Teaching Kids About the Little Things and God

Teaching Kids About the Little Things and God - Parenting Like HannahOne of the Bible stories that fascinated me as a child was the story of Gideon. It was amazing to me that how a man drank water from a stream determined whether or not God would use him in an important battle. Or that a young boy’s lunch not only fed 5,000 people, but became an example of how God can take our little things and make them into something amazing.

It is so important for us as Christian parents to teach our kids the importance of the little things in life. Sometimes it really is important for our kids to “sweat the small stuff”. Our kids need to know God expects us to obey all of His commands and that He will indeed notice if we choose to ignore and disobey this one little command. Or that one small act of reflecting God’s love to someone can open that person’s eyes to God’s presence. Or that one harsh word can create a scar in another person’s heart.  Or that when they thank someone or tell someone how talented or special they are, it can show them God’s love in a tangible way or give someone the strength to keep going.

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Dad Devotionals

Dad Devotionals - Parenting Like HannahWhen our daughter was little, she would wave forlornly as her dad drove off to work. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to spend time with me or that we weren’t going to have any fun without daddy. It was that children want and need both of their parents to be fully engaged with them. Our daughter knew when daddy drove away, he would be unavailable to spend time with her for several hours.

Our kids need their dads to be fully engaged in their parenting. They need and want their dads to be as godly and focused as they need and want their moms to be. Our society often encourages both parents, but especially dads, to ignore the needs of their children in favor of work or other responsibilities and activities. Just like moms, dads need a lot of encouragement to “do the godly thing” whenever there is a choice.

I was excited to hear there is a new men’s devotional Bible available. The Men’s Bible published by the American Bible Society is a textured paperback in the Good News Translation. While not my favorite translation, this particular Bible has a lot of additional study aids that make it worthwhile. (You can always look up passages in another version if you prefer.)

The beginning of the Bible has nine pages of scriptures to consult when dealing with or studying a variety of real world topics from being a good leader to dealing with anger and everything in between. In the middle of the Bible, there is an insert printed on another paper stock. The insert contains sixty devotionals featuring a variety of writers.

Each devotional covers topics of special concern to men. The authors provide key Bible verses, their thoughts on the topic and several reflection questions, challenges to perform and even suggested things to pray. The devotionals seem easy to understand, short enough to cover in a few minutes for a busy man and best of all, practical.

The very end of the Bible contains another dozen or so special challenge devotionals focusing specifically on marriage, pornography and friendship. Evidently a study was done highlighting these three topics as key areas of concern for the majority of men. The devotionals in this section break down those three issues in smaller pieces to cover them more thoroughly.

I haven’t had the chance to share this devotional Bible with my husband to get a man’s perspective, but from a woman’s viewpoint, they cover many of the topics I hear wives complaining about to their husbands. My only two critiques of the Men’s Bible is that I wish it were available in other translations and I wish they had not gone the insert route for the middle set of devotionals. I know from a publishing perspective it cuts costs, but the quality of the paper in the book is a little less quality than I personally want in a Bible. (Although, it does make it affordable in the $15-$20 range.)

Personally, I think this makes a great Christmas or New Year’s gift for any man in your life. I will say it is difficult to find at this point and when I checked Amazon there were only eight copies left (I have provided an affiliate link as I couldn’t find it when searching by name – the ISBN number is 9781941449035 in case you want it from another retailer.)

If you give your husband this book, I encourage you to discuss the devotionals with him occasionally. Ask him what the authors wrote and his feelings about the topic. Encourage him to share his struggles as a husband and father. Don’t judge, but really listen to his heart. You may discover the two of you are more of a team than you realized.

 

 

This Bible was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review.

Fudge and Faith Sharing

Fudge and Faith Sharing - Parenting Like HannahIt may sound a little crazy, but your favorite fudge or Christmas cookie recipe may be the very tool you and your kids need to share your faith with others. The most effective faith sharing is often within the context of a relationship. Yet many of us are so busy, we don’t seem to have the time to even meet non Christians. Establishing a relationship with them seems an impossible dream. Enter fudge.

We have great relationships with a lot of our neighbors in a time when many don’t even know the names of those who live near them. One of the best things I ever started in our neighborhood, was making a few extra goodies at Christmas and giving them to our neighbors.

