Category Archives: Project 366

tn_wfmwsmall

WFMW – Devotional Books for Boys

wfmwLet’s chat about some great devotional books our family has enjoyed. I LOVE character study books. I have seen my children grow in their faith and understanding of how the scriptures apply to their lives on a real and meaningful basis through the books and stories we have read over the years.

This is one of my favorite topics and I am passionate about intentionally providing excellent devotional books for the children. I wrote about some of our choices for the younger ages in an earlier WFMW post. This evening I went through my shelves and realized I have several books that are especially appealing to boys. That said, I must note that with five children (two of whom are girls) it is imperative that our reading is accessible to both the male and female listeners. These books have been enjoyed by the girls and boys alike in our family.

Now I share them with you.

daniel displays our selections

Devotional Books for Boys

The Power of One by Ron Luce. The edition I have is a gift book. Amazon links to a new one that is being published in July.

This is a powerful book full of personal stories of teens who face real instances of peer pressure. Very inspiring. I am definitely going to look for additional books by Ron Luce. Luce is the President and Founder of Teen Mania Ministries, a Christian youth organization that reaches millions of young people worldwide.

Tiger and Tom (and other stories for boys) by J. E. White. I found this little treasure at a curriculum sale one year. The stories were originally gathered from church papers in the 1870′s and many of them powerfully illustrate the consequences of sinful life choices.

What do I do now, Lord by Chris Jones. This book was in a big box of library cast offs. Always looking to connect with my active boys, I immediately grabbed this when I saw the sub title: Devotions for Boys. Each of the individual stories feature a young boy facing real-life problems — fears, friends, bullies, getting along with parents – and end with a scripture and prayer. I read this to Joshua (age 14) years ago and recently picked it up to read to Daniel (age 11). It’s perfect for the pre-teen (or younger) boy.

read this one

Her Mother’s Bible & Hedge Fence The Golden Text Series by Isabella Alden. This is another collection that was written in the 1800′s. In each story a young boy reads a portion of scripture that has been highlighted by his grandmother. God teaches him what the verse means and how it should be applied to his life. It was moving to see how his understanding of scripture grew through out the book. A classic.

another favorite

Building of the Rock five book devotional series. Joel Beeke and Diana Kleyn have taken a selection of real life incidents and fictional narratives and developed them into a series of devotional books for children aged 7-12. We devoured all five of these books and were eager for more. The stories include a mixture of historical adventure, childhood experiences, remarkable instances of conversion and dramatic, rescues from danger. There is a question and scripture reference at the end of each story.

How God Used a Thunderstorm
How God Stopped the Pirates
How God Used a Snowdrift
How God Used a Drought and an Umbrella
How God Sent a Dog to Save a Family

one in the five part series

There you have it, just a few of our favorites. If you have a devotional book that your family loves, please leave a comment. Amazon is just a few clicks away and I am always eager to build our faith/life lessons library.

Stop by Rocks in My Dryer for other Works for Me Wednesday posts.

Kathy
Project 366 – Day 141

Share or follow

Related posts:

When Do We Paint?

I have splotches of coffee splattered on my living room walls. It’s not really coffee, it’s paint. Three big, ugly messes on my wall. I can’t blame it on my toddler or sloppy husband (not implying that you are sloppy, Dear). Nope, I did it myself. I purposely painted in three different, random spots on the wall.

That color is going to be too dark for your tastes, Tim told me after I painted the hallway a fantastic Starbucks shade.

Hmmm, you may be right, I concurred. I know, I’ll just paint a few swatches on the wall so we can try it out. Then, when I paint this weekend I will know which shade I want.

Sure enough, I agreed with Tim and selected a lighter shade of the coffee/mocha tint that lines the hallway. I even found it in the Ooops Paint section and got a great deal.

That was in December.
Well, define “this weekend.”

some of my best helpers are 10 and under

See the Christmas lights along the banister? Sigh.

