Yes, we’re waiting for baby #3 to arrive… but this isn’t a baby announcement. It’s a book announcement!
Faith-Filled Moments has arrived… it’s so exciting to see the copies sitting in boxes right by my desk.
Are you interested in a copy? Click on the “Fall Book Sale!” tab at the top of this page or at the right for info on getting your own copy…
Info on how to pre-order a signed copy of my book Faith-Filled Moments. Stay tuned for details…
(Want a taste of the type of content that’s in Faith-Filled Moments? Click on “Faith-Filled Moments” at right for a sampling of ideas I didn’t include in the book.)
The creators of the much-loved magazine, Today’s Christian Woman, have launched a new web community called Kyria. I’m so excited to be a part of it. Check it out!
My good friend (and god-mother to my kids) Joy-Elizabeth Lawrence has launched her own web site in which she offers her thoughts and ideas on food. Who doesn’t like food? But Joy takes it to a new level: some deep, thought-provoking stuff about ethical, sustainable eating. And, of course, lots of very healthy recipes! Check it out at http://joyelizabethlawrence.wordpress.com!
My new book Faith-Filled Moments is releasing October 1, 2009 from Wesleyan Publishing House! It’s a collection of all sorts of ways parents like you can use games, recipes, outdoor experiences, crafts, science experiments, and more to help your child connect with God and love him more. So…I thought I’d give you a taste of what the content in the book is like. This one is especially great for preschoolers! If you like this, you’ll love the 80+ unique moments that you’ll only find in my upcoming book. COMING SOON to this site: Info on how to pre-order a signed copy of Faith-Filled Moments!
Five-Thousand Freckles
Count your body parts together and meditate on God’s detailed knowledge of and care for each of you.
Supplies: mirror, magnifying glass (optional)
Experience
Invite your child to practice his math skills with you by counting his body parts while you count yours. Start out with some that are very easy to count, asking, “How many ears do you have? How many noses do you have? How many eyes do you have?” Then move on to slightly more challenging parts by asking, “How many toes do you have? How many teeth do you have?” (You can prompt your child use a mirror at this point.)
When you’re ready to tackle some even tougher ones together, ask questions that are nearly impossible to answer, like, “How many freckles do you have on your face? How many wrinkles do you have on the palm of your hand? How many hairs do you have on your forearm? How many eyelashes do you think you have?”
Last, move to the truly impossible by asking, “How many hairs do you have on your head? How many do you think you have on your entire body? (if applicable: How many freckles do you have on your entire body?)”
Connection
God knows everything.
What an amazing, overwhelming thought! Often our first reaction to this truth is to think of the big picture: God knows all of history, he knows the name and location of every star and planet, he knows all future events, he knows all the people in the world! And naturally kids sometimes wonder if God is “too busy” running the universe to care about the details of their lives.
Use this fun activity to assure your child that God’s knowledge and care also includes the “little picture.” Scripture assures us that God knows and cares about even the teeny, tiny details of our lives. Share this truth with your child by telling him, “You are so special to God that he knows every single detail about you. He knows the location of every freckle. He knows exactly what makes you smile. The Bible even tells us that God knows the exact number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30; Luke 12:7)!”
Exploration
You may want to ask your child questions like…
Lots of mom-blogs have all sorts of links to all sorts of sites about parenting. I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I’m sure over time I’ll add a few. But the goal of this site is mostly for you as an individual — a person who is not defined solely as a mom — and for helping you find fulfillment in your own walk with Christ.
That said, here’s one of my favorite web sites and it’s got absolutely nothing to do with parenting: www.rejesus.co.uk. It’s an innovative site from the UK that’s got all sorts of cool online spiritual experiences; check out the prayer labyrinth and the steps of faith. I also love the images of Jesus — very thought provoking.
Next time you want to do some spiritual contemplation via the computer, go to re:Jesus.
My new book Faith-Filled Moments is releasing October 1, 2009 from Wesleyan Publishing House! It’s a collection of all sorts of ways parents like you can use games, recipes, outdoor experiences, crafts, science experiments, and more to help your child connect with God and love him more. So…I thought I’d give you a taste of what the content in the book is like. If you like this, you’ll love the 80+ unique moments that you’ll only find in my upcoming book.
I Am the Clay
Make homemade play-dough with your child to teach him about God’s role as the “potter” in his life.
Supplies: ingredients (see below); kitchen tools; cookie cutters, rolling pin, and other toys for play-dough
Experience
Recruit your child to help you cook something up…but it’s not for eating, it’s for some serious playing! Use the recipe below to make homemade play-dough. When it’s cooled off, invest some time playing together, forming shapes, pretend cookies, bowls, people, snakes, and anything else you can think of.
Homemade Play Dough Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups salt
1 ½ Tablespoons cream of tartar
6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 ¼ cups water
Food coloring
Mix the dry ingredients together in a saucepan. Mix the liquids, including food coloring, in a separate bowl. Pour the liquids into the sauce pan and stir everything together. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. The dough will begin to form and the mixture will stiffen in about 5-10 minutes. When it’s too stiff to stir, stop cooking and let it cool a bit. While it’s still warm (but not burning hot!), knead the dough a bit to achieve the desired consistency. Let it cool just a bit more, then play!
