4 hours ago
This blog has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Quaker®. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #LoveMyCereal #QuakerUp
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The week before Christmas is baking week around here! When I was growing up, my mom always had big variety of Christmas goodies spread out on our table on Christmas morning. We would have a simple breakfast and dinner, and then snack the rest of the day. It made it easy on my mom since she didn't have to cook this huge dinner.
I've kind of done the same thing for Christmas around our house. I usually make a breakfast casserole, an easy dinner, and 4-5 Christmas treats for us to enjoy through the day. Derek really loves having a good Christmas spread, and I'm loving being able to include the kids in the baking a little more this year.
I got most of my baking done last week, and I tried a new recipe. It's good to change things up a little and keep the husband and kids guessing! So in addition to some of our favorites, I created this cookie recipe. They turned out nice and chewy, and I love that the Quaker® Simply Granola adds fiber to the cookies! I know Walmart has this cereal and all the other ingredients for this recipe.
Chewy Granola Almond Cookies
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 baking soda
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. Quaker® Simply Granola cereal
1 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 cup extra chocolate chips (for drizzle - optional)
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda with a hand mixer until the mixture is well blended. Add in the egg and almond extract, and mix until blended.
2. Add in the flour and mix well. Add in the Quaker Simply Granola and chocolate chips. Mix until blended. The batter will be sticky.
3. Use a spoon or your fingers to form 1 inch balls - space them two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. (I line my cookie sheets with parchment paper to keep them from sticking to the pan.)
4. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.
5. Let the cookies cool for 5-10 minutes. If desired, melt the extra white chocolate chips and drizzle over the top of the cookies. Enjoy!
(These cookies are kid-approved.)
I think these cookies are best warm out of the oven, with a glass of milk! It probably would be the perfect cookie to leave out for "Santa" on Christmas Eve.
Quaker® makes one of my favorite cereals ever - Quaker® Life - but I recently learned of Quaker® Oatmeal Squares, which we have never tried before.
We picked up a box at Walmart the other day when we got the Quaker® Simply Granola, and it's a yummy cereal too! It is filling and not too sweet, and it stays nice and crispy in the milk. Anyway, I was letting the kids snack on the Quaker® Oatmeal Squares and Quaker® Simply Granola while I baked. They are my sweet little baking buddies!
What are some of your must-have Christmas treats? Are you trying any new cookie recipes this year?
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The week before Christmas is baking week around here! When I was growing up, my mom always had big variety of Christmas goodies spread out on our table on Christmas morning. We would have a simple breakfast and dinner, and then snack the rest of the day. It made it easy on my mom since she didn't have to cook this huge dinner.
I've kind of done the same thing for Christmas around our house. I usually make a breakfast casserole, an easy dinner, and 4-5 Christmas treats for us to enjoy through the day. Derek really loves having a good Christmas spread, and I'm loving being able to include the kids in the baking a little more this year.
I got most of my baking done last week, and I tried a new recipe. It's good to change things up a little and keep the husband and kids guessing! So in addition to some of our favorites, I created this cookie recipe. They turned out nice and chewy, and I love that the Quaker® Simply Granola adds fiber to the cookies! I know Walmart has this cereal and all the other ingredients for this recipe.
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Chewy Granola Almond Cookies
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 baking soda
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. Quaker® Simply Granola cereal
1 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 cup extra chocolate chips (for drizzle - optional)
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda with a hand mixer until the mixture is well blended. Add in the egg and almond extract, and mix until blended.
2. Add in the flour and mix well. Add in the Quaker Simply Granola and chocolate chips. Mix until blended. The batter will be sticky.
3. Use a spoon or your fingers to form 1 inch balls - space them two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. (I line my cookie sheets with parchment paper to keep them from sticking to the pan.)
4. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.
5. Let the cookies cool for 5-10 minutes. If desired, melt the extra white chocolate chips and drizzle over the top of the cookies. Enjoy!
(These cookies are kid-approved.)
I think these cookies are best warm out of the oven, with a glass of milk! It probably would be the perfect cookie to leave out for "Santa" on Christmas Eve.
I was really debating whether to use the Quaker® Simply Granola or Quaker® Real Medleys® for these cookies - specifically the Cherry Almond Pecan one. I ended up choosing the Simply Granola, but I think the Real Medleys cereal would be great for some variety!
We picked up a box at Walmart the other day when we got the Quaker® Simply Granola, and it's a yummy cereal too! It is filling and not too sweet, and it stays nice and crispy in the milk. Anyway, I was letting the kids snack on the Quaker® Oatmeal Squares and Quaker® Simply Granola while I baked. They are my sweet little baking buddies!
What are some of your must-have Christmas treats? Are you trying any new cookie recipes this year?
A few weeks before Wyatt turned a year old, I bought a DSLR. Through that first year of his life I just found myself repeatedly frustrated with how slow my point and shoot was, and I wanted to be able to blur the background in my pictures, so I bought a refurbished Nikon. I didn't even want to tell anemone I got it at first, because I was afraid they would be expecting amazing pictures right away, and I knew that having a good camera wasn't all there was to getting good photos. But I practiced, and I think I've slowly gotten better.
I've been using it for taking pictures of the kids ever since, but there have been many times when I have found myself losing inspiration. Sometimes I won't even pull my camera out for weeks at a time. I'll feel like I have no new ideas, or I get frustrated that my pictures aren't turning out exactly like I want, but I hate it when I lose momentum because I want to document my kids' lives.
It's at times like those that I look for books like "Your Family In Pictures" by Me Ra Koh. This book has so many inspiring photos, with basic "photo recipes" for each section. She includes her camera settings and tips for setting up the photo and getting the effect you want. Throughout this book she also includes tips for getting good pictures with a point and shoot and smartphones, so you don't have to own a DSLR to benefit from this book.
(This is a picture I took of Gwen and Derek when Gwen was a newborn, inspired by a different book from Me Ra Koh. I'm a fan.)
I think my favorite thing about this book is all the tips she shares for capturing who people are through photos by strategizing to catch them in moments that show their personalities or interest. After reading this book I feel more inspired to not only capture my kids' personalities, but also to take more pictures of my husband, and even myself!
I think whether you are a beginner at photograph or have a lot of experience, you will find useful tips and inspiration from this book. If you want to take better pictures of the people you love most, this is definitely one to check out!
Note: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
The other day I made Wyatt and Gwen some Christmas cookies, and appropriately the song "Christmas Cookies" came on the radio. That is one of those songs that always gets stuck in my head. The rest of the afternoon I was singing "I sure do like those Christmas cookies, Sugar. I sure do like those Christmas cookies, Babe" to Wyatt.
After Wyatt's nap that day, he came out of his room, climbed up on the couch, and said "Can I have some Christmas cookies babe?" So apparently Christmas cookies in general are now called "Christmas cookies babe"! He is just so cute.
