love to paint

This morning the kids and I were blessed to get to spend time with a friend and her children.  The other mom, my friend, and I snuck bits of conversation in amidst talking to our kids, getting them what they needed, putting coats on and off, eating, walking...  Bits is a good word.  Altogether they made a conversation, but on their own, they would be "bits".  That's what life is with kids, isn't it? I was struck as the kids and I left them by something that I have been pondering.  As much as I learned about my two strong willed children in the past two weeks, I also learned a lot about me.  I am very black and white.  I am loyal to the core.  I am a mama bear to my children, husband, and friends.  I don't live in the grey area very easily.  If there is something that my attention is drawn to, I feel the need to decide what I "think" about it.  It's hard for me to let things go. What came to my mind this morning is something th...

Over the past few years as I've been reviewing books, there have been three Christian publishers that it has been an immense blessing to review books for.  One of them is Crossway.  Crossway specifically asked me when I began reviewing to make a commitment that my words in my review never malign the Word of God and are edifying to the body of Christ, not devisive.  That request spoke volumes to me about the heart and mission of this publishing company.   Crossway is starting an exciting new program for everyone.  I say "exciting" because I think it sounds really cool and I plan on joining.  Here's a video that explains the program:    Introducing Crossway Impact from Crossway on Vimeo . You can go to the Crossway website to sign up if you're interested.   http://www.crossway.org/impact/

Reading can either put a smile on your face--and on your heart--or make you feel like you wish hadn't read the book.  Sometimes that feeling is just a twinge, sometimes it's a lot more than that.  I remember once hearing that without sadness, we wouldn't be able to feel happiness.  Perhaps, it is the same with books.  I've read many books that have made me cringe.  So, when I read one that leaves me with a smile, it's a blessing.   When I began pondering books for reluctant readers recently, several friends suggested YWAM's Heroes series of books for kids.  They have four series of books for children.  I received a book from their Christian Heroes: Then and Now series and Heroes for Young Readers series as well as the curriculum guide and activity guide for these books.  These are the books that I get to review today and the books that put a smile in my heart. I read the Heroes for Young Readers biography of Gladys Aylward by Renee ...

When a child is born, we love them so dearly.  We want the best for them and not the worst.  We want to guarantee that they will turn out to be healthy and loving adults someday.  We want to guarantee, as much as we can by what we do, that they will learn to make the right choices and choose God. When I was reading God, Marriage, and Family by Andreas Kostenberger, I appreciated his point that as parents we turn to this book or that book searching for a parenting philosophy or method that will guarantee that our kids will turn out the way we hope they will.  In reality, there is no guarantee.  We cannot guarantee by anything we do that our children will come to know the Lord or that they will be healthy, well balanced adults. But, that doesn't mean we shouldn't try our best.  It doesn't mean we don't need to love them well.  It doesn't mean that we aren't responsible for being the best parents we can be to our children. Let me pause and paint a ...

Last week, I read a book by Max Elliot Anderson titled Barney and the Runaway .  I was interested in this book because of recent discussions I've had with friends about what their sons are reading and about finding books for them to read that they are interested in. Rather than focusing on that discussion (which I'll save for another post) in this review, I'm simply going to review this particular book.   Max Elliot Anderson was a struggling and reluctant reader when he was growing up.  His work experience is in the fields of motion pictures, videos, and commercials.  He has written several books and Barney and the Runaway is his most recent.  Here's a trailer for the book: Storyline:  The story is about a boy, Mike, who runs away because he doesn't like the rules in the house.  He and his dog, Barney (who I pictured to be much smaller in the book than is shown in the trailer), get trapped on a railroad car traveling southeast.  When ...

It's a funny thing I think about marriage.  One week all is well and then the next, ah, well...life happens.  We each have our strengths and weaknesses that we bring to our marriages. A few years ago, there was a book that was very popular titled Love and Marriage by Emmerson Eggerichs.  I will always remember my husband's opinion of this book.  He disagreed with the premise of the book.  The premise was that if the wife respects her husband, then the husband will love his wife.  It was the "If..then..." that concerned my husband.  In his mind, there is no guarantee in marriage.  I know many people were encouraged by this book and I am glad for that.  But, I'm very aware that there is no "right way" to do marriage or to be a parent.  We cannot guarantee the outcome of our efforts.  But, what we can do is do our best to glorify God in our marriages and as parents. Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart...