I Read the Bible!

Honestly, I am really surprised and pleased that I made it through the Bible. IN. ONE. YEAR!  I have never read all of God's Word from cover to cover, though I had read most of it over the years.  By reading it all within one year, I was able to see more of the "big picture" much easier than when reading it just a chapter or so a day.  On the downside, I did not really study the Bible this year...instead I read it like without really taking the time ask thoughtful questions or even looking into other verses to compare (because I chose not to based on time) as much as I would have liked.  However, I know it has been beneficial.  I pray that I will continue to use what I have learned to glorify God and that the Holy Spirit will continue to work in me to bear fruit as evidence of my commitment to the Lord.

You may be wondering how I managed to keep up once my (really-fussy-often-screaming-doesn't-want-to-leave-my-arms-and-rarely-naps) baby was born in October.  Well, my husband has an iPod from work.  Prior to the baby's birth I had barely used it (once, I believe).  However, during the many, lengthy night feedings/cryings I could read the Bible with it (along with emails and my blog reader)!  I could do all of this one handed, so it worked out very well and it kept my place even if I dropped it.  I could never have held a Bible with all the bouncing and patting needed.  (Using biblegateway.com on the laptop works, too.)Of course, my mind was not capable of comprehending everything that I read during those nights, and I often read the same verses multiple times, but I did it!  I read the entire Bible!  And in one year, no less!  (Okay, let's be honest here.  MUCH of that nighttime reading I spoke of was not comprehended though my eyes read the words...)

I really liked Walk Thru the Bible's reading plan (free online) because almost every Saturday and Sunday was a combined reading assignment.  This allowed a buffer day to catch up each week.  It was usually needed.  Walk Thru the Bible also offers a monthly magazine that offers great insight to the daily readings.  However, it wasn't long before my husband and I focused only on the Bible itself...it was just too much to read that, too, though really, it should not have been.

I'm thankful that I took this challenge and  highly recommend reading through the Bible in a year or less at least once!  I'm not sure how I will read the Bible in 2012, but I look forward to taking it slowly while continuing to read it daily.  I'm considering reading through the New Testament.  Anyone can read the Bible, but it is what we do with the wisdom and knowledge within that holy book that matters.

Lord, let my readings of this year and every year bear fruit for your glory.  May my excitement in studying and reading your Word be greater than any other written word.  Help me to grow closer to you through the study of your Word.  Amen.

Image and photo permission from These Grace Filled Days,
a blog of beautiful photography and godly wisdom.

The New NIV (2011)

Have you heard about the new NIV Bible?  The last update was in 1984.  The Bible I most typically read from is the NIV, 1984 version.  Zondervan has released a different NIV version this year.  One that is causing much controversy.

The problem is that it is gender-neutral.  I am no Bible scholar, but I do understand that the original languages (including NIV's 1984 version) were not gender-neutral.  God inspired men to write in a male and female specific way.  Not neutral.

The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood responded to the NIV 2011 translation.  You might be interested in reading it here.  An article was written saying why it's bad for women, too.  Not quite the same research, but you might be interested.  Read that here.

So...if I am purchasing a new Bible, it will NOT be the new NIV 2011 version.  How can I know?  Check the copyright page.  If it says the NIV translation is from 1984-great.  If it says 2011, it will remain on the shelf.

Sorry, Zondervan.  I think this is a poor choice and will not support it.  I will buy a different version once the 1984 version is not available, if needed.

What about you?  Do you support the gender-neutral translation or not?  Any other thoughts?

Please Note: Comments below are closed.  I feel that comments left by Tylergc are not just a person's personal opinions, but instead, prepared as a professional defense for this 2011 NIV version.  This person cannot be contacted.  I will leave the comments up, but the discussion is over. Live, Learn, Love is not a forum for this.

A Lesson for Me: Tea Party

We had never had a real tea party.  With real dishes.  

(I have never even been to a tea party or been served tea formally...any pointers for me??) 

My daughter was having a rough morning with a lack of self-control.

Typically, I would only do something as special as a tea party as a reward or as part of our day.  Definitely not in the middle of a rough day!  Thankfully God was working on me.  

In the middle of a heat wave, we needed something different, but indoors.  This was perfect!

AND it helped change ALL of our attitudes.

