love to paint

I received this in the mail today and my kids were so excited to see what it was like. I was curious too. I've read The Message Translation for adults, but not any of the Message for kids. It might seem like this would be a good set for 3-5 year olds, but I think it would be better for 4-7 year olds and mostly for 5-7 year olds. I was surprised at how many details were included. Autumn got a lot more from it than Sami. I do like this set. My kids love it. I gave it 5 stars on Amazon because of that. Autumn asked me, "When are you going to order the other ones, Mommy?" One reviewer on Amazon made a comment about the blood on Jesus on the cross and that she wasn't so crazy about that for her 3 year old. I can understand that. But, my girls are 4 and 6 and they didn't make any comments to me about being concerned about the crucifixion. The blood is depicted on Jesus' body while he is on the cross. I looked up my other children's Bibles to see what ...

Great is thy faithfulness. Oh, God, my father. Your mercies are new every morning... ...and every evening...and every moment. It's been a doozy of a two day stretch. It all began yesterday morning when I was sitting writing my blog entry for my making things stretch blog. I had a feeling that I was going to be needing to trust God very soon. Little did I know. I found water in my basement. A good size portion of my carpet was soaked. And so the journey began. I called the waterproofing company that did the job and someone is coming out Monday afternoon. I began the task of moving 3 huge IKEA bookcases and pulling up the carpet and the pad underneath. Then, I set about figuring out how to help it dry and putting fans out. Then I went to Lowe's and bought a sump pump for outside. I went to my friend Kim's house for dinner--which was a huge blessing. I was exhausted. I came home and did our taxes and then shot an email to one of the elders of the church we attend ...

It is so dear to me to see my children attempt to write and spell. The girls were not speaking nicely this afternoon to each other. Sami's voice was snappy at Autumn and Autumn gave her quite the look with her face. So, I told them they had to write apology notes to each other (and in Sami's case draw a picture for Autumn since she can't write). Well, Sami proved me wrong. She brought me a paper with this written on it... I A sre. = I am sorry. She realized she had forgotten the am when she sounded it out to me.

A few more thoughts about books... It has been really interesting this past month as I've considered many of the books I read and what is beneficial for me to read and what isn't. The past two weeks, I've had the option to review several books that I've opted not to. What I review is a choice on my part. In the past, I've chosen to review a lot of books that I've been iffy about, but after last month, my mind has changed a lot about that. I guess this is what I'm trying to say is...if I review a book and give it a not so positive review, it will be because I've had high hopes that it will be a good book--otherwise I wouldn't have agreed to review it. I also am choosing not to review books that I know outright that I will disagree with, unless I feel a strong impulse that I should read it. And there have been times that that has happened to me. But, I think that if I'm not the person who would be inclined to buy and read that book, then I d...

These are the things Sami asked me to pray for tonight... --that my chin wouldn't bump into my nose and --that my nose wouldn't bump into my head =) Silly girls!

Sometimes being alone is hard. It can also be the best place to be. My mom always told me that when you're alone, you can't run away from yourself. You have to face what's in your own heart and head. I've always believed that she's right and I've reminded myself of what she told me many times. Tonight is turning out to be one of those times.

God is continuing to knock on my heart about love and what it looks like to love others well. Sometimes these lessons come from the absence of love's expression to make me see what it looks like and other times it comes from the presence of its expression to see it. I will try to explain more tomorrow when my tears have stopped falling. But, for now... Tomorrow, my goal is to tell someone something that I think they do really well and tell them a strength that I see in them. Would you want to join me in this? My hope is that we will share God's love and lighten each other's steps! =)

I have been pondering for the past two weeks what I would write about the book I finished last night. God has been using a lot of books I've been reading to really challenge me to think about what I read and to make me aware of who is writing the books and also of the perspective that they're writing from. This morning, I finished reading The Organized HomeSchooler by Vicki Carauna. I was very curious to read this book because it has been given very hot and cold reviews on Amazon since it was published. I'll give you a brief rundown before I explain the thoughts I've had about this book more in-depth. I believe Ms. Carauna's goal in writing this book was to talk about the connections between organization and homeschooling and God and encourage homeschooling parents to be more organized, because God is a God of order and because it blesses our families. I think this is a very good book and though I have some minor points that I disagree with the author on, I do...

It is a funny thing about love... When someone loves people that are close to your heart, you feel loved. When they are left out, you feel left out. Or at least I do as a mom. This week I had two experiences that reminded me of these things. 1) We went to Awanas last night. The girls had a wonderful time as always. Even as I sit here, I can't help but smile because the leaders are all so kind and loving to my girls. Sami struggles at preschool when she goes to school and often cries. But, she has never had a hard time at Awanas. She wants to go every week. But, I've also been blessed by the kindness of the folks to me--that they smile when they see me and say hello. They are glad to see me--and I am glad to see them! God uses the people at that church to encourage my family every week. 2) We went somewhere else as well and I watched as my girls didn't realize that they were left out. There wasn't enough room at the inn. It wasn't on purpose or anyone'...

