Tuesday, September 30, 2014

God Gave Us Angels (Book Review #2) by Lisa Tawn Bergren art by Laura J. Bryant





I have never written a second review for the same book, but I felt like I needed to this time.  My husband said my first review didn't seem like it was written for a children's book.  I kept thinking about that, so here I am again.

In the story of God Gave Us Angels, a polar bear dad is having a conversation with his daughter, Little Cub, as she asks different questions about something she heard about from the bunnies, angels.  She asks questions such as "Have you ever seen one (an angel)?", and "What do angels do all day?"  Papa goes on to explain a lot of different aspects of these celestial beings in terms that little ones can understand.

I have all of the books in the God Gave Us series.  This one is a little unique for several reasons.  In the other books, you see Little Cub and many different family members, but this one is just a conversation between a father and daughter.  The topic is angels, which is a very special and beautiful topic in scripture. The author has presented young ones with a view into something that is important in the Kingdom of God.  These beings worship God and serve Him and us, and she has presented the material in such a way that little hearts can embrace it.

The illustrations are beautiful and sweet.  Even thought it is set in the Arctic, the art is still warm and cozy.  There are other animals in the story besides the polar bears that you and your child can talk about.  For homeschoolers, this would be a fun book to use as a starting point for exploration of the Arctic.

This is a great book to read as a bedtime story or at nap time.  I have already read this to my little guy a couple of times while snuggling him close.  I recommend this book to all parents who want to increase their child's knowledge of spiritual truths.  It is a great book for cuddling and connecting with your little ones.

God bless you as you read.

Beth

For more info on the book go here.

To read my first review go here.

To learn more about the author, Lisa Tawn Bergren, you can find her at  lisatawnbergren.com.


Disclaimer:  I received this book free from Blogging For Books.  I was not required to give a favorable review.  The thoughts and opinions here are entirely my own.


Saturday, September 27, 2014

God Gave Us Angels by Lisa Tawn Bergren


"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven."-Matthew 18:10



Angels are mentioned a lot in scripture.  It is not a subject we hear taught a lot about though.  Author Lisa Tawn Bergren has added a new book to her God Gave Us series for children, this one addressing the subject of angels.

God Gave Us Angels is part of a series of God Gave Us books that include God Gave Us You, God Gave Us Love, God Gave Us Two, and many others. In this particular book, the author addresses Little Cub's questions about angels in a dialogue with her dad, Papa Bear.The book starts out with Little Cub looking for angels that the bunnies told her about, which her mama said were, as Little Cub puts it, "imbisible."

As I read through the text, I thought I would look up some of the scriptures that I believe the author could have taken the text from.  I learned as I was researching, that depending upon which translation you read, angels are mentioned anywhere from 294-305 times in the Bible, according to an article on Bible.org. Here are a few samples of what you will find in the story, and the scriptures they match.  I encourage you to do your own research on angels as well. 

"Angels live to serve God.  Whatever he wants them to do, they do.  And he loves us.  So Sometimes they bring messages from him to us.  Other times they guard us or even fight for us.  And they are always worshiping God"
-See Luke 1:30

"There are angels that protect us.  Sometimes God sends them to keep us from harm.  And sometimes he just uses plain ol' parents."
-See Psalm 91:11


"Angels can look so much like us, we wouldn't even notice them.  That's one reason why we should be nice to everyone we meet, because some might be angels in disguise."
-See Hebrews 13:2


These are just a few samples of what you will find in the dialogue between Little Cub and Papa Bear.  I am still researching for my own benefit.  It is a hefty topic and so much could be covered.  Lisa just gives our little ones an introduction to the celestial beings created by God.

As soon as I received my book for review, my little guy was interested.  He listened intently as I read the book to him, and didn't budge until I finished.  The text and the illustrations are both engaging. That is the real test of a good children's book, if it captures the attention and interest of its intended audience.

I am a big fan of Lisa's God Gave Us series.  We have them all.  My personal favorite is God Gave us Two. I would recommend God Gave Us Angels to any parent who would like to open the discussion about angels with their child.  It is one of those books that will help you teach spiritual truths to your children. You will enrich your walk as a believer also as you, the parent, research and learn about where text fits in with the Bible.

Many blessings to you as you read!

Beth


To learn more about the author, Lisa Tawn Bergren, you can find her at lisatawnbergren.com.

To see more book reviews in this series, go to God Gave Us Christmas and God Gave Us Easter.




To see a sample go to amazon.com.


Disclaimer:  I received this book free from Blogging For Books.  I was not required to give a favorable review.  The thoughts and opinions here are entirely my own.


P.S.  I did something I have never done before and wrote a second review of this book.  The review you are reading is a bit more theological.  The second one is more child friendly.  God Gave Us Angels (Book Review #2).