A simple snack of ♥-shaped bread, Fig Newtons, and chocolate chips, served with warm tea was a refreshing way to remember that God gives me so much more than I ever deserve, and my children deserve the same grace.

Though my son enjoyed the food, this tea party was really for M.  It was a bit of a struggle for me.  I prepared the tea party while M spent some time recovering from yet-another-incident in her room.  Not ideal.

She enjoyed every little bit of it, including using proper manners.  She arrived at the table with her own idea of a tea party.  She spoke in a high voice.  On her own she called me Mrs. W and Miss Annette, as she knows other children call me because she desired it to be a formal time!

It was just what we needed to to restart our day.  What do yo do when you are at wit's end?  (I don't create special moments like this daily...nor do I always extend the grace that my daughter may need.  This was one day...quite a while ago.  It was good for me to write about it and remember the good that came from me changing my MO.)

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
~ Proverbs 15:1


Oh, I need to keep that nugget of God's wisdom close to my heart and lips!

Children's Books about Heaven

My nearly five year old is curious-and cautious- about heaven.  Though I think she likes the idea of heaven, she fears leaving what she knows.  That is perfectly reasonable.  Adults are often apprehensive of leaving this earth, even when they are certain of their home in heaven.

We have a couple of books that I like to share with my daughter to help her understanding of heaven.  Of course, the Bible is the authority on this, but I do like using books as a tool to help me explain heaven.

God Gave Us Heaven is excellent at clearing up some misconceptions about heaven in a very child-friendly way.  The reality is that we are not all old when we go and we won't be angels!  Papa bear also explains to Little Cub how to get to heaven.  This is an excellent book.  (We have it as part of a three-book treasury God Gave Us So Much, linked to review...Awesome book.)  This collection is written by Lisa Tawn Bergren.

Heaven Is a Wonderful Place written by Joanne Marxhausen is a colorful book with bold, crisp illustrations.  (When I saw this and another book, called 3 in 1 about God in three persons, at our family camp's gift shop, I was thrilled to purchase them since I had not seen them at other bookstores, though I had heard of them.)  God's love, heaven, hell, and how Jesus gives the gift of eternal life are all discussed.  Great book (and I highly recommend 3 in 1, too).  It is very appropriate for a family looking to discuss heaven in a biblical manner.

What about Heaven? is a book of questions a child might ask.  It's cute, and has rhyming text.  The main text does not help a child understand better about heaven-because it is a bunch of questions that a child might ask about heaven.  However, the back of the book is full of answers and Bible references that clarify some of those questions.


On a personal note, I thought I would share what prompted my writing this post.  I'm rather aware of the fact that we have friends and family that may or may not be in heaven one day.  I don't assure M that every person who dies will be in heaven to greet us.  I remember clearly when she asked me about one of my family members who passed away when I was young.  She asked if he was in heaven.  It was tough, but I had to be honest.  I also let her know that we can't be sure of someone else's life, but we can know for ourselves.  (I hope that makes sense.  M hasn't accepted Jesus as her Savior, but we still have these discussions.)  The Bible is the authority on this, and it makes it clear that "believing in God" isn't enough.  (See James 2:19.)  There is more to faith than acknowledging His existence. We need to trust in God and accept his gift of Jesus' sacrifice for us.  It's only through Jesus' blood that we can be accepted by God because we are each sinners.

So do you have other books you reall

Friendship and Smiles

Two weekends ago I went Women of Faith, a Christian women's conference, in Philadelphia with several friends. On Friday we heard Patsy Clairmont and Andy Andrews-and enjoyed both quite a bit. That evening Anita Renfroe made us laugh. Saturday we heard more from Patsy and Andy along with Lisa Welchel, Marilyn Meberg, and my favorite Mary Beth Chapman (wife to singer Steven Curtis Chapman).

Some of the speakers spoke to my heart and my faith more than others.  There were powerful moments throughout though.  A couple things have really stuck out to me, and I thought I'd share them.

Lisa Welchel spoke on friendship.  (She was on The Facts of Life and has the book Creative Correction that I want to read.)  This year I have been more purposeful in reaching out to other women.  And it's worked. By inviting a couple acquaintances over, we've gotten to know one another better.  Some friends I just email or call somewhat regularly...regardless, I've been trying.  Anyway, Lisa said something very convicting.  She shared how some friends once told her that they felt to get to know her on a personal level they needed to read her BLOG and books.  Um...yeah.  Do our friends and family know what is happening with us if they don't check in regularly with our blog?  I don't know.  Some do...too many don't.  But somehow, at times Iexpect my friends to want to read my blog(s) (we have a family blog, in addition to this one) to know what is happening with us.  I thank Lisa for pointing out my horribly faulty and sinful attitude.