One of my favorite kinds of Christmas cookies ever is Snowdrop cookies. They are kind of like a meringue cookie, but they aren't just crumbly, they are actually a little chewy too, It's hard to explain, but they are so good. I have a horrible time making them because I don't have enough patience to beat them long enough, but Derek always makes them perfectly - so now I just make him make them every December, naturally. If they look familiar, you might recognize them from our Christmas gender reveal party last year.
This is the recipe - we have been making it since I was a girl, so I don't know where it came from originally, or if it was just passed down through the family. If anyone has seen this recipe before, I would love to know the original source. One big bonus to this recipe for all of you who are gluten intolerant is that it is already mostly gluten-free. As long as you use chocolate chips that do not have gluten, you are good to go.
Snowdrop Cookies
2 egg whites
¾ tsp. cream of tartar
¾ c. sugar
1 c. chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Take out the oven racks and place foil over them before heating the oven. Leave the racks out of the oven.
2. Beat egg whites with hand mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until stiff. Slowly beat in sugar; beat until stiff (the mixture will form little soupy peaks). Add chocolate chips and stir to mix them in.
3. Place by teaspoon on foil-covered racks and put racks in oven. Turn oven OFF. Leave overnight.
4. Wake up in the morning and enjoy!
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On a sidenote - the kids are getting to the age where I have to start thinking about how to handle Santa as a Christian mom. Do you have any thoughts? You can read what I think about the Santa question on the Tommy Nelson blog!
I know I am not alone in loving this time of year! Christmas time is just full of fun, cozy events with family and friends, and I love it. I am trying to make a big deal of all of the Christmas festivities this year, so the kids can learn to enjoy Christmas for other things beside just the presents. I want them to enjoy all aspects of this season, not just getting things. If you want to instill some gratitude in your kids for non-present yuletide blessings, here is a list of Christmas things to be grateful for.
Christmas Music. I know there is many a Christmas music grinch out there, but all I can say is - it's one month of the year. Humor those of us who love it! I have so many favorite Christmas albums, and a lot of them are from my childhood. My family had a tradition of going on a shopping day every year, and we would always get a new Christmas CD, so we developed quite a collection. One of my old favorites is Alabama's first Christmas album, and one of my new favorites is Sidewalk Prophet's Christmas album.
Christmas Food. We have a lot of goodies that we just make at Christmas time, and I look forward to them all year long. My favorite has always been snowdrop cookies, but ironically, I always mess them up when I make them. Derek has become our official snowdrop cookie maker.
Snow. At no other time of the year is snow welcomed by the majority. I happen to be one of those people that thinks if it's winter time, it should be snowing, but snow at Christmas is extra special.
Christmas Movies. We have a lot of favorites that we bring out each year, and I also love those cheesy Christmas movies that the Hallmark channel puts out every year. I hope they never stop!
Christmas Parades. Derek and I started going to the Christmas parade in a town near us several years ago, and I think it is safe to say it is a tradition now. It's just a small, old-fashioned parade, with local groups walking and driving down the street. They always have people on these big bikes, a fire engine, Clydesdale horses, and Santa in a red convertible. It's just fun.
Christmas Jammies. This is a new tradition to me, because we never did Christmas pajamas growing up - but I couldn't resist buying the kids three sets of matching Christmas jammies this year. I can't wait to see them on Christmas morning wearing their new pajamas!
Chrismtas Cards. Can I get a cheer for snail mail? It's a dying art form that lots of people revive at Christmas time. Nothing cheers me up like a big old stack of Christmas cards.
Christmas Lights. Why don't we put up twinkly lights all year 'round anyway? They are so pretty.
Christmas Gatherings. It can make the season a little crazy, but I love all the Christmas gatherings with family and friends! I am a pretty social person, so parties just add so much to the fun for me.
Christmas Books. Once again, we had a lot of Christmas books growing up that we would just bring out in December. I have a collection started for my kids, and I was thrilled to be able to add "God Bless Our Christmas" to it this year! Tommy Nelson gave us this sweet book. It is written in a poem format, and cute little winter woodland characters participate in lots of Christmas activities - but the greatest gift of all is Jesus, and the book conveys that wonderfully. The illustrations are adorable, and the kids love it! It reminds me of a book we had growing up that I loved, and I think this will be one of our favorites for Christmas time. I also thought it was appropriate to mention it in this post, because the first part of the book lists a bunch of fun, Christmas-y things too!
The Excitement Of The Kids. Amidst all the craziness that this season brings, sometimes we adults need a reminder of things to love about Christmas too, don't we? And one of my favorite things about Christmas as an adult is watching how excited my kids get about everything this season brings - presents included.
The Focus On Jesus's Birth. Even though some secular institutions may try to ignore it, it can't be avoided that in the end, Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of our Savior. It's not just about love and family - it is about God's love in giving us His Son, so that we can be a part of His family! That is ultimately what makes Christmas so special to me. None of the other activities would be as wonderful to me without that true meaning of Christmas behind them (which is another reason I love Christmas books like the one above that point out the true meaning of Christmas!).
What did I miss guys? What are some reasons that you love Christmas time?
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Note: I received a copy of "God Bless Our Christmas" from Tommy Nelson for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
Christmas Music. I know there is many a Christmas music grinch out there, but all I can say is - it's one month of the year. Humor those of us who love it! I have so many favorite Christmas albums, and a lot of them are from my childhood. My family had a tradition of going on a shopping day every year, and we would always get a new Christmas CD, so we developed quite a collection. One of my old favorites is Alabama's first Christmas album, and one of my new favorites is Sidewalk Prophet's Christmas album.
Christmas Food. We have a lot of goodies that we just make at Christmas time, and I look forward to them all year long. My favorite has always been snowdrop cookies, but ironically, I always mess them up when I make them. Derek has become our official snowdrop cookie maker.
Snow. At no other time of the year is snow welcomed by the majority. I happen to be one of those people that thinks if it's winter time, it should be snowing, but snow at Christmas is extra special.
Christmas Movies. We have a lot of favorites that we bring out each year, and I also love those cheesy Christmas movies that the Hallmark channel puts out every year. I hope they never stop!
Christmas Parades. Derek and I started going to the Christmas parade in a town near us several years ago, and I think it is safe to say it is a tradition now. It's just a small, old-fashioned parade, with local groups walking and driving down the street. They always have people on these big bikes, a fire engine, Clydesdale horses, and Santa in a red convertible. It's just fun.
Christmas Jammies. This is a new tradition to me, because we never did Christmas pajamas growing up - but I couldn't resist buying the kids three sets of matching Christmas jammies this year. I can't wait to see them on Christmas morning wearing their new pajamas!
