Three reasons I’m saying NO to the summer reading program

3 Reasons I’m Saying No to the Summer Reading Program

I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have said this a few years ago!

As soon as my oldest could read, I was chomping at the bit, just waiting to sign him up for the summer reading program. I had such fond memories of being rewarded for something I loved to do as a child, and wanted to share that with him.

The year my now four year old turned one, I credit the summer reading program with encouraging me to read more to him. I had sorta slacked off a bit in that department, and now, he really has developed of love of books and reading.

So really, summertime has always been about the summer reading program for us. (It’s almost the most exciting thing about summer around here, since temperatures can reach 115 or higher!) And if you’ve followed my writing here, you know how much I love the library. So what gives? Why am I saying “no” this year?

My children already read quite a bit!

We have weekly trips to the library, and I really feel like we are in a good place with keeping our book selection fresh and relevant to their interests. I try to encourage them to read the books that most appeal to them, whether they are comic books, or favorite authors, or even cartoon characters they like. Also, I try to keep an eye out for books they might like, and when I see something, I quickly request it from the library and pick it up at our next visit. There is a hush that falls on our home after each library trip, and weekday mornings are usually spent quietly perusing books. It seems we have a pretty good thing going already without giving our children incentives.

All the STUFF

I’m not complaining, necessarily. Our library gives out pretty cool prizes for the children who reach the reading milestones (like passes to the local pool, little toys, and books they get to keep). But multiply that by four children, and you quickly have a lot of things to keep track of. Since I began trying to cultivate a more minimalist lifestyle, my attitude toward little prizes and papers has certainly changed, and I have tried to curtail the influx of clutter as best as I can.

They don’t want to read if they HAVE TO!

Want to ruin a love of reading? Make it mandatory! Stick a reading chart in front of someone and say, “you MUST read for 20 minutes to earn a sticker”, and they might just start putting stickers in place for each (very slim) picture book they read, asking you (before your feet have even touched the floor in the morning) if they can do their reading after their screen time, and declaring that maybe they don’t need a pool pass as a prize after all (as if earning a pass from the library is the ONLY way they’ll get to visit the pool this summer!) Not that this happened in our home or anything!

All that being said, if they want to and they are willing to keep track of their reading on their own, without complaint, then sure. We can participate in the summer reading program. And I will applaud (but possibly inwardly cringe) at every little toy earned along the way.

Have you had a summer where you decided not to utilize the summer reading program? Did you regret it, or did it work out better for your family?

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Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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The post 3 Reasons I’m Saying No to the Summer Reading Program appeared first on Donna Perugini Children's Author.

Six mistakes you might be making in Children’s Ministry

Six Mistakes You Might Be Making in Children’s Ministry

The Bible seems pretty clear about the value we are to place on children. Jesus said, “let the little children come to Me.” (Mark 10:14). Solomon tells us that children are a reward (Psalm 127:3). It stands to reason that these attitudes should extend to how we treat our children in the church, yet in some churches, children’s ministry is seen as more of an afterthought. That is not to say our primary focus should be on ministering to the children, but many churches could see a great deal of growth if they focused a bit more on this area!

Does your church make any of these mistakes within the children’s ministry?

Being inconsistent

Do you offer children’s ministry, or don’t you? Some churches don’t (preferring to integrate the whole family into the main service), and that’s okay! But if you believe your church is called to offer that ministry to kids and parents, do it every week. Make sure someone is always available to work in children’s ministry. Create a lesson plan and a service order so that even a substitute can easily carry on with the plan without any fuss or confusion.

Not acknowledging your workers

Most people will tell you they don’t want recognition. But it sure doesn’t hurt! Children’s ministry workers typically make a lot of sacrifices. Sometimes there are periods where they don’t get to be in “big service”. They miss out on fellowship because they are cleaning up or waiting for parents to pick up their children. You don’t have to make a big deal about it (some people really don’t like to be put in the spotlight) but a simple “thanks”, an occasional special treat (donuts or coffee sound good!), or a handwritten card all go a long way to keep morale up!

Not supporting your leaders

I have seen people labor on pure love for children’s ministry. They don’t mind using their own resources and doing a lot of footwork to make it a great experience for the kids. These people are an inspiration to all of us, but don’t make the mistake of taking people like this for granted. Communicate with your leaders and workers to see what their needs are. Do they need access to the copy machine? Do they need funds to pick up prizes for the children? Maybe they could use help finding ideas for activities (some may need to use the church’s internet or other resources). Make sure they feel like they aren’t doing it all on their own!

Expecting too much from volunteers

Are you expecting volunteers to read your mind? Are you scheduling certain individuals too often, or maybe disregarding their schedule preferences? It’s important to take a step back and realize that perhaps what you are willing to give, is not something someone else is comfortable with in this season of their life. You don’t need to coddle volunteers per se, but at least aim to be sensitive to their needs.

Not having a dedicated area for kids

I know sometimes circumstances dictate that space is used for other needs of the ministry, but kids need their own space! Volunteers need a “workplace” to take ownership of, and families need that well-cared for space to invite other families with confidence. It doesn’t have to be state-of-the-art or overly flashy, but at least bright, clean, and fun! Kids will look forward to coming, and will even invite their friends. Parents will be confident in leaving their children as they go off to the main service if they know the facility is safe and sanitary.

Having no structure

Walk through your children’s ministry from the perspective of a visiting parent. Do they see a drop-off system complete with sign-in sheet (or computer system) and a way to communicate important information about their child (like name, age, toileting “status”, food allergies, or other special instructions)? Do the workers have name badges, and T-shirts to distinguish them from other parents? Also important: do the children know what to anticipate? Create a service order so that events happen roughly in the same way from one service (and one teacher) to the next.

This week, take a mental inventory of your church’s children’s ministry. Bring it up to your leaders and volunteers. Prayerfully evaluate each area to see if you might be making any of these mistakes (or any not covered here) and ask God to show you how to begin to make changes!

What are some mistakes you’ve seen in children’s ministry?
Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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How Do I Get My Child to Read More?

Yesterday, I was stopped in the library (of all places) by an acquaintance who takes care of her grandson. She had him there to meet with a reading tutor. While she waited for his session to be over, we chatted a bit.

After catching up, she expressed that he was having some trouble with reading and asked, “how do you get your kids to read?” She said, “He’s just not that interested in books.”

That’s a great question, and one I think many people have. Sometimes children don’t enjoy reading like we think they should. In our home, even though I regularly pick up fresh reading material from the library, reading just doesn’t happen as much as I’d like. But then, they’ll find just the right book and want to read all the time. It’s a balance. That being said, here are some ways you can encourage your kids to read more (and in turn, become better readers!)

Read to them!

Yes. Read to them. I don’t mean just the ones who don’t know how to read yet. I mean all ages! Doing this is a way to expose your child to language they haven’t yet encountered in their young lives. Of course, there is simply an element of enjoyment that happens when you are reading to your child and they are hearing a story from one of the people they love the most. The benefits are immense. Your child might not be ready to read chapter books independently, but there’s no reason they can’t enjoy them right now! Read chapter books and picture books. This helps them to know how to pronounce words, and becoming familiar with higher language gives them confidence in their own reading.

Bring lots of books into your home!

I’m not suggesting becoming a hoarder (although hoarding books is hardly a bad thing), but having more reading material around gives your child a greater chance to read. The library is free, and you can find books rather inexpensively at thrift stores or used bookstores (especially if your library has a bookstore). Having a print-rich environment definitely sends the subtle message, “we are readers!” to your child.

Let them read what they like

Confession time: My eldest son was an early reader. (That’s not the confession.) As he got older, I thought that his reading would naturally evolve to meatier selections. I figured chapter books should be the bulk of his reading choices by now. I mean, he’s eight years old and has been reading for longer than he hasn’t been reading. Well, when I tried to get him to read chapter books on his own, it didn’t work! In most cases, he has had very little interest in picking up an actual novel and reading it to himself.

Hmm. Guess what I realized? HE’S EIGHT YEARS OLD! He still likes picture books. He likes reading books that have a lot of little factoids and fun pictures. He likes comic-style books. (He loves reading the Peanut’s comic strip collections.) He’s into Thomas trains, so when he spotted a giant collection of Thomas and Friends stories at the library, he devoured it. And he’s checked out this same book about three times now. (I’m talking 400+ pages!) All that to say, don’t discourage them from reading things they are naturally interested in, even if it doesn’t seem like something that’s truly appropriate for their age or reading level. (Hint: when you read to them, you get more of an opportunity to choose what you think they should be reading!)

Give it time (and repeat the first three suggestions!)

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always read all the time! I would like to, and I know I should, but life happens! Sometimes I’m very busy with other things, or let’s face it: I get distracted by a new show on Netflix, or something else that catches my fancy. Kids can be the same way. In my experience, they come back around to reading. Just keep bringing books around (and also model a love of reading yourself), and eventually, they will willingly pick up a book and read it too!

Have you had trouble getting your kids to read? How have you handled it?

Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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Men Helping in the Church Nursery?

What about Men Helping in the Church Nursery?

Readers have asked, “What about men helping in the church nursery?”  Our children’s ministry used men in the nursery.  The one male nursery worker I was impressed with had a son in his room.  He traded off days with his wife to cover filling one position in the nursery.

He added a different dimension to the nursery, ages 0-5, as a father.  Did having his own son in the nursery take time away from the other children?  He was able to attend to each child and show his own how to take turns, wait, and be compassionate.  He needed help when they had a craft but who doesn’t when you have 8 children in attendance.

How Did Parents Feel about Men in the Church Nursery?

Did the parents of the other children have a problem with a man being the lead in the nursery?  Some mother’s were apprehensive as they compared their own husband’s interaction with their children and found areas their husband fell short in caring for their children the way they wanted them to. We let the mother’s peek in on the male teachers.  Granted, we did not have a huge amount of males requesting to serve in the nursery!   The ones that did work in the nursery were serious about their commitment.

Our church also did background checks on all children’s ministry workers.  Our state (Washington) has a form that can be picked up at the WA State Patrol’s office that does the check.  There’s a small fee, but not a problem when you believe in protecting the children.

Changing Diapers in the Church Nursery?

What about changing diapers if there are babies in the nursery?  Our set up was to send for the mother’s to come and change their baby’s diapers.  If there were any other emergencies, the mother or father was also called in for that.  Larger churches will separate the babies from the toddlers in a 0-3 year old room and a 3.5 years old-5 years old in another class.  More attention can be paid to teaching a toddler than an infant.  In the infant room, you can have a chair for holding and rocking the babies.  We asked the ‘grandmothers’ in our church if they would give 15-20 minutes of their time on a Sunday to be grandmother to babies by being the ones to rock and hold that day.  This was a great help to the nursery worker who could possibly do a short story and craft with the 2-3 years old for that 15-20 minutes.  Remember, for each year of age, that’s how many minutes you can hold a child’s attention.  Two and three year olds will give you 2-3 minutes.

What about the Men Helping in the Church Nursery Missing Sunday’s Teaching and Fellowship?

As in all cases of adults working in the children’s ministry, there are issue with them being able to be in attendance to hear the Word of God taught on that Sunday.  We had CD’s made for the workers to listen to, but that doesn’t really come close to being in the church service.  If you belong to a church that only meets once a week, that worker will have missed with no chance to be involved in the fellowship.  If that continues for a long period, you’ll begin to see fatigue in your workers with them quitting.  A schedule should be set up to be sure that each worker gets into the service more than the amount of time spent in the nursery.  Your church may have more than one meeting time and day set up, but there’s no guarantee the workers will show up.  Encourage your workers to attend Sunday’s when they’re not on duty.  They need God’s Word to renew their mind, fellowship and people to love on them too.  If you are the fatigued worker reading this post, I urge you to speak with your leaders in children’s ministry to let them know your need to be in the service more often.  Then pray for and look for a replacement.  The leader needs you to speak up.  They may be disappointed, but you’re helping them find a replacement means more than you know!

Final Thoughts on Anyone Helping Others!

I leave you with this thought…..when the attendant on the airplane gives you the ‘instructions’ about putting your safety belt on, obeying the no smoking sign in the bathroom, exits and what to do when the oxygen bags fall…….remember what they said about those oxygen bags.  “If you are sitting next to a child or person in need, put your oxygen mask on first and then put theirs on last.”  You can’t help that person in need of oxygen if you’re also deprived of that oxygen mask and have passed out.

What are your thoughts on this subject?  Leave a comment to help the readers!

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How to Quit Children’s Ministry with Dignity

How to Quit Children’s Ministry with Dignity

You feel tired, worn out, or ready to serve in a different area of ministry. Maybe you’ve been the Sunday morning teacher for months on end and you don’t remember what the main sanctuary looks like. Maybe it’s simply not a good fit for you, and God is calling you elsewhere in ministry. Whatever the reason, there is a way to quit children’s ministry with dignity.

If you are like me, you avoid confrontation at all costs. I don’t like having to say the hard things to people (“I’m stepping down.”). I don’t want to see their disappointment. I’d rather stay under the blankets on Sunday morning and pretend I don’t have some place to be. (Note: this is the wrong approach! Don’t ask me how I know!)

There have been times over the years when I’ve seen people simply not show up for their allotted time as a worker, or give very little notice that they are not coming back. This is challenging for everyone as the team shuffles around to fill in for the absent worker. (There are other bad ways to resign from a position, but this is by far the most common that I’ve seen).

As you are considering your resignation from children’s church, think about the following:

Make sure it’s really time to go

Is your time in children’s ministry really done and over? Did you pray about it? Discomfort in a ministry role is often an opportunity for spiritual growth. (I know. Not my favorite either!) Even in the midst of a conflict, you are called to love others, and there are ways to go about resolving church issues. (Talk to the children’s ministry leader or the pastor with an attitude of humility- there may be another side to the story or a resolution you don’t see yet.)

Common Courtesy

Remember the Golden Rule? That saying is a valuable key to interactions with others. Run your behavior through that filter. Would you like it if someone did it to you? If the answer is no, don’t fall into the temptation to justify your actions.

Give advance notice

Very rarely will someone impulsively decide their time in any particular area of ministry is up. You’ve probably been thinking (and hopefully praying) about it for a while, right? On our jobs in the workforce, we understand that we should give two weeks’ notice. Can we behave like that in ministry? Sure. We can even do better. Can you give them a month? Six weeks? Give the director ample time to find your replacement.

Offer to train your replacement

Nobody likes being thrown into an assignment with little or no training, but having been in ministry for a while, I know it happens sometimes. We like to think, “oh, it’s just the kids, it will be fine”, but children’s ministry is a big deal! We are dealing with very precious individuals, and often times, their experience in children’s church will be with them for a lifetime. (Not to mention the fact that a well-run children’s ministry can be a deciding factor for visiting families). It’s not necessarily your job, but it’s a nice gesture!

Express your reason for leaving

This is not an opportunity for you to unleash every negative thought you’ve ever had about the children’s ministry, but it is an opportunity to share what isn’t working for you. Remember to do so in a spirit of humility and love. Your feedback can alert the leader to any potential areas of growth and can in turn serve the children and families (as well as other volunteers) better in the future.

Whatever the circumstances, be sure to resign from your children’s ministry position in love and helpfulness rather than anger or sloppiness.

Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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Discovering Great Children’s Books

We’ve all heard how important reading is for our children. We know we should be reading to them, and keeping a steady stream of books in their hands. We know how to get to the library or the bookstore, but then what? There are SO many things to read out there! Are all books created equal? Or should there be more focus on certain titles than there are on others?

My Experience

I’ve written before about literacy in young children. It’s a topic near and dear to my heart. It really is something I could talk about for hours. Can I admit something, though? In hindsight, I was sorta clueless when it came to children’s literature (and I now realize I still have MUCH more to learn!)

When I learned that I was going to be a mom, one of the first things I thought about was reading to my not-yet-born baby. I knew a little about great chapter books for an older audience, so I chose a couple of really well-known classic stories to read to my developing son (and then another when my daughter came along).

That was a fun experience, and I trust it paved the way for them to become good readers, but then they were born, and started to grow. I really didn’t know much about great literature for young children. I didn’t know how to seek out good stories that would nourish their growing minds. I was familiar with Dr. Seuss books and the Curious George series, and that was close to the extent of my knowledge of children’s literature!

Oh, we kept our home stocked with books for sure, but we had lots of board books from the dollar store that had ABCs and animals and things like that. That was great for learning the alphabet and numbers and building their vocabularies, but in the early days, our home was lacking in really good stories. We had a couple that were treasured read-alouds, like Goodnight Moon and The Gingerbread Cowboy (both gifts!) but if I had known better, I would’ve added many more to our collection!

How I Discovered Great Books

When we took the plunge and decided to homeschool, a whole new world of literature opened up before me. In trying to navigate our path as homeschoolers, I discovered a vast array of previously untapped authors, stories, and lists of award-winning and timeless books. It really was incredible how many new books were on my radar!

What is Twaddle and Should I Let My Children Read it?

This is a question that comes up quite a bit in homeschooling groups. Twaddle is a term coined by Charlotte Mason. Merriam-Webster defines twaddle as “foolish words or ideas.” Text that talks down to kids, that bore parents, that don’t expose them to rich language or wholesome, useful ideas all would fit into this category.

That being said, I believe children should be mainly exposed to good quality stories, but also should have some freedom to choose other books they might be drawn to (even if something has licensed characters). As with anything else, definitely monitor what they are reading- kids can be easily influenced by wrong attitudes and behaviors of the characters they read about! (Ask me about our Garfield ban sometime! Ha ha.) The idea is to build up their appetite for great literature, but don’t turn them off of reading by being too nit-picky!

So, What’s the Best Way to Discover Great Books?

