Family Bible Study Ideas {Giveaway}

A few years back our pastor decided that he would like to make some changes in our curriculum so that everyone from the babies in the nursery to the senior adults would be on the same page each Sunday. I wasn't sure at first if I would like it but after a few weeks I couldn't imagine it being any other way. 

In order to accomplish his goal we began using the same passages of Scripture for all Sunday School classes and the Sunday morning message. Of course the adult classes were much more detailed than the nursery lessons but we all studied the same portion each week. 

Not only was this a nice thing for our church family, it was also very beneficial for our personal family. Have you every been on the ride home after church and asked your little ones what they were learning in Sunday School only to have them say "I don't know."? It has happened in our family more than I would like to admit. Now with the changes it is easy to give little prompts to jog their memory that can then lead to a full-blown conversation. This is especially beneficial for Granny and Poppy. We automatically feel connected because we know what their lesson was about. Sunday lunch conversations have taken on a whole new dimension and I for one love it!

Family Bible Study

In fact we enjoyed studying the same Scripture together at church so much that we decided to try something special in our homes during the Christmas season. We chose to Celebrate Advent with the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The two houses that had children used the Jesus Storybook Bible and the two houses that were adult only used The Story of God's Love For You. The two books contain the same words but the illustrations are different (one being for children and the other for adults). You can read more about the specifics of how we did it HERE.

Daily Devotions

That was such a wonderful experience for our extended family that we began talking about practical ways we could incorporate this same concept into our daily devotional routines. At first the task of putting together something that would not only be meaningful to the adults but also work with the different ages and stages of our kiddos was a bit daunting. As much as we liked the idea not one of us had the time or motivation to take on the work of putting together the daily devotions.

Just when I was about to give up on the notion a brilliant moment of inspiration struck. I was sitting in the rocking chair with my four-year-old grandson and we were reading our new copy of the updated The Beginner's Bible. If you are familiar with this storybook Bible you know that it is intended for toddlers to preschoolers and walks them through the highlights of the Old and New Testaments with simplified storylines. 

As we were reading through a few of the stories it occurred to me that we not only had the toddler/preschool version of The Beginner's Bible we also had the New International Reader's Version (NIrV) designed for younger readers and the King James Version (KJV) designed for adult readers of The Beginner's Bible. 

 

After talking it over with my daughter this is the plan that we came up with. We're going to use The Beginner's Bible (preschool edition) as our guide. Each story gives the Scripture reference and that will be what we use for our older kids and adult readings. 

So for example the very first story is called The Beginning and it is on Genesis 1. That story will be read aloud to the preschool and under set sometime during the morning at the usual Bible time. Then the kids that can read will read Genesis 1 aloud from The Beginner's Bible, NIrV edition during their Bible time. (We homeschool so there is a set time each day for these activities.) Then in the evening Daddy will read Genesis 1 out of The Beginner's Bible, KJV edition. Granny and Poppy will also read that same passage at their house. 

I have to tell you that I am absolutely loving this new routine. Poppy and I like to read our portion in the early morning so that we can interact with the grands during the day. I know about when their Bible times are so I enjoy either calling the little ones or sending a text to the older ones about some portion of the Scripture that stood out to me. For me it is a special way to be connected to the grands while at the same time backing up and supporting the parents.

Now . . . how about a GIVEAWAY?!! Would you like to give Family Bible Study a try like we are? We've partnered with Zonderkidz to make a way for one of our readers to get their own copies of The Beginner's Bible (preschool edition), The Beginner's Bible, NIrV edition, and The Beginner's Bible, KJV edition.

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Giveaway Tools form below. All entries are optional.

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Hope Through God's Mercy | Bible Art Journaling

One of my favorite Bible Art Journaling groups is Documented Faith. I enjoy Stephanie's whimsical style and her creative expressions. Simply put she inspires me! 

Documented Faith has a monthly word prompt with weekly devotional/journaling prompts. She has amazing products and downloads (some of them are FREE!!!) that I have found to be very thought provoking. I read them each week but I don't always document them. It just depends on what strikes a chord with me.

For the month of July the word is PATIENCE and this week's verse is Lamentations 3: 25-26. 

When I'm studying I like a bit of context so I like to read the entire chapter rather than a single verse. Lamentations is thought to be written by the prophet Jeremiah. Poor Jeremiah isn't very popular among his people. His call to turn back to the Lord has been falling on deaf ears.