Chrismtas Cards. Can I get a cheer for snail mail? It's a dying art form that lots of people revive at Christmas time. Nothing cheers me up like a big old stack of Christmas cards.
Christmas Lights. Why don't we put up twinkly lights all year 'round anyway? They are so pretty.
Christmas Gatherings. It can make the season a little crazy, but I love all the Christmas gatherings with family and friends! I am a pretty social person, so parties just add so much to the fun for me.
Christmas Books. Once again, we had a lot of Christmas books growing up that we would just bring out in December. I have a collection started for my kids, and I was thrilled to be able to add "God Bless Our Christmas" to it this year! Tommy Nelson gave us this sweet book. It is written in a poem format, and cute little winter woodland characters participate in lots of Christmas activities - but the greatest gift of all is Jesus, and the book conveys that wonderfully. The illustrations are adorable, and the kids love it! It reminds me of a book we had growing up that I loved, and I think this will be one of our favorites for Christmas time. I also thought it was appropriate to mention it in this post, because the first part of the book lists a bunch of fun, Christmas-y things too!
The Excitement Of The Kids. Amidst all the craziness that this season brings, sometimes we adults need a reminder of things to love about Christmas too, don't we? And one of my favorite things about Christmas as an adult is watching how excited my kids get about everything this season brings - presents included.
The Focus On Jesus's Birth. Even though some secular institutions may try to ignore it, it can't be avoided that in the end, Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of our Savior. It's not just about love and family - it is about God's love in giving us His Son, so that we can be a part of His family! That is ultimately what makes Christmas so special to me. None of the other activities would be as wonderful to me without that true meaning of Christmas behind them (which is another reason I love Christmas books like the one above that point out the true meaning of Christmas!).
What did I miss guys? What are some reasons that you love Christmas time?
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Note: I received a copy of "God Bless Our Christmas" from Tommy Nelson for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
When I was a girl, one of my favorite Christmas songs was "Silver Bells". Now I'm not exactly sure why, but it just seemed to usher in the Christmas season for me.
Last year I put together these lyrics to Silver Bells with the intention of using the lettering to create a painted Christmas sign - but the sign never got finished, and I lost my motivation. So this year, I changed up the file a bit and made printables instead! I think they look pretty cute with my poinsettia flowers that Derek got me a few years ago, my little snowmen figurines that were a gift from my sister, and some Walmart sparkly ornaments stringed up on my wall.
Lately I've been working on getting a blog newsletter going - my plan is to send out a newsletter once a month or so, and I'll include personal updates and pictures, links to some of my more popular posts that month, links to other articles that I've liked, and the occasional freebie. I am excited about this new project!
And you are in luck, because if you sign up for my newsletter before the end of December, I'll send give you this set of printables! Consider it a thank-you-for-reading-and-signing-up-and-merry-Christmas gift. You can sign up below, and then keep an eye out for the printables in your inbox! You can either sign up for the monthly version, or you can sign up to get a weekly roundup of posts from the blog instead.
Speaking of personal updates, I think I might have some good news on the job front for Derek - I don't want to say too much yet just in case it doesn't work out, but things are looking promising - keep us in your prayers, and I'll post an update (if there is anything to tell) next week!
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
In The Wishing Season by Denise Hunter, PJ McKinley is excited to finally make her dream of running a restaurant a reality by entering a competition to win The Wishing House, a historic house that is up for grabs through a competition held by it's eccentric owner, Mrs Simmons. But Cole Evans also wants to Wishing House to open a transitional home for foster kids that have aged out of the system. Mrs. Simmons decides that they will share the house for a year before she decides who will finally win the contest, but as PJ and Cole get to know each other, they find themselves attracted to each other and unsure of how their relationship will work out as the year comes to a close.
I enjoyed this book. I feel like the characters and their issues were believable, even if a contest for a historical home is not something that is likely to happen in real life. I think Hunter struck a good balance with describing the tension between Cole and PJ's conflicting goals while still making you like both characters. I wasn't sure who to root for throughout the book.
I realized after I started the book that this is part of The Chapel Hill romance series, and so characters from the other two books in this series make appearances (I wrote about the second book, Dancing With Fireflies, here). I always like when books tie in well with the other books in the series and let us catch up with all the characters. Hunter also talked quite a bit about PJ's brother and his problems in this book, so I'm hoping she writes one more story about him!
Hunter's books are always quick, easy reads, and they keep me interested throughout the story. Part of this book takes place at Christmastime, but the book spans an entire year, so contrary to my first impression, I wouldn't say this is exclusively a Christmas book. It's perfect for Christmas time, but it would be good to read any time of the year!
I was lucky enough to get an advance copy - but lucky for you, The Wishing Season came out today! Check it out!
Note: I received a digital copy of this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
I was in an experimenting mood the other day, and I came up with a new fudge recipe! Making Fudge is so fun to me, because as long as you have a good base, you can change it up in so many different ways. I basically searched in my cupboards for stuff to add to this fudge, and it turned out really well!
Pecan Coconut Orange Fudge
2 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. milk
1/2 stick butter (1/4 c.)
1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1/4 c. pecans chopped
1/4 c. coconut
1 tsp. orange extract
1. Prepare a pan by lining with tin foil and greasing foil.
2. Mix together sugar, milk, and butter in saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat.
3. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Once mixture is boiling, let it boil untouched for five minutes.
4. Take mixture off stove and beat mixture. Add in white chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans, and stir until chips melt and are well blended.
5. Add orange extract last. Extract may partially evaporate when it hits the hot fudge, just stir into mixture quickly.
6. Spread fudge into prepared pan. Fudge should set in about 10 minutes.
I made this fudge twice and we really liked it! I think it is especially good with a cup of hot coffee (of course, I think anything is that much better with coffee). Enjoy!
Pecan Coconut Orange Fudge
2 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. milk
1/2 stick butter (1/4 c.)
1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1/4 c. pecans chopped
1/4 c. coconut
1 tsp. orange extract
2. Mix together sugar, milk, and butter in saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat.
3. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Once mixture is boiling, let it boil untouched for five minutes.
4. Take mixture off stove and beat mixture. Add in white chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans, and stir until chips melt and are well blended.
5. Add orange extract last. Extract may partially evaporate when it hits the hot fudge, just stir into mixture quickly.
6. Spread fudge into prepared pan. Fudge should set in about 10 minutes.
I made this fudge twice and we really liked it! I think it is especially good with a cup of hot coffee (of course, I think anything is that much better with coffee). Enjoy!
Christmas time is officially upon us! We actually decorated for Christmas a little early this year. Usually we wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving, but this year we decorated the weekend before. Wyatt and Gwendolyn enjoyed putting the ornaments on the tree, and I love the little clusters of ornaments on the lower branches.