Thursday, September 18, 2014

Get to Know Jesus by Nancy I Sanders





He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."- Matthew 16:15-16



I love the heart of this author in proclaiming the Gospel message.  That is the thread that runs throughout the Get to Know series by author Nancy I Sanders.  I have written two other reviews of her books in the series including Get to Know Mary and Get to Know King David.  All of them end with Jesus.  He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

It is not hard for me to write this book review, because Jesus is the greatest topic we can ever discuss.  Ms. Sanders has included a wealth of information in this pocket-sized book about Him.  There are maps, photos of artifacts, works of art pertaining to His life, and other photographs of places in Israel where Jesus would have traveled. Her sources for her written material (not the photos, maps, or artwork) mainly include the four Gospels, but she has done a lot of research and so there is material she has gleaned from other places as well.  She includes many definitions of Biblical terminology, information sourced from historians and early Church fathers, who lived shortly after Jesus and lots of other interesting and educational facts about the life of Christ. Some of the chapter titles include A Special Birth, The TeacherMiracles, Preparing For Passover, and Unexpected News. Here is an interesting excerpt from a "Did You Know?" feature included in the text.


Did You Know?

Different people have done the math.  They've figured out how likely it would be for one person to fulfill every single prophecy about the Messiah.  The number has more zeros than one in a billion!  Many scholars agree this proves that Jesus is actually who he said he was...the Messiah, the Christ.


I learned new information while reading this book, gained a new perspective on some things, and read scriptures that I had not read before.  I especially liked the time that she spent talking about Him after His resurrection.  It is not something that is talked about a lot, and deserves further study.  It is what our belief in Him as Christians rests upon, that He was raised from the dead, and still lives today.

I recommend this book for any student of the Bible, young and old, who want to know more about Jesus.  This would be a great tool for churches to share with new young believers.  Homeschool families can also benefit from this book as part of their Bible study curriculum.  I am so glad it is now a part of our library!

Many blessings to you in your life with Him, whether just starting out, or you have been on this journey while!  And if you don't know Him already, check this post out to find out how you can start!

Much love in Him,

Beth


Disclaimer:  I received this book free from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for a review.  I was not required to give a favorable review.  The thoughts and opinions her are entirely my own.


To learn more about the author, Nancy I. Sanders, please visit her at her website nancyisanders.com.

To learn more about other books in the Get to Know series, visit www.zondervan.com.



I review for BookLook Bloggers







Monday, September 15, 2014

Creating a Learning Environment for Young Children

There are many ways to ensure success when educating your child in your home. One of those ways is to create a learning environment. Children are like sponges, absorbing everything they come in contact with, so create a place that will help them learn naturally. Decide what you want them to learn and then plan accordingly.

When creating a learning environment you can do five things:

1.) Make sure there are materials accessible for learning.
Those materials might include books, blocks, videos, paper and crayons, markers, pencils etc. You might have to monitor use of some of the writing materials with young children lest you have colored walls! If finances are an issue check out the local library for books and go to yard sales to find new toys.


2.) Make everyday activities a learning experience.
When cooking breakfast you might have your child count with you as you crack open the eggs. One egg, two eggs, and so forth. Read the cereal box to your children pointing out letters and spelling some of the words. Buy paper plates with the alphabet on them. Get creative!


3.) As a parent, become an avid learner yourself.One thing we have done in my home is to learn American Sign Language together. I use the video series Signing Time with my children on a daily basis. I have gone on to take further sign language classes online to facilitate my own knowledge, and have even gotten my certification as a Signing Time Instructor. I am so thankful for Signing Time because the videos have been an invaluable resource for our family in developing communication and increasing speech.


4.) Play with your kids.When you as a parent interact with your child, you make connections with them, and that can facilitate your role as educator. I have often heard people say that they have to send their children to school because they will learn better from somebody else and that is just not true. God gave your children to you and told you to train them up (See Proverbs 22:6). You don’t send them to someone else to train them, so it is also possible for you be their teacher for educational purposes.



5.) ModelModel whatever you want your kids to imitate. One good example of something you can model for your children is reading. If you want them to develop a passion for reading, then you read too. Read in front of them. Read to them and with them, everyday.

This list is by no means all-inclusive. There are many more creative ideas you can come up with. I just wanted to encourage you today that you can create a successful learning environment in your home and daily lives. Remember to think of the needs of the whole child, spirit, soul, and body when you are planning. I believe you can become a confident educator of your children and have a successful school from home.




Friday, September 5, 2014

Power in Weakness






“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT


“My power works best in weakness.”  What does this mean?  This scripture used to be so confusing to me.  It seems like an oxymoron.  Weakness is the opposite of strength.  How can you be strong if you are weak?