Sometimes I think it's worth it to just read a few pages at a time, because then you get to savor, meditate and consider what you read more deeply--rather than racing to the finish line as fast you can as I often do. When I come across a really, really good book, I love to savor it. Whenever I share with a friend that I review a lot of books or that I read 80 last year or 10 last month, their eyes open in surprise and ask "How?" I explain that I am a fast reader. I am. But, I also skim. I will admit to it. If a book is not that good, I just am not able to force myself to read every word. But, when a book is really good, I read every page and every word. This year two fiction books would qualify for that. June Bug by Chris Fabry (Tyndale) and The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry (Moody Publishing). In non-fiction, it has been such a blessing to come across so many more that have drawn me in. The Cynthia Heald series "Becoming a woman of... " an...

I asked Sami on Sunday what she most likes to do. This was her answer... I like games and I like to watch tv (which we don't do a lot of actually). Then, she said... And I empty the trash because I know it's important. She was so sincere when she said it. She took full responsibility for emptying the trash. Do you feel like that a lot of days? I do. I know it's important that I clean, so I do it. Today I spent the day cleaning the entire upstairs and tomorrow the downstairs is on the agenda. I just don't have time regularly to do a lot of cleaning, so I do the basics each week and a deep clean twice a year. Usually, I spread it out over a week, but for some reason, I just want to get it done! So, I pushed really hard today. I knew I hadn't dusted in a long, long time! I even washed walls and dabbed paint where it had been scraped off. I put polyurethane on the window seat where Molly had worn it away. I put a coat of butcher block oil on the counter, cl...

I wrote this review right after I read this book a few weeks ago... After the last book I read, I wanted to stop reading for a little while and stomp my feet and shake out what was causing me to cringe and feel yucky. But, three packages arrived today and this book was in one of them. I thought "Hmmm...Maybe this book will remind me that there are books that I want to read." Thankfully, this book is indeed helping me get back on track. All that to say--I can't say that I agree 100% with this book (I have some strong reservations), but there's a lot of great stuff in it. Michelle Larowe put together a book of 112 lists of things that are useful for a mom or mom to be of a 0-5 year old. A friend of mine is doing respite foster care and I think it would be a great book of lists for her too. Mrs. LaRowe is a Christian and though it doesn't say it on the back, this is a Christian book. It's important that you understand that because so often people comp...

Earlier this month I read a Christian romance and it made me realize that I prefer books that would be simply called contemporary fiction more than contemporary romance. But, I had already committed to reading and reviewing Swinging on a Star. So, here I am. I've finished it and now it's time to figure out what I think of it! This book is all about romance. It honestly was a lot like Jenna's Cowboy, except that Jenna's Cowboy really had a message and a theme that the author wanted to share (PTSD). This story is simply the story of Bella, who has recently taken over her family's wedding planning business. In this installment of the Weddings by Bella series (this is book 2), Bella is planning a medieval wedding for a couple that is beyond anything I can honestly imagine. It sounds amazing! This book truly is a romance and though it tries to be somewhat realistic, I think that when you read a romance you don't really expect it to be entirely reali...

My daughter just showed me the Valentine she made. Inside it said... I love you! From: Autumn To: Autumn =) chuckle chuckle. She made me laugh. She explained that she didn't know who would give her a Valentine if she didn't give herself one. I explained to her that Mommy and Daddy have one for her. She smiled at that.

Last night, I watched the movie "I Hate Valentine's Day" with Nia Vardalos and John Corbett. I'm not sure if what I did can really count as watching the whole movie though because I fast forwarded through over half the movie. But, I watched the last quarter in full. The first 3/4 is completely predictable and I actually was irritated by Vardalos' character, so I just fast forwarded to see what would happen. There was some wisdom in the last 1/4 that I wanted to write about. (*Please note that this entry is full of spoilers about the movie) The main character, Genevieve, has always thought that romance is love. Her dad cheated on her mom after 25 years and when her mom found out, she cried and he chose to leave her. The dad calls his daughter periodically and leaves messages for her. Towards the end, she finally confronts her dad and tells him that he should have done what he did--he shouldn't have had an affair. You can tell he has no remorse and he r...

