Tag Archives: Stories

Aesop’s Fables

Although there are many picture books for your children to enjoy, I wanted to encourage you to consider Aesop’s Fables. Keep in mind that these fables date back to the 6th century but have been enjoyed by children around the world ever since. Now, Aesop’s Fables are available in many different books but two in particular are what I consider the best. For one thing, each of these picture books has incredible illustrations and the stories are excellent. In addition, the three I will mention are suitable for children of all ages so young or old will enjoy them. Best … Continue reading →

Making Family History Come Alive

It is difficult for children to imagine their parents as children, even harder for them to picture their grandparents as children. Yet through stories and pictures children can begin to understand family relationships. I was blessed with a grandmother who was an incredible storyteller. She was born in 1907, the second youngest of eleven, and grew up on a farm in southern Idaho. She entertained my siblings and I with many true stories from her own childhood. I can still remember her sharing stories about Indians, gypsies, riding to a one-room schoolhouse in a sleigh, playing in the hayloft, her … Continue reading →

Using Secular Tradition to Glorify God: Christmas

The Christmas holiday is a favorite for so many. I love visiting the mall and smelling the cinnamon potpourri and seeing the beautifully lit wreaths. I enjoy hearing the instrumental melodies declaring the birth of our Savior, but sadly no words are sung out of concern for “offending” others. I love the tastes of the season; pumpkin pie, gingerbread lattes, eggnog… While there are so many things that make this time of year special, we ought not to forget what Christmas should really be about for a Christian. If you’ve read some of my other blogs (please visit the links … Continue reading →

Diary of an Overweight Mom: Nobody Said I HAD To Eat The Cookies

It’s true—nobody said I HAD to eat the cookies. Nobody even asked me to eat them. My husband simply brought home the extra cookies (sugar and chocolate chip) from his meeting tonight. But for some unexplainable reason, which both baffles and angers me, I felt drawn to the cookies as though there was a magnet attached to them and to my fingers. I saw the cookies. I walked away from the cookies. Then, by some twist of logic, I found myself making a u-turn and beelining straight for the kitchen. My hand reached out and snatched one. Yum. I walked … Continue reading →

Bible Stories: Great Faith

I think some of the most intriguing Bible stories for children are the stories of miracles which have occurred. In the beginning of Matthew chapter eight (verses 5-13), Matthew writes of the story of the centurion soldier. The centurion soldier had a servant who was paralyzed and “suffering terribly” (verse six). Apparently the actions of Christ had spread throughout the land because the centurion soldier sought Christ to heal his servant. When the centurion soldier tells Jesus about the servant’s condition, Jesus says that He will come to the servant. However, the centurion soldier has such great faith in Jesus … Continue reading →

Bible Stories: Wise Man and Foolish Man

The previous entry in my Bible Stories series considered a portion of Matthew chapter five. Today, I want to focus on a portion on scripture at the end of Matthew chapter seven. I am passing over the middle portion of the Sermon on the Mount. While there are some nuggets of teaching that are easy for children to understand, most of the teachings are more complex than what would be taught to children, especially young children. The story of the wise and foolish builders is one of my favorite stories to teach to children. Although it is called a story, … Continue reading →

My Dog Ate My Sunglasses & Other Fun Stuff

My dog ate my sunglasses. Really, he did. In fact, he did it just the other day. I’ve talked about Kai, my Siberian husky over in the Pets blog before and I was outside picking up the mail and when I came back, he was chowing down on a really nice pair of Raybans. Unfortunately, the Raybans – or what’s left of them is now in the recycling bin. Life with babies and dogs can be pretty similar. Having lived with both, I’m familiar with how it goes – like the day my two year old stuffed a banana in … Continue reading →

My Ten Favorite Picture Books

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown – An oldie but a goodie. I read this book to my kids nearly every night before bed. My son, nearly six, recites most of it with me by memory. The words are simple and so are the pictures, but it’s a lovely story that helps soothe restless kiddos and helps them drift off to sleep. If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff – I don’t know if my kids like these books more or if I do. Very simple, they are delightful to read. You can read them in minutes … Continue reading →

Share Your Family History

Family history has been growing in popularity and chances are many of you have been hit with the genealogy bug: the desire to know more about your ancestors, who they were and the lives that they led. So why not share this information with your children. Give your children a chance to learn of their heritage and the great and not so great things their forbearers did. Start with your child’s or your grandparents. My grandpa died right after I was married and my grandma just after the birth of my second child. My son has faint memories of her … Continue reading →

Bible Stories to Share with Your Children: Joseph Betrayed

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In Genesis 29-31 the Bible speaks of Jacob, his wives Leah and Rachel (as well as their maidservants), and the births of his twelve sons. Jacob’s eleventh son (first born to him by Rachel) was Joseph. In Genesis 37:3 the Bible speaks of Jacob’s (renamed as Israel-Genesis 32:28) feelings toward Joseph: “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.” Interestingly, the next verse speaks of Jacob’s other sons reactions to this: “But when his brothers saw that their father … Continue reading →