I'll share just one other thing.  Andy Andrews (author of The Butterfly Effect and others) talked about how by smiling when we talk it can really change our attitudes and the perception of us.  It's really just choosing to be happy.  He even suggests practicing in a mirror...because it is not as natural as you would think. Our daughter, M, has told me I have grumpy lips sometimes.  Um, yeah.  Convicted again.  I definitely notice a difference with her response to me when I correct or discipline while smiling.  I'm trying to make an effort to generally smile more.

We stayed overnight in a hotel (even though we live about an hour away and could have driven). (The hotel had just opened on Monday so everything was brand-spanking-new!) We had more girl time together. It was such fun! We were quite the group. Four of us were in our thirties, two in their forties, and one in her seventies. Quite the age range, huh? Most of us had met before and were good friends, but two women I didn't know. Regardless of when we met, I think we all had a great time.

I'm not sure I would go to Women of Faith again, but I did enjoy myself and took away bits of wisdom here and there.

Scripture with Discipline

Several months ago I felt the need to teach my almost 4 year old Bible verses.  I am linking them in with her behavior to reinforce positive behavior and help her to understand her sin.  If you missed it, you can see how I introduced Scripture with discipline.

This time I chose a verse from James.  You might notice that it is not an actual version of the Bible, but I reworded it a bit to be better understood by my daughter.

"Whoever knows the right thing to do and doesn't do it sins." ~James 4:17

One day during naps, I wrote out the new verse on a different color of paper and hung it on the pantry door.  Upon awakening, M noticed the new verse right away.

The first few days we discussed it a lot, and she seems to understand it well.  Want to hear something funny though?  She still quotes Colossians 3:20 (the first verse we learned).  She will even go up to the new verse and run her finger under the words while saying, "Children obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."  It cracks me up!

I have noticed that with the busyness of summer, I wasn't nearly as diligent in incorporating this verse into our daily lives as I was with Colossians 3:20.  Maybe it just wasn't a good choice?  I'm don't know.  I do think it is important for young children to understand what the Bible says about sin, and not just what Mom and Dad call sin.

I'm not sure what verse we will use next, but I think I would like it to focus on God's forgiveness and love.  Any suggestions?

Seven Years...

Today is my wedding anniversary!  Derek and I were married seven years ago today.




Philipians 2:1-5
¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

 ⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

That was the Scripture we chose for our wedding ceremony...and our marriage. Verses three and four are really tough for me...if you think of it, pray for me with that in mind today!

Introducing Scripture with Discipline

Most parents of a 3 year old struggle with discipline.  We certainly do, despite our efforts.

It wasn't too long ago that I shared about a company called Doorposts that offers help to parents who want to have a resource for biblical character training (for children and parents).  I reviewed a book called Honor Your Father and Mother.  (See review by clicking the link).  It was this book that first motivated me to incorporate Scripture in to our praise and discipline for M's behavior.  I thought it would be best for us to stay focused on one verse at a time.  As M ages, we can explore more verses, and address specific behavior with specific verses, but for now, this works.

For a couple weeks now I have been been focusing on the verse "Children obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." Colossians 3:20.

I started with writing the verse in large print on a piece of paper.  I hung this on our pantry door.  My 3 year old noticed it right away.  I read it to her and discussed it with her.

Within a few minutes I made sure I praised her obedience and drew her attention to the verse.  I made sure she knew that her obedience makes her father and me happy, and it makes God happy.  When she disobeyed, we explained that it disappoints us and God.  It also makes us sad.

(One thing I feel that I fail to do on a daily basis is have the expectation of obedience.  M is fairly strong-willed.  We try to be consistent, and I think we don't "give in," but somehow, I still think we are very lacking.  Any suggestions?)

I do not want to use God's Word only to discipline for disobedience.  I feel it is important to use Scripture for the positive side of discipline.  I felt this was a great verse to use to begin since the cause and effect is a positive one.  Obeying pleases the Lord.