The chapter begins with Jeremiah's lament of suffering God's wrath. (Lamentations 3:1-20) Even though Jeremiah is faithful to God he is still subject to all the calamity that is happening. This portion is a good reminder to us that we live in a fallen world and even though we ourselves may head the call of God we don't always escape the consequences of a society that doesn't.

Living in America in recent days, I can completely relate to Jeremiah. With all the craziness in the news it can sometimes feel like there is no hope. But then we come to the next portion that just makes me smile:

"Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness! I say: The LORD is my portion therefore I will put my hope in Him. The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for deliverance from the LORD." Lamentations 3:21-26

After that how could you not be encouraged? I envision Jeremiah stiffening his spine, taking a deep breath, and thinking, "Okay, with God's help we can go forward." In Lamantations 3:28-30 Jeremiah seems to be saying that we may be suffering but we must do it with patience. He tells his people that they need to be silent and reflect on God's commands. They also need to be quiet rather than speak in anger and finally they need to turn the other cheek. Not one of these things are easy. In fact my Bible's commentary  says that "Each tactic is increasingly difficult, and each raises the hope that God will deliver his people from trouble."

Lamentations 3:31-33 give us three reasons to hope. (1) The Lord will not reject His people forever. (2) God will show compassion according to His faithful love of us. (3) God doesn't enjoy bringing affliction or suffering on people.

The next several verses remind us that God is over all and He controls it all. I don't know about you, but I find great comfort in that fact alone. I may think I want to control my surroundings but in reality I know that I am only safe when I rest in the hand of God.

The rest of the chapter continues on in the same pattern reminding us that we must examine ourselves and our motives. We must return to the LORD and repent of our wicked ways. Over and over we are reminded that there is hope through God's mercy.

For further study and reflection I would invite you to download the Documented Faith Week 29 devotional. I know I have benefited from the time of reflection and I think you will too.

Stars & Stripes | Patriotic Painting Project

Karla Dornacher is one of my favorite artists. She has such a fun and whimsical style with beautiful color combinations. Plus, her designs just lift my soul and help me turn my art endeavors into a form of worship. 

This year to celebrate the 4th of July holiday she posted this wonderful coloring page on her blog and invited us all to download it and color it ourselves. (If you hurry you can download it for free until July 5th.)

In her original piece Karla used a combination of colored pencils. I had already been working on a different patriotic piece and had a palette of acrylic paint out on my paint table so I decided to just use what I had. 

I printed out two copies of the pattern. The first I printed on regular drawing paper so I can give the colored pencils a try later on. I'm pretty new to colored pencils but I'm enjoying the learning curve. 

On her website Karla gives a list of the colored pencils that she used. I found this very helpful because I love her color choices!

I also printed a copy of the pattern on watercolor paper so I could paint it with what I was already working on. I used DecoArt Americana Acrylic paints for my palette and used a watercolor technique. I like to do that when I'm working with a pen & ink type of project.

Here's the details for my version:

Palette

DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint

Blues - Victorian Blue (basecoat), Deep Midnight Blue (shade), Turquoise Blue (highlight), Whispering Turquoise (stars and added highlights)

Whites - Light Buttermilk (basecoat), Raw Sienna (shade), Warm White (highlight)

Reds - Country Red (basecoat), Napa Red (shade), Red Alert (highlight)

Angel's Skin - Flesh Tone and shade with Raw Sienna

Brushes

Loew-Cornell

7020 LaCornelle Round #4

7400 LaCornelle Angle Shader 1/4

I use a bubble palette with 1 drop of paint to 3-4 drops of water. This thins down the paint and allows the line work to show thru. I shade and highlight at full strength. 

When I finally decide that I'm finished with it. (I'm still debating on some additional details.) I'll mist it with a coat of Krylon #1311 Matte Finish Spray. 

There you have it friends. Go download your own copy and get to creating! Karla would love it if you would share your art. Tag her (@karladornacher) and use #starsandstripescoloring so we can all see it.

Happy 4th of July!

Summer Boredom Busters For Kids Using Electronic Media

A couple of days ago I was visiting with my oldest grand girl and she informed me that she had been out of school for a total of three days and she was already bored. Can I insert in here that I am so thankful that it’s my turn to be the granny rather than the momma? The dog days of summer can be a nice change with the slower pace but they can also be taxing when the normal activities of the school year are no longer in play.