In honor of the start of Christmas season, I wanted to share a recipe for Holly Jolly Coffee! My mom re-introduced me to Holly Jolly Coffee last year, and it is the perfect hot drink for this time of year. I like it almost as much as peppermint mochas!
Holly Jolly Coffee
1 cup of hot coffee
1 hot chocolate mix packet
1/4 tsp. orange extract
Whipped cream (optional)
1. First off, you should brew yourself a pot of hot coffee - whatever strength you like.
2. Pour hot chocolate mix into a mug. Pour in hot coffee and mix well.
3. Add in the orange extract and stir.
4. I like topping mine with whipped cream, and a dusting of cocoa powder makes it pretty.
It is a super-easy recipe, but so good! I think it seems so Christmasy to me because of the orange flavor. Anything orange reminds me of Christmas. It's perfect for Christmas decorating, or Christmas card addressing, or present wrapping, or anything else Christmas related!
Have you decorated your house for Christmas yet?
With Thanksgiving coming up (tomorrow!), I've been thinking about how I want to teach my kids to be thankful to God for their blessings. There are so many creative ways to do that, and maybe I'll compile a list of ideas at a future time, but today I just wanted to write about some things that I want my kids to be thankful for. I think when we consistently demonstrate gratitude and talk to kids about specific blessings, they are more likely to be thankful for those things as they grow.
I want them to be thankful for Jesus, and what He did on the cross for us. I think it is so fitting that a holiday all about being thankful to God falls right before the season where we celebrate the birth of His Son. It is so important to me that I teach my kids about Jesus's sacrifice in coming to earth and dying for our sins (and rising again!), and I think Thanksgiving provides a great opportunity to refocus on that right before the Christmas craziness!
I want my kids to be thankful for living in America. I still believe that America is the greatest nation on earth, with more opportunities and freedoms than any other place in the world. It is an extraordinary blessing to be born and raised in such a country, that recognizes our God-given rights and has a rich heritage and history of being founded on biblical principles. They also have the opportunity to control their own government, and not very many people can say that. Only a small percentage of people in the world have what we have in this country, and I want my kids to know and appreciate that.
I want them to be thankful for their family, including their extended family. For some it may be hard to be grateful for family, because although family members can be a source of some of the greatest blessings, they can also be involved in some of the deepest pains. But God placed us in families for a reason, and it is a blessing to have living family and good family relationships. Families are messy, but they are also priceless, and I want my kids to know how blessed they are to have a family that loves them.
I want my kids to be thankful for material blessings. This is probably one of the most common categories of things that people might be thankful for on Thanksgiving, but it's important. I heard a statistic that if you make more than $34,000 a year, you are in the top 1% of wage earners in the world. That is for individuals, not families, but it still puts things into perspective. I want my kids to know what a blessing it is just to be warm and filled, because so many don't have even that. Gratitude also promotes generosity, so I hope knowing how blessed they are in material ways will prompt them to also give to others.
I want them to be thankful for God's Word. I wrote about this earlier this week, but the Bible is such a gift. God's written word is what allows us to know about Him and to know Him personally. I can't imagine not having it, and I want my kids to grow to love and be thankful for God's Word.
The first step in helping kids become grateful for the things that matter is to show that you are grateful for them. It is so important to give thanksgiving to God for the things He has given us throughout the year, not just on Thanksgiving. When we give thanks to God for our blessings in front of our kids, that genuine gratitude will rub off on them as well.
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I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
It is Thanksgiving week, and like everyone else, I want to focus on being thankful for all the things God has given me! I have a couple more posts coming on the topic of being thankful, but one thing I wanted to focus on today is God's written word - the Bible.
I believe the Bible is God's Word, written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Every word of Scripture is directly from God. I feel like sometimes Christians can even get confused on the inerrancy and all-sufficiency of the Bible (which is another topic, for another post). But over the last few months I have been thinking a lot about the Bible, and what a blessing it is. God gave us this manual for our lives, and everything we need to know for life is in there. It is also through the Bible that we are able to know about Jesus and come to know Him personally! All are reasons why this book is precious.
One thing that amazes me about God's Word is how deep it is - I could study it for a hundred years and still learn new things. I've been learning that lately as I am continuing to study and memorize Hebrews. I never realized how much about Hebrews I didn't know, and it makes me wonder what I'm missing in other books of the Bible as well!
All that to say, a love and thankfulness for God's Word is something that I want to impress upon my kids. I think there are a few keys to doing that.
1. You have to read it yourself, and let them see you reading the Bible. This is something I need to get better at, because my kids are not going to realize the Bible is important if they don't see me reading it!
2. Read the Bible to them regularly. We have mostly been doing storybook Bibles with our kids, but I want to start reading them chapters. I think it will be good practice for them at listening, and once again, I want them to realize how important God's word is.
3. Talk about how blessed we are to have God's Word any time we need it. God really did think of everything. We don't need to sit around, wondering what God thinks, or waiting for some mysterious new revelation. If we want to hear from God, all we have to do is crack open the pages of the Bible.
4. Memorize Scripture. We've been doing much better at this lately - I have memory verses I help Wyatt with, and then I've been working on memorizing Scripture myself.
For the rest of this post I wanted to focus on that last one, because I feel like a great way to teach young children to appreciate the Bible is memorizing Scripture. As they commit verses to memory, it is easier for them to see how these words apply to their everyday lives.
Even as an adult, as I have been trying to get back into memorizing Bible verses, I have been re-discovering how beneficial it is. I think about God's Word much more throughout the day when I am actively memorizing a portion of it. (Which reminds me, I am up to chapter 5 of Hebrews - I will try to do another verse-reciting vlog soon!)
Tommy Nelson has provided a great resource for finding verses to help your kids memorize - a book called I Can Learn The Bible, which is the kid's version of The Joshua Code. I had never heard of The Joshua Code, but I have started reading through it, and I love the concept. It is based on Joshua 1:8, which talks about keeping God's Word in our mouths and meditating on it. We can't do that if we don't memorize Scripture.
Both of these books take a single verse per week to memorize and think about, over the course of one year. I have only read part way through the books, but so far the commentary on each of these verses seems accurate, and provides some good insights (if I find anything that concerns me in either book I'll update this post, but so far so good).
I Can Learn The Bible includes a verse for each week, taken from the International Children's Bible version. I have never read through this whole version, but the language of the verses is easy for kids to understand. I am rather traditional, so I'll probably have my kids memorize the verses in the NIV or NKJV since that is what I usually read, but so far the ICB seems like it would be a good supplement for explaining some of the more difficult verses. I like that the gospel is explained clearly through these pages.
We've been skipping around in the book a bit, and this week I wanted to find a section that would be appropriate for Thanksgiving - then I realized that children are encouraged to thank God throughout this book, which I love!
