Into the Word Wednesday: Untitled

I had gotten really frustrated recently.  It wasn’t that kind of frustrated that you just get angry.  It was that kind of frustrated where you are just annoyed and off.

This was my day:

6:30 The Herd is let out (we live with my in-laws and they have 4 dogs, hence the herd) - this happens daily and until this week I had slept through it.  This is also the time Hubs alarm now goes off.  Most days the herd wakes Little Mister, and since we had still been sleeping he would go back to sleep.

6:45 Hubs and I get up completely waking up the Little Mister.  Wanting Little Miss to stay asleep.  I gather Little Mister as quickly as possible.

6:50 Little Mister and I are upstairs getting his breakfast together.  (At some point the Herd was put back upstairs in my mother-in-law’s room.)  She lets them out, herding down the stairs and scaring the daylights out of Little Mister, sending him into a meltdown.

7:15 Little Miss is crying in bed calling for Mommy.

Mommy’s quiet-time in the morning, HI-Jacked!  I am okay with it though, I know this means they will both be napping today for a good 2 hours.  Or so I thought at 7:15.

The day went well for the most part.  Minor incidents, but nothing out of the ordinary.  They go down for nap and because of life of two families living together they were woke up early from their nap, 1 hour and 15 minutes in.  In my frustration I decide we need to head out.  Praise the Lord there is a park walking distance from the house.

As I was changing my clothes to take them to the park, Little Miss is playing with Little Mister on my bed and she says.  “I love Jesus.”  I say to her, “You love Jesus?  That is a very good thing.”  She then says, “He has my whole heart.”  Had they slept their whole nap I wouldn’t have been taking them for a walk and I wouldn’t have been changing my clothes and I wouldn’t have heard my darling 3 year old say in her sweet innocence that Jesus has her whole heart.  I am still warm inside.

It even gets better though.  Praise Him even bigger -- I found the swings!  While we were swinging asked, “Did God plant that tree?”  Somewhat absently I said, “yes he did honey.”  Then I just listened.  “God made the trees, and planted the grass.”  “God created the birds and the animals.”  She stopped and looked up at me.  I smiled at her and said, “You bet he did.  God created all that stuff, just like he created you and me.”  She then asked me if God created Thomas and Dora and their stroller.

Thank you Jesus that I am here to experience the love for you growing in my little girl’s heart.

I began reflecting on this and wondering what God is trying to show here.  I just keep thinking about how Jesus said we have to become like children to enter the kingdom.

When she asked me, “Mommy, did God plant that tree?”  I could have went the logical route - the overly taught mind route.  That tree was probably planted by blah blah blah (all of which God put in order to happen just that way).  When she asked me “Did God create Dora?”  I could have told her about how television shows are made, but God planted that dream into someone’s heart and Dora was born.

She just accepts it.  She accepts it as truth.  Her brain has not been warped by all the logic of 35 years.  She loves God and she knows that God loves her.

How does she know that?  Well, she just knows.  I would like to think it has something to do with the example we are setting and what she is learning at Sunday school.  But, I doubt it.  Her soul was with God not that long ago.  She is only 3 ½.  I mean we really remember things that happened only 3 years ago.  Ask us about something that happened 15 years ago we get fuzzier.  Ask us about something that happened 35 years ago.  There is no way that we remember.  Time washes away the memories of what our soul knows to be true.

When I think back over my own life.  I didn’t grow up with any religious/spiritual upbringing, but deep down I knew there was more.  I just knew.  I believed in God as long as I can remember and I believed in Jesus.  I just didn’t have a relationship with him or understanding of him.  The best way to describe it would be to think of someone you know existed, but don’t know much of anything about.  Like Ghandi or Buddah or even George Washington.  We know they existed - we don’t question that, but we don’t have a relationship with them.  That is how it was for me and Jesus.

My prayer for my children is that life doesn’t take away that “I love Jesus with all my heart” and that belief beyond the shadow of doubt.  Logic doesn’t step in and tarnish all of that innocent child like faith.  My prayer for all of us is that we can see their faith and regain ours.

{almost} Wordless Wednesday: Book Worm Fest

Book Worms Unite!

I don’t even really remember where I first heard about Books by the Banks.  It is a book festival at our convention center.  But I am so excited, it's less than 5 months away!

You get to meet authors - last year Jillian Kent was there.  I would love it if Carrie Daws would be there this year!  There were round tables and discussions.  I would go just for myself except.

 My bookworms would not speak to me if they didn’t get to go.  Look at all they had for the kids!  This years schedule is not up yet, but I will be our trip better this year.  We missed out on meeting Llama Llama in his Red Pajamas.

Creating a Crown with the PBS crew.

Making a Cat in the Hat hat.

Photo Opps

Character Dance Party

He just enjoyed all the stimulation.  This year will be so different he is a bigger bookworm than his sister!

Have you written a book and want to know more about the festival?  Do you live in Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky and want a fun, free, family event?  Click here to go to their website.

Plus with all the review regulations about telling if this is sponsored or not.  It's not.  Books by the Banks did not ask me to write a review or anything.  I am not getting compensated in anyway.  We went and are going again this year.