I began to think about what my kids used to do during the summer and ways we could update the activity to be relevant today. One of the things that all of my grands have in common is their love for anything involving electronic media. Even the two youngest ones gravitate to any smart phone that is lying in reach!
With that in mind I came up with a few ideas that worked for me and can still be useful to today’s mommas. I hope you’ll find them as helpful as I did.

1. READING – One of the first summer programs we would sign up for each year was the Summer Reading program at our local library. It’s such a fun way to keep the kids reading. Our library offered prizes and incentives that appealed to my kids. It was also a good opportunity for my kids to explore new genres and authors to expand their knowledge and imagination.

For my oldest grand girl’s recent birthday she received a Kindle of her very own. Something about reading from an eBook seems so much more interesting to her than reading a normal book. The price of eReaders has plummeted and made them very affordable. If you don’t already have one now might be the time to think about it.

Finding books for the eReader has become more affordable as well. Most local libraries have eBooks that you can download to your device and read for free for a set amount of time. You can find free and cheap eBooks from sites like The Vessel Project.

I’m very picky about what I send my grands to read. I like to stick to the classics and inspirational fiction and nonfiction. For my tween grand girl I’ve found some wonderful eBooks from the Faithgirlz line that I think you can trust for content.

2. MOVIES – For whatever reason my kids loved to watch movies in a dark closet. They would pile in pillows and then we’d use an extension cord to plug in our smallest TV and DVD player. (Okay so it was really a VCR, but that makes me sound old!)

With the use of a tablet or laptop and a streaming service like Netflix you can achieve the same result. Don’t forget to check out the selection at your local library. It’s free and a good way to introduce your kids to some classics that you loved as a child. Just add some popcorn and juice boxes and you’ve got an activity that all of your kids can enjoy together.

3. GAMING – My boys loved video games so I wasn’t really surprised when my oldest grandson started talking about them as well. We own a Wii and have enjoyed hours of entertainment with it as a family.

My grandson really likes the Wii but what has him all stirred up right now is this game called Minecraft. When he first showed it to me I just didn’t get the appeal of these squared-off pixelated characters. But then I received a copy of the Minecrafters Bible from Zonderkidz and a lightbulb went off!

If you have a Minecrafter in your midst you already know that the purpose is to build your own imaginative world using characters that you create. If I were the momma I would capitalize on that and combine the game with the Bible.

This is what my daughter is now doing with my grandson. Each morning they read a particular Bible story from the Minecrafters Bible. Then my grandson is given the laptop with Minecraft on it and allowed an extended amount of time to recreate the story. It’s an absolute delight watching him refer back to the Bible as he expands the details in the game. I think this is a brilliant way to capture the attention of your kids while solidifying Biblical truths that will last a lifetime.

Now . . . how about a GIVEAWAY?!! We are loving how the Minecrafters Bible is helping us to teach our kiddos important Biblical truth. So we've partnered with Zonderkidz to make a way for one of our readers to get their own copy.

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Tuesday, June 14, 2016. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Giveaway Tools form below. All entries are optional.

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Teaching Toddlers: Begin At The Beginning {plus a GIVEAWAY}

by @Fitzysmom

We’ve all heard about the terrible twos. I’m here to tell you that it’s not the second year that will have you begging for mercy but rather years three and four. By then your little darlings will have developed the skills of a master manipulator with a killer smile to boot.

So what’s a worn out momma to do? Begin at the beginning.

For me during those turbulent years it meant running straight into the arms of Jesus. Every. Single. Day. The days I missed were the days I would sink. I love the popular advice of getting up before the kiddos to have a quiet time . . . a little bit of coffee and a whole lotta Jesus. (Cold can of Coke for me thank you very much!) The problem was that I was blessed with a boy that woke up with the first rays of light. And this night owl momma had usually gone to bed just a few hours before. Guilt was my cloak of choice. Why couldn’t I love early mornings? Why did I need an hour or so of just being before I could coherently function?

Here’s where I’m going to urge you to loosen those chains that hinder your morning meeting with Jesus. Do what you have to do to make it happen even if it is mid-morning rather than the crack of dawn. Just like you should put on your oxygen first in an airline emergency, you should also equip yourself first to face what is ahead of you. So put a DVD on, plop your little cherub in front of it and then run to Jesus. Grab your Bible and coffee and absorb His words of life-giving power.

After that mountain top experience you get the privilege of doing what you were called to do . . . train up a child!

So where should you start? Begin at the beginning.