Connection
As you and your child form various items out of the dough, share this verse with your child: “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 64:8). Invite your child to share what he thinks this verse might mean and affirm his ideas. Talk about how a potter form bowls out of clay as you each try to make a bowl out of play-dough. Then share with your child that not only did God make us, but he continues to shape us. He forms and perfects us throughout our lives to into the person he’s made us to be.
Exploration
You may want to ask your child questions like…
Bonus!
Make this extra fun by making edible dough with your child! It’s not quite as moldable as play-dough, but it’s still lots of fun. Simply mix together 1 cup powdered milk, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, and ½ cup honey. Butter up your child’s hands so it’s easier to handle this sticky dough, then roll it into balls, snakes, and other various shapes. The final step? Eat it!
My new book Faith-Filled Moments is releasing October 1, 2009 from Wesleyan Publishing House! It’s a collection of all sorts of ways parents like you can use games, recipes, outdoor experiences, crafts, science experiments, and more to help your child connect with God and love him more. So…I thought I’d give you a taste of what the content in the book is like. If you like this, you’ll love the 80+ unique moments that you’ll only find in my upcoming book.
Rally Up Some Prayer
Turn a neighborhood bike ride into a family prayer experience.
Supplies: bicycles, bicycle helmets, snacks and drinks
Experience
Plan a family bike ride around your neighborhood, but instead of just getting exercise and seeing the sights, make it a prayer-focused bike rally! First, talk with your child about your mission: you’ll ride around the neighborhood and stop at various points to pray for people and pray about issues that affect your neighborhood, then plan your route together. For example…
Once you’ve got your bike rally planned, hit the road together and have fun praying and talking. Surprise your child with a stop along the way to eat a favorite snack and relax before biking some more.
Connection
Moving prayer from the realm of abstract thoughts to concrete places and people helps kids really connect with what they’re praying about. As you visit places that represent prayer requests, your child will get a greater sense of the purpose of her prayer. She also might be reminded to pray about those issues in the future as she visits the same spots in your neighborhood. Your neighborhood is your family’s primary mission field. As you ride and pray together, recommit yourself to pray for your neighbors and to share Christ’s love with them.
Exploration
You may want to ask your child questions like…
My new book Faith-Filled Moments is releasing October 1, 2009 from Wesleyan Publishing House! It’s a collection of all sorts of ways parents like you can use games, recipes, outdoor experiences, crafts, science experiments, and more to help your child connect with God and love him more. So…I thought I’d give you a taste of what the content in the book is like. Here’s an idea for using a fun card game to help your child discover a life-changing truth. If you like this, you’ll love the 80+ unique moments that you’ll only find in my upcoming book.
Never, Ever Alone
Use the card game Old Maid to help your child understand that she always has a partner in life: God.
Supplies: children’s deck of Old Maid playing cards
Experience
The classic card game Old Maid can be played by kids as young as 3 or 4 years old…and it’s lots of fun! The basic idea of the game is to find a matching partner for each of your cards; there will always be one card left over at the end of the game—the Old Maid—and she doesn’t have a partner. (See the printed rules on your card deck for specific play instructions.)
Connection
In this game, each card has a partner, but the Old Maid is left alone. A very simple an obvious spiritual point can be made using this game: We are never like the Old Maid…we are never, ever alone! Share with your children the crucial truth that, when we have a relationship with Jesus, he is always with us. We are never alone in life; we always have a partner. You might say something like, “Even during times when you may feel lonely, you actually aren’t alone. God is with you!” You may want to share Jesus’ promise in Matthew 28:20, “Surely I am with you always.”
Also, take the opportunity to make this real to your child by calling attention to the present moment. You might say something like, “God is here, in this room, right now!” (Look around the room.) Continue by saying, “We can’t see him, but he is here with us. We can trust in his presence at every moment! We can talk to him at any time!” Set an example by saying something out loud to God in front of your kids, such as “God, we’re so glad you’re here with us. Thanks for being with us as we played this fun game!”
In his book The Practice of the Presence of God, the French monk Brother Lawrence talked about this important aspect of spiritual growth: fostering a constant awareness of God’s presence and having a “habitual, silent, and secret conversation of the soul with God.” One of the most important things you can do for your child is to instill in her a deep sense of God’s constant presence and help her begin the habit of having quiet conversations with God in her heart any time she’d like.
Exploration
You may want to ask your child questions like…
If you once followed this blog, chances are you haven’t looked at it for awhile. Chances are that’s because I haven’t looked at it for awhile either. Why? Because life has been busy. I’ve been writing a new book (more on that soon!), working from home, and living life as a wife and mom. So this posting is meant to serve two purposes…
#1. To declare that sometimes one of the best things you can do as a wife and a mom and a Jesus-follower is to let things go. For me, this web site was one of those things. For you it may be some other hobby or pursuit. But we all should rejoice in the freedom to say, “Ya know what? I don’t have time/space/emotional-energy for that right now. It is not my highest priority.” At times we need to choose little things like a couch-date watching a DVD with our husband or drawing with chalk on the driveway or actually attending to the growing pile of dishes in the sink. We need to choose these things over others and feel fine about it.
#2. To declare that I’m back at it. Over the next weeks and months I’ll be updating this web site with blog postings, info about my upcoming book, and more. So stay tuned!
Latest updates to this blog…