Thankfully, lots has been written on this subject! While I don’t necessarily believe that any one person can dictate what makes a good book (we all enjoy different things), the number of available books can be overwhelming, and many of them have been long-cherished by children and parents alike. I personally am thrilled whenever I find a list that someone has taken the time to create, and shares titles that have worked for their children or students. Thank you for streamlining my trip to the library or bookstore!

Here are some of my favorite lists of books for kids:

MENSA’s Excellence in Reading program

Half Price Books’ 40 Books Every Child Should Read

Simply Charlotte Mason’s Favorite Read-Aloud Books for Preschoolers (and their literature list for older students)

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

Honey for a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt

If you want to discover more great reading (and book-related things), check out my Pinterest board called “Books! Check ’em Out!”

What is YOUR favorite way to discover great books for your children?

Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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Does Grace for the overwhelmed homeschooling mom sound like what you need?

It’s December, and the start of the new school year has long since zoomed by. The holidays are in full swing, and you’re wondering how to get it all done without getting completely overwhelmed. The homeschooling, the housework, the Christmas preparation, the working (whether you work in or out of the home- or both). It can be a real challenge!

Here are five things to remember when you feel like you’re not getting things done!

1. Hold tight to your Anchor

Yes, life gets busy. Life gets stressful. But in all of that, hold tight to Jesus! Read your Bible. Pray (even if it’s just a short prayer said while you’re washing the dishes). Do your best to get up in the morning and read even a few verses of Scripture. Don’t stop even if you don’t feel anything happening. Even if you just read a chapter of 2 Samuel and you don’t know what in the world just happened. God’s Word does not return void.

2. Balance is a myth

Balance is a myth. The “perfect” Pinterest homeschool might look like there is time to get everything done, if you can just balance it all. I’m here to tell you that homeschool life (at least in my experience- and what I hear from others) is more like the ebb and flow of the ocean than it is the balance of a scale. For me, it’s never been easy to expose my children to just the right amount of each subject, the right balance of physical activity, and the right amount of recreation. It just doesn’t tend to happen in the same day or even the same week. Maybe you live in a place that has extreme weather like I do, and it’s impractical for the kids to go outside for any length of time during certain times of the year. Go outside when you can! Maybe the children are fighting you over reading. Read to them when they are receptive to it (bedtime is a great time to get in that reading-even if that doesn’t seem “schoolish”). Some days or weeks will be heavier on the more formal learning, some heavier on the character building (AKA discipline), some days or weeks are for resting. It will all even out over time!

3. Children Can Help

Boy can they! It may take a little more time upfront to teach them how to help, but you can certainly delegate kid-friendly tasks to them. We called them chores when I was growing up. You may want to call it something else, but the concept is the same. Children can contribute to the family. Mom doesn’t have to do everything! You are teaching them lifelong habits that will serve them and their family in the future. Go, you! Another thing here, is as they get older, they can help you stay on track with school topics you need to cover. Make them their own checklist to check off the boxes before they can have screen time or some other activity they might look forward to.

4. It won’t be like this forever

Remember that ebb and flow I mentioned? Think about the ocean again. Sometimes it’s stormy, but sometimes it’s calm, sunny, and smooth-sailing. Maybe you have a new baby in the house, or maybe you are not feeling 100% for whatever reason, or maybe there was a tummy bug in the house. It will pass! It will get easier. Babies aren’t babies forever. You will get stronger and healthier. Everyone will start to feel better and that mountain of laundry will shrink! It will. (If mine did, yours will too!) When there is calm, just get back on it and make the most of it. Harness that energy.

5. Nobody gets it all done all the time

It may seem like that from the outside looking in. When you see pictures your friends share on social media, it certainly appears that way. But look: nobody can do everything well all the time. I have to cover a few major areas in my home throughout my day or week. I can tackle maybe two or three at a time, and do a great job. Others might have the energy and the capacity for more, and that’s great. For them. Do not beat yourself up because you aren’t adding up to your perception of anyone else. Let God show you what He has for you to do, and HOW He wants you to do it. (And then revisit #1!)

Have you been through an overwhelming season of motherhood and homeschooling? What has made a difference for you in the midst of it all?

Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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Don’t Hug a Grudge book GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY for My Christian Children’s Book

“Don’t Hug a Grudge GIVEAWAY is happening now and until December 1, 2015. Just comment on this posting which is “on my blog”, http://www.DonnaPeruginiChildrensAuthor.com   The book is written in English and Spanish.

Description of Don’t Hug a Grudge

Grudges appear to be small, harmless and cuddly. They want you to pick them, nurse them and feed them with angry thoughts. You’ll be able to pick them up and put them down when they’re small, but WARNING…grudges grow up. They become Resentment and then Bitterness. See the growth cycle of a grudge and discover how you can stop it right in its tracks. Written in English and Spanish for ages 8 to adult. Don’t Hug a Grudge has been used by Joyce Meyer, of Joyce Meyer Ministries International, in her Emotional Healing Series, “Bitterness, Resentment and Unforgiveness”. Ages 7 to adult

Adults Find Don’t Hug a Grudge Helpful Too

This children’s book has been shared in prisons and in bible studies.  Everyone has faced whether they should hold a grudge or put it down.  The awesome thing is….we can choose!  A chaplain from the prison below sent these letters to me from the prisoners in her group.  More than what is below were sent.  I chose these two because they are sharing the book and what they learned from it with their sons.  Forgiveness is a choice freely given and freely received.
(names and prisons below remain anonymous)

Dear Donna,
I want to thank you for your donation of your book, “Don’t Hug a Grudge”. I believe your book to be an effective tool in forgiveness for people who have been hurt or rejected. And most of us here fit that criteria. I am especially thankful because I plan on passing the book on to my 6 year old son in hopes that it will help him to understand the importance of forgiveness.
Thank you,
Mr. Jackson (prison)

Dear Ms. Perugini,
I would like to thank you for donating your book to me. I cannot wait to share the lessons in it with my sons. It also spoke to me personally to teach me how holding on to grudges can poison my life. You have done a good thing. God bless you and glory be to God!
Sincerely,
Mr. Brown (prison)

An adult child shares the book with her elderly parent:

I purchased this book several years ago when my son was little (he is now 17) and just wanted to let you know that this is the most wonderful book about the subject of forgiveness.

 My Dad came to stay with us nine years ago for about twelve days.  He was in the beginning stages of dementia, and we were outside so he could smoke.  We talked about him needing to forgive my mom since their divorce many years before, and he looked at me and shook his head no.  The Lord led me to go into the house and get your book.  I sat with my Dad and read each page, and he looked closely at the pictures.  When it came to the picture on bitterness, where the blue bitterness was holding the boy’s shoulders, my Dad pointed to it and said that was in him.  So I asked my Dad if he was willing to forgive my Mom, and he said he couldn’t.  We prayed together and asked the Holy Spirit to help him forgive her, and when we went to church the next morning, he went to the altar and told our pastor he wanted to forgive her and give his life back to Jesus.  He passed away five years ago, and the Lord gave me a vision of him in heaven with Him.

Thanks for such a treasure.  I have shared this book with children in sunday school, and also other adults who seem to see the truth simply in a children’s book.

Blessings,  Retha B. Middletown, Ohio-

See more at: http://donnaperuginichildrensauthor.com/readers-reviews/#sthash.KcIV48I4.dpufHere’s a book trailer for Don’t Hug a Grudge that let’s you have a ‘look into the book’.  (Can’t see it in the email?  Go to http://www.DonnaPeruginiChildrensAuthor.com)

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Thanksgiving is Around the Corner!

We are well into the crisp, cool, pumpkin-laden month of November. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. The mention of turkeys will soon be everywhere, and we (in the United States, anyway) will all be taking time to remember the blessings in our lives (even more than usual!)

With that in mind, I thought I would compile a list of resources for making this Thanksgiving special. (Links to the books are Amazon affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I will earn a small percentage if you choose to make a purchase from one of them. Thank you!)

Thanksgiving Books-

I just love books, and the more books I can read and get my children into about a particular cultural event or holiday, the better! Here are some that are good for kids and adults to read together.

P is for Pumpkin: God’s Harvest Alphabet by Kathy-jo Wargin

Squanto’s Journey by Joseph Bruchac

Happy Thanksgiving, Curious George

Sharing the Bread: an Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Pat Zielow Miller

The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli

Just a Special Thanksgiving by Mercer Mayer

The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks by Jan and Mike Berenstain

Thanksgiving Videos-

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving/The Mayflower Voyagers– I think the Peanuts gang has a special for just about every holiday! This one will be popular in our house with the new Peanuts movie coming out. We’ve been reading lots of Peanuts comic books and will be watching anything that happens to be airing this November. We watched this one for the first time a couple of years ago. Who doesn’t love the Thanksgiving feast they come up with? (Popcorn and toast, anyone?)

All About Thanksgiving– Just a quick little video (less than a minute) about the origin of Thanksgiving.

25 Little Known Facts About Thanksgiving (Mental Floss)- A longer video, probably more suitable (and interesting) for older children, teens and grown-ups.