Now, every time I take a picture in living room, I have to be creative in my framing or I end up spending way too much time Photoshopping the blotches out.

I need to paint. The gallon jugs are sitting in my laundry room, silently accusing me of neglect each time I step over it to wash some clothes.

It’s time I don’t seem to have. Or at least not quite enough of it strung together to give me the confidence to begin painting. If you also have the same problem, visit this site and hire a professional painting contractor. I’m the queen of unfinished projects. Did I mention the five windows in my living room are arrayed with exactly one curtain? And it’s one half of a curtain at that. The other side of the window is bare and drapeless. It’s tragic, really.

sarah has talent!

Maybe Sarah will help me decorate the living room – she obviously has flare!

But I have hope. Hope that summer is approaching. Hope that we will finish school (I hear my children cheering in the distance). Hope that the older kids will grab paint brushes and rush to join me. Hope that one day the windows will be dressed.

Until then I will be content to take pictures of Sarah painting and waste time reading about other people’s great decorating exploits. It seems sad to be lacking both artistic ability AND money. Either one and you can fake the other. To be devoid of both is a cruel twist of fate.

Thankfully I have a great deal of charm (and, obviously, humility) so hopefully people overlook the splotchy, “who made that horrible mess on your wall?” paint swatches and instead sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee and a friendly chat.

Either that or they had better be prepared to pick up a brush and help paint.

Kathy
Project 366 – Day 140

Share or follow

Related posts:

Summer Flirts with Washington

It is not summer. I know this. It’s spring, and spring is often cold and disappointing in Washington. I remember the first year we moved here. Everything was green and blooming furiously, but it was COLD and GRAY. Day after day. It was well into June, and I finally turned to Tim and asked him when summer was going to arrive.

reporting for duty, sir!

These children are ready and willing to hunt down the sunshine.

Nearly every day the children and I would bundle (yes, bundle) up and set off in search of some sunshine. There were streaks of golden light off in the distance and I was determined to find them. It was our own treasure hunt, however, instead of searching for the pot at the end of the rainbow, we were looking for a sunny day.

Today was mild and overcast in the morning. By mid-afternoon summer had peaked around the corner and blown its warm kiss. Cheeks and shoulders gained a rosy cast. Sunscreen resurfaced from its long winter sleep and popsicles were cheerfully passed around, dripping over little fingers. Windows were pried open and flip flops dragged out from under winter boots.

it's a tight pack but we can fit

Really, it’s a comfortable fit. Three rascals in a tub.

It’s not summer. Not yet. This weekend, however, like a beautiful flower unfolding in the light, we humble Washingtonians were treated to a rare sliver of summer in the midst of a dreary spring. It was truly glorious.

Nothing like some chocolate to celebrate the end of a lovely day.

chocolate cake

Decadent Chocolate Bundt Cake (from Cake Mix Magic)

1 pkg devil’s food cake mix
1 pkg (4 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Cake – combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream and water. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in greased, floured bundt pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes @ 350. Cool in pan on wire rack then remove cake.

Frost with prepared frosting.

Note: We used vanilla pudding mix (out of chocolate) and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Topping was gently heated canned frosting. Served with old fashioned vanilla ice cream. Rave reviews!

Tomorrow summer promises to come again. What a tease! I intend to savor its warmth and drink up any bit of sunshine that trickles by.

Kathy
Project 366 – Day 137

Share or follow

Related posts:

Peace and Quiet

One of the only things I enjoy about getting up early in the morning is savoring the peace and quiet that lies over our neighborhood like a warm blanket. Although we live on a cul-de-sac, our house backs up to a much busier street, and is positioned cheek-by-jowl with houses on either side. Not far away a major thoroughfare connects our town with the neighboring community, and the railroad tracks snake around behind our development. The noise of all the people around us (to which we contribute no small amount of shrieking) is often considerable, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when local ruffians drive around, windows rattling from the bass of blasting sound systems. Sometimes I really miss living in the Duckabush valley, with our house nestled down in the forest, far from the things of man.

