Did I Tell You I Love You Today? - by Deloris Jordan

One draw for this book for kids especially boys is that Michael Jordan's mom wrote it. One draw for this book for moms is the prayerfulness that begins it and ends it.  There are so many ways that parents communicate that they love their children and so many ways that God communicates it too his children too. Some of these can be overlooked by kids and parents and this book points them our beautifully!

Don't Push the Button! by Bill Cotter

This book cracks us all up!

It is a great way to introduce to young kids the following concept:

When one rule is broken, often more rules follow.

Like in Eden...

...One rule...(Gen 2:17)

became a few...(Gen 3:21-24)

and  then added Ten...(Exodus 20)

and then many, many more.  (rest of Exodus:)

I love how the character Larry specifically states "there's only one rule"...then he starts guessing at others... finally he consults the book titled "so you've pushed the button" to reconcile the pushing of the button. Don't we as humans do just that: break a rule; guess at others to fix them; and hopefully finally consult The Word (both Scripture and Jesus himself) to reconcile all the buttons we push in this life.

A practical example we have used: I used blue painters tape (can even use long string for each "rule" to show how entangled we get in breaking rules; we think freedom is in breaking rules but really is more freeing to follow if it is right set of rules):
Parents tell you "don't play in this area; it is dangerous". You break rule, play and break your arm. Parents take you to the doctor and the doctor says, "you have to keep arm still for several weeks. (stick on piece of tape)  I am putting you in a cast. You can't play sports. (stick on another piece of tape) You can't get it wet, you can't take bath. (and another)You can't go swimming. (and another). You even have to be careful brushing your teeth. (and another)"

One rule has now become FIVE!

The Blue Day Book for Kids by Bradley Trevor Greive

We so enjoy the pictures in this book! It is great opening into a conversation about the difference between circumstances and choices!

There will be bad days but we can choose to remember WHO has got the day and to maybe look at it in a different way!

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - (Jesus) John 16:33

Nothing To Do by Douglas Wood; illus by Wendy Anderson Halperin

We are not "human doings" :) according to this author in the author's note. Love it!! This book is amazing especially illustrating growing through experiences that often are not achieving what the world would acclaim, something it would describe as "nothing".  This is one of those little reminders to look at everything that a book offers especially the illustrator's notes. The message is beautifully communicated and is perfect to bring up:

"Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth." -Psalm 46:10

and discussions on how the busy-ness of American culture can rob us of the worship of doing nothing!

wish, change, friend by Ian Whybrow

Precious book about change in life and meeting new friends!

Change in life is challenging and often hard to say:) The pig in this story learns how wish and experiencing change can hold limitless relational wonders!

Another book, The Bible, holds God's wishes for us, will guide us through much change as He changes us, and will guide us to fellowship with other friends but most importantly the Ultimate Friend in Christ.

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight." -Hebrews 4:12-13

"You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." - John 15:14-17

Toy Boat by Randall de Seve

One of our family favorites!! I have used this for illustrating how encouragement can be so important for girls to do with one another by focusing on the fishing boat circling the toy boat and just being there with him during his struggle to return to the boy.  1 Thessalonians 5:11 says "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

Upon my latest reading with Dax for a homework assignment, he correlated it to a theme of "freedom within boundaries". As long as the boat stayed within a safe distance of the boy, he could sail freely while being safe also.  So I included in our discussion a reading of 1 Corinthians 10:23 "'Everything is permissible" - but not everything is beneficial.  'Everything is permissible' - but not everything is constructive." (Galatians 5:13) I want to add Matthew 11:29-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems

I love Pigeon and Duckling! As a person, I so understand Pigeon's point of view! As a mom, I so get both of them!!

This is a great illustration for prayer (along with Pigeon Wants a Puppy).  I have begun to think that prayers can be affected by personalities. There are some who are completely comfortable with themselves and with their relationships that they can ask for whatever whenever but they do tend to forget the "however".  It seems that these personalities struggle with their motives in prayer and recognizing the authority of the Provider of the answers to prayer.  There are others who never ask for anything because of insecurity with themselves or within whichever relationship a need/desire arises.  These seem to struggle with boldness to be open about their hopes and they emphasize the authority of the Provider over the love.

I particularly love the polite meekness of Duckling in this story that doesn't hold back the request and even more his polite boldness to be more specific about a cookie with "no nuts".

As our ultimate Parent, I think God wants us to ask so He can answer; I think He wants us to give us a "Yes" but it is also in our best interest to be accepting and even thankful for His "No"s.  He wants us to acknowledge His Love, Authority, and Provision move in and through our lives.