The wonderful thing about toddlers is their insatiable curiosity. The most taxing part of a toddler is their insatiable curiosity. (And the tantrums . . . oh the tantrums!) Toddlers love to discover how things are made and how they work. Encourage that curiosity by teaching them the creation story in Genesis.

There are literally thousands of resources of books and music and coloring sheets that you can use to teach your little one what happened on those first seven days. Make it fun and enjoyable for both of you. I happen to be a brand ambassador for Zonderkidz so I have had the privilege of scouring a ton of their toddler books. One of my favorite new books is the Read With Me Bible for Little Ones. It does a nice overview of some of the main themes in the Bible.

Once you’ve conquered the creation story you can move on to many other stories that reside in the Old and New Testaments. My favorite teaching outline comes from Hebrews 11:1-39. We affectionately refer to it as the great Hall of Faith. Spend time teaching your children about each of these great men and women. It is perfectly acceptable to leave out the gruesome parts at this point. A three-year-old is probably not ready to learn about Cain killing his brother Able. But they can begin to learn about obedience to God by presenting acceptable offerings. And above all else begin teaching them about Jesus.

I’m so excited for each of you mommas as you journey this path with your little ones. You are called to this and our faithful God is equipping you for it. You can do this. There’s a great cloud of witnesses surrounding you and cheering you on. And all the grannies said . . . AMEN!

Now . . . how about a GIVEAWAY?!! We loved Read With Me Bible For Little Ones so much that we wanted to make a way for one of our readers to get their own copy. To do that we have partnered with Zonderkidz to give one of our readers a copy of the book.

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Tuesday, May 10, 2016. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Giveaway Tools form below. All entries are optional.

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God Remains The Strength Of My Heart {Bible Journaling}

One of the blogs that I follow is Little House Studio. Jenn just inspires me! Not only is her art beautiful, but the words she shares on her page are ones that uplift and encourage.

A few days ago she generously shared this free printable. I couldn't resist printing it off and adding it to my Journaling Bible. I just printed it on cardstock and then cut it out and secured it with washi tape so it would be like a tip in. The size is about 5 x 5. You can download it yourself here.

I enjoy doing my own artwork in my Bible, but I also like to include work from others. It's a nice reminder to me that we aren't on this journey alone. 

Do you print out other people's artwork and include it in your Bible?

The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength {Bible Journaling}

Several months ago I watched a series of tutorial videos by Darlene Schacht from Time Warp Wife on how to draw scrolls and roses. I bookmarked it and kept thinking I would get back to it and give it a try. Well yesterday was the day!

If you've ever wanted to draw scrolls or roses you really need to check her video series out. She makes the explanations simple and easy to follow. I practiced on scratch paper a few times and then just got brave and penciled it in my Bible. It actually turned out better than I had imagined it would! 

I followed Darlene's directions with these exceptions. I used a .01 Pigma Micron pen to go over the pencil lines and I used watercolor to paint the image. The background behind the words and flowers turned out darker than I had originally planned but I'm okay with it.

The Bible that I used is the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible.

About The Scripture

Nehemiah 8:10 falls in the middle of the chapter and actually towards the middle of the book. If you remember your Old Testament history you'll recall that Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall that surrounds the city and protects it from its enemies.

We pick up at this verse after the wall has been rebuilt. Ezra has gathered all the people into the square for a dedication of the wall. And he has read to them the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. (Just a side note . . . I have written in the margin of my Bible that this was the first small groups or Sunday School!) With the reading of the Law came shame and guilt upon the people. They began to mourn and weep because they knew that they had not kept these laws and it lead to the destruction of their city.

But then Nehemiah stepped forward and said, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." Then he said to them, " Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:9-10)

I love this beautiful reminder in Scripture. Yes just like me the Israelites disobeyed the Lord's commands. But this wasn't a new revelation to God. He knew beforehand that they and I would disobey and He provided a way for us to be reconciled with Him. Nehemiah 8:10 reminds of the fact that true strength and security is found in Christ alone.

A Season to Reflect {Five Minute Friday}

By @Fitzysmom

One Word Prompt ~ Five Minutes of Writing ~ No Editing

Today's Prompt: REFLECT

Go!

It's mid December and our house like many others are in the midst of the Advent season. Each year we trace the lineage of Christ leading up to His birth with a different story each night. Our immediate family is made up of four separate households. Two have kiddos and two don't. The houses with kids are using The Jesus Storybook Bible with ornaments that we made and the houses without kids are using The Story of God's Love For You. Both books are by the ultra talented Sally Lloyd-Jones and the readings are the same. 

