This morning I read the Hebrews 12 passage to my children. I gave them some hot apple cider, so they weren’t in a hurry to finish breakfast like they often are. While they sipped their drinks, we had an encouraging talk. I asked them first who God disciplines— people he loves, or people he hates. [...]
Filed under: Family Devotions
The other day, my son had a problem with complaining. From the time he woke up, nothing pleased him. By the time we were in the car to run some errands, I realized the complaining wasn’t going to stop unless I said or did something. I attempted to explain why complaining (about everything) was such [...]
Filed under: Family Devotions
This morning at breakfast, I had pretty much decided that I wasn’t going to bother having a Bible discussion. But Bethel asked if I would talk about the kings we talked about “last night” (it takes awhile to understand their lack of time sense). I was surprised and pleased. So I explained how Israel was [...]
Filed under: Family Devotions
Four links for today: The first two are by occasional commenters at As4Me. Addy writes about repetition in teaching children. I had missed the article she references, so I was thankful she shared its significance to child rearing. Jay Younts asks how we can teach our children to have an intimate relationship with God. He [...]
Filed under: Child Development, Family Devotions, Obedience
(An interruption to the normal blogging train of thought, since I want to remember.) A few weeks ago, I started playing and singing songs about the cross and the resurrection. I was a little worried, because all the children seemed to know about Easter was bunnies and egg hunts. It’s hard not to get excited [...]
Filed under: Discipleship, Family Devotions
A Conversation: Me: Did you know that there’s something else God says makes us happy? Child: Mom, I don’t really want you to read to me. Me: [okay, that's fine. I'll just tell another child.] Did you know that there’s something else God says makes us happy? God says finding wisdom makes us happy. (“Happy [...]
Filed under: Discipleship, Introspection, Scripture Memory
It seems to be the custom among some groups to sneer just a bit at Bible story books. Although I don’t think it’s wrong to have Bible reading time for children of all ages, I also do not think it is wrong to use written materials specifically designed to teaching children about God. In some [...]
Filed under: Book Reviews, Family Devotions
Normally, I come up with stellar ideas about Thanksgiving a week after. I know I’ve thought about it, but when I did a search here on my blog for “Thanksgiving” (notice the search box in the top right hand side of my blog). No returns, so not only did I think about Thanksgiving a week [...]
Filed under: Family Devotions
Just about any time a mother talks about a developmental milestone in her child, other mothers compare notes. It’s important that when we talk about young children, we recognize that there is an enormous variety of abilities in children, even when they have intelligent, devoted, and mature Christian parents. Just because my four year old [...]
Filed under: Child Development, Scripture Memory
I’ve been reading several articles on teaching children about money. At first glance, this would be a secular task. After all, principles of saving, interest, spending all seem pretty secular. Seems like the only important thing to teach our children is to make sure they give that tithe to God, and all the rest is [...]
Filed under: Family Devotions
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