Thanksgiving Activities-

Do you have favorite activities for this time of year? I love writing my blessings down and sharing them on Facebook every year, but I wanted to get my children into the same habit (year-round of course, but especially as Thanksgiving approaches!) We did something similar to Rebekah’s,  Thankful Tree one year. I love seeing what my babies are thankful for!

Simply Rebekah’s Thankful Tree

Ministry-to-Children’s Thanksgiving resources– I just love this site and have used it so much in children’s ministry. They have a TON of Thanksgiving-related activity ideas, printables, and articles. You can easily use the printables at home as well.

Favorite Thanksgiving Foods-

I can’t let a post about Thanksgiving go by without mentioning food! I’m fairly new to cooking our family’s Turkey Day feast, so I was a bit intimidated by cooking a huge turkey the first time I did it. I really appreciate Wardee’s post, Perfectly Moist Turkey, Every Time. (Definitely check it out if you are new to cooking turkey, or you don’t like the way your turkeys have turned out in the past!)

Bacon Brussels Sprouts– I know, I know. You’ll just have to hear me out on this one! These are SO good. (Bacon makes everything great). My 8 year old and 6 year old gobble these up. (Really!)

Also, my family loves this cranberry sauce recipe by Simply Recipes! It’s so easy, and so good. (It beats the canned stuff, hands down!)

Some members of my family deal with food allergies (dairy/egg/nuts), so finding a good, festive Thanksgiving dessert can be tricky. Last year, I made this Vegan Pumpkin Crumb Cake (I swap out the soy milk and use coconut or rice milk, and use pumpkin seeds in place of the nuts).

Those are just some of the resources I’ve used (and plan to use again) to make our Thanksgiving more exciting and memorable. Tell me about some of the things that make your Thanksgiving more special!
Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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On a Shoestring?

“On a Shoestring” Phrase Explained

This expression may come from faro, but it isn’t recorded until 1904, although shoestring gambler, for a”pretty tinhorn gambler,” is attested to ten years or so earlier.  Meaning to start a business with a small amount of money or capital, on a shoestring suggest that one’s resourcces are limited to the shoestrings on one’s shoes.

Ever Lived on a Shoestring?

And we know there’s a lot you can do with shoestrings!  Just like using what you have in a multitude of ways, we find all you need is imagination.  If you’re on a shoestring budget, you make the best of left overs, thinking outside the box, hand-me-downs, outfit makeovers, and all the resale shops and thrift stores.  Personally, I grew up this way and really enjoyed using my imagination for what I wanted or needed.

This style of living does leave its mark on you….it’s hard to pay full price whenever you have the finances.  But then, who really wants to ever pay full price!  If you’re interested in a place to find a lot of those imaginative ideas for a shoestring budget, go to Pinterest.com and search under ‘budget’.

taken from The Henry Holt Encylopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson

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Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale and a Disreputable Profession

Florence Nightingale, the greatest of war nurses, is considered to be the founder of modern nursing. Born in the Italian city for which she was named, “The Lady with the Lamp” spent her childhood in England.  At seventeen, she is said to have heard the voice of God calling her to service, and several years afterward she decided that she was meant to be a nurse. Despite the objections of her wealthy parents, she embarked upon a career in public health, in spite of the fact that nursing at the time was a disreputable profession filled with prostitutes and worse.

Nurses Offered Their Service During British Crimean War

World fame came to her when she and 38 other nurses offered their services to the Bristish army in the Crimean War of 1854.  Overcoming the initial suspicion of the troops, sometimes working as long as 24 hours a day, she became venerated as Florence Nightingale, Lady with the Lamp because she unfailingly made rounds of the wards each night to check on her patients.  When the Lady with the Lamp died on August 13, 1910, aged ninety, she was buried in the family plot in a small country churchyard in Hampshire, in a private service in which 6 Bristish soldiers carried her coffin to the grave.

Don’t Hang Back…Begin! 

Sometimes recognition comes slowly or even after you have left this world. What a lasting work this woman began. Whether she started by caring for the prostitutes or throw-away people….she started. She didn’t wait and hope to be ‘good enough’ some day. Florence started with what she had…a love and desire to care for those who could not physically care for themselves. If you have something you’ve been drawn to do, then begin. You can have all the education ever offered on the subject, but unless you put to use what you have…it’s useless.

Thank you nurses all over the world. Thank you for the time and care you invest in each life you touch.

taken from The Henry Hold Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson

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Getting Back in the Habit of Reading Aloud

If you’ve followed my writing here at all, you know how passionate I am about reading to little ones. Since we follow the Charlotte Mason Method for our homeschool, I am reading plenty to my older children (though I would love to read more to them just for fun). My two younger children, on the other hand, haven’t had as much read-aloud time as I would like.

It was pretty easy for me to make a habit of reading to the two older ones when it was just them. But as our family has grown beyond two children (and certainly when there is an infant in the house), it has gotten more challenging to make it a priority.

Here are three things that help me get back in the habit of reading to my preschoolers!

Visit the Library

I love the library! Getting your hands on fresh material is a great way to inspire more read-aloud time in your home. I always encourage them to choose books they are interested in. Sometimes, books are the least interesting thing to them at the library. (I know, I don’t understand either!) If they are empty-handed, or just way too busy with other great things at our library, I will choose a handful of items for them. I like to pin great book lists that I come across, so I can keep my eye out for quality literature when I’m there.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Speaking of the library, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a great program we found there. It’s sort of like the summer reading program- only it’s five years long, and not seasonal. Our local library provides us with reading logs and stickers to keep track of our reading, and after every 100 books read and logged, the preschooler gets a free book. If your library doesn’t offer this, they have a website with printable reading logs, and there is actually an app for your iPhone or Android! It couldn’t get easier to keep track of your reading. I think it’s great to set goals for reading aloud to your little ones and I love the (relaxed) accountability this offers to busy parents and caregivers!

Read Aloud Basket

Recently, I began listening to the Read Aloud Revival podcast. I think in one episode, a guest was talking about how some books are more fun to read aloud than others. I thought about our book collection, and realized how accurate that is. We have hundreds of children’s books- some of them board books, some of them counting or alphabet books, some books with television characters, and of course, great story books. Let’s be honest though: not all of these books we acquire are favorite read-alouds. Of course, I will read the truck shaped board book repeatedly if my preschooler requests it, but I would rather steer him (see what I just did there?) to higher quality reading selections that we own. I set up a basket with some of our favorite storybooks to make it easier to just grab a book and read. We have quite the collection in our basket, including some classics and some inspirational read-alouds! Place it somewhere near your couch or wherever you feel most comfortable reading!

How do you get back in the habit of reading to your little ones?

Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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You might be wondering why I’m writing a post about my local library. Wouldn’t you have to live in or around my town to benefit from it? Well, no. Not necessarily.

I write this to encourage you and your family to visit your local library and explore things there that you might not be aware of. I’m sure there are resources that I’m not taking advantage of at my library even after all the time we’ve spent there!

A public library’s purpose is to make knowledge available to all members of the community- a place where even those less economically advantaged can seek out information and learn. Books are the obvious start (and a great one, at that) to learning, but our society now has so many different ways to acquire knowledge, that every public library should be taking steps to provide new media and technology to its community members.

When we moved into our community almost five years ago, I was delighted that we were just down the street from the local library. We began visiting several times per month, and soon realized that it is one of the best features of our town. Where we live is a smaller desert community, and I like to think that our library is sort of an oasis of awesome! See if you agree!

Bookstore

We have a year-round used bookstore in the library. It’s situated in a designated “wing” of the library, and is always available during library hours. I’m amazed at how the content is constantly being updated. I can find great books (that have either been donated by individuals or discarded by the library) and other materials usually for 75 cents or less. And of course, all the proceeds go to improving the library and funding a variety of programs.

Backpacks

Our library loans backpacks to its patrons! These are mesh backpacks that contain items based on a particular theme. For instance, they offer a “cities” backpack, containing three books and a set of city-themed wooden building blocks. Another favorite we’ve brought home is the transportation backpack. It contains a book, a wooden puzzle and a magnetic play set. There are story themed backpacks too, like the Lilly and Friends (from the books by Kevin Henkes) backpack that has three books and a plush toy. (Others include Where the Wild Things Are and Frog and Toad are Friends, for example). There are about 60 different backpacks available at our library with topics ranging from art to prehistoric creatures!

Tablets

This is a new offering at our library, and due to high demand, we haven’t been able to get our hands on one yet, but these Launchpad tablets for kids come pre-loaded with various apps. There are 15 available- ranging from art, language arts, science, math and STEAM-themed tablets.

Culture Pass

I have searched around, and was shocked to only find Culture Pass in my state! Maybe it’s available elsewhere under a different name, or maybe other states just need to get on board and make this available! We are able to check out a pass that will give us free admission to local cultural destinations like museums, plays (seasonal availability, obviously), botanical gardens, etc. I have taken my children to a local museum (literally ten minutes down the street from us), my husband and I visited a modern art museum for a free date night, and last year, I took my two older children to a puppet show that was being presented at a professional puppet theater.