As I said, we have used this verse for a couple weeks now.   M knows the verse.  She understands the positive and the negative.  It works for us.

If you are interested in hearing the verses I select in the future for us, would you leave me a little comment today?  I don't know if this is something that comes easily for others that are interested and this is just boring...

Also, if you have some suggestions for using Bible verses to discipline, I would love to hear them!

This summer I want to re-read the book Shepherding a Child's Heart.  When I first read it, M was not old enough for me to really put it into practice, but I liked that it focused not on the behavior of the child, but on the attitude of the heart.  Because, really, the heart is the reason we do anything.  (Does anyone want to read this book along with me...I'd love to discuss it with someone!  I actually read it before as part of a moms' group, but know it will be a new read for me this time since I can put so much more into practice.)

Prayer

How about you?  Do you pray?  As a Christian, I know my heavenly Father desires to talk to me and to hear my thoughts a regular basis.  In fact, He says we should pray continually.

       1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) 

                 ¹⁶Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in    Christ Jesus.

Yet despite prayer being my lifeline to God, along with the Bible, I just don't do it enough.  I certainly cannot say that I pray continually.  I cannot even say that I have a special time devoted just to prayer during my day that never changes.  


What I can say is that I am ever thankful for the grace that God gives me daily.  He gives me so much more than I deserve!  And he extends His mercy to me, too. 


Easter may be over, but I am ever thankful that Jesus died for me.  That He willingly gave himself up...for me and for you.  Without His blood, I'd be eternally separated from God.  


I know I'm not the only one who struggles with prayer, so I just wanted to remind you about the book that someone will win tomorrow.  It's called A Praying Life and you can win it by going here.  You don't need a blog to enter...just make sure you leave your email address.  It's a great book that has really addressed some of the issues that I (and many others) have regarding praying.

Prayer Cards and a Book for YOU

A new giveaway! Don't forget that tomorrow is the last day for the other giveaway. With my Bible study at church, we read through the book A Praying Life

by Paul E. Miller. Honestly, I was not thrilled about reading this book. I guess I just thought it would say the things that I had already heard or read that just didn't work for me. I WAS WRONG!

This book was so real and refreshing. I found that it spoke to my heart about prayer. It was an easy read on a difficult subject.

It also gave me a great idea for using prayer cards that is actually working for me. Prayer lists and journaling had not been too effective for me.

I have permission from NavPress to share Paul E. Miller's guidelines for creating prayer cards.

1. Use short phrases to create a snapshot of a person's life to help the cards work for you.
2. When praying for the person, pick out one or two key areas and pray for them. Miller doesn't linger over a card for more than a few seconds.
3. Use Scripture to express your desire for the person or a situation.
4. The card does not change much. Miller may add a new line once a year or so for something that is an ongoing area of the person's life that needs prayer.
5. Miller does not write down answers since they are obvious to him.
6. Miller sometimes dates a prayer request by putting the month and year.

The prayer card helps me to focus on one person at a time. As you can see in the picture above, I "bold-faced" some key words by going over my handwriting twice. You can see many of the verses I chose to use for us. I spent a lot of time in the Bible looking up verses on different subjects deciding how I really wanted to pray for us. Now these cards are actually helping me to memorize more Scripture...an added bonus.

Above are my immediate family members' cards. In chapter 27, where Miller discusses the prayer cards, he also explains about cards for those suffering, non-Christians, and friends.

I keep my prayer cards above the kitchen sink. It works for me, though I don't change the cards with wet hands. My cards are a bit larger than the suggested 3x5, but they work for me for now.

This blog post shares enough to get you started, but if you are interested in reading A Praying Life, NavPress has agreed to give a copy to one of our readers!

For a chance to win A Praying Life, leave a comment below telling me why you would like it. Make sure I have a way to contact you!

For a bonus entry, leave an additional comment if you follow me through Google Friends Connect. (If not, just click the button to follow in the sidebar!) Giveaway ends Sunday, April 11th, at 9pm. Winner will be chosen by random.org.

A Praying Life, Paul E. Miller, copyright 2009. Used by permission of NavPress, all rights reserved. www.navpress.com This post is just about a book that I like and a system that works for me. I was not provided the book for review.