One chapter I thought was good for the concept of thanksgiving was the chapter on being filled with the Holy Spirit, whom every believer receives when they trust in Jesus. John MacAruthur has said that being filled with the Spirit is "living every moment as if you are standing in the presence of Jesus Christ". I like that. If we are filled with the Spirit we will be continuously praising God and thanking Him for all things (Ephesians 5:18-21).
Isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about? The Thanksgiving holiday is about thanking God for Who He is, what He has done for us, and what He continues to do in our lives. His Word is one of the most wonderful things He has given us, and I want to talk to my kids about that this week.
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What are your favorite resources for inspiration to memorize Bible verses (and for getting your kids to memorize Scripture as well)? I'd love to hear any other recommendations below!
If you are interested in checking out either of these books, I have good news - Tommy Nelson is offering one of my readers a chance to win I Can Learn The Bible and The Joshua Code! I think it would be fun to read these books side by side, and do a study together with your kids each week (in fact, I'm not sure why we haven't been doing that already).
Enter below for a chance to win! I'll keep this giveaway open (to U.S. residents) through Black Friday!
Note: I received copies of "I Can Learn The Bible" and "The Joshua Code" for free in exchange for a review. The above paragraphs about the books are my honest opinion.
Every year during the month of November I think to myself that I want to share this quote. And every year I forget until well into December. I almost didn't share it this year, because for the most part this November has been of the fretting variety, not the growing old gracefully variety. But I thought I'd share it anyway, rather than waiting another year. November never feels like it's fretting to me, it always feels like the year is growing old gracefully, so I think this quote is perfect. If you have never read the Anne Of Green Gables series, you are missing out.
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I am a historical fiction fan. I love when my "light" fiction reading can also teach me something, so historical fiction is right up my alley. And if it's biblical historical fiction, that is even better!
I think someday I will have to do a post on my favorite historical fiction series, but one that would make my list is Lynn Austin's The Restorations Chronicles series. I read the first book a couple years ago, and I was hoping she would write more - and I discovered recently that she has!
Keepers Of The Covenant opens with the Jewish people, exiled in Babylon, getting the decree from King Xerxes that all the Jews can be killed on the thirteenth of Adar (if this sounds familiar, it is from the story in the book of Esther). It follows several families through the fear leading up to that day, and the triumph and tragedy of the aftermath. It then dives into the story of Ezra, who petitioned King Artaxerxes to let the Jews return to their homeland, and it follows them back to the Jerusalem.
This whole story is told through the eyes of different characters, several in Babylon and one in Bethlehem. The most fun part of the book is the last third, when all the characters are brought together in one place. There are a couple different sweet romances in this book, which also made it fun to read.
One thing that bothered me initially in this book was the hatred the main character had toward the Gentiles. It was mentioned so naturally in the first half of the book that I wasn't sure I liked it - I didn't remember reading anything in the Bible condoning hatred of the Babylonians and other Gentiles in Ezra's story. I was going to mention that as something that I didn't like, but then the author addressed it in a really satisfactory way at the end of the book. That is all I'll say.
Overall, I found the story to be really accurate to the facts while also adding enough of a story in the characters' relationships to keep the book interesting. I would definitely recommend this series!
Note: I received digital copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
I think someday I will have to do a post on my favorite historical fiction series, but one that would make my list is Lynn Austin's The Restorations Chronicles series. I read the first book a couple years ago, and I was hoping she would write more - and I discovered recently that she has!
Keepers Of The Covenant opens with the Jewish people, exiled in Babylon, getting the decree from King Xerxes that all the Jews can be killed on the thirteenth of Adar (if this sounds familiar, it is from the story in the book of Esther). It follows several families through the fear leading up to that day, and the triumph and tragedy of the aftermath. It then dives into the story of Ezra, who petitioned King Artaxerxes to let the Jews return to their homeland, and it follows them back to the Jerusalem.
This whole story is told through the eyes of different characters, several in Babylon and one in Bethlehem. The most fun part of the book is the last third, when all the characters are brought together in one place. There are a couple different sweet romances in this book, which also made it fun to read.
One thing that bothered me initially in this book was the hatred the main character had toward the Gentiles. It was mentioned so naturally in the first half of the book that I wasn't sure I liked it - I didn't remember reading anything in the Bible condoning hatred of the Babylonians and other Gentiles in Ezra's story. I was going to mention that as something that I didn't like, but then the author addressed it in a really satisfactory way at the end of the book. That is all I'll say.
Overall, I found the story to be really accurate to the facts while also adding enough of a story in the characters' relationships to keep the book interesting. I would definitely recommend this series!
Note: I received digital copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
This past summer I started dabbling in watercolors. I used to take oil painting lessons when I was a girl, and something made me decide to give watercolors a try. I was thinking it might be a little easier to paint in short sessions than with oils, since I only have limited time to do that sort of thing with three munchkins.
Well, watercolors are way different than oils! I experimented here and there and started to figure it out a little bit, but I still felt pretty lost, so I had to get this book when I saw it was up for review.
Urban Watercolor Sketching by Felix Scheintserger is a great beginner guide to painting with watercolors. He starts with the very basics (such as the color wheel), but he addresses everything in a way that doesn't make you feel stupid if you didn't already know what he is writing about. He goes over some basic watercolor techniques and gives tips throughout.
What I liked about this book is that it wasn't a "how to" sort of book as much as a book to give you inspiration. He writes about watercolors in such an easy-going way that it gives you confidence to experiment and figure things out for yourself. He paints from a very unique perspective, but he doesn't try to impose his style on the reader, and I like that. The information is also broken up with many of Scheintserger's sketches and paintings, so it is easy and interesting to read.
Every time I read a chapter I was ready to break out my paper and paints and experiment, but the kids haven't allowed me to paint much lately. However, I think I will keep this book handy and read a chapter here and there when I need a little inspiration to try watercolors again!
Note: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
In the late fall of 2008 I was a newlywed, and as the holidays approached I was determined to find some new recipes to try for Christmas - recipes that could be "mine" and would become a tradition for our then family of two. That was when I found a caramel fudge recipe that has become the bane of my fudge-making existence.
The first time I made it, it was a success. It was the perfect texture, the perfect taste, and we loved it! I was excited that I found such cool recipe.
Every time I have attempted to make it since then, it has been a colossal failure. It usually ends up being a plate of sticky goo that never sets. I have made it so many times, and I cannot for the life of me figure out what I am doing wrong! I don't even want to know how much sugar, milk, and corn syrup I have wasted trying to replicate that first plate of caramel-y goodness.
However, I think I have finally figured out a way to use my plates of sticky goo! The other day I was in the mood for some caramel popcorn, the kind that is a little more chewy, less crunchy. After a little experiment, I stumbled upon a yummy concoction!
This recipe for Pumpkin Pie Spice Popcorn uses that caramel fudge recipe with some adjustments. And despite my caramel fudge always turning out spectacularly wrong, this popcorn turned out great!
