Preserving Memories

This is a photograph of the first time my son went bowling. 
My husband said he had never seen him have that much fun before!



If you haven’t already, please read my posts about “Making Good Memories” Part 1 & 2.  I discuss the importance of making good memories with your children, and some ways you can do that.

While you are making memories, think of ways you can preserve the memories.  Create items your children will treasure as they grow and when they become adults.  A few ways to do this are:

1. Keep photo boxes.  Fill them with photos of special family memories.  You can also create digital albums to store, especially in the advent of all the new technology.

2. Create keepsake boxes.  You can fill them with baby clothes, teeth, hair snippets, baby dedication forms, blankets, etc.

3. Video.  Whether you have a video camera or just use your phone, video is a great way to store memories.

4. Baby books.  A lot of the baby books now go all the way up to kindergarten.  You can record those memories for your child to read about later.

5. Journals.  Create a journal for each of your children where you write to them individually as they grow up.  Share your feelings with them about their birth and special events such as birthdays and Christmas.

As they get older, include them in the process.  Make a time capsule together and fill it with new treasures on their birthdays, or other special occasions.  They will enjoy looking back at baby teeth or something they drew in the first grade.  It is a great way as a homeschooling family to see some visual progress.

Making good memories is so important to your children.  I believe it will make them more secure people, confident in who they are, and secure in your love which will help them as adults fulfill their purpose in history, God’s great story.

Many blessings to you on your journey through parenthood,

In Him,

Beth

*This post originally appeared at Growing Your Homeschool.

Through the Bible in 120 Days: Numbers 23-34

Keeping up with the reading in the first five books of the Bible has proven to be a challenge. I like the stories. It is easy to make connections to them, and more interesting than all of the lists. I know the lists are important too, because God just doesn't include things for no good reason. I try to keep in mind that it is all pointing to Jesus, and we can find Him in every book of the Bible if we look for Him.

My reading today was some more lists, but there were also some beautiful things that I knew were present, but didn't know where. Now I know. The book of Numbers is where we find God blessing the nation of Israel and where He divides up the land that compromises Israel based on the twelve tribes.

Numbers 24:5-9 says,
"How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their see will have abundant water. There king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. The devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them down, like a lioness-who dares to rouse them? May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!"


Numbers 26:52-56 says,
"The Lord said to Moses, "The land is to be allotted to them as inheritance based on the number of names. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups."


I found both of these passages very interesting in my reading today. In Numbers 24, a prophecy is given by Balaam over the nation of Israel, foretelling what will be in their future in relation the nations they will shortly face. We read more about that when we get further in the Old Testament.

In Numbers 26, God gives a deed from His own lips to Israel giving them the right to the land, by dividing it up.

Both of the passages I have mentioned stir in my heart because of what is going on with Israel in the world today. What do you think?

Through the Bible in 120 Days: Genesis 1-10

As my blog title suggests, I just started a new challenge for myself of reading through the Bible in 120 days. I had been considering doing this for a while when my friend on facebook mentioned started another challenge. She has already done it once this year.

As part of my challenge, and to record what God teaches me during this time, I decided to journal along while I read and make notes. I took 4 pages of notes today, so I am going to have to quit double-spacing if I want any more paper in my journal by the time I get out of Genesis.

I have considered a few goals in addition to reading the 10 chapters per day. I am going to remind my fellow readers what we are reading today. I am going to post in the facebook group. AND.....I am going to blog regularly about what I am learning! OYE! Am I setting myself up or what?

I believe I will learn so much and I want to share what I learn and hear some feedback from you as we go along. So, today I want to share a few things I learned while reading, and hear your response.

1. Did you know that Adam and the animals were created from the dust of the ground, but Eve was the only one who came from something else? God formed her from Adam's rib. (I knew how she was formed, but it didn't dawn on me until reading that she was the only one formed this way.) -See Genesis 2:19-21

2. Did you know that Noah and his family were on the boat a little over a year? If you find the difference in age from the time he entered the ark until the time you came out of the ark, you will see where I got the number. -See Genesis 7:11 and Genesis 8:13

These are just a couple of things I learned today while reading Genesis 1-10. I am endeavoring to read the text with an open heart and fresh eyes. Won't you join me on this journey? If you decide to read, please comment below, or if you want to share something you have learned, post that too! Happy Reading!

Praying for Your Future Husband:Preparing Your Heart for His by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer

"Dear Lord, I know there may be times in my future husband's life when he doesn't understand what's going on. There may be relationships that bring him hurt. There may be situations in which he doesn't know what to do or where to turn. I pray that in those times he will turn to You, and You will give him direction and peace."

-Excerpt from Chapter 5, "Pray for Understanding"


Praying for Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart for His is a book I wish I would have had as a teen and in my single young adult life. I believe it would have given me some direction and purpose while I was waiting for my future husband.

There are so many great elements to this book. The chapters are organized by prayers for different areas of the future husband’s life, but also spend time in focus on the girl/woman too. A few titles include “Pray for His Heart,” “Pray for Patience,” and “Pray for Trust.” Authors Gunn and Goyer also share their journey towards marriage with some of their choices AND mistakes along the way. We also get to hear from other women, and their stories as it relates to their future husband.

I really enjoyed this book. I am already married, but there are many scriptures and prayers that will be useful to me too. Prayer should be a lifelong endeavor to strengthen and help the marriage grow, as I am sure both authors will tell you.

I highly recommend this book for teens. It will help them focus and give them a tool for direction and guidance as they endeavor to fulfill God’s plan for their life as they wait for their future husband. But teens are not only the ones that will benefit. Women who are considered young adults will also benefit exceedingly. I know there are many women out there of “non-traditional” age who would like to get married. I was one of them. This book will be helpful and bless them as well. There is a chapter entitled “Pray for Contentment” that will help retain focus until the time of meeting the future husband. Additionally, this book would make a great Bible study on the subject of singleness and marriage.

This book is not for perfect women. This book is for young ladies who want to follow God and receive His best for them. Many blessings to you on the beautiful journey God has for you and happy reading!

Beth
Jeremiah 29:11

You can buy this book from barnesandnoble.com , amazon.com, and christianbook.com.

Disclaimer: I received this book as part of a program for free books for bloggers from Waterbrook Multnomah. I was not required to give a favorable review. The opinions given here are entirely my own.