Matthew 7:7-12 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened..."

this book can also be used in times when we struggle with sharing and putting others first; (Pigeon Wants a Hot Dog is good for this too)
Philippians 2:2-4 "...consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor

This book surprised me! I was skeptical about bringing all this fanciness into my world;)  I have several friends who are mothers to girls and they have spoken of this book with fondness in their eyes.  I thought it would just be a fun read that Korwyn and I could use as a basis for future fun adventures.  The communication, bond, and interest illustrated between parent and child in this adorable story is priceless! I loved how Nancy wanted so much to share her view with her family, but most of all how they set aside time to be interested in what interested her.  Her gratefulness was wonderful and the ending superb!

"Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others." -Philippians 2:4

Oops-a-Daisy by Clarie Freedman

Although this is a picture book, it is great for older children and adults because there are lots of words.  Growing up especially in our spiritual lives is hard and requires perseverance!!  Daisy must try again and again to get that hop under control.  Giving up cannot be an option!  Many, many times in life failure and "hippity-hoppity-flop..., slippety-flippity..., whoopsity-oopsity..., crashity-smashity...,and bumpity-thumpity" HAPPENS! But that is all part of the journey!

Right now the fellas are learning golf and they have had to learn this lesson the hard way.  For the present shot, they must through off the past, both the good shots and the sad shots.  The other day they were playing number 10 at Countryland, the hole on which Dax achieved his very first par. Cole had played it well too during the trip before.  They were so stuck in the good memory, they flubbed up the present shots a bit.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." -Hebrews 12:1-3

Who Loves the Little Lamb? by Lezlie Evans

...and the hungry beast, the naughty kid, and the noisy bird? Great picture book about unconditional love!!  It is unconditional from parental point of view but explaining the Source of that is such an opening.  Situations and consequences are varied in this adorable story!

I Love You This Much by Lynn Hodges and Sue Buchanan

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge --that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." -Ephesians 3:16-21

For years, before I was blessed in motherhood,  I used these verses as the basis for my main hope and prayers over special young people that God allowed me to meet.  That list that I lift up grows longer and longer and I have now added my biological children's names along with the children of some of those young people.

The words above have such power and depth and the ones in bold print are printed at the beginning of this precious children's book.  It is a "song of God's love" and our copy even has a music CD included. It illustrates just how much a mother bear loves her baby bear, "best...most...high...low...deep...wide."

My mom and I used to jokingly argue about who loved whom the most.  Since I have become a mother myself, I have started to concede to her (just here, of course, not face to face;). The reason:  I am convinced my kids have not one clue of how much I love and adore them, so maybe I have never really understood the extent of my mother's love.  No matter how much I tell them, or hug them, or be silly with them, or correct them, I don't think they will glimpse it until they are parents themselves.

I feel this way about our former students as well.  Unless they experience loving others the way we experienced God loving them in our hearts, they will never know how much we care.  And they nor we could create that.  They just have to surrender their inner beings to Him and "out of his glorious riches" He can strengthen their "power to grasp."

One of my favorite phrases is "this love that surpasses knowledge".  I know my precious Dax is going to wrestle with this.  He really values knowledge right now and I am afraid that he may value it for a long while (like some of his DNA contributors).  It is hard when knowledge gets knocked off its "high horse" but I am praying for all of them (not Dax alone) to accept their "dirt for brains" and be loved "in their inner beings" and for "Christ to dwell in their hearts through faith".

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."

The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss

This silly little book about feet has a great rhyme and gives giggles to all.  It shows how so many can be so different but still have feet in common.

What does the Bible say about feet?

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!"- Romans 10:15 (It doesn't matter if those feet are going across the world or to the grocery store)

**great for doing pedicures with moms and daughters

Corduroy by Don Freeman

I adore this bear!! There are so many associations in the pages of this tale. I will touch on a few. Our attempts to work for grace (Ephesians 2:8)is similar to Corduroy hunting his button to cover his damage.  Christ redeeming us ( Gal 3:14; Gal 4:5;Psalm 103:4; Psalm 49:15) can be discussed after watching Lisa use her savings to buy Corduroy. Jesus loving us in our current condition and moving us to Christlikeness cloaked in his righteousness (Col 1:21-22; Hebrews 4:14-16- so much of Hebrews about our "High Priest" reconciling us) can be illustrated by Lisa's repairing Corduroy's shoulder strap.

What stirs me from Corduroy is his journey through the department store and into Lisa's presence. On the escalator, he thinks; in the home department, he guesses; at home with her, he KNOWS. In this world we "think" we want and then we get and it disappoints, we "guess" we want and it fails to deliver, but in Heaven we will KNOW it is where we have wanted to be all along!