Review: Changing Churches: A View from the Pew by Dottie Parish

Get your copy at Amazon

Whenever I start reviewing a book I like to let you know why I picked the book to review.  Most of the books that I review are from Christian Women Affiliates.  When I saw “Changing Churches: A View from the Pew” by Dottie Parish I glanced at the description and moved on.  For this main reason - I LOVE MY CHURCH and have no intention on leaving it anytime soon.  On a second look through I noticed Dottie is from Cincinnati, Ohio.  I live in Cincinnati, Ohio.  So, I signed up to review this book.  Crazy reason I know - but that’s the truth. 

The first part of the book I really enjoyed.  It is written like a memoir.  Parish tells her story, why she changed churches and what the pastors were like.  She tells you what the changes did to her relationship with her husband and with God.  She also tells you how these changes grew her faith. 

The second part is full of lessons and suggestions all things that Parish learned throughout her “Journey in Three Churches”.  Lessons like, “Building up the Church Where You Are” and giving yourself a “Christ-Like Makeover”.  These lesson are great for someone like me who knows what I believe.  I want to be more like Christ, I want to know God more.  I want to see God in this world.  I don’t want to be a “causal Christian”.  I still have questions, and some of them seem pretty darn basic.  Like how I am struggling with one word right now -- seek.  More about that another time.  I am 100% positive that one day all of my questions will be answered.

What about someone who doesn’t know what they believe, or has been hurt by the church, or doesn’t have a “home” church?  What about them?  How can this book help them?  Near the end of the book Parish discusses the different world religions and different types of churches.  In fact in that chapter my church is mentioned. 

So, another question I like to try and answer is … who is this book for?  Parish gives a list of who she is trying to talk to on the very first page of the introduction.  The one that sticks out to me, and is probably most encompassing is, “All of us, helping us understand what we need to do to build up the body, the church, the bride of Christ.”  I think if you are someone who is questioning the whole “faith-thing”.  This book is not for you, yet.  If you want more from your faith, then yes, by all means pick up a copy and study your way through it.

Where can you connect with Dottie Parish?

Facebook
Twitter
Faith Notes Blog
Tabers Truths
Amazon to get your copy

Toddler Tuesday

I have to say, for the most part Hubs and I have been really good at not saying vulgar things around the kids.  Of course we have slipped a time or two.  And they here “poop” way more than I ever wanted my kids to hear, but they have yet to repeat it.  THANK GOD!

Could it be that we are constantly reminded of the parrots we have.

So what have your little ones copied from you lately?

Teach Me Thursday: Flowers and Bugs

Last month we didn't get around to that many preschool activities.  This month we haven't even gotten to any yet and it's the 16th!

We were going to focus on bugs and flowers.  We ended up working on more bug activities that flowers.  Fun and learning was had by all.

Coffee Filter Butterfly

Simple Preschool Crafts

Name Bugs

Garden Memory

Garden Sounds

Caterpillar Letters

Counting Flowers

Recreate Bugs

Daddy and His Little Star

Little Miss had a slight obsession last year.

Tennis.

The only thing that she wanted from Santa, a tennis racket.

Well we took her to the tennis courts for the first time last week.

Daddy wanted her in a little skirt or something.  She wanted her pink pants.  The skirt was so short they both won.  She might have some natural talent when it comes to this sport. I am glad that she loves it. 

The cutest thing happened though.  When she hit the ball the first time she put her racket down and started running around "bases".  She just created a new game! 

Little Mister loved chasing the balls all around the tennis court.  It was a great afternoon!

Review: No Shame! Only Power by Val Newton Knowles

Tell Me About it Tuesday is back!  Today I am hear to tell you all about “No Shame! Only Power” by Val Newton-Knowles. 


“No Shame! Only Power” reads like a conversation.  Come up to the table and pour yourself a cup of coffee.  Join the conversation.  Val Knowles is going to teach you how to embrace life and find your purpose.  While enjoying the journey.  Right off the bat Val Knowles reminds us that we were made to be a success and has a plan for it.  As long as we follow his plan we will succeed!

This conversation takes place in three parts.  The first part tells us the story of God’s plan.  The second part helps us find where we fit in the place of power and victory.  The final part helps give us a plan on how to achieve all that God wants for us.  I really like that Val is bold enough to lay her viewpoints out in black and white.  I am specifically talking about this one: “We are children of The King.  We are not supposed to be lacking in anything.  Yes, I dare to say that God even wants us to have money, and plenty of it.”  That is not a view point that you see anywhere.  It is refreshing. 

As someone who has a rather basic understand of the bible I found the first part of “No Shame! Only Power” to be a breathe of fresh air.  It retold the story from creation to resurrection, but it wasn’t your basic this is what happened, dry and ‘teachy‘.  I found it to read like Val Knowles was talking right to me.  It was almost like I could have asked my question right to her. 

The second section is all about the power and victory that comes from the Word.  In this section she gives us action steps to get more of this power and victory in our lives.  These actions steps are things like, get passionate about God’s Word.  As well as get someone in your life that knows the Lord more than you do.  (There are three others that you will have to find out for yourself.)

In the final section Val Knowles gives us even more concrete action steps to success.  She goes into details on the importance of the word, why God is the only source and the progression of our faith. 

The big question asked when reviewing a book is would you recommend this to a friend.   My answer is yes.  Like I mentioned earlier, “No Shame! Only Power” reads like a conversation.  The teachings, scripture and messages Val Knowles shares should be read by any believer.  Not only would I recommend this to a friend, I am recommending it as a bible study for my small group.  It does not have study questions with the chapters, but it is definitely a book that would be great for us to discuss.  

Connect with Val Newton-Knowles on her site and on Facebook.