Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne

I love this author! I love this book!  There is so much here and yet one can easily miss it.  It is a simple story told from 4 differing perspectives about taking a trip to the same park.  The words tell part of the story, the fonts tell part of the story, the characters tell part of the story, THE ILLUSTRATIONS are the story!  Those who have "outgrown" pictures (or who think they are too good for pictures) will be lost and will miss the strength of the message. One of my favorite things about the book are the things to which each character is blind.  This book definitely is a wonderful display of what I read in Matthew 6:22-23:

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

 "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The LORD does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." -1Samuel 16:7

Dax (almost 9) saw a stack of books and knew I had been to the library.  He just finished Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Lightening Thief and needed something for his 20 minutes of reading for homework. He asked me which I suggested. Upon first reading it alone, he rated it as "not my favorite."  He never once took notice of the pictures and read it strictly as he would a chapter book only he didn't even pick up the change in fonts.  Later while David had taken Cole to a birthday party and K was sleeping, I asked if he'd like to read it together; he conceded because he will take any snuggle time we get when the others are away.  As we read and discussed the pics, he became animated in the hunt for clues in the illustrations and began to interpret some things similarly to my earlier interpretations and some differently.  I realized that we too had different angles on the book much like the characters had different angles on the park; perspectives and opinions can be synonomous.  In that moment, my heart yearned to have my Father's angle on people and things.  I have been drawn to truth for much of my life both practically and Absolutely; begging Him at times to let me see reality and not my own perception.  But with Dax reading this book at this juncture I long for His Angle / His Opinion, to see the proverbial "park" not exactly as the "park" is but as He sees it!

This was momentary. Two days later and after this morning of getting the boys up and off to school, I confess I did not see them the way He does this morning.  I hope and pray for more moments and maybe just maybe moment by moment I will give to Him and become more like Him!

Fluffy and Baron by Laura Rankin

This is a warm tale of a unique friendship.  It reminds me of a friendship from the Bible where two people were often caught up in the plans God had for their individual lives that didn't afford them time to spend in one another's company.  Jonathan and David however, had a friendship from which we can learn the true meaning of friends. (1Samuel 18:1-4; 19-20; 23:16-18)

As I read about Fluffy and Baron I ponder how different seasons of life and times of responsibility take time away from my own time with friends. That doesn't mean that I don't think of them often and take moments to pray for them and be thankful for the time we do or have had.  This encourages me to also extend grace to those who may not be able to return calls or who must cancel appointments.

When reading with a child groundwork can be laid for times their friends may be unable to play or have time to spend.  That may not mean they are ending the friendship. It is a great encouragement for during those times for older children as well to help illustrate the other's perspective.  You can also discuss how some of the most different people can become the best of friends.

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

Proverbs 18:24 "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."