Pumpkin Pie Spice Popcorn
1 bag of popcorn, popped (either plain or buttered is fine)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 whole milk
1/8 cup (ie. 1/2 stick) margarine, melted
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
For the pumpkin spice mixture:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1. Pop the bag of popcorn in a microwave, then pour into a greased bowl or dish. Set aside.
2. Mix together the ingredients for the pumpkin spice mixture. Set aside.
2. Brown 1/2 cup of the sugar in a saucepan. (If you don't know how to brown sugar - just let it sit on the heat until it melts. Make sure it doesn't burn.)
3. Slowly add in the milk. The sugar will sizzle and harden into a lump ( I haven't figured out a way to avoid this). Don't freak out. Just keep stirring while the caramel cooks to encourage it to dissolve.
4. Add the margarine, 1 cup of the sugar, and corn syrup. Heat over medium high heat until mixture gets to soft ball stage. (The soft ball stage is when you put a little of the mixture into cold water, and it solidifies to the point where you could form a soft ball with it if you wanted to.)
5. Remove from heat and beat mixture until cool. Add three tablespoons of the pumpkin spice mixture to the caramel mixture and mix well.
6. Pour caramel mixture over the popcorn and mix to coat the popcorn. Sprinkle the remaining pumpkin spice mixture over the popcorn.
And that is it! This popcorn has a great, fall-ish taste to it. It would be perfect to much on while reading a book to your kiddos. Or you could bring the popcorn along as a snack for some of your favorite fall activities (corn maze, anyone?).
What are some of your favorite fall snacks?
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Speaking of fall activities, I am also on the Tommy Nelson blog today talking about some ways to use fall fun to talk to your kiddos about the Lord. I'd love for you to stop over there and say "hi"! I'm also happy to say that Tommy Nelson is giving one of you a copy of "It Will Be Okay" by Lysa Terkeurst, which I reviewed earlier this month - it's an adorable kids' book, and perfect for fall. Enter below!
The first time I made it, it was a success. It was the perfect texture, the perfect taste, and we loved it! I was excited that I found such cool recipe.
Every time I have attempted to make it since then, it has been a colossal failure. It usually ends up being a plate of sticky goo that never sets. I have made it so many times, and I cannot for the life of me figure out what I am doing wrong! I don't even want to know how much sugar, milk, and corn syrup I have wasted trying to replicate that first plate of caramel-y goodness.
However, I think I have finally figured out a way to use my plates of sticky goo! The other day I was in the mood for some caramel popcorn, the kind that is a little more chewy, less crunchy. After a little experiment, I stumbled upon a yummy concoction!
This recipe for Pumpkin Pie Spice Popcorn uses that caramel fudge recipe with some adjustments. And despite my caramel fudge always turning out spectacularly wrong, this popcorn turned out great!
Pumpkin Pie Spice Popcorn
1 bag of popcorn, popped (either plain or buttered is fine)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 whole milk
1/8 cup (ie. 1/2 stick) margarine, melted
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
For the pumpkin spice mixture:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1. Pop the bag of popcorn in a microwave, then pour into a greased bowl or dish. Set aside.
2. Mix together the ingredients for the pumpkin spice mixture. Set aside.
2. Brown 1/2 cup of the sugar in a saucepan. (If you don't know how to brown sugar - just let it sit on the heat until it melts. Make sure it doesn't burn.)
3. Slowly add in the milk. The sugar will sizzle and harden into a lump ( I haven't figured out a way to avoid this). Don't freak out. Just keep stirring while the caramel cooks to encourage it to dissolve.
4. Add the margarine, 1 cup of the sugar, and corn syrup. Heat over medium high heat until mixture gets to soft ball stage. (The soft ball stage is when you put a little of the mixture into cold water, and it solidifies to the point where you could form a soft ball with it if you wanted to.)
5. Remove from heat and beat mixture until cool. Add three tablespoons of the pumpkin spice mixture to the caramel mixture and mix well.
6. Pour caramel mixture over the popcorn and mix to coat the popcorn. Sprinkle the remaining pumpkin spice mixture over the popcorn.
And that is it! This popcorn has a great, fall-ish taste to it. It would be perfect to much on while reading a book to your kiddos. Or you could bring the popcorn along as a snack for some of your favorite fall activities (corn maze, anyone?).
What are some of your favorite fall snacks?
---
Speaking of fall activities, I am also on the Tommy Nelson blog today talking about some ways to use fall fun to talk to your kiddos about the Lord. I'd love for you to stop over there and say "hi"! I'm also happy to say that Tommy Nelson is giving one of you a copy of "It Will Be Okay" by Lysa Terkeurst, which I reviewed earlier this month - it's an adorable kids' book, and perfect for fall. Enter below!
When I was 18, I spent a summer as a counselor at a local Christian camp. I could probably write a whole different post with stories of that experience, but there is one conversation I remember vividly.
I had thought I was done with being a counselor for the summer, since I had to prepare for starting hygiene college in a few weeks, but I had this feeling that I should go back just one more week. I ended up being a co-counselor with a girl named Lindsey - and it was a good thing I went back that week, because Lindsey came down with an awful sickness and spent most of the week in bed, so I was able to take over counselor duties for our girls. On the last night of the week, Lindsey was feeling better. As the girls slept in our teepee (we all slept in teepees - it is a really cool camp), Lindsey and I stayed up late talking. In the darkness, Lindsey asked me "If you could do one thing before you die, what would it be?"
And without really thinking about it or knowing what I would say, the words just came out. I whispered back, "I would like to adopt a child." Through those weeks of spending so much time with these girls, I realized I could indeed love a child who was not biologically mine.
Ever since then I have had an internal passion for adoption - but it is hard to put it into words most times, because it is clear that our family is not being called to adopt a child. At least not right now.
However, over the years I have realized that even though we are not in a place where we can adopt a child ourselves, that doesn't mean that I can't still support adoption. The truth is that if you believe in Jesus, you are called to care for orphans. That may look differently for different families, but we are all supposed to do it.
There are a few ways to support adoption even when you don't adopt a child yourself, and I listed a few ideas below.
1. Be excited for those who are adopting. You have to realize that this is a big deal for families that choose to follow God's call by adopting a child. This is a brand-new member of their family that is being added! It's just as big a deal as if they announced they were pregnant. People often spend more time wondering why they are adopting, or thinking "I could never do that", than being excited about their friend's new child. That is a pity. I think a little excitement can go a long way in encouraging the hearts of those who are adopting. If you want to go all out, consider throwing them a baby/new child shower!