If you are familiar with the books you know that the subtitle say, "Every story whispers His name." Such an appropriate thing to say! Every single story in the Bible points us to Jesus. This year as we reflect back on these things I'm intrigued by what sticks. For me I'm still stuck on day two.

Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and discovered that they were naked. God came along and clothed them and then removed them from the garden. (That's obviously the simplified version.) But what I've been reflecting on while I'm doing the dishes or making the bed or taking a shower, is that covering their nakedness (a.k.a their sin and shame) brought about the very first death. An animal was sacrificed to clothe them. Here's how Sally Lloyd-Jones puts it:

"But before they left the garden, God made clothes for his children, to cover them. He gently clothed them and then he sent them away on a long, long journey--out of the garden, out of their home." (The Story of God's Love For You, pg. 12)

I'm completely struck by the gentle love God has for us His people. At this very moment He knew all that would enfold and He still chose to cover them. I weep as I write this because our sin is not solitary unto itself, it always costs somebody else something. In this case it was an animal but ultimately it would be Jesus.

Let me leave you with the final words from day two's reading:

"Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve. 'It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I'm going to do battle against the snake, I'll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here. I'm coming back for you!'

And he would. One day, God himself would come." (The Story of God's Love For You, pg. 14)

Stop!

Feeling inspired to write? Link up with us here at Kate Motaung's Five Minute Friday.

The First Sunday of Advent - The Prophecy Candle

It's finally here. The season my heart has been longing for even when my head didn't recognize it. Today is the first Sunday of Advent and with it a time of slowing down and reflecting upon what the true meaning of the season is.

Today we set up our Advent wreath. We use this as a symbol to commemorate the significance of what has happened and also a way to look forward to what is to come. We use a wreath because of it's circular shape. It represents the Eternal God because it has no beginning or end. We use five different candles within our wreath. The candles put off light which grows increasingly brighter as the weeks get closer to Christmas. This reminds us that Christ is indeed the light of the world and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5 HCSB)

On this first Sunday of Advent we light one of the outer candles, The Prophecy Candle, or the candle of hope. This candle reminds us of the hope that the prophets had in the coming Messiah. It also reminds us of the hope we have of the returning King Jesus.

This is what the prophets hoped for when they prayed about God sending the Messiah:

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; daylight has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils. For You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as You did on the day of Midian. For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:2-6 HCSB)

Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 HCSB)

Our current hope is in the risen Lord and His imminent return. Here is what He says:

Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 HCSB)

Heavenly Father our world is filled with darkness. We need the light that only comes from You through Your Son Jesus. Remind us of the One who was born in Bethlehem and the one who also said "I am the light of the world". May our hearts and minds turn toward You in this season where You chose to give the greatest gift of all. Amen

In honor of this prophecy we always end the evening with singing Away in a Manger.

It is our hope that your family will join ours in rejoicing in the real reason for the season . . . it is Jesus the true Light of the World.

Are You Weary? {Five Minute Friday}

by @Fitzysmom

One Word Prompt ~ Five Minutes of Writing ~ No Editing

Today's Prompt: WEARY

Go!

From 1983 to about 2007 my middle name was Weary. God had blessed us with three great kids and He’d also called us to educate them at home. All around me my friends were happily dropping their kids off at school and then pursing things like coffee dates and lunches and art classes. Me, well I was just trying to get my youngest to sit still long enough to learn math.

During this period of my life 2 Thessalonians 3:13 became my life verse. “Brothers (and sisters of course), do not grow weary in doing good.” If you remember the context Paul was encouraging his fellow believers not to grow weary when all around them others seemed to not be doing what they should. I’m not saying that homeschooling is for everyone, but for us it was what God had required.

Do you remember that old hymn that starts out, “O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?” Yes that was me. At times I would become so buried in the darkness that there felt like there was no light. But the next line would remind me of something important. “There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free.” There’s always light to look towards the Savior!

The chorus would point out the problem and point to the solution as well. When I grew increasingly weary it was because I had turned my eyes away from Jesus and put them on the things of this earth. Things like coffee dates and art classes that were completely about me. Instead God was calling me to be about Him and the work He would have me do.

Stop!

The rest of the story . . .

My middle name has mostly gone back to being Jo. Now my daughter and daughter-in-law have taken up the moniker. Between those two families they are raising eight of my grandbabies. I see the same weariness overtake them at times. This time around God has called me to gently come along side of them and sing into their ears.

