Quote from Bernard of Clairvaux

"What we love we shall grow to resemble."

~Bernard of Clairvaux

Helpful Tip Tuesday: Active Listening Part I

Why take notes during a sermon or lesson?

1.   The spoken language is 90% forgotten within a week,   but you will retain about 50% of what you write down.
2.   Taking notes during a sermon provides a written record for review.
3.   It forces you to listen carefully and to pay attention. It forces you to become an "active listener."
4.   It requires organization, which involves active effort on your part.
5.   Taking notes aids in understanding because you must condense and rephrase what is being said.
6.   1 Peter 4:11 says that people who teach "should do it as one speaking the very words of God." This being true, to do anything less than listen with a whole heart is missing the very words of God for us on a given day. There is no such thing as an "ordinary sermon" if the speaker is a man or woman of God.
7.   Taking notes during a sermon or lesson will help you grow as a follower of Christ.

~Taken from Family Christian Press, Sermon & Lesson Organizer

Active Listening Part II will be shared on next week's Helpful Tip Tuesday!

What Are Children Learning?

               

            
         Children Learn What They Live
           By Dorothy Law Nolte

          "If children live with criticism,

               They learn to condemn.

          If children live with hostility,

               They learn to fight.

          If children live with ridicule,

               They learn to be shy.

          If children live with shame,

               They learn to feel guilty.

          If children live with encouragement,

               They learn confidence.

          If children live with tolerance,

               They learn to be patient.

          If children live with praise,

               They learn to appreciate.

          If children live with acceptance,

               They learn to love.

          If children live with approval,

               They learn to like themselves.

          If children live with honesty,

               They learn truthfulness.

          If children live with security,

               They learn to have faith in themselves and others.

          If children live with friendliness,

               They learn the world is a nice place in which to live."

                   

More Roadside Church Signs

    Need to laugh a little?

Need to be inspired?

Need to be stirred in your thinking?

      I don't know about you, but I love to read the signs outside of church buildings. They are usually such clever, witty, and wise words about God, Christianity, and life. These church signs are not that big, so the sayings have to be short and powerful. I have to admit that in my life there have been a few times I have been going through a struggle and I'm surprised as I've driven by a church and read their sign. It spoke right to my heart about the issue at hand. God will use what He needs to in order to speak to me!

     So, as I was shopping one day I found this little book, More Roadside Church Signs Across America by Mary Compton and David Compton and had to buy it. It's a perfect little coffee table book or bedtime reading. It's filled with short honest truths. Here are some I wanted to share with you:

"Morality, like art, consists in drawing a line somewhere."

"GRACE: God's Riches At Christ's Expense."

"Practice makes perfect, so be careful what you practice."

"Life is like tennis: Serve well and you seldom lose."

"A hypocrite is a person who's not himself on Sunday."

"Why don't you stop trying to figure God out and start 

trying to figure Him in?"

"Christianity is a pilgrimage, not a sightseeing tour."

"You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving."

"Be the soul provider for your children."

"ASAP-Always Say A Prayer."

"The best vitamin for a Christian is B1."

I love these little sayings.

Leave a comment-I'd love to hear which one has spoken to your heart today?"

Helpful Tip Tuesday: Routines

Routines 

*To keep you child's morning and evening routine "handy," try this. Trace your hand on two pieces of construction paper, a yellow piece for the morning and a blue piece for the bedtime routine. On each finger, write one thing that needs to be accomplished. Write the first thing to be done on the thumb, for instance, Make your bed. Once your child completes this first task, she gives you a "thumbs-up" and proceeds with the rest: Get dressed, Eat breakfast, Brush teeth, and Morning devotions. Upon closing her children's Bible, she gives you a "high-five" to indicate that her morning routine is complete. This is repeated in the evening for the nighttime routine. The only difference is, instead of ending with a "high five," you put your "fives" together for bedtime prayer.

* We wanted to establish a daily routine for our children while they were still little. The biggest obstacle we faced was the fact that they couldn't read the fancy chart I had made. So, I asked their grandfather to draw pictures illustrating the task that was to be done next to a picture of what the clock would look like at that time.

* A similar idea is to create a daily planner by taking a picture of your child engaged in the activity listed on the schedule, as well as a picture of the clock at that time. Buy a small photo album and put in the pairs of pictures, one page per pair, in the order in which the tasks are to be accomplished throughout the day. First thing in the morning, the child opens her daily planner, does the first task, and then turns the page. The last page has a picture of the child in bed with a snapshot of his or her bedtime on the clock.

* Your morning routine could include filling six sippy cups each morning for each child placing them on the lowest shelf in the fridge. You can fill two with milk, two with juice, and two with water. This is so much easier than pouring drinks all day long, it cuts down on your "waitressing" job, and it ensures that your kids get a healthy balance of liquids every day.

Taken from the Book: Creative Correction, pg. 324-325 

How To Treat A Man

A Love Letter from Your Dad, Almighty God

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1 

 

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28 

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28 

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5 

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12 

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26 

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14 

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13 

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16 

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1 

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11 

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48 

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33 

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3 

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40 

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5 

 

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41 

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3 

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29 

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13 

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20 

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18 

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11 

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4 

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4 

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23 

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3 

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31 

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32 

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7 

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15 

My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13 

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

 Father's Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications
© 1999-2011 www.FathersLoveLetter.com

Quote from Tim Keller

“What, then, is service? Serving is putting the needs of others ahead of our own, or putting the needs of the community ahead of our individual needs. And the Bible says there are several reasons to do this. The first benefit is self-knowledge. Don’t think you know your real gifts and capacities until you do a lot of humble serving in many different capacities around the church. Only as you do that will you come to understand your own aptitudes.

