Monday, February 25, 2008

New Favorite Books

I bought these two children's books last year at a conference featuring Elizabeth George, author of A Woman After God's Own Heart. I was really excited about the content because there is such applicable wisdom in the Proverbs for parenting. I took the books home and the kids weren't really all that excited. But I pulled them out again a few weeks ago for my oldest two babes, and at ages 3 & 4, these are now the pages they want to behold at bedtime. They are fascinated by the illustrations and by the rhythm and rhyme that Elizabeth uses to spell out these truths.








God's Wisdom for Little Boys: Character Building Fun from Proverbs highlights characterics that make men wise and smart. Bryson's favorite pages are the ones illustrating that God's Little Boy is ...


TRUTHFUL
He recites the scripture before we even turn the page... "We don't use our mouth to tell lies, Mom, huh."

DILIGENT

OBEDIENT

RESPONSIBLE

BRAVE
"Yeah, when I lay down my sleep will be peaceful. And the Lord will keep me SAFE!"



God's Wisdom for Little Girls: Virtues and Fun from Proverbs highlights the virtues we find of the exemplary woman in Proverbs 31. Kennady loves the first page, PRICELESS, since it's an illustration of a little girl playing dress-up with all sorts of treasures from mom's room and jewelry boxes (including rubies). Her favorite pages include the ones that reveal that God's Little Girl is...

EAGER

CHEERFUL

GRACIOUS

ARTISTIC

We use the Headings of each page to practice our ABC's with sight recognition. Bryson & Kennady are hiding God's Word in their hearts and seeing what these biblical words that we use around here actually mean by observing the illustrations of the children on the pages. Making them favorites of mine, too. Especially for spending time with my son, who does like to look at books and sit through stories, but has little interest in practicing recognizing the alphabet and writing his letters (unless it's bedtime and he's run out of other procrastinatory options like another request to use the bathroom or another drink for his oh-so-scratchy throat or his blankets aren't straight... he'll ask, "Can I practice my letters?"... he's a smart boy, I'll tell ya).

And actually, everytime I read through these, there's always something that strikes a chord in my heart for that day... the conviction of the Holy Spirit, you know? And it gives me a good opportunity to confess to my sweet boy or girl how Mommy's day would have been better if I had been more EAGER or CARE-FUL or more DILIGENT, depending on what story I can re-tell from how our day went. Might be good for all of us to read these piled up in our bed first thing in the morning!

1 comment:

Sheila said...

Thanks Kel! I posted it on the blog and at the timothy moms group at the homeschool lounge.

I had seen these books at a bookstore and they interested me but i wasn't sure, from past experience, if the boys would be ready to listen, but if Bryson and Kennady enjoy it then chances are Connor and Ryland would too.

That's funny about the bedtime procrastination too. It's universal isn't it!?

Thanks again~
Sheila