"And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."- John 14:3



"For he (Abraham) was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." -Hebrews 11:10  2 Cor 5:8

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

This was one of my favorites when I was in school. I am not sure why I remember it so well but it is a vivid memory.

It is a great read when your kids are just having a stinky day to get them laughing and if your day is bad, you can read it to feel like Alexander has empathy for you;)

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." *("even in Australia) * -John 16:33

Poems and Prayers for the Very Young selected and illus by Martha Alexander

This book has been a daily reading for all three of my children as toddlers.  There are some of my favorite poems printed within its pages, the two starred I have displayed in our home (one is a personal prayer and one a prayer for our home):

A Child's Prayer by M.Betham-Edwards
*Peace Be to This House -Unknown
God Be In my Head -Unknown
Out in the Fields with God by Louise Imogen Guiney
*A Child's Prayer by John Banister Tabb
Firefly by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
Sleepy Song by Arthur Guiterman
The Gift by Christina G. Rossetti

So many of these cause me to recall different verses in the Bible, and the LORD's prayer is also printed in this book, but I am choosing:

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."-Psalm 63:3 (NIV)

The entire chapter of Psalm 119 because of its display of love for not only God but His decrees and promises.

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown

If you've never spent much time with a toddler, this book may be just another beautifully illustrated adorable text. It is tempting to question why the bunny is so pressed to get away.  However, after a minute or so with an 18 month old darting the opposite direction of their caretaker's approach the words leap from the page and push the corners of your mouth into a knowing smile from deep within.  That toddler is wrapped up in the human condition and is wanting to determine the direction of their lives much like this bunny.

Spiritually this has happened often to me.  Before I even realize what I am doing, that independence sneaks in and I am hightailing it away from God's plan for my life.  I have caught the current of a new dream and am sailing away on my imaginations.  Unfortunately He has had to pursue me more times than I would like to admit, as this mother rabbit does.  He has always been faithful to love me when I return from having left Him in the dust.  The only glaring difference between this book and my experience with my Heavenly Father is the last line.  When the bunny concedes, "Shucks! I might just as well stay where I am and be your little bunny."  God's plan for my life has consistently come out far from a "Shucks!" It has repeatedly been very different from my "dirt for brains" dreams but has been more than I could have asked or imagined. "To be" His is so much more than anything else!

"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
This verse is one of my favorites.  It first sparkled before my immature college age eyes as a promise that he was going to give me what I wanted as long as I delighted in Him.  As I look back with more wrinkled eyes from all the joy He has brought from a life somewhat far from what I thought it would be, I realize not only did he fulfill the desires, He actually planted certain desires in my heart of which I had never dreamed.


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11

I Love You the Purplest by Barbara M. Joosse

As a mother, this has to be one of my absolute favorite books! This wise mother taught and encouraged me to be prepared, to look ahead, to anticipate the questions my children ask and to take a breath of thought before I answer.  As many accounts throughout Scripture attest to the challenge of sibling rivalry, this book illustrates the Truths of Psalm 139 that claim that we are each known and made distinctly, wonderfully, and fearfully, and above all else we are all, each one of us loved by our Father in Heaven.  As parents we can marvel at the variations of color that each child brings to our life, and love them each one more than we ever asked, imagined, or dreamed possible.

"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." - Luke 12:7

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:16-19

What would our families look like if children together came to grasp how much each of them is loved by their parents, not in competition but in awe at the love that God can place in a heart for others within His family? What would the Bride of Christ look like if fellow saints truly believed they were loved and then turned to outpour that love on their fellow saints?

Farah: Reeses cup (smooth and delicious delivery of a very strong concept)

Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young

This cute short book has its own amazing moral at the end, but I have loved to use it to emphasize how accounts of the Bible must be put together to know God in the deepest sense.  People throughout history have tried to take segment Scripture, but it is only finding its entire repetitive, rhythmic Heartbeat for humanity that you can deeply relate with Him in this life and forever!

The New Testament has its own perspectives of several men who watched and described the life of Jesus.  The details that one can glean from reading the same account from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John can reveal him and his truths in amazing color, much like the little hero of this book, taking in the whole.

Activity: Place two or more children on different sides of an object and have them each describe what they see.  Then compare and contrast the perspectives.  The boys and I did this describing a flat screen T.V. with a video game paused on the screen.  Dax who was looking from the side described it as a narrow tall strip with control buttons and light coming from the side.  Cole pointed out its width, the lighted words pause and continue coming from the whole thing.  It was the same object and their descriptions were both very true but when put together gave the whole picture.

Farah: Peanut M&Ms (fun with a bit of protein)
Cole:Skittles (it is so colorful)