I know you are thinking Christmas is busy enough without adding one more thing to your list. The trick with neighbor relationship building that leads to faith sharing is you can keep it simple. In fact some years, I have gone really, really simple!

A recipe of fudge only takes a few minutes to make and can provide enough goodies for several families. Buy the inexpensive clear holiday themed treat bags at a craft store or big box retailer. You can even add a personal note if you are really industrious. The point is not what you give or even how much. It is the very act of caring enough to give that will open doors and hearts.

I will be honest. The first couple of years, we had one or two families who eyed us a little warily and I’m guessing the goodies went right in the trash. Over the years as we consistently made a point to touch their lives on a regular basis, many of these neighbors have become more like family. We have had numerous opportunities to share our faith with several of them.

So pull out that fudge recipe. This year I knew was going to be super crazy, so I actually made a batch of apple butter and canned it back in November. Many baked goods freeze well and can be baked when life is a little slower and pulled out during the holidays. Have your kids help you craft your goodies. Definitely, deliver them as a family and spend a couple of minutes catching up with every neighbor.

It may be a few weeks, months or even a few years before you actually share your faith with any of them, but you have begun opening doors that will give you those chances. The best part for me was watching the tradition catch on with other neighbors. We now have several families who spread cheer to each other throughout the holiday season which only adds to the closeness of the entire neighborhood. So get baking and let me know what happens!

Creating a Memorable Faith Christmas Tree

Creating a Memorable Faith Christmas Tree - Parenting Like HannahOver the years, we have stumbled upon a great way to decorate our Christmas tree. Almost every ornament on our tree now has a story behind it. I love angels and sheep for reminding us God is always loving and caring for us, so that is our basic theme.  Some of our memory ornaments are also sheep and angels, while others have their own special meaning.

Years ago, we began buying a special ornament on the various trips we made around the country and around the world. Most of these trips also involved worshipping with the local congregation. Those experiences often included special memories of their own – from the congregation that sent us on our way with a fresh loaf of homemade bread to the congregation in Montreal that held services in a mixture of French and English.

Some of our memory ornaments are from events we participated in that used the talents and gifts with which God blessed one of us – from dancing to music to even cooking. Others are from special brothers and sisters in Christ who wanted us to remember them and how much they loved us or from fun events we attended with the many wonderful friends God has provided us.

Some of our favorite ornaments are ones like these in the photo from family mission trips or to remind us of those we love and serve in far away places. We even have a couple to spur us on to future mission trips and service works.

The best part of our collection is that we encouraged our daughter to add to it with her own faith ornaments. When she has her our own first tree in a couple of years, it will be filled with ornaments reminding her of God’s love and blessings. She can remember all of the ways God has been there for her and reflect on what adventures He might still have in store for her and her own family.

As you decorate your tree this year, notice if you already have some great memory ornaments on it. Share the stories of the ornaments with your children and how they remind you of God’s blessings and care. Tell them how your faith has grown by watching God work in your life and in theirs over the years. You may be surprised to learn your Christmas tree can provide some great faith lessons for your kids.

Humor for Christian Moms

Humor for Christian Moms - Parenting Like HannahOkay, I’m going to share with you the secret for surviving parenting with your sanity largely intact. Humor. Yep, that’s what every mom needs to survive – a healthy sense of humor. Sometimes, you are in a good frame of mind and the silliness of what is happening immediately strikes you as funny. If you have had several tough mom days in a row though, you may need an outsider to remind you of the humorous aspects of parenting.

Occasionally, I will run across an author who specializes in Mom humor. Some unfortunately, can become a bit blue. So I was interested when I was given an opportunity to review a Christian “Mom” humor writer who was new to me.

Mary Huckstep calls herself Mary Mary Quite after the contrary little girl of nursery rhyme fame. In her book, MARY MARY QUITE: On Raising Children: (and other mind-altering substances), Huckstep addresses some of the things that happened in her home full of children. The stories range from tales of Easter egg hunts gone bad to the days of teen drivers in the house. She even lets her husband pen a couple of chapters which don’t necessarily point out her strengths!

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