2. Donate money or hold a fundraiser for a friend who is adopting. Obviously donating directly is a huge blessing to friends who might be adopting! Adoption is extremely expensive, and helping financially is a really practical way to get involved. If you are comfortable, ask your friend if you can contribute to their adoption fund. There are also many ways to hold a fundraiser if you are organized enough to do it. I have had friends who did some "spring cleaning" and held a garage sale, then donated all the money they earned to their friend's adoption. Online auctions for donated items, or giveaways where donations earn entries are also good options.
3. Pray for those you know who are adopting. Pray that the process would go smoothly, for financial provision, that their wait would be short, and that the Lord would prepare them and their child for the moment they are matched. Then pray for final legal details to go through without a hitch!
4. Find an organization to support. If you don't know anyone personally who is adopting, you can still support adoption by finding an organization that supports adoption and supporting them. I am a Focus On The Family fan, so I would point you there first. I know you can call 1-800-A-FAMILY and ask to specifically donate to help children in foster care find a permanent family - you can even become a regular donor for that specific cause if you would like! Or find an adoption agency near you and see if there is a way you can donate or help.
As Christians, adoption should be important to us, because God adopted us as His sons and daughters! Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, and as a result we are called His children. He is a Father to the fatherless - adoption is the heart of our Heavenly Father, and it should be in our hearts too. I so admire those who follow God's example and adopt those children who are in desperate need of a family - what a beautiful picture of what God has done for us.
I hope you find a way to support adoption, and that these ideas help! If any of you have any more ideas or resources, I'd love it if you would share below!
Note: If you would like to help a wonderful family with their adoption, please check out this amazing giveaway on Natalie's blog, She Builds Her Home! Some of you may remember Natalie from her last blog, Extraordinary Love. I started reading Natalie's blog several years ago, and I am so excited and proud of her and her family for answering the Lord's call to "care for orphans . . . in their distress" (James 1:27). So for a chance to donate to place a child with this wonderful family, and for a chance to win some great prizes, check out her giveaway here!
I had thought I was done with being a counselor for the summer, since I had to prepare for starting hygiene college in a few weeks, but I had this feeling that I should go back just one more week. I ended up being a co-counselor with a girl named Lindsey - and it was a good thing I went back that week, because Lindsey came down with an awful sickness and spent most of the week in bed, so I was able to take over counselor duties for our girls. On the last night of the week, Lindsey was feeling better. As the girls slept in our teepee (we all slept in teepees - it is a really cool camp), Lindsey and I stayed up late talking. In the darkness, Lindsey asked me "If you could do one thing before you die, what would it be?"
And without really thinking about it or knowing what I would say, the words just came out. I whispered back, "I would like to adopt a child." Through those weeks of spending so much time with these girls, I realized I could indeed love a child who was not biologically mine.
Ever since then I have had an internal passion for adoption - but it is hard to put it into words most times, because it is clear that our family is not being called to adopt a child. At least not right now.
However, over the years I have realized that even though we are not in a place where we can adopt a child ourselves, that doesn't mean that I can't still support adoption. The truth is that if you believe in Jesus, you are called to care for orphans. That may look differently for different families, but we are all supposed to do it.
There are a few ways to support adoption even when you don't adopt a child yourself, and I listed a few ideas below.
1. Be excited for those who are adopting. You have to realize that this is a big deal for families that choose to follow God's call by adopting a child. This is a brand-new member of their family that is being added! It's just as big a deal as if they announced they were pregnant. People often spend more time wondering why they are adopting, or thinking "I could never do that", than being excited about their friend's new child. That is a pity. I think a little excitement can go a long way in encouraging the hearts of those who are adopting. If you want to go all out, consider throwing them a baby/new child shower!
2. Donate money or hold a fundraiser for a friend who is adopting. Obviously donating directly is a huge blessing to friends who might be adopting! Adoption is extremely expensive, and helping financially is a really practical way to get involved. If you are comfortable, ask your friend if you can contribute to their adoption fund. There are also many ways to hold a fundraiser if you are organized enough to do it. I have had friends who did some "spring cleaning" and held a garage sale, then donated all the money they earned to their friend's adoption. Online auctions for donated items, or giveaways where donations earn entries are also good options.
3. Pray for those you know who are adopting. Pray that the process would go smoothly, for financial provision, that their wait would be short, and that the Lord would prepare them and their child for the moment they are matched. Then pray for final legal details to go through without a hitch!
4. Find an organization to support. If you don't know anyone personally who is adopting, you can still support adoption by finding an organization that supports adoption and supporting them. I am a Focus On The Family fan, so I would point you there first. I know you can call 1-800-A-FAMILY and ask to specifically donate to help children in foster care find a permanent family - you can even become a regular donor for that specific cause if you would like! Or find an adoption agency near you and see if there is a way you can donate or help.
As Christians, adoption should be important to us, because God adopted us as His sons and daughters! Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, and as a result we are called His children. He is a Father to the fatherless - adoption is the heart of our Heavenly Father, and it should be in our hearts too. I so admire those who follow God's example and adopt those children who are in desperate need of a family - what a beautiful picture of what God has done for us.
I hope you find a way to support adoption, and that these ideas help! If any of you have any more ideas or resources, I'd love it if you would share below!
Note: If you would like to help a wonderful family with their adoption, please check out this amazing giveaway on Natalie's blog, She Builds Her Home! Some of you may remember Natalie from her last blog, Extraordinary Love. I started reading Natalie's blog several years ago, and I am so excited and proud of her and her family for answering the Lord's call to "care for orphans . . . in their distress" (James 1:27). So for a chance to donate to place a child with this wonderful family, and for a chance to win some great prizes, check out her giveaway here!
Have I mentioned that Gwen is over 21 months old now? I can't believe she is approaching her second birthday already! It feels like she was just born.
I have an update post on Miss Gwen coming soon, but one unique aspect to her personality is just how spunky and daring she can be. Derek and I joke with each other that she has no proper sense of danger. And while she can occasionally come close to giving me a heart attack, I also love that she is willing to take risks - and as she grows, I want to teach her to channel that risk-taking into the most important areas, like taking risks for Jesus, in order to further God's kingdom!
Because of this aspect of Gwen's personality, I think the Brave Girls Bible Stories book will be perfect for her as she grows older! It's a new Bible storybook by Tommy Nelson geared toward girls who are 4-12 (it seems like a wide range, but I think there are different aspects that would appeal to different age groups).
The book begins with introducing the five modern-day "Brave Girls" - Hope, Glory, Honor, Gracie, and Faith. Each Brave Girl has a different interest and personality, so girls reading this book will be able to identify with at least one of these characters! There is also a fun quiz in the back of the book to tell your daughter which Brave Girl she is most like. I took it for fun, and I'm a mix between Glory and Honor. I'm guessing Gwen will be a mix between Hope (the tomboy), and Glory (the one who loves beautiful things)!