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

Feeling inspired to write? Link up with us here at Kate Motaung's Five Minute Friday.

DANCE: The Flying Dutchman {Five Minute Friday}

by @Fitzysmom

One Word Prompt ~ Five Minutes of Writing ~ No Editing

Today's Prompt: DANCE

Go!

The wedding ceremony, reception and dinner were all finished and we were heading out to the dance. For this Southern Baptist girl this was a new experience. I'd never been to a wedding dance and had no idea what to expect. This was a compromise to appease my new husband's family so it was all new to me.

Let me just say that these people are crazy! (in a very good way) As the bride they pinned money on my dress to dance with me. Then they auctioned off my shoe. (Much to my sister's dismay. It was after all her shoe. I had borrowed it to fulfill the old, new, borrowed, blue thing. Don't worry she got it back.) Then came the dance that would go down in the long list of family folk lore . . . The Flying Dutchman.

The Flying Dutchman is a polka that is performed with groups of three. It all starts out simple enough with three people kind of prancing around in a circle with arms linked. Then it happens. The music shifts and the three people start doing this do-si-do type move that kind of flings the middle person (that would have been me) between the other two people (that would have been my dad and husband). 

All was going swimmingly until it wasn't. Somewhere in the midst of the do-si-do part I was spinning away from my father and towards my husband and our arm link up missed. I did the flying dutchman all right! Did I mention that I was wearing this beautiful wedding gown with tiers upon tiers of lace all layered over a hoop skirt? When I missed my husbands outstretched arm I went skidding across the floor and let's just say that I'm pretty sure that everyone in the place got a glimpse of my pretty new wedding night panties. Talk about being mortified!

But of course this fairy tale doesn't end there. By the next day I couldn't walk. So like all newlyweds we went off to the emergency room. (Isn't that where all newlyweds go on their honeymoon?) Long story short we wound up spending our honeymoon in the hospital (using a bed pan I might add). 

Stop!

Wait! . . . I have to tell you the best part. It's now almost 30 years later and we're busy living happily (most days) ever after. I don't think I'd go back and do the whole honeymoon in a hospital thing again but it sure did help to shape who we became. We learned that together we could get through almost anything. 

Feeling inspired to write? Link up with us here at Kate Motaung's Five Minute Friday.

BACON: both repelling & compelling {Five Minute Friday}

by @Fitzysmom

One Word Prompt ~ Five Minutes of Writing ~ No Editing

Today's Prompt: BACON

GO!

There are some scents out there that are just distinctive and frying BACON is one of them. It is compelling and repelling at the same time. I’m compelled by it because I know how it tastes. I’m repelled by it because I know it can be messy.

My walk with Christ can be the same. I’m compelled to follow Him because He not only scooped me up out of the pit I was in but He cleansed me and made me whole. When I’m walking with Him closely my life is savory like the taste of BACON.

But if I’m honest there is a repelling part of the Christian life as well. Sometimes I’m like Paul and I find myself doing things that I know I shouldn’t be doing and shirking the things that I should be doing. Just like BACON it can be a messy walk. And I find myself looking over at the grilled chicken wanting that seemingly clean meal.

But oh the joy when I just sit back and savor the flavor! Don’t get me wrong I’m really not comparing life in Christ to BACON, but the metaphor does seem to work. Sometimes the path He leads me down is a greasy grimy mess but the feast at the end will be worth it every time!

END!

Feel inspired to write? Link up with us here at Kate Motaung's Five Minute Friday!

The Story of God's Love For You by Sally LLoyd-Jones {Book Review & Giveaway}

by @Fitzysmom

I have a secret confession to make. Any book with the name Sally Lloyd-Jones on it I want. I don’t even have to open it up to know that I want it. Her name on the cover is enough to make me put it in my cart. Why is that you ask? It’s because I can be assured that she is going to take the reader’s hand and draw them to Jesus.

For years now we have been enjoying her beautiful story books with all the littles in our lives. She teams up with a talented artist and the two of them create a masterpiece that brings the wonderful words and concepts of Scripture to life. If you’ve not enjoyed one of her books with your kids you are missing out.

In the back of my mind I have always thought it would be lovely to read an adult book written by her. She has such a gentle way with words that quietly brings the Gospel into your reading experience.  Well, my wish has somewhat come true. With the release of The Story Of God’s Love ForYou I can now unashamedly bask in the beautiful words that bring me into the presence of God.