I haven't written a haiku in a long time and a friend emailed me hers about the snow this morning. So, this is my attempt... blanket of white snow rough lines form a strange design poles and shoes in hand The difference between snow shoeing in MD and CO? The altitude--other than that not much difference today in my backyard =)

I have just finished reading a wide variety of selections from the Mom's Bible. This Bible is the NCV (New Century Version) with notes by Bobbie Wolgemuth. There are some things I really liked about this Bible and then there are some things that I'm not so comfortable with. I've read several of the other reviews by other moms and I was surprised by how well liked this Bible is by them and how much they like the NCV. It makes me wonder if I am odd in being concerned about whether I read a paraphrase or a translation as my primary Bible. This Bible is filled with devotions that are related well to the verses that they site. There is a short introduction at the beginning of each book of the Bible that explains what the book is about. At the end, there is a short reference list with all of the devotions listed. There is also an Appendix with questions that children ask about God. I really liked the answer to the question about what the trinity is. The answers are gear...

Tonight I was reading the Mom's Bible again (NCV) and compared this verse: NCV Ephesians 5:22-24 22 Wives, yield to your husbands, as you do to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. And he is the Savior of the body, which is the church. 24 As the church yields to Christ, so you wives should yield to your husbands in everything. NIV Ephesians 5:22-24 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. The Message 22-24 Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewis...

Did you know that the NCV, New Century Version, is really an update of the International Children's Bible (ICB)? I just learned this yesterday when I started reading the Mom's Bible (NCV). The introduction explained the translation process and philosophy behind the NCV. This left me with a lot of questions... 1) Is there really a translation that is the best translation? 2) Are all paraphrases now being called translations? 3) Is it wise to read a paraphrase as the Bible you read most frequently? Does it matter? 4) Aren't they all the Word of God? 5) Why does any of this matter? It is an interesting thing to me that the ICB has been renamed with a new name so that it can be marketed to adults. In my cynicism, I struggle with marketing. Is all of this being done by publishers with a pure heart desiring to spread the Word of God? I started reading Ashamed of the Gospel by John MacArthur last week and he talks in the first chapter and forward about the western ideas of c...

http://www.shepherdpress.com/blog/current-events/the-snowmaker.php I appreciate good reminders. I feel like there's so many things that I'm trying to remember, and often forget. I forgot to really teach my children about the snow today and really enjoy it. I shoveled and got lost in the business of taking care of them. I'm very human. But, I enjoyed Shepherd Press' blog tonight just before I head to bed and the reminder that it is God who made this snow and just like everything else that happens, it is a reminder to trust Him and know that it is He who has created all things. =) I think tomorrow we'll go make some snow chairs and measure how deep the snow is in different places--Monday's math! Are there any good and easy science experiments for little ones with snow? Maybe we'll hypothesize about how heavy the snow is or how much snow we can carry or we can problem solve and try and figure out a way to carry snow... the gears in my mind are starting s...

One of the hardest things about parenting, I think, is that it is constant. I am continually reminded of how I need to keep a better eye on my children. It's hard to imagine what it will be like in a few years when they're older. But, I suspect, I'll have to keep my eye on them in a different way =) then. Juggling three kids while shoveling snow is not a good idea. Yesterday, I went out by myself. Today I went out with them. I am realizing that I need to simplify things and only try to tackle one thing at a time--otherwise it just gets tricky fast! I only have two eyes =) I really wish sometimes that I had 4--though that would look very odd!

"Warm, pollinated air whispered over me. The hospital's circulation filters removed all the germs and odors from the indoor air, but they also stripped it of its personality." writes Christine Berry in The Familiar Stranger From the first chapter, and even the first paragraph, I knew this was a good book. It reminded me of NCIS (probably my favorite TV show). The characters have personality. As the reader, you see their flaws, but they're part of who they are and you want to know their story. I realize more and more what a skill writing a good story is---to convey important details about a conversation and not make it feel too slow or too fast, but very real and believable. That was what pleased and surprised me about Ms. Berry's writing. It didn't feel stilted or ingenuous. I wanted to read this book because the premise sounded intriguing and different. And it proved to be so! I don't want to give anything away about this book. Fr...

Just now I began to think about the title of this book. If I had picked up this book up at a bookstore, I would have assumed that the dreams spoken of in the title were good dreams that someone was chasing after to achieve. Actually, this book is very different. It's a good one, but different than what the title sounds like. A few weeks ago, I reviewed a book that really made me consider what makes a book a "good" book--one that I would recommend. I ran into a lot of issues with that book. Since it was the second book in a series and I hadn't read the first, I had to consider the question whether it could stand on its own. In the case of that book, it couldn't very well. It was difficult to follow the story and understand a lot of cultural assumptions that were made about what the reader would understand. The book I'm reviewing today is actually the third in a series. I didn't realize that at the time I agreed to review it. Dreams That Won...