Through the rest of the book the Brave Girls take turns talking about different stories of women in the Bible - how they were brave and how God used them to do great things for Him! Even though this book is geared more toward older girls, I have been reading a story to Gwen each night anyway, and we have been enjoying it. Gwen loves her "pink Bible", and the colorful pictures are fun for her to look at, even if she can't quite understand the stories yet. I think this will be a favorite for her as she grows! I am excited to see the other Brave Girl resources that Tommy Nelson will publish in the future too.
If you have a toddler or school-aged girl, I definitely recommend checking out this book! I know I would have loved it when I was a girl, and I am excited for Gwen because I know she will love it as she gets bigger.
For more info, you can check out this letter from the Tommy Nelson Team to girl moms, or check out a preview of the Brave Girls Bible Stories book here. Or watch this cute video!
Note: I received a copy of the Brave Girls Bible Stories book for free from Tommy Nelson in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
I have an update post on Miss Gwen coming soon, but one unique aspect to her personality is just how spunky and daring she can be. Derek and I joke with each other that she has no proper sense of danger. And while she can occasionally come close to giving me a heart attack, I also love that she is willing to take risks - and as she grows, I want to teach her to channel that risk-taking into the most important areas, like taking risks for Jesus, in order to further God's kingdom!
Because of this aspect of Gwen's personality, I think the Brave Girls Bible Stories book will be perfect for her as she grows older! It's a new Bible storybook by Tommy Nelson geared toward girls who are 4-12 (it seems like a wide range, but I think there are different aspects that would appeal to different age groups).
The book begins with introducing the five modern-day "Brave Girls" - Hope, Glory, Honor, Gracie, and Faith. Each Brave Girl has a different interest and personality, so girls reading this book will be able to identify with at least one of these characters! There is also a fun quiz in the back of the book to tell your daughter which Brave Girl she is most like. I took it for fun, and I'm a mix between Glory and Honor. I'm guessing Gwen will be a mix between Hope (the tomboy), and Glory (the one who loves beautiful things)!
Through the rest of the book the Brave Girls take turns talking about different stories of women in the Bible - how they were brave and how God used them to do great things for Him! Even though this book is geared more toward older girls, I have been reading a story to Gwen each night anyway, and we have been enjoying it. Gwen loves her "pink Bible", and the colorful pictures are fun for her to look at, even if she can't quite understand the stories yet. I think this will be a favorite for her as she grows! I am excited to see the other Brave Girl resources that Tommy Nelson will publish in the future too.
If you have a toddler or school-aged girl, I definitely recommend checking out this book! I know I would have loved it when I was a girl, and I am excited for Gwen because I know she will love it as she gets bigger.
For more info, you can check out this letter from the Tommy Nelson Team to girl moms, or check out a preview of the Brave Girls Bible Stories book here. Or watch this cute video!
Note: I received a copy of the Brave Girls Bible Stories book for free from Tommy Nelson in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
(I originally took this photo for The Peony Project's Instagram feed.)
I have decided to do an in-depth study of the book of Hebrews - to read why, check out my first post in this series!
I think the main thing that I have learned so far is that if you don't understand the Hebrew culture and traditions, you are not going to understand Hebrews. Which totally makes sense since this is a letter to Hebrew Christians. I thought I knew a decent amount about Judaism, but there are so many subtleties in the Hebrew traditions, and knowing those subtleties goes a long way in understanding where the writer of Hebrews is coming from.
The main point of chapter one is that Jesus is better than Moses and the angels.
As a modern day Christian I was thinking "Well, of course He is! Why are we reading about this?"
I learned that this was not actually a given for the early Hebrew Christians.
The Hebrew Christians that are addressed in this letter came out of the Old Covenant of sacrifices to cover their sins. In the Old Covenant, the High Priest would sacrifice a bull to atone for the sins of the people, as well as his own sins, and he had to do this year after year. This was a system passed down through Moses, and it was given to Moses by God, through angels.
But then God became a man (Jesus) and brought about a New Covenant that changed everything. The Hebrews weren't sure how much of the Old Covenant they should keep. They didn't understand the sufficiency of the New Covenant that Jesus brought through sacrificing Himself for our sins.
The writer of Hebrews was trying to show them that this New Covenant was fully sufficient and superior to the Old Covenant. It replaced the Old Covenant, because it was better. In order to show them that the new was better than the old, he needed to show them that Jesus is better than Moses, and the angels who they believe passed the Old Covenant to Moses.
I think my favorite aspect of chapters one and two is that the writer shows with Old Testament scriptures why Jesus is better than Moses and Angels - it's such a smart way to do it since the Old Testament scriptures obviously carried a lot of weight for the Hebrews.
The author of Hebrews goes over so many ideas through the scriptures he quotes. Jesus has inherited a more excellent name than angels because He is called Son. He made the worlds. All things are made by Him and for Him. All things will be put in subjection under Jesus.
And then after all that, Hebrews reminds us that even though Jesus is so much better than everyone and everything, He is not ashamed to call us brethren. We are His children.
As His children, He holds us in His hand, and through his death and resurrection He releases His children from bondage to sin.
As His brethren, He was made like us in all things. He was tempted like we are. And He can aid us because He overcame those temptations and lived a sinless life.
He doesn't give aid to angels, but He does give aid to us. He became a perfect sacrifice for our sins, and we are His children when we believe in Him.
What a beautiful thing to belong to Jesus.
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In addition to studying Hebrews, I have decided to try to memorize it as well.
I'm not sure why, but I recently picked up a book that has been sitting in my shelf for years, called His Word In My Heart by Janet Pope. It is all about memorizing Scripture.
I used to memorize chapters of the Bible as a girl, but I haven't memorized any new verses in years. This book really made me want to start memorizing Bible verses again - if you need some motivation, I definitely recommend it. The whole thing was very timely, because I started reading this book right as I started studying Hebrews - so it only seemed natural to start my memorization with Hebrews.
Ever since I decided to memorize Hebrews, I've been hearing about the importance of Scripture memorization everywhere, so I think it's just a confirmation that this is a good thing to focus on right now. I've also realized how much more I get out of Bible study when I memorize the verses that I'm studying! It makes a big difference to me in remembering the context, and I understand the subtleties of each verse so much better when I can remember all the verses around it. That is especially useful when studying book that is as complex as Hebrews.
So all that to say, my goal is to memorize a chapter a week. I've got the first two chapters of Hebrews down. I'm falling a little behind in my memorization schedule, but I'm working on chapters three and four now to try to catch up.
I recorded a vlog of me saying Hebrews 1-2 from memory, because knowing I have to record myself saying the verses is good motivation! Here it is - I'm reciting from the NKJV if you want to follow along, though I know I mixed up a couple of the words in this video.
If any of you want to join me in memorizing chapters of the Bible (whether it's from Hebrews or a different book), I'd love it if you'd post a video of yourself saying your verses - then come back here and let me know so I can check it out!
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