Late Fees/Fee Cap/Item Limits

We had a library card at a library in another nearby city. I was excited to have access to more resources, and they let us check out 35 items per card! Cool! Until I forgot to renew things online, and finally remembered a few days later! Yikes! Over $25 later (at 25 cents per item per day), I vowed to never make that mistake again!

Our library, on the other hand, only charges 10 cents per day per item (with the exception of DVDs and other video resources). They also have a $10 “cap” on what you can be charged for a single item. So, for instance, let’s say you forget, and bring a DVD back two weeks after it was due, instead of charging $14 (a dollar per day), they will still only charge $10.

Also, they only allow 15 items per card to be checked out, and I finally thought to ask the reason behind this. I was told it was to reduce the amount of fines one could be charged. It makes a lot of sense if you think about it. I certainly would not want to be the one to check out 50 DVDs, and bring them back even a day late!

Play Castle

This is one feature that always elicits amazement from people visiting for the first time. Our children’s area has an indoor play castle that is two stories high. We live in a hot climate, so it’s important to have indoor facilities where kids can play and run off their energy. (I can see this being beneficial in very cold or rainy places too). They have dress-up clothes and a throne for encouraging imaginative play, and areas to sit and play a game or build with blocks or other toys in the castle as well.

Hand in Hand Area

My kids love to play in this area of the children’s library. Intended for parents and children from birth to five, there are scores of board books as well as parenting books available here. It features a play kitchen complete with toy food and plates, and kids love to sit at the toddler-size table and enjoy books, work on puzzles or play with the kitchen toys

Outside Playground

When the weather is nice, we head outside to the enclosed playground. Parents can sit around and chat (or catch up on their reading) while the children climb and slide on the play structure. An outdoor playground isn’t necessary to a good library, of course, but it’s a fun addition!

Digital Collections

I love being able to use my library card to gain access to free audio and e-books as well as music and movie downloads. Depending on your library’s agreement with these companies, the items you have access to might be different, but we can download an e-book or listen to an audio book using Hoopla as well as watching full-length movies and television shows, or even downloading an entire music album to listen to for a certain period of time. Once the time is up, they simply disappear from your device. Freegal, on the other hand, allows you to download a certain number of songs per week, but these are “for keeps”. Freegal also now has a streaming movie service. We also have access to Zinio (a digital magazine service) and TumbleBook Library (eBooks for kids). It’s exciting how you don’t even need to leave your house to benefit from your local library these days!

What are some great features that your library has? Leave a comment and tell us about it!

Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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Five Ways to Spend Less on Homeschooling

Our family, like many homeschooling families, is on a single income. I stay home with our four children, my husband works full time (and then some). In our current season, there isn’t much wiggle room for spending beyond our normal monthly budget. As such, we’ve had to get creative about affording the homeschooling life we feel called to. You may be wondering how a quality education can happen without shelling out big bucks. Doesn’t teaching children cost a lot of money?

Here are some ways I’ve been able to keep things affordable for our family.

Choose a Lifestyle Over a Curriculum

There was one time I looked into a faith-based curriculum I had heard a lot about. I really liked it, except we were talking several hundred dollars per child for the year- not including certain add-ons to round out the curriculum! We just weren’t in a position to do that. Something about this particular curriculum stood out to me though, and that was that they incorporated Charlotte Mason’s teachings into their lessons. I had heard that name before, but didn’t really know what it meant. I did some research online and read a book about this method, and knew this was right for our family!

Keep a Minimalist Mindset

The Charlotte Mason Method really goes hand in hand with the concept of minimalism. There are a wide variety of topics to cover, but you don’t need a lot of stuff to do it well. There is something so great about that, since we live in a small apartment and once you get into homeschooling multiple children, the stuff (read: clutter) really starts adding up! You are not spending a bunch of money if you’ve convinced yourself that less is more when it comes to homeschooling! Charlotte Mason really emphasized the use of living books (as opposed to dry, dull text books) for the bulk of a child’s learning. With a minimalist outlook, you don’t feel compelled to own every single book and educational implement there is, which leads to my next point.

Use Your Library Card

The library is of course a great resource for books, DVDs, and CDs, but can also be a resource for various kinds of electronic media- like e-books, music downloads, and audio books. Our library offers Culture Pass, a system where you can get free admission to museums and other places of interest. If you aren’t familiar with your local library, check to find what special things they offer. Ours has backpacks for kids that contain items (usually books, games, and other learning resources) that relate to one particular literary or other educational theme that can be checked out, and they recently started offering tablets for kids that are preloaded with educational apps!

Utilize the Internet

This one is probably a no-brainer, but really there is no limit to the free learning opportunities offered online! From resources shared by moms and teachers on Pinterest, to educational channels on YouTube, to Khan Academy for math (and now other subjects), and even free online university courses, having access to the internet is practically vital to homeschooling these days! (And if you don’t have access at home, there is always the library or free Wi-Fi at certain establishments- Starbucks and McDonald’s are just a couple that come to mind).

Shop Smarter

When I do need to buy things, I try to wait until I can get in on the awesome back-to-school sales. Or, if I happen to really want to save big, I wait until the back-to-school items are on clearance (because I can!) I also check for things at the dollar store that we might need. In addition to regular school supplies, they usually have a lot of useful things intended for classrooms (like decorations, workbooks, craft kits, etc), that are helpful to preschool and early elementary-aged children at home. I have also found second hand stores to be a goldmine for the living books I mentioned before (and sometimes you can score big when a school teacher has recently donated their collection). You might have a local homeschool group on Facebook that allows buying and selling items. This can also be a way to get things that are useful to your child’s education inexpensively.

Do you homeschool? Can you add any other frugal options to this list?

Becky is a wife of nine years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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LISTEN TO ME! 

LISTEN!

You’re Not Listening to Me!

Have you had someone tell you that you’re not listening to them?  Can you honestly say, “I’m listening” or are you just thinking about what you’re going to say next?

Proverbs 2:2 “Make your ear attentive to wisdom; incline your heart to understanding.”  In other words, the quieter you become, the more you hear. That’s been a sticky note on my computer for weeks now.  Even in James 1:19 we find “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man  be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”  Swift to hear!  You see one reference to being ‘swift’ and two to being ‘slow’.  I suspect that if you are ‘swift to hear’ you will be much slower to speak and fall into wrath (anger).

Be Swift to Listen

There are many voices in the world and many people saying, “Listen to me!”  Being online, watching TV, music, politics, spiritual leaders…all telling us, “Listen to me!”  Then the question is asked, “what will I be swift to listen to”?

Your answer to that question would be, “you will be swift to listen to whatever you would like to gain from that voice”.  I had a dream that woke me up and kept me up a few days ago.  In the dream I’d been given specific information that would save my life before what would happen came to pass.  I took it seriously and started out in the right direction but was then sidetracked by two frivolous issues.  I turned back and what was predicted came to pass. There was no fix after that and I suffered with all the others who were also caught in the situation.  Had I ‘listened’ and was ‘swift to hear’ I would not have perished.  After all, in the dream I had knowledge previous to the event that would have saved me.

Listen Because You Want to Know

It takes more to listen than we are sometimes willing to give.  Listening requires a genuine interest in understanding what is being said…or even revealed.  When you listen, you sometimes need to read between the lines which would require you to communicate back to the one speaking.  ‘Loading your gun behind your back’ while waiting for your turn to jump in with your response is not listening.

I’m Listening!  Hurry Up and Spit it Out!

Bottom line?  Don’t be in a hurry to be right, the winner in an argument, in a hurry to get to the next sentence or your next activity.  Be ‘swift to listen’! And when it comes to God….be ‘swift to listen’!  Become quiet to hear from God.  The louder your life is, the less time you spend being ‘swift to listen’. And something good to listen to

Proverbs 4:20-23  “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh.  Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”

You can’t go wrong when you ‘listen’ to those words and do them!

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Morning Glory Weed wrapped around a daisy

The Nasty Tenacity of Weeds!

We know about the tenacity of weeds.  They have excellent root systems; weeds pop up in the most undesireable conditions; they don’t change their growth plans midstream; weeds mix in with desireable seeds and push out the good seeds; and if just one piece of a weed like wild Morning Glory is left behind, it continues to grow and put a strangle hold on the more desireable plants.

An Enemy Sowed the Weed Seeds

Some of those weeds are spoken of in the gospels. The parable of the tares (weeds) and wheat comes to mind. The owner of a field had his help sow wheat.  They made sure it was sown in a manner that would give them a good crop of wheat in the future.  While they slept, an enemy came in and sowed tares amongst the wheat.  It would not be noticed until the tares had taken root with the wheat.  The help noticed what had taken place and the owner said, “This is the work of an enemy.  Let it grow together so we don’t disturb the still small wheat with the tare.  When they come up fully, pull out and separate the wheat from the tares and throw the tares into the fire.”