The second benefit is community. When you approach the church as a consumer (that is, only to get your needs met), you are in a solitary mode of being, but when you reject the consumer mindset, serving will draw you out of yourself and into relationships.

The third benefit is the fulfillment and joy of seeing others touched through you, or seeing something great happen through the part you play in the body of Christ. Paradoxically, if you serve primarily for the benefits to yourself, then it isn’t really serving, and you won’t receive the benefits. The only workable dynamic for every-member ministry is Mark 10:45. Because Jesus served you in such a radical way, you have a joyful need to serve. It’s a form of praise that doesn’t fully enjoy what it admires until it expresses itself in service.”

~ Tim Keller

Quote from Joni Eareckson Tada

"You may not realize it, and it may seem odd, but the sufferings that are scratching at your door are the very windows through which God wants to shine his brightest rays of hope. He wants to illumine your heart with his peace, power, and perspective."

~Joni Eareckson Tada

What My Husband Recently Read

With Father's Day right around the corner, I thought I
would share with you the last three books that my husband read. I know that my husband loves to receive new books as gifts. Maybe your husband might enjoy these, as well.

All three of these books were recommended to my husband. 
He loved each one of them. They are different in style and content, yet they all spoke to him and he highly recommends them, as well. 

Here is a picture of each of them:

 

The Noticer really helped him with his perspective. It encouraged him to have a new perspective on life and in his relationships. The "Noticer", also called Jones in the book, meets different people in various seasons of life, helps them gain a new perspective, and brings a new value of their situation.

This is the true story of a WWII U.S. ship that was sunk by a Japanese submarine. Through numerous misunderstanding and oversights the survivors were left in the ocean for over five days. Two-thirds of the sailors died-many of them from shark attacks. He was challenged to not make assumptions; because the numerous authorities that could have saved the shipwrecked sailors assumed everything was fine. If one person would have double-checked the safety of the ship, hundreds of men would have lived.

This book challenged him to be honest with himself and with others. It immediately brought to mind a promise he made to our daughter to buy her a nightlight. He couldn't even finish the first chapter without putting it down to fulfill his promise to her. It changed his life! He said this book is excellent for those that want to have good relationships and make a positive impact in others' lives.
 

What are some of your husband's favorite books? Any books you can recommend to me as a gift for my husband?

A Blog Award

 

My First Blog Award!

Thank you, Cathy, from Thoughts on Books, who passed this award onto me! 

I feel so blessed to have received it :)

The rules for this award are: 

1. This award is for book bloggers only. To receive this award the blogger's blog must be 50% about books (this includes writing blogs or reader blogs).

2. When you accept this award you must also share what your top five all time favorite books are. Going over five is encouraged.

3. You must pass this award on to five to ten other book blogs that you adore :)

Because I have some of my all time favorite books listed in the sidebar of my blog, I thought I would include some others not listed (in no particular order):

The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado

Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

The Friendship Factor by Alan Loy McGinnis

The Fear of the Lord by John Bevere

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Roots by Alex Haley
The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas

I'm passing this award onto five other book blogs:

Reading List

Snidbits

Reading to Know

Mother of Three

Doorkeeper

If your blog is listed above and you'd like to accept the award, grab the award picture and create your own post following the rules above.

What is your favorite book or author?   

What are some books on your recommended reading list?

Helpful Tip Tuesday: Car Rides

Activities on the Road

If you have a long car ride, plan in advance to pack:

• Books on tape (free from the public library). There are some great titles for family listening.
• Books for individual and group reading.
• Art supplies. Try sticker books and coloring books to occupy your kids' time. Or if you really want to think ahead, bring old Christmas cards for the kids to cut up with fancy edging scissors, to be used as holiday gift tags.
• Games. Magnetic travel versions such as checkers, chess, and Othello are great. 
• Journals for recording travel experiences.
•  Music. Each of the kids has his or her favorite type of music, so we let them bring CDs or tapes to share with everyone.

Taken from the Book:  America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money

10 Good Reasons to Read God's Word

            "If you have trouble being in God’s Word every day, here are just a few of the many reasons to read the Bible that should inspire you:

1.       To know where you are going. You can’t foresee the future or exactly where you are heading, but God’s Word will guide you. “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me” (Psalm 119:133)

2.      To have wisdom. Knowledge of God’s Word is where wisdom begins to grow in you. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7)

3.      To find success. When you live according to the teachings of the Bible, life works. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8)

4.      To live in purity. You must live a life of holiness and purity in order to enjoy more of the Lord’s presence, but you can’t be made pure without being cleansed through God’s Word. “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Psalm 19:9)

5.      To obey God. If you don’t understand what God’s laws are, how can you obey Him? “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it” (Psalm 119:33-35)

6.      To have joy. You cannot be free of anxiety and unrest without the Word of God in your heart. “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalm 19:8)

7.      To grow in faith. You can’t grow in faith without reading and hearing the Word of God. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17)

8.      To find deliverance. You won’t know what you need to be free of unless you study God’s Word to find out. “If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32)

9.      To have peace. God will give you a peace that the world can’t give, but you must find it first in His Word. “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165)

10.  To distinguish good from evil. Everything has become so relative today, how can you know for sure what is right and wrong without God’s Word? “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!” (Psalm 119:11)."

 By: Stormie OMartian, Power of a Praying Woman

Quote from Francis Chan

“Has your relationship with God changed the way you live your life?”

~Francis Chan