Recommended Books for Little Boys

There are few things I love as much as books and the memories that I have in reading through my most cherished ones growing up. Below is a list I have compiled of my current favorites that I think are very beneficial and precious for little boys. Of course, most of these can be read to girls too (some are among my childhood favorites!), but I also find them very good picks for those with little snips, snails, and puppy dog tails, too!

 

I bought this book only yesterday for Nathan that I am going to give him for Christmas. I plan to begin reading it to him while he is young to instill the powerful message of this book into his heart at an early age. You may have heard of the popular (and HIGHLY recommended) book for girls, The Princess & the Kiss. This book, The Squire & the Scroll, is written by the same author with the same principle in mind: teaching purity. This story is about a young squire who travels a long distance beside a brave knight. Through dangers and perils, he learns what it takes to flee temptation and to guard the heart from impurity. In this age, that message needs to be deeply rooted into our children's hearts.

Barney Wigglesworth is a cute little collection of books about a mouse named Barney. In each book, he learns valuable and moral life lessons such as: cooperating with others, perseverance, caring for those in need, etc. My mom used to read me the Barney Wigglesworth books as a child and now I am taking great delight in reading them to Nathan. They are so very cute.

Adam Raccoon is probably my favorite to read to Nathan right now. I love the strong Christian parables in this series and he likes to look at the pictures. Each book is a treasure trove of spiritual lessons. In Adam Raccoon in the Lost Woods, he learns to follow Jesus, In Adam Raccoon and the Circus Master, he learns about forgiveness. This is, yet another, series I had as a child and I will always have these books in my home.

My mom began collecting the "Building Christian Character" books when I was little. This is probably my family's favorite series that we read growing up. There are so many books in this collection! The above book, Max and the Big Fat Lie, is about telling the truth. Buzzle Billy is about sharing. Sir Maggie the Mighty is about obedience, Handy-Dandy Helpful Hal is about helping. Cheating, greediness, thankfulness - there are so many topics that these books hit and the creative way they illustrate those messages are great! I definitely recommend this series!

Do you have any recommended reads for little boys? Feel free to share!

The Pregnancy Files | Week 12 | Baby #2

I can't believe I am 12 weeks already! Here is the latest on baby #2:

• Baby is about the size of a lime.
  
• The tissues and organs in his/her body is growing and maturing. Baby is swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. His/her organs — including the kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver — are in place and starting to function. Reflexes are the newest development! 
  
• Tiny nails are formed on fingers and toes and peach-fuzz hair is growing!

Incredible, isn't it? As for me....

• My nausea comes and goes, but it is significantly better.
• I am more tired than I was three weeks ago. I do have days full of energy, but I can get exhausted very quickly.
• I have a small bump. That's been hard for me because I didn't show at all until well after 14 weeks, but I have heard that you show quicker with each pregnancy. So, 'tis fine. 

There's a little update on me and baby #2. I cannot wait to find out the gender! It won't be long now!

On Plans and Purpose

photo credit

As you may have noticed, it's been very quiet here on the blog. If you know me in real life, then you may have noticed that my social media has been a hit-and-miss for a little while as well. And there are reasons behind it.

Months ago, my husband told me he felt the Lord was about to shake our world. That was fine and well with me, but I had no idea just how "shaken" my world was about to become. And like some of you, I don't do change well. I worry, I fret, I doubt...and I occasionally freak out. I'm going to spare you the details but the Lord opened one door after another and gave us sign after sign and He led us to where we now stand. A year ago, we began looking for another Church; one closer to home (we were, at that time, driving 1.5 hours to Church and couldn't be as involved as we wanted). This past Sunday we praised the Lord for leading us to a new Church where we KNOW God is going to do big things! Along with that new step, like a domino effect, the Lord began to reveal to us His will and His plan. After much prayer and some tears, we have decided to stop traveling with my family's ministry and focus on our ministries here at home. God is opening doors of growth for my husband's prison ministry and has revealed quite a bit of needs here at home and in our new Church that we cannot wait to be involved in!

While thinking and praying about all the many changes occurring in our life (a new baby coming, a new Church, new ministry opportunities), I was led to this verse in Proverbs chapter 16, verse 9:

"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps."

I have always had a lot of plans for myself. I dream big. :) But as I get older, I am learning that we can plan all we want but, ultimately, the Lord leads. We may dream big (and so we should!) but HE dreams BIGGER. And better. Sometimes, He leads us through the mountains where everything is just....so....wonderful!! And easy. And then other times, He may lead us through a valley that is dark and full of twists and turns. Sometimes the path is exactly where we want to go. Other times, it is NOT the path we would prefer to take. And we always have two options:

1) We can either cross our arms and say, "No. THIS was my plan and I think this is just a little bit better. I'm fine right here on my road. But thanks anyway!"