Taking on Another’s Offense…Taking on Another’s Weeds

Having wild Morning Glory on our property went somewhat unnoticed in the beginning.  I thought, “It won’t bother anything and it has a pretty white flower.”  Down the road, there I am pulling it up every year!  When I found out its ability to live a long life like a cockroach from prehistoric times, I began to really look into understanding how to be rid of it.  The root system is phenomonal!  It went down even deeper than one would imagine and spread out even further.  If I left one piece of the root in, it would make a come back in one season.  It snuck into our yard through buying ‘farmer’s soil’ one year.  The farmer’s problem became our problem!  Kind of like taking on another’s offense?

Butt Out of My Life…It’s MY Weeds and They’re Not Hurting Anyone Else!

And so it is with things we do, let stay in our lives and ignore.  We are even believing that what we are doing is hurting no one but ourselves.  We all have reasons for continuing to do things that are detrimental to our lives…. lying, cheating, revenge, hating, gossip…and the list goes on.  We’ve also drunk the kool-aid and said, “This is my life and ‘this’ isn’t hurting anyone else.  I can live my life like I want…butt out!”  Eventually we suffer from the consequenses of those thoughts and actions…others around us suffer from our thoughts, actions and consequences.  Where does it end……how does it end?

Wrong, unhealthy thoughts left to live in our lives take on a life like the weed.  They develop a root system, can grow in any condition, stick to the plan, and push out the good by strangling it.  It happens slowly, like grudges..resentment and bitterness.  Those ‘thought seeds’ started with hurt feelings. Could they be stopped from growing in your mind?  Yes!  How about gossip, lying, cheating, hating?  Yes, they can be stopped too.

It’s Too Late for Me

Well, what if those weeds have become rooted and grounded so deeply it’s impossible to get out all those roots?  You’re thinking, “I can’t stop.  It’s too late for me.  I don’t know how to get out of this.”

There is a way….it involves giving up what you can’t do to Someone Who can.  That Someone can work with you to pull up every last root, decimate the root system and make sure it’s all removed.  Then something needs to take up that space so more weeds don’t move in!  It’s something you can choose to do.  If you have trouble with loving others, find out what the Word of God says about love….I Corinthians 13: 4-8.  This shows you what real love looks like…what the God-kind of love does for others.  If the weed you pulled up was grudges, resentment or bitterness…your answer of forgiving would show up in Ephesians 4: 31-32….forgiving others and letting your revenge go.

Weed seeds forming in your thoughts?

Good!  I’m Done with That!

And if you think you’ll never have another weed show up in that area…take heed.  Your thoughts are your own, but the enemy comes like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  The enemy is looking for ‘good and open ground’ for weed seeds.  If you continue to think on something like how you really were justified in wanting revenge even though you already forgave that person…that weed has begun to take root again.  We’re told to take every thought captive and compare it to God’s Word.  Can it pass the I Corinthians 13: 4-8 test?  Can you compare it to Phillipians 4:8, Amplified Bible  “…whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things (fix your minds on them)….”

Can All the Weed’s Roots Ever be Dug Up and Replaced?

Even though I still have real honest to goodness nasty Morning Glory still on our property that has remained for 20 years, this is just a comparison to our thoughts for the last 20 years (or less).  We still have Morning Glory on our property but you can eradicate all those deeply rooted weeds in your life and thoughts with the help of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

It’s Always a Good Day to Weed

You may already know all this, but let me encourage you today to lean more on the Holy Spirit.  Alone, you can accomplish nothing of lasting eternal value in your life.  Today is a good day, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to begin weeding out the thoughts and actions that have brought you to the place you are now.

You Can Trust Him for a Good Plan

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”

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Motherhood Can be Crazy!

Motherhood is awesome. But it can be a wild ride, too! I recently gave birth to my fourth little one a couple of months ago, and let me tell you (if you don’t already know) that having one’s attention divided four ways can be enough to make a person go batty. But just because motherhood can be crazy, doesn’t mean MOM has to be!

Personality Types and Motherhood

What I’m about to share may be something you already do. A no-brainer for some- it took me finding out my Myers-Briggs personality type to realize how much I needed this as a mom (INTP, in case you’re wondering). One statement that I read from a description of my own personal mothering style stuck with me:

“The INTP mother can benefit from setting aside regular times when she can turn inward and lose herself in reading, thought, or work. Energized by time alone to think, her ‘mind time’ is a necessity, not a luxury.”

Find Time for Self Care

Wow! Naturally, I wondered how I could get that. My husband works long, long hours throughout the week, followed by time in ministry, as well as other goals that he is currently pursuing. As a stay at home mom, I’m frequently A-L-O-N-E with my children all day long. Did I mention that we homeschool? Plus, with a new baby in the house, getting up early or going to bed late just isn’t happening right now!

Even if you are not an introvert like I am, this tip can still help you, so stay with me!

I remembered reading what some other moms do…sending their children to their rooms at regular times every day. This was just one area where I always felt I was lacking discipline. (If you read the description, one of the weaknesses of this type is that creating routines for the family can be an overwhelming task!) But the fact that time to think was not a luxury, but a need motivated me to give it a try.

One afternoon, I was feeling quite frazzled, and I knew that enough was enough. I explained to my older children that I wanted them to spend some time in their rooms for a bit. It’s not a punishment, but everyone needed a change of scenery. Normally, my children balk at being “sent to their room”. I realized this was because they felt they would be in there indefinitely. I told my son to set a timer for 45 minutes. He was much more cooperative when he realized that he was able to come out of his room after a set period of time.

But We’re Bored!

If your children are hesitant to play in their rooms (like mine sometimes are), make age-appropriate suggestions for what they can do to stay occupied. Here are some suggestions for school-aged children and younger (most of these are activities my children have engaged in when it’s quiet time):

• Play with blocks
• Build train tracks
• Play with cars
• Imaginative play with plush toys
• Read a book

A Chance to Nurture Myself

I still had my newborn with me, but she was nursing, so it wasn’t time that I was overly occupied with her. I ended up watching some documentary or something that time, but other times, I’ve read a chapter or two in a book, listened to a podcast, or worked on something on the computer.

If “mind time” isn’t something that you particularly need, you might use this time to call a friend to chat (an uninterrupted phone call?!), spend some time reading your Bible, or give yourself a manicure or pedicure while watching a movie or listening to music. The point is to do something to care for yourself- and when the children re-emerge you will feel refreshed and able to parent as your best self.

Do you already have a regular “room time” for your children? How do you find time to nurture yourself throughout the day?

Becky is a wife of eight years and stay at home mom to four young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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Your Favorite Teacher?  Thank Them!

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week!  As adults we can still name favorite teachers with fondness. We were guided, cheered on and challenged to expand our knowledge. Some teachers were instrumental in our future occupation.  Your favorite teacher? Thank them!  Thanking them even though the teacher has retired is always welcome!

Now Your Children Have Favorite Teachers

Show your children how to thank their teachers now and not wait. A card, a letter or even a small gift or gift card would let the teachers know how much they are respected and loved.

Are You a Homeschooling Mom?

Maybe you’re the teacher as a homeschooling mom. By showing your children how to thank their other teachers in Sunday School your child begins to understood how much you’re doing to teach them.  They may not fully know how your role as their teacher when they’re young gave them wings, but given time they’ll reap the benefits and be grateful to you.

Teachers Rock!

My favorite teachers were the personable, cheerful ones. I still see their warm smiles and their desire to help me understand when I didn’t comprehend. I know a teacher now that teachs in a low income district. She makes sure that their are breakfast bars or fruit available when the children come hungry. She’s one of those personable, cheerful teachers I remember….and she pays for everything extra she brings into her classroom. It’s a safe haven for the children, a place where they can grow at their own speed and not be talked down to. She’ll be someone’s favorite teacher, influencing their lives forever.

Thank you, to my friend and all those teachers who care, give their time and love to the children…our children and grandchildren!

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How does a baker’s dozen save an ear

How Does a Baker’s Dozen Save An Ear?

Who knew a baker’s ear was on the line each time they baked a loaf of bread?  In ancient times, a baker was subject to severe penalties for not giving the full weight of bread to their customers.  Ancient Egypt would nail a baker by the ear to the shop’s door when caught selling light in weight loaves of bread!  Wow, unintended free piercings!!  Still wondering how does a baker’s dozen save an ear?

Even the English Parliament Weighed In

When English Parliament passed a law in 1266 subjecting the Company of White Bakers and the Company of Brown Bakers to strict regulation regarding bread weight, the bakers made sure that they complied.  It was difficult to make sure that they complied since it was difficlt to make loaves of a uniform weight at that time.  Bakers began to add a thirteenth loaf, the “in-bread” or “vantage loaf”, to each shipment of twelve they sent to a shopkeeper or retailer.  This was to guarantee them that there would be no shortchanging or ear-nailing.  Most authorities believe this led to the expression ‘baker’s dozen’ for thirteen.

Keep the Baker’s Dozen and Save an Ear!