The Story of God’sLove For You is the adult version of TheJesus Storybook Bible. The words are the same but it is packaged for an adult to read. There are forty-four short chapters that lead you through the beautiful love story of the Bible. This book is a must for all the worn out mommas out there!

It would be perfect for those moments when you just need to regroup. Think about where you go to escape the madness. Is it the bathroom, the laundry room, or even the car in the garage? Wherever it is keep a copy of this book there and when you think you are about to lose your marbles go there and read a chapter. You’ll be exposed to the flawed people that God chose to use to bring about His perfect plan. Every time I read a chapter it reminds me that none of us are perfect but God is and has a part designed just for you in the midst of the crazy day-to-day.

Maybe you're an empty-nester like me. I recently took it with us on a business trip and read it aloud to my husband as we were driving. I simply could not put it down! Not only did it make the trip go faster but we were blessed with the beautiful redeeming love story that God wrote just for us.

Now . . . how about a GIVEAWAY for a chance to get your hands on these lovely books for yourself? We loved both The Story of God's Love For You and The Jesus Storybook Bible so much that we wanted to make a way for THREE of our readers to get their own copies. To do that we have partnered with Zonderkidz to give THREE of our readers a copy of each book!

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Thursday, October 22, 2015. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Giveaway Tools form below. All entries are optional.

Entry-Form

There Are Always Flowers ~ Changing My Perspective On A Tough Situation

by @Fitzysmom

Photo courtesy of @ChaseFitz5

Six weeks ago my life took a dramatic change. My husband accepted a position with a new company and we packed our suitcases and embarked on a new adventure. From the start I knew this would mean spending six weeks living in a hotel before we moved to more permanent housing.

To make the most of our money I went on bargain hotel websites and booked a room every two weeks. (We were able to go home every other weekend.) Some weeks we hit the jackpot and got ultra nice accommodations but other weeks we got rooms that were adequate but that's about it.

At first this little adventure was fun. I enjoyed the cable TV, uninterrupted time for reading and painting, and the hotels' workout rooms and pools. But by week five I was just done. I wanted my own home with my own bed and my own shower. I wanted to see my kids and my grands several times a week rather than every other weekend. I didn't care that this was an answer to a prayer that we had been petitioning God about for several years. I just wanted my life back.

In the midst of my pity party I came across a quote from Henri Matisse that I love.

There are always flowers for those who want to see them.

I can't say that I was instantly receptive to the thought. In fact I was pretty cynical as I looked out the hotel window at the parking lot below. No flowers there that I could see. But God is gracious and He peeled back the layers covering my eyes and allowed me to see the blooms.

The first was in the lobby. This particular hotel was across the street from a cancer treatment center. As I exited the elevator I saw a group of people gathered around a woman that was obviously fighting the awful disease. She was frail looking but the serene smile on her face was just beautiful. She was most likely in the battle of her life but at that moment she was surrounded by loved ones and she was breathing in their life giving aroma.

My next glimpse was in the parking lot. There was a man on his cell phone sitting on the tailgate of his pickup truck. He had most likely just gotten off of work and was calling home to talk to his family. My husband made the comment that he knew he had a little girl. When I asked how he knew that he said the My Little Pony stickers on the dash gave it away. I said I felt sorry for him because he was away from his family. My husband said he was proud of him for working so hard to provide for his family. As we drove out of the parking lot we could see the man with his head tipped back belly laughing at some antic that was conveyed to him. He could obviously see the bouquets planted all around him.

The final bloom I'll tell you about is the lovely housekeeper we had. While my husband is at work I spend my time at the hotel so I regularly ran into this woman. She was performing a job that was backbreaking and most likely disgusting at times. Yet she went about it cheerfully singing. The day we checked out she actually hugged me and said a blessing over me. Not only did she see the blooms she chose to pick them and hand them out.

What marvelous examples these people are. They were each just going about their daily lives but they allowed the beauty to shine rather than the ugly to cover it up. I'm so thankful that God worked through them to change my perspective in the midst of a tough situation. I pray that I will continue to look for the flowers amidst the weeds and I pray that you'll be able to do the same. May God's glorious creation speak peace to our weary souls.

You Confess And He'll Forgive ~ Bible Art Journaling Challenge: 1 John 1:9

by @Fitzysmom

This week's Bible Art Journaling Challenge is based on 1 John 1:9.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I made that confession of faith at an early age. I was raised in a dysfunctional family and because of the things that were inflicted on me a seed of hate began to grow. The interesting thing is that hatred is what brought me to the foot of the cross. As the Holy Spirit began to woo me He also began to reveal my sin and part of that sin was the hatred. 

While I became a believer at an early age I by no means always chose the right thing. In fact there were many instances where an outsider would probably outright question my salvation. But the miracle in my life is found in 1 John 1:9.

I confessed my sins and God was faithful and just and He forgave my sins. Then miracle of miracles He went on to cleanse me from all my unrighteousness. Glory to God! 

By no means is this a closed group that is limited. This body of Christ is open to anyone who will confess and believe. If you've not made this decision please consider this your personal invitation. I'd love to spend eternity getting to know you better. Just think of the stories we could tell about God's faithfulness. Amen and amen!

The Process

This week's art project is more a what not to do tutorial than a to do one. I had planned out in my head what I wanted to do but when I sat down to do it I guess I was a bit distracted. So here's what I did and how I fixed the mess.

Step 1: Seal The Page

My first step is commonly to seal the page of my Bible that I will be using. I like to use this Delta Ceramcoat All-Purpose Sealer. It leaves a nice smooth surface and after a couple of days the page tends to straighten right out. I usually seal the page I am working on and the back side of it as well. That keeps the edges from wanting to curl and it also puts me a step ahead! 

Brilliant . . . right? Ummm, not so smart this time. You see I intended to use colored pencils and micron pens for my project. 

As you can see from the above picture this particular sealer doesn't do so well with colored pencils, Pigma Micron Pens, or watercolor for that matter. Normally when I am using these elements I don't seal my Bible page until I am finished with my project. I've not had problems with any of these products bleeding through. After I have everything like I want it I spritz with Krylon 1311 Matte Spray. (I will say that I LOVE the Delta Ceramcoat All-Purpose Sealer when I am working with acrylics.)

On a side note you can use the Krylon between layers too. For instance sometimes I paint something and then I use the Krylon before I ink it in. The reason that I do that is because I can always quickly remove smudged ink with rubbing alcohol and it won't ruin the painting underneath.

The Real Step 1: Decide On The Layout

In the original challenge the technique is about hand-lettering. That was my original plan. I measured the space that I wanted to use in my Bible then I went into my Publisher program and messed around with some fonts I liked and then I printed it out.

I used Saral transfer paper to transfer the outline of the words onto the page. I really like using Saral because it is wax free and water soluble. This comes in very handy when you are painting. Instead of trying to erase your graphite lines with an eraser you just take a damp paint brush and lightly scrub the lines and they disappear. 

Step 2: Add Some Color

Since I made a mess of the Bible page I needed to figure out a way to cover it up and start over. The easiest thing seemed to be using my pattern as the main thing instead of just a template. So I trimmed around the words and then added color.

I wanted an ombre look so I used Indigo Blue, Copenhagen Blue, and Permanent Blue Prismacolor Pencils. I started at the bottom with the darkest color (Indigo Blue) and worked my way up to the lightest color (Permanent Blue). 

Step 3: Blend The Color

When I use colored pencils I want the end result to have a watercolor or blended look. Without the blending step it has a very amateurish look to it. To avoid that I like to use Gamsol and a blending stick. 

I keep my blending stick clean and sharp by rubbing it on an emery board. There are fancier tools out there but that is what seems to work for me. Using Gamsol is as simple as dipping your blending stick in the liquid and then rubbing the blending stick on your colored pencil to blend the colors and lines together. I went over the outside boarder and then lightly did the words.

Step 4: Glue The Work In

Now that I have the colors blended like I want them it is time to glue the text onto the Bible page to cover the messy words up. I like the Elmer's Craft Bond glue stick. It goes on in a deep blue color so that you can see that everything is covered but then it dries clear. I prefer the extra strength as opposed to the school glue. I've used it on several types of surfaces with good results.

Finished Project

Well, it isn't what I originally planned but I am okay with that. Having to cover up the ugly is a good reminder of the meaning of the verse. The work of the cross was designed to cover the ugly in me. 

Want To Join The Fun?

Rebekah R Jones has put together a wonderful group of fellow Bible doodlers. If you are interested you are welcome to join in the fun. A new challenge is posted each Tuesday. Check out her introduction to the Bible Art Journaling Challenge on her blog and join the Facebook group and/or the Google+ Community.

If you are interested in seeing more of my Bible Art Journaling posts just go here and you can scroll through them.