OR

2) We can choose to follow where the Shepherd leads; through rain or through sunshine. Just blindly walking by faith, trusting that He will uphold us, take care of us, and work in and through us. Simple as that.

Grant and I ask for your prayer. More than anything, we want to be willing vessels that the Lord can use however He wants. We want Christ to be glorified and praised in every decision we make and in every area of our life. So, friends, please lift us up as we take steps of faith in doing just that.

40 Calorie Peanut Butter Cookies

I found this recipe on Pinterest and gave it a go this afternoon. I am utterly amazed at how easy and delicious this was! Here is the recipe:

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 TSP baking soda
1 egg

Yeah...that's it. I was skeptical, but...wow are these ever good! Mix the peanut butter and sugar together first, then add the baking soda and the egg. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. As you can see, I added a few chocolate chips to mine. Happy eating!

Quiet Time

It's been quiet here and I do apologize. Between morning sickness, my household duties, spending time with my husband and son, and various things on the calendar, there hasn't been much time for blogging. And to be honest, I haven't had a lot to write about. I suppose it's good to be quiet from time to time.

So please bear with me. Lord willing, I will pick up blogging full-force again very, very, very soon.

The Pregnancy Files | Week 7 | Baby #2

Today I enter my seventh week of pregnancy and.... I feel it. But more about me later. First, here what's up with baby #2:

• Baby is currently the size of a blueberry; which is incredible because just a couple weeks ago, he/she was the size of a poppy seed. There has been some big-time growing!!
  
• Baby's brain is growing fast, generating about 100 new cells every MINUTE! The arms and legs are emerging as joints begin to form. His or her kidneys are also in place! Is God big or what?!?
  
• I haven't yet had my first doctor's appointment, but we will FINALLY hear our little one's heartbeat next Friday! I am more than anxious to see the little wiggle worm and watch life taking root in my body. It's truly amazing.

As for me:

• I...am...nauseous. Big time. With Nathan, I was nauseated a little, but nothing like this. I've been living on Edy's Fruit Bars (thank you, Edy, whoever you are!) and Ginger Ale. The minute something sounds good enough to eat and I dig in...bad things happen. *sigh* Oh well. It's worth it. And I am more than thankful to have a sweet little boy with a helper's heart, and an amazing husband who goes above and beyond to take care of me.
  
• I'm tired but, thankfully, not as exhausted as I was with Nathan. Of course, I believe that's because I can't stay in bed all day due to Nathan toddling around. :) And I must say, his little smile makes everything a little easier.

Pregnancy is a beautiful thing. And life is even MORE beautiful!

Learning Routine

I apologize for going over a week without posting. Last week, we had Camp so it was busy, busy, busy. Once home, morning sickness began to hit me full force. Please be in prayer for me as I go about my day-to-day tasks.

Now that I am home after a week of Camp, I am glad to be back to the routine of my life here at home. Routine is something that sounds dull and unexciting, but I am learning that routine is anything but! I enjoy  routine. I like having a schedule and knowing where I should be and what ought to be done at a particular time. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy spontaneity too, but I am a planner at heart. I like structure and security and organization. And I am learning that it is essential to teach our children routine as well. Consistent routine gives little ones a very strong sense of peace, order, and security.
 
Elisabeth Elliot wrote in The Shaping of a Christian Home, "If everybody does that which is right in his own eyes there is no gathering together for a civilizaed breakfast, let alone for a quiet time in the living room afterwards. The frantic rush to find Father's briefcase, make school lunches, put on snow-pants and boots and get everybody out the door with the right lunch bags and schoolbooks, in time to be where they need to be, destroys peace for the rest of the day." (pg 77)

How much sense that makes! Leslie Ludy writes, "Routine protects those things that are most important in life: prayer, marriage, intimacy, and focused, purposeful times together as a family."

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." There is a time for spontaneous fun and games. There is a time for late night fun. But a bedtime schedule should be observed and a disciplined structure of quiet time should be enforced as well. Our goal as mothers and keepers of the home should be to instill that calm, orderly, routine in our homes and families. Why? Because, as Leslie Ludy said, it protects the things that are most important. If everyone ran around doing whatever they please all day, then we have a clashing of schedules and utter chaos when a parents decides to have some family time. However, if we implement routine, then the house knows that, come a certain time, everyone is to be in their place.


Grant and I are in the process of slowly developing a routine of family time (among other things) and I am finding that the peace that comes with a routine gives me time to truly sink into the arms of the Lord. And I need that!! Having a schedule gives me purposed time to get my work done and then ample time to study, journal, and pray in the quiet. I can spend time teaching my son and loving my husband without the constant chaos of unfinished jobs or a screaming toddler who's bored to tears.


What about you? How is routine a needful blessing in your life?