Or maybe I’m just jealous that my car stereo doesn’t make the windows rattle.

First lake day of the Spring
David steadies the kayak for his brother …

Some days (I keep a rather erratic schedule) when I wake up, nobody is stirring, not even (as in the famous Christmas poem) a mouse. Other times I find Kathy asleep on Doughboy (our couch), if she’s stayed up reading blogs or posting an entry on our blog. I turn on her mattress pad heater and usher her off to bed, hoping that the kids will sleep in and let her rest. During allergy season I often start sneezing while I dress in our bedroom, and wake Kathy up with a dozen or two of my explosive sneezes.

This morning, I stepped out onto the front porch and found it already light outside, as the summer equinox solstice approaches. A low cloud cover and absence of breeze enhanced the hush that was disturbed only by a single bird, chirping his heart out from the top of my neighbor’s roof. I wondered if my neighbor, who works odd hours as a fireman, appreciated that little bird.

Kayak Boy
The intrepid Daniel, setting off on an historic voyage …

In these moments of silence, I find, in spite of my weariness, a contentment that seems to extend all the way down to the core of my soul. For this moment, as I stand on my porch, all the concerns and worries that clamor for my attention are silent and still. I don’t have to worry about being a husband or a father or an employee or a friend or a church leader or even a handy-man. Instead, I find my heart drawn to God, in thankfulness and appreciation of His awesome goodness to me and His worthiness to receive praise and glory and honor. As the Psalmist wrote:

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

Doubly protected Sarah
Sarah takes no chances when it comes to flotation devices …

Whenever I hear or read that verse, I think of a pool of water, shaded by trees, nestled among the rocks, with only the tiniest ripples emphasizing its tranquility. It is in moments like this that I can forget my own self-importance and revel in the abundant sufficiency of my God, far above my loftiest thoughts. Whatever happens today or in the rest of my life, Jesus, all by Himself, faithful and true, is enough for me.

Jeanette Pond, at the Refuge
With the fountain on, this pool has more than ripples …

All too soon the spell is broken and the neighborhood begins to wake; already I hear the slamming of car doors and traffic on the road behind our house. My cell phone buzzes with a message from my carpool buddy. I check the time on my phone and realize that I need to get moving if I’m going to catch the train. And so a new day begins; but the memory of that deep, quiet moment is something I treasure tightly, smoothing the bumps and jolts out of my way and calming my spirit, all the way to work and throughout the day.

Tim

Project 366, Day 136

Share or follow

Related posts:

Reaping and Sowing

The tomato planting continues.

david is the day's helper

I’m not sure Tim and the children are actually going to sell any of their precious plants. As the days go by, and each plant grows stronger and taller, Tim’s attachment increases.

Good morning happy plants! he choruses each day to the green jungle growing in my bedroom.

Honey, I think I’ll build some shelves in here and then I’ll have a place to grow tomatoes all year long, he told me last weekend.

Shelves, over my window seat, for tomato plants? Now isn’t that an interesting decorating approach.

Um, wasn’t the point to sell some of these plants? I asked him recently.

It’s an investment, he mumbled as he went down the row watering each of his “babies.”

get those tomatoes planted

Frankly, I’m just glad someone is teaching the children about gardening as it’s not likely to be me. Unless of course a class in Black Thumb becomes popular.

Hey Mom, do you think you can teach me to kill plants this week?
No fair! Mom said she was going to teach ME how to over water and neglect house plants next.
It’s my turn.
No, my turn.
MOM!!!

Sigh. Until then I let Tim and the children do the planting, weeding, watering and tending.

even neighbor sophie helps

Look how they even pull random neighbor children into the planting work.

My goal is to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. And with prices as high as they are, a garden looks better and better. I wonder what else I can get them to plant?

Kathy
Project 366 – Day 135

Share or follow

Related posts: