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 they did. Some showed what happened more graphically and others didn't. The Big Picture Bible showed Jesus being beaten with blood across his back, but not Jesus on the cross. My daughters didn't comment on the blood, but my oldest daughter did ask me about Skull Hill. She told me that he was crucified at Golgotha. "Skull Hill" is another name for Golgotha. I think this set is appropriate for 5-7 year olds (maybe 4 year olds who have older siblings). I like the recording on the cd and it is nice that when the reader asks a question that she allows time for children to share their answers. The illustrations are not my favorite style (I am very old fashioned), but my girls did like them. There are also two songs at the end of the cd that are good recordings. If you are looking for the Easter story for younger children (2-4 yrs), I'd recommend Volume 2 of the Read Aloud Bible Stories by Ella Lindvall. The Easter story is the last story in it and I think it is very biblical and very appropriate for younger children. But, for children 5-7 yrs, I like this set! But, be forewarned, the background music is a little "elevator music" ish. It grows on you, though! Please note that I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review by NavPress. |
Saturday, February 27, 2010
The Easter Story
Great is thy Faithfulness...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
i a sre
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Books
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Prayers of Children
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Being Alone
Loving Others
Friday, February 19, 2010
Homeschooling Organization
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Love
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sometimes it's worth it to just read a few pages at a time...
Monday, February 15, 2010
The things Sami likes
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists and a lot of other thoughts...
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 complain when the back of the book doesn't mention that it is Christian. But, if you're a mom and you love the Lord, I think you'll like this book. There are several lists that are particularly helpful for moms working outside of their homes. But, I think every mom of a young child will find something helpful in this book.
All that being said, this is a book that you will find yourself agreeing with sometimes and disagreeing with at others. She is a certified international nanny so she has great ideas for toys and what to do with kids and ideas about teaching sharing. Her list about discipline is a starting point, but not a complete solution. I think all the moms I know would agree that discipline is never a one size fits all kind of thing. I remember thinking when I had one child that I knew what to do--and then my second came along, and then my third... and God humbled me very quickly. Her list makes it sound like discipline is a one size fits all thing and I just don't agree with that. She is approaching this book as a nanny and mother of one child.
I agreed with her book lists for children and for adults about parenting. I would add one more, though and that is Super Baby Food--this is the best book about what to feed your 0-12 month old and when. My other favorite lists were what to pray for your child before they're born, ten practical Christian principles to teach your Christian preschooler, Age Appropriate Chores for Young Children, Fun Family Traditions, and a few others. I also thought her list about considering Adoption very wise.
Yet, her list about family friendly movies isn't one I really agree with. My oldest child is 6 and I wouldn't be able to show her any of the movies on the list. I think we have to be really careful to be sensitive about what our children can handle. The themes addressed in the movie Fireproof (a movie she includes in her list) are really for adults--not children and I wouldn't even say for tweens or preteens.
As for what I didn't agree with, I did refer to two things earlier (movies and discipline), but there is one more that I want to mention it in case you do read this book. There is a list entitled "Selecting a
But, is that why you go to church? For what it does for you and your kids? I wish that instead there had been a list of qualities to look for in a church and what to pray for in your search for a church home. Perhaps it could have been a list of open ended questions like...
1) Do you want to go to a church which practices family worship or one with separate children's church?
2) What do you feel God is calling you to do in this matter?
3) Does the congregation have grace for you and for your children?
4) Will the church love you and your family?
5) Can you love the people in the church? Will you be able to serve in the church?
The other thing I'd mention is really just a minor one. She writes this book from an upper-middle class perspective. Most of the time that isn't really important. But, it is relevant to the lists of what you need for your child's first year. It made me chuckle when she wrote "high-quality wipes" as one of the items you need. In reality, we do the best we can. You don't "need" a snuggle wrap or sheet savers.
The book of this type (all in one parenting advice and resource) that I would recommend most is the series of books titled What to expect when--you're expecting, in the first year, and in the toddler years. But, this might come in second. As I read through it, I kept a package of sticky tabs with me and tabbed the lists I want to come back to regularly because it isn't organized and formatted in a way that makes it easy to find lists you like easily.
So, in the end, how would I describe this book? As a great gift for a friend who just discovered they're pregnant (along with a copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting). Honestly, no parenting/childbirth preparation book is perfect and has everything you're looking for. I guess that's why I can recommend this book. Even though there are lists that I disagree with the author on, her lists did make me think about how I feel and what I want for my kids--and that's always a good thing.
But, would I recommend it for you to purchase for yourself? I'd recommend checking it out from the library, but not purchasing it for your home library. Get the What to Expect books first and Super Baby Food (if that's what you're looking for).
Please note that I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book for review by Revell Books.
Swinging on a Star
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 realistic. Do you? I don't. There have been a few romances that I've read that have been exceptional (like Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers), but in general I'm finding they're pretty similar.
So here are my thoughts...
The Story: Very predictable. The story moves at a steady pace--not too fast, and not too slow.
The Writing: It's a romance novel.
The Romance: Sophia is looking for love; Laz and Rosa fight like they're married, but aren't; Bella's been dating D.J. for 3 months; then there's the Hollywood "hottie"; Rob and Marian who are to be wed... Who in the story isn't in a relationship? I think they all are!
In Conclusion: Made-for-TV movie like reading.
Please note that I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review by Revell Books.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Valentines
Wooing...Some thoughts about love
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 replies that she doesn't have the right to say anything because it doesn't have anything to do with her and because it doesn't affect her. She tells him that yes, it does. Because of him, she has never gone on more than 5 dates with someone because she refuses to let herself get hurt the way her mom did by her dad. Her father is unrepentant and looks like a deer caught in the headlights.
That scene was very real to me. I have a friend who's husband has said the same thing in many different ways since the day he left his wife of almost 20 years. He thinks that his actions are only about him--that he has the right to be happy and that those actions don't affect his children. That's just not true.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Snowshoeing in MD =)
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 =)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
What prompted me to think about the NCV...
Comparison of Verses
NCV...more thoughts about Bible translations
8 I pray also that you will have greater understanding in your heart so you will know the hope to which he has called us and that you will know how rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised his holy people.
The process of meditating--praying and thinking about what the verse says in the NIV draws us into the Word. I think when we don't have to think about what it says and ponder, we're more likely to rush through it. It's like eating peanut butter and jelly vs. a steak. You have to cut the steak bit by bit, so it takes longer to eat. But, the peanut butter and jelly you can just grab and start eating.
My feeling is that it's nice to read a paraphrase periodically so that you can see a different view, but that it's wiser to read a more literal translation--a readable close to "word for word" translation.
4) Aren't they all the Word of God?
Yes, I think they are. But, we all want things to be easier and not to have to work for them. If one's motive in reading a paraphrase is because it's "easier", I think that is something to think about and consider.
5) Why does any of this matter?
Why do we read the Bible? Because it is God's Word and it is the primary way, I think, that he speaks to us. It holds His instructions about how to live rightly. It is by reading His Word that we are encouraged and strengthened in our faith in the Lord.
But, why would it matter if you are reading a paraphrase or a translation? This is the thought that came to my mind. When you love something, you want the original. I grew up listening to the song "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin. I still love the song. My father always told me it was the story of him and his dad, but though I never told him, I knew at the time that he was recreating the same story in his relationship with me though he didn't see it. Since Harry Chapin recorded the song, there's been a lot of artists who have rerecorded it and put their own spins on it--their own interpretations. Yet, I always like the original best.
I like reading the ESV. It is considered the closest and most readable Word for Word translation today. It feels like I get a chance to more closely hear the God's heart--not another man's interpretation of it. It is the closest I can get to the original--the Greek and the Hebrew--since I don't know Greek or Hebrew =) By choosing not to read a paraphrase, I feel like I'm not copping out. I'm not trying to interpret the Word for myself. I know and trust that it is God who opens my heart and helps me to hear rather than me helping myself.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
A good reminder
Parenting
The Best Fiction book I've read in a while...
"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. From the back of the book, you know that the story is about a man who was planning to leave his wife (though she doesn't know) when he has an accident and wakes up with amnesia. I thought I knew how it would end at the beginning and it did turn out that I was right, but it felt like a long shot and there was enough doubt in my mind to make the journey from the beginning to the end very interesting.
Honestly, this is the best fiction book I've read in a long time. Please check it out if you're looking for a good read!
Please note that I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book for review by Moody Publishing.
Dreams that Won't Let Go...
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't Let Go is written by Stacy Hawkins Adams. She has written 5 other novels. It intrigued me that it is considered contemporary fiction rather than contemporary romance. It made me curious about how this book would be different than the two other books I've read recently that were called "romance" novels.
The Story: Good. The twists were realistic, but unexpected at times, too--but not overly so. I would compare it to a good cup of coffee. It wasn't too strong, or weak.
The Writing: Interesting, easy to read, not too slow or fast. Honestly, Ms. Adams' writing reminds me of Karen Kingsbury's novels. There was one particular detail that the author includes at the beginning of chapter 28 about black Baptist church customs that was really interesting to me. But, it was written in a way that was relevant to the reader no matter what the racial background is of the reader. After reading Songs of Deliverance a few weeks ago, I really appreciated this. She skillfully included it.
Issues: It was not a soap opera and marriage/romance is not portrayed as the center of one's life. Rather, it was portrayed as a part of life. When counsel was given by friends to one another, it was honest and biblical, but not preachy.