I was taught in home economics that kneading your bread carelessly and leaving air pockets would guarantee a light loaf…actually a loaf with a big hole through it. I still find those loaves with holes in them from careless bakers today.  How in the world do they expect you to put butter, jelly or anything else on a slice of bread with a hole in it?!  Although it’s upsetting, I still wouldn’t nail a baker’s ear to the shop door!

I do like the idea that carried over of a baker’s dozen!  How about you?  Find any holes in your bread lately?

taken from The Henry Holt Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins

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How does a baker’s dozen save an ear

How a Baker’s Dozen Saves An Ear?

Who knew a baker’s ear was on the line each time they baked a loaf of bread?  In ancient times, a baker was subject to severe penalties for not giving the full weight of bread to their customers.  Ancient Egypt would nail a baker by the ear to the shop’s door when caught selling light in weight loaves of bread!  Wow, unintended free piercings!!  Still wondering how does a baker’s dozen save an ear?

Even the English Parliament Weighed In

When English Parliament passed a law in 1266 subjecting the Company of White Bakers and the Company of Brown Bakers to strict regulation regarding bread weight, the bakers made sure that they complied.  It was difficult to make sure that they complied since it was difficlt to make loaves of a uniform weight at that time.  Bakers began to add a thirteenth loaf, the “in-bread” or “vantage loaf”, to each shipment of twelve they sent to a shopkeeper or retailer.  This was to guarantee them that there would be no shortchanging or ear-nailing.  Most authorities believe this led to the expression ‘baker’s dozen’ for thirteen.

Keep the Baker’s Dozen and Save an Ear!

I was taught in home economics that kneading your bread carelessly and leaving air pockets would guarantee a light loaf…actually a loaf with a big hole through it. I still find those loaves with holes in them from careless bakers today.  How in the world do they expect you to put butter, jelly or anything else on a slice of bread with a hole in it?!  Although it’s upsetting, I still wouldn’t nail a baker’s ear to the shop door!

I do like the idea that carried over of a baker’s dozen!  How about you?  Find any holes in your bread lately?

taken from The Henry Holt Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins

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Family Dinner Time…a big thumbs up!

Family Dinner Time

As much as we think we don’t have enough time to all eat together as a family, take into consideration these facts:

Family dinner time brings us all together. Being together gives a sense of belonging when we share food, conversation, even if children poke or punch each other under the table. News be can shared with everyone present giving us a time to bond in ways that can’t happen if we are all in our own little world away from each other.

Family Dinner Time Was Non-Negotiable for Us

In our home it was a non-negotiable that we would all sit down at dinner together and thank God for our food around the table. Of course, they needed something to all eat together and that meant someone had to cook. I’d often try to come up with ideas at the last minute finding it was not successfully accomplished. My next idea was to plan ahead by making a menu for each day of the week.  Put the ingredients on a list for each of those days and then go shopping. It worked beautifully! For all those meal makers, there’s an excellent app that will aid you with the shopping list and so much more. Cozi is free until you want more of what they offer. The great idea for my husband and myself is that when he also put the Cozi app on his phone, we could both see each others lists and delete whatever we picked up as we shopped. I knew what he wanted and vice versa. Back when we had the kids at home having dinner together, it was all paper, pencil and remembering to take the list with you.

Family Dinner Time Brought Out the Crazies in Us

When we were at the dinner table (not in front of the TV or the TV on and now no headphones, no tablets, etc.), we’d share our day with each other. The children were exposed to good china and silverware at times to teach them about proper use of napkins, etc.  We even had them pull out chairs for each other as we only had one girl, and of course had to be aware of the jokers that would pull it out quickly before the other child could sit in it. Speaking of jokes, there were a few times Dad was the recipient of them. He’d come home a little late, so the kids would put together a sandwich or hot dog and bun. The sandwich would have cardboard in it and the hot dog was a fake along with a couple of real ones. Made for an exciting, loud laughing dinner for all of us. Parents had to be vigilant to each ones feelings and not do any pranking on the sensitive child or the retaliating one. In other words, be watchful about ‘things getting out of hand’.

Family Dinner Time…a Fantastic Tradition

We all look back on those times and see how valuable it was. I hope our children bring this tradition along with them into their families. Even though teens believe they should be able to do what they want, when they want…it’s important to keep those boundaries. They may fuss and fight over the idea, wanting to go with friends instead. Eventually, that communication that was fostered at your dinner table will either grow, or disappear. My thought is keep the family dinner time around a table with all present. It might start out chaotic when the kids are young, but as they grow it will accomplish what you set out to do….be a closer family with respect for each other. It’s rare in a such a busy, media filled world.

How do you do your family meals?  Are those family times reserved for all of you together?  

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Easter and New Life Donna, her Father and Brother

Easter and New Life 

Easter traditions around the world have a common basis in new life.  Some say it’s because of Spring which is showing new life in the ground, animals and surroundings.  Others say its a tradition families have to get Easter outfits, have a visit from the bunny and extended family comes for Easter dinner.  No matter how you dress it up, Easter’s one common basis is found in new life.

Who Do You Say That I Am?

The world has been asked, “Who do you say that I am?” referring to Jesus’ question to Peter in the Bible. To a Born Again Christian, Jesus is new life and has given us new life.  We’ve answered His question…”Who do you say that I am”. We’ve been given new life in Him, through the crucifiction on the cross and His resurrection from the dead.  Easter has always been about new life in one way or another.

No One Excluded…Everyone Included

Not only has the question been proposed to all mankind, but the offer of new life has also been given.  You don’t have to be good enough or do enough good things in your lifetime.  Just answer the question of “Who do you say that I am?”, receive Him into your life and follow His Word.  God’s grace has gone out to all….God has not withheld His grace from anyone.

What Can I do?

You might ask the same question the jailer asked of Paul and Silas when all the jail cells were opened and the shackles fell off all the prisoners….”What is necessary for me to do that I may be saved?”  (Acts 16:24-34 Amplified Version)Paul’s answer to the jailer was simple, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (give yourself into His keeping) and you will be saved…..”

Have You Answered the Question Yet?

Easter is new life…resurrection from your old dead life to new life!  Who do you say Jesus is?  Who is He to you?  When you’ve answered the question, here’s a way to ‘believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (give yourself into His keeping) and be saved’.

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How I heard of Chore Packs

As a mother of young children, it wasn’t until fairly recently that I started to think about my children doing more to help around the house. I didn’t realize what all they were capable of at their young age, and for a while, I was in the mindset that it was simply easier to do everything myself. (By the way, I’m wrong about that!)

I was inspired by the Duggar family of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, and how their many children of various ages pitched in around the house. As I listened to one of their audio books, I heard how they start their day by being assigned chores, and wearing a packet clipped on their clothing until each task was done.

I read a blog post once about a mom who put this concept into practice with her two children, and thought I might try it myself. In the past, we’ve tried chore boards, making lists, and just giving verbal directions. I spent so much time reminding them of what to do, and trying to stay on top of getting them to actually do it, that it was hard for me to adhere to it for very long.

How We Use Chore Packs

It was recommended to have neat little card holders from an office supply store with a lanyard or a clip, but I decided to improvise a little. I know myself too well, and if I had to wait to go out and acquire special supplies, it may never get done!

Of course, as homeschoolers, we always have index cards on hand, and with a black marker, I wrote down some simple tasks for my children to do requiring little supervision and the least amount of help from anyone else. I put 3-4 cards in a quart size zipper storage bag for each child assigned to do chores.

Along with their names, I wrote instructions that they were not to have any screen time until their chores were complete.

Chores in Our Chore Packs

My older children are seven and five. At first I wasn’t sure what chores they could reasonably do, so I had to think for a bit about what to include. (I was very specific with some things in order to keep the chore simple). Some of the tasks I came up with are:

• Take out small wastebaskets of trash
• Sweep individual rooms
• Put away books
• Clean up under the kitchen table (certain people of the toddler persuasion like to drop everything under here for some reason- from toys, to workbooks, to napkins and other random things)
• Clear and wipe kitchen table
• Wash one sinkful of dishes (this usually only includes plastic dishes and utensils)
• Fold laundry for ten minutes (my daughter is very interested in helping with this, but usually a whole load can be overwhelming)
• Wipe down bathroom counter
• Put away five toys (If I just say “clean up all your toys”, I’m liable to not see them for a couple hours, because they get distracted or are avoiding this task. Sometimes they surprise me and say, “I didn’t put away five toys, I put away ten toys!”)
• Make your bed
• Check the mail
• Straighten up the couch

Chores are assigned Monday through Friday.

Positive Changes

I have noticed many great benefits to having this system in place. The children know they aren’t allowed to use their screen time until the chores are done. This means that the television no longer comes on first thing when they wake up like it used to. I don’t require them to start on them at a specific time, so usually they just start when they realize they want to play on the computer or watch television. Because of this, I frequently discover that my older two children are caught up with some type of creative play, which I personally encourage even if sometimes it means the chores are delayed.