I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to be weak.  I am one of those people who tries really hard to be strong about everything.  I don’t like to ask for help.  I don’t want to even need help. But there are times that I do need help.  (But still won’t ask for it.)


If you have ever had a child that was sick, you know what it is like to feel helpless and weak.  There is nothing within yourself that you can do to physically change the situation.  You cannot take the symptoms your child is experiencing away completely, but you can try to ease them and make them more comfortable.  So, what do we do during this time of weakness?  This is where I believe the above scripture comes in.


Once when my little guy was about 8 months old, he developed cellulitis is one of his pinkie toes.  We woke up one morning and his toe was black.  We are still unsure of what exactly happened.  We don’t know if he got bit by a spider, or somehow got a piece of a broken Christmas ornament in his toe (this happened during the holidays), but he had to be hospitalized.  I was not exactly calm, but all I could do was to keep thanking God for healing his little toe.  I know God is the healer, and there was nothing I could do to fix the situation.  The doctor started him on IV antibiotics as soon as we got there.  They gently wrapped his toe.  Several specialists came in to look at the toe to determine what could be done for him.  By the third day, a pediatric specialist came in and looked at his toe and looked at his chart.  My baby’s toe was healing.  But the doctor told me, “ I don’t know why they chose this antibiotic for his toe.  It is not the best choice choice in this situation.  It should not be working this well on his toe.”  Hallelujah!  I knew how it was working!  My Father God was healing his toe!


Power made perfect in weakness.  I could do nothing.  My son could do nothing.  But I kept looking to God and His Word confessing Him as the healer, and He healed my little boy’s toe.  God’s Word is the end of our weakness and the beginning of His strength.


I don’t know what you are facing today, but God does.  Look to His Word to find  your strength.  Don’t rely on yourself and what you can do, but look to Him.  In His Word is healing, comfort, provision, whatever you need, it can be found in His Word.  His Word is your strength.


Many blessings to you as you trust in Him today!
Beth
Scriptures for Strength and Power:

"Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God's power."- 2 Corinthians 13:4 NLT

"...for I am the Lord who heals you…"-Exodus 15:26 NLT

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts and I am helped..."-Psalm 28:7 ESV

"He sent out His word and healed them..."-Psalm 107:20

"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless."-Isaiah 40:29 NLT


To read more posts about healing go here:


Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Recording God's Creation: The Use of Science Journals

"God saw all that He had made, and it was very good."-Genesis 1:31

Since it is the beginning of the school year, I thought I would share something I did with my students when I taught 6th Grade Science. There is so much I could say about using science journals, but I will try to keep it brief. I love Science. It is the study of God’s creation. In using science journals, children get to record their observations of all that God has made.




When I taught 6th Grade Science, my students had a notebook that they brought to class every day. Things they included in it were notes they took, observations they made, vocabulary, drawings, charts, and assignment questions. They were graded on whether or not they had the correct amount of entries for the journal, and I took off points if something was missing. I didn’t grade on the quality of the contents, because it was their journal; it belonged to them, and they could use it for study purposes for testing for which I did take a grade.

Although Leonardo DaVinci is probably most well known for painting the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, he was also a scientist who kept extensive journals. He conceived in his mind things like the tank and flying machines before man ever had the capabilities to produce such things. He also dissected human cadavers and drew the human body. (Gross, I know.) His drawings are incredible, very detailed. He is worthy of further research, but I point him out because of his use of journals.

Using a science journal as part of your homeschool curriculum will accomplish many things. You will give your child a way of expressing himself/herself. Science journals will give them an avenue for authentically expressing the knowledge they acquire aside from simply testing and giving the right answer. If you choose to use a science journal you can cover several different subject areas. Using the science journal, your child will be practicing their writing skills, which is a language arts requirement. If your child chooses to include drawings and science poems in the journal, this would be art and language arts. Drawing graphs would meet a math requirement. There are so many things you can do with this. At the end of the year, you would have a neat little record of what your child learned, and a keepsake for the future.




Creating the journal could be something special you could do with your child. You can get as creative as you want or not. A simple spiral-bound notebook will suffice. Simply put the child’s name on the front and voila! You have a science journal. You can the also modify the use of science journals to fit the assignment requirements of the student from kindergarten up through high school.

So when it is sunny outside, grab that science journal, a pack of colored pencils, and go outside to study that anthill. Challenge your child to put those poetry skills to use or encourage the budding artist to record his/her perspective of the ant hill. Then go inside and research how an ant creates that hill! The science journal is just one more tool for your toolbox in educating your child.

How do you use science journals?

~Beth


(This post was first published here at Growing Your Homeschool.)