What's in the Bible Video Review and Giveaway

Phil Vischer, the creator of Veggie Tales, has created a new DVD series that is engaging and fun that teaches more than just morals and Bible stories. It's called What's in the Bible-and explains what is in the Bible and how the stories all fit together to tell THE story of God's love for us. Though animation and puppetry is used, there is plenty in these videos for adults to learn, too! I like that Phil Vischer, himself, also presents a lot of the content. From Tyndale: Kids today consume a staggering five hours of media each day, and may spend about one hour a week in church. Seven out of ten American adults believe kids receive inadequate spiritual instruction. For conservative Christians, the number rises to nine out of ten. It’s no wonder the Church is so biblically illiterate:

· 64% of Americans said they did not read the Bible because they are too busy.

· In a report on America’s religious illiteracy, USA Today reported that 50% of high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were married.

· A 2000 study showed that 60% of evangelical Christians believed that Jesus was born in Jerusalem rather than Bethlehem.

· Only half of American adults can name even one of the four Gospels

Phil’s series, What’s In the Bible?, is part of the solution to the problem of biblical illiteracy. This 13-part DVD series will take you through the entire Bible—Genesis through Revelation—in a format that provides the best of biblical education for kids. The first two DVDs, In the Beginning and Let my People Go, will take you and your kids through Genesis and Exodus through hilarious new characters, catchy songs, and engaging animation.

As Christians, my husband and I want to teach our children about God. We believe that we can't depend upon the church to do it. I truly think this series would be a good tool to use to help children understand the story of God and what He's done for us. This is not just another collection of Bible stories.

This video series addresses a lot of big questions.

Who wrote the Bible?

How do we know we can trust it?

How do all the stories fit together to tell ONE story?

These first two videos In the Beginning and Let My People Go even address some difficult topics.

Why are there different numbers of books in Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant Bibles?

How long is a day when referring to Creation?

Explains words like testament and canon.

And more.

These show how the Bible is reliable and verifiable. Though a three year old might enjoy the video series, it is well beyond a three and most four year olds. This is recommended for ages 5-9, but I believe that most adults can still learn from this...it is that thorough. (Teens may feel it is beneath them, though.) This is a video series that I would love to have with our personal collection (not just the first two episodes)!

This trailer gives you a great idea of what the videos are like.

Something to note: There are some references to secular things such as books, movies, and television. These are in passing and not dwelt upon. Personally, I do not have a problem with it, but wanted to make sure others knew about it. Interested? You can buy it, or you can win it right here!

I have two certificates (videos 1 and 2) for one reader (if you live outside the US, you can mail the certificates to www.tyndale.com to be redeemed). Even if you don't have children of your own or any you would like to give these to, they would make a fabulous donation to a church library. If you are interested in winning the certificates, please leave a comment making sure I have a way to contact you. Leave another separate comment if you are a follower as a bonus entry! Giveaway ends Tuesday, April 6 at 7 pm (EST).

Thank you Tyndale.com for providing me a review copy.

Homemade Resurrection Eggs

Now that our daughter is 3 1/2, it is important for us to focus on the real meaning of Easter.  Though she doesn't completely understand the how and why of Jesus' death and resurrection, we want M to understand that Easter is not just eggs, bunnies, and baskets.

For our resurrection eggs, I used an empty egg carton, plastic eggs, and some small items to tell what actually happened to Jesus.  The following items are in the eggs.  I chose not to put the verse inside the egg, though I have them listed on a piece of paper.  I numbered each of the eggs to help tell the story in order.  (Click on verses to read the Scripture verses.)

Please read about all the verses and items I placed in our homemade Resurrection Eggs over at This Simple Home.  I have even created a Resurrection Eggs printable for you!!

We have been using these for years, and I am amazed at how my children can use these to tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection!!

Noah's Ark Bath Toy

At this time of the year our family is thinking about Easter and the resurrection of Jesus, but I wanted to show you our simple Noah's ark bath sponge.  M's Sunday school teacher made one for her months ago, but it was time to replace it.  These are the arks I made for my children.  Notice the matching colors so we don't need to worry about which belongs to M or E.

I just took a new kitchen sponge and rounded the two corners.  And Ta-Da!  Noah's ark!  (If you are interested, you can see some preschool activities of Noah's ark.)

Also, I wanted to let you know I made my own resurrection eggs to share the story of Jesus' death and resurrection with our three year old.  I will be posting soon!