Another great thing is fairly obvious: I don’t have to do all the chores! Our home is (somewhat) tidier more often, and I can see that my little ones feel good about their contribution to the family. They have been learning responsibility, and just this one little change sets a more positive and orderly tone for our day.

If you have young children, have you started to give them chores to do? What results have you noticed?

Becky is a wife of eight years and stay at home mom to three young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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1st book in the ‘Orville Series’ The Flight of Orville Wright Caterpillar by Donna Perugini

Looking Through Easter Curriculum for Caterpillars and a Kids Book?

Easter is April 5, 2015

You still have enough time to mail away for the caterpillars that will spin a cocoon and burst out of the cocoon as a butterfly.  You could order the book in time too…The Flight of Orville Wright Caterpillar by Donna Perugini.  The curriculum is ready and free on this blog, so let’s get busy! You can also get the e-Book with music enhancements for $2.99 through iTunes; search iBooks; search Donna Perugini and there’s the e-Book!

Where Can You Find the Caterpillars for Painted Lady Butterflies?

Keep in mind the temperatures in your area for the mailing of the cocoons.  Some places will offer a heat pack with the caterpillars but for an extra fee.  The temps must be above 40 and below 90 degrees.  

Carolina for purchases offers more than just caterpillars as does Nature Gifts.  You can order 5 or more caterpillars as refills, but you’ll still need a caterpillar house.  Find something see through so the children can watch the process.

Why Caterpillars With Easter?

To a Christian, Caterpillars-to cocoon-to butterflies is representative of new life.  “Therefore if any person is ingrafted in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether; the old previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away, Behold, the fresh and new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17 Amplified Bible Version.  

When you’re born again, you become a new creation.  You aren’t just made a better person, you become someone new.  You are a new spirit, you have your same soul and you still live in your body.  You’re a three part being.  You still think the same way you did before you were born again, but your spirit is new and alive to God.  For the rest of your life as a Christian, you will be renewing your mind with the Word of God (bible).  That way your mind and spirit will begin to agree.  You’ll be changing the way you think and agreeing with God in your thoughts, actions and beliefs.  Your body will follow what your mind and spirit agree upon.

The children’s picture book I wrote portrays this process and more.  The Flight of Orville Wright Caterpillar can make a difference in your child’s life that goes beyond a good, moral story.  What a great gift to put in an Easter basket, or read to a Sunday School.  Craft and curriculum are FREE and included for you, with songs also.  Imagine having the caterpillars arrive in time for them to spin cocoons and then burst out of their cocoons as a butterfly…just like Orville Wright Caterpillar.

Review of how The Flight of Orville Wright Caterpillar is used by This mom who grew up with ‘Orville’ and now reads it with her child!

An adorable story

By aferrin on March 25, 2012

Format: Paperback

I had several of Donna Perugini’s books as a child and am so excited to read them to my son now. They have a powerful, positive message and are well illustrated. Even though he is only 2 years old he enjoys them and I know the meaning behind each story will change and deepen for him as he grows. A must have collection for any children’s library!

By Becki Vos on May 16, 2011

Format: Paperback

Watch your child’s eyes light up with excitement!! We have three of the four books so far. We have over 200 books at home and Donna’s books are by far my daughters favorite!! We also bought a butterfly garden where you can watch live caterpillars transform! It’s been a lot of fun reading the books and watching the caterpillars. You can also go to Donnas website and print off coloring pages that go with her books as well. So fun!! Thank you Donna!! You’re brilliant!!

THE GREATEST CHILDRENS’ BOOK!!

By Gamer80 on August 9, 2014

Format: Paperback

I am a child of the 80s & I grew up with these beautiful books with thier sweet, & inspiring message. I am now 34, I am still a child at heart. The only other book I can think of that are nearly as good are; Little Lamb. yet another Harrison House Publication. It walks the reader through the 23rd Psalm otherwise known as the shepard’s psalm. You should also get that; I HIGHLY reccomend that. It’s very hard to find The Little Lamb & The Orville Wright Catterpillar books, though. 

Gamer 80, you can now find all my children’s books through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iTunes, Kobo…or ask at your local bookstore counter!

Enjoy your Easter everyone!  And read that story to your child, color the free pages, get the craft and help in explaining the spiritual lessons in the book on my blog.

The post Easter Curriculum for Caterpillars and a Kids Book appeared first on Donna Perugini Children's Author.

An Unexpected Love Story

Once upon a time I met a young man and over time, we became friends. He was great. He seemed to understand me, he was polite, respectful, he was knowledgeable about the Bible, involved in ministry. Just great. As the friendship progressed, though, my feelings began to change. I started imagining a future with him.

What?! No!

He was seven years younger than me (I mean, fresh out of high school and into adulthood), and he was a different ethnicity than me (I’d never been involved with anyone with a different heritage). I was seriously freaking out over the idea! He was just not the type I imagined I would end up with in marriage.

But ultimately, it seemed right. I felt peace about pursuing a romantic relationship with him. And all the important people in my life gave him a thumbs-up. After a year of courtship and premarital counseling, we were wed.

My Church Experience

(A few years earlier…) I walked in during a Saturday evening service. The pastor quickly captured my attention with his talk about purpose and destiny. I was technically unsaved at the time, and really had never been involved with any church. At the end of the service, I raised my hand for prayer. I came up to the altar. It was…weird. The people seemed really nice- but they were so…different. They smiled and hugged so much. I wasn’t used to that!

I made a decision to commit my life to Christ. Soon, I came to a special service for water baptism. I stood there in my t-shirt and shorts feeling awkward while waiting for things to begin. I saw people praying near me. Again, awkward! But I sensed God telling me, “stay.” So I did.

Twelve years later, I’m still there. It’s had its glorious moments, as well as its challenging moments. Have I been through some stuff? Yes! Have I been offended? Sure. Have I thought about going elsewhere? You betcha!

So, why do I stay?

Do you have a list of criteria?

Everyone has seen that bachelor (in real life or on TV) who is hypercritical about everyone he dates. A crooked toe, or imperfect teeth, or a too-loud laugh is enough to be a deal-breaker for him. This guy is searching for perfection, and truthfully, he will never find it. It just doesn’t exist. We’re all flawed!

In the past few years, I’ve heard people talking about their quest for a church home:

“It needs to have a thriving children’s ministry.”

“I need my children to stay with me during service.”

“They must allow women in leadership.”

“Women shouldn’t be in leadership.”

“The pastor needs to teach right out of the Bible.”

“That pastor took everything right from the Bible!”

“I’m looking for a small church.”

“I’m looking for a big church.”

“There needs to be a heavy emphasis on missions.”

“There needs to be a heavy emphasis on community.”

Everyone’s ideal church home is going to look a little different. But maybe we’re overlooking the right church in favor of the “ideal church”.

Stay Put and Dig In!

Obviously, it’s hard for me to say from behind my computer where you should or shouldn’t attend. But should you attend? Yes! Don’t get so disillusioned by the many churches you’ve visited that weren’t just right. And don’t show up on a Sunday morning with a list of requirements! If you are looking for a reason to cross a church off your list, you will find it. It seems there is a mentality that one should “church hop” in order to find the right church- as in flitting from church to church trying each one for “just the right fit”.

I ended up staying through that baptism service (even though my flesh wanted to RUN), and ended up connecting with people. I began growing spiritually. I found areas of ministry in which to serve. Over time, I learned more about the church (as well as God’s word), and while it certainly wasn’t perfect, it was God’s will for me. Then, things happened in the church that weren’t ideal, and people began to leave. Even in that time, when it would’ve been totally justifiable for me to leave and begin to shop around for a new church, I stayed.

I married that man who seemed to be “outside of my little box”. As in all marriages, we’ve had ups and downs. Through it all, we’ve been very blessed. Not perfect, but blessed. I believe when we stay in a church even through difficult times, God blesses us.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Should you just go to any church, and grow roots there? Well, no. Look for things like adherence to God’s word. Look for a church that preaches the Gospel. Look for opportunities to grow as a disciple of Christ. Can you serve there? Can you worship there? Is there a chance for fellowship with other believers?

I would encourage you to not get hung up on the details of how these things play out. Maybe this is where God wants you. You are primed for growth when you do things differently than when you first imagined doing them. Maybe if an area of ministry is underdeveloped (or non-existent) this is your assignment! Just like in marriage, you grow when you give 100%- do your very best as unto the Lord in a ministry.

And there may be red flags and honest-to-goodness deal breakers in the church. I don’t really have the capacity to name everything you should flee from, but if there are things happening that are blatantly sinful, you should probably go. But first consider whether you are misunderstanding something. Talk to the right person, with the right attitude, and see if there is something you are missing.

I feel like the more we look for flaws in a church- the more we tend to “church hop”, the less we are able to grow in godly character. So, pray, ask God what you should do, and then do it. Make a commitment to a local body of believers, for better or worse- even if it’s not what you imagined!

Becky is a wife of eight years and stay at home mom to three young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home

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