimberly | Oct 23, 2014 | Books, Kids r Readers 2, mothering, parenting, Shepherding Children
Being a parent is amazing and hard and always full of new moments. But, this moment we are in right now is something I’ve waited for. “Mommy” then I get a little pat on my leg and I see my older toddler standing there in front of me with a book in his tiny hands. Begging for me to read to him. So, I do. Over and over again.
There is a certain train book from Usborne books (gift from Oma) that he has carried everywhere – coffee shops, hikes, car trips, gym kid’s club – and Daddy has even had to tape it up. It came with a little train – sometimes we can find it sometimes we can’t. But, no matter – he has other cars that will work on its tracks – or at least work for him.
One of the things I want to instill most in my kids (besides a love for God) is a love of reading. I love to read and I know how books take you to other places, teach you so much more than you could ever learn, and also put a desire in you to see the world around you. C S Lewis and L. M. Montgomery are two of those authors for me. I have a feeling the boys will love L. A. Wilder, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Andrew Peterson. We shall see. Can’t wait to actually read chapter books with them at night. But, that is a moment in time later to come.
How can you instill a love of reading in children?
1. Use the library. We go to the library some for story time. My boys are harder to sit still than some others but we still attempt it and its good song and play time too. The public libraries, especially in bigger cities, are great resources (and free)!
2. Buy them books. Buy them at thrift stores, online book clubs, ask for them for presents.
3. Read to them. Use some time before bed, or after breakfast to read to them. It teaches them to pay attention and sit still but also helps stir up an amazing appetite to read.
4. Be patient with them as they learn to read. My boys aren’t to that stage yet, but I have to be willing as their Mommy to be patient, let them stumble over words, help them when I need to, and listen to them.
5. Encourage them to write their own stories. This time will come too. I still have the first book I wrote in 4th grade – all about animals. I can’t wait to show it to our boys. I hope they will love it and not laugh!
6. Read different genres. As a gospel Christian, I do like to read boys about Jesus to them. But…I love to read them other books about the world God created and things that happen in it and teach them about a Christian worldview – seeing everything through the lens of the Gospel. That is so important to teach to our children early in their learning adventure.
My friend Leah is an Usborne consultant. They have delightful and interactive books for children of all reading levels. Here is a link to an online party I am hosting for her. I have been pleased with the Train book so far – and so has our toddler. I’m sure you will find some your children like as well.
What are your favorite books to read to your children?
by Kimberly | Oct 20, 2014 | food, The Charming South Kitchen
We are finally out of celebration mode – and I’m happy to say I didn’t gain any, but actually lost some in the last month even with the celebrations. Thankful for exercise and grace! I definitely ate too much – but new mercies are every day!
This week I’m cooking high protein and low carb, to jump start my weight loss again – and also using Pinterest. One other thing I hope to start doing is going back through my old food blog and recreating those recipes and taking better pictures and making improvements. I’ve hopefully improved some in both photography and cooking in 9 years!
Going Asian with Skinny Mom’s beef and broccoli
POPsugar’s Egg White Frittata for breakfast on my Mister’s day off
Spark People’s Creamy Chicken and Spinach Bake and Buttermilk Chicken
My old recipe of Lentil, Chicken and Chard Soup.
Meatballs
Tuna Melts
by Kimberly | Oct 6, 2014 | Bible
Do you ever ask a question of God and then get the answer the very next day? Yesterday, I was journaling through a Piper article at a local coffee shop (thanks to the Mister having a day off and graciously keeping the boys), and I wrote down a question that I wanted to talk to the Mister about – as he is very good about seeking the enjoyment of God in my life – as he should (Ephesians 5).
The question was this: how do I do blogging and social media for good – and not have it cause ungodly characteristics to take root in my life and heart? In social media and really in all things – I struggle with envy, contentment, craving to be better and known. These thoughts grip my heart instead of lettering the wonderment of God grip my heart and let that be enough.
I don’t want to give up blogging and photography and social media – and I don’t think the need is there – I just think that care and concern for my soul (and also yours) needs to be always at the forefront of my mind.
So, here’s the answer – or at least more of the equation that I will bring to the Mister as we talk about it on our anniversary trip this coming weekend.
So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God. You’ve had a taste of God. Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor. Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you’ll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God.
1 Peter 2:1-5 The Message
I went through especially the first couple verses from my She Reads Truth reading for today:
Here’s the KCV (Kimberly Campbell Version):
Since you have been called to the amazingness of the Living Hope of Christ saving you and the Spirit living in you: don’t have anything to do with causing distress or pain on anyone else, don’t have anything to do with concealing or misrepresenting truth, don’t have anything to do with claiming and not being, don’t have anything to do with discontentment or wanting what other’s have, don’t have anything to do with communication that causes harm to another.
What of the above areas do you struggle with in blogging/social media? For me – its envy. Why do I write and photograph and cook – others do that and they have more followers, likes, giveaways, etc.
Do you struggle with putting down others in your blog? Maybe its the cute sarcasm of something that will be funny but you well know that it is really a slam against someone else?
Do you only put the good on IG and not real-life – that would be the claiming and not being part. Does it only show your home when it is show-worthy or your kids when they are all clean from a bath? Why not put the real life of them screaming their little heads off when you take away their milk cup?
God wants us to crave Him, crave the Word, work as unto the Lord (not so we gain more likes on facebook).
Who is set in the place of honor in your blogging and social media? Is your life on the computer or your iphone a sanctuary or dwelling place for God?
by Kimberly | Oct 5, 2014 | Sundays in the South
Enjoy the simple things of life today…
like breakfast
like babies
like books
like sunsets
like afternoon naps
like eyelashes
like coffee or wine or tea or whatever you drink
like the savoring of an entire day with family
Its Sunday after all.
by Kimberly | Oct 3, 2014 | 31days, hymns
One of the buzz words for the last decade has been community. And honestly, I still don’t think we get it right half the time- but that’s another story.
Community can be with anything. You can have community in your neighborhood, at your work place, with your facebook friends, over your enjoyment of coffee or wine or handcrafted beer. But true community can only be had by digging deep, suffering with, having one reality and that is in the Gospel.
Don Carson, one of my favorite authors and preachers, is also a hymn writer. My husband fills me in on all these things. I first sung one of his hymns while we were dating. Last night, my husband told me about this hymn, A Shocking Thing.
I hope you love it. And think about it when you next practice the Lord’s Supper – as it is a communion hymn for the church.
The first lines of they hymn remind me of the first verses in Philippians 2. I’m studying this letter of Paul with ladies from my church. Got to this portion this morning. How often we love and be in the church out of rivalry or conceit. Not out of love and unity. May the work of Christ on the cross guard our hearts and minds.
