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Category: Parenting

Devotional Books for Kids This Easter

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Devotional Books for Kids

Devotional Books for Kids

Easter is coming soon, and devotional books for kids are precious gifts to give your children!  When you give children books like this, they the opportunity to read it on their own time or at a scheduled time, such as in the morning before school or at bedtime.  We use these devotional books for kids as a family during our weekly family devotion time.  The Bible stories are clear and concise, written in a way for children to grasp the true meaning behind the story.  Sometimes the Bible stories are sequential, like how they appear in the Bible; other times, they are arranged by topic.

“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice…” – Psalm 5:3

Helping our children develop the daily habit of quiet time is important to us.  We have used a couple of different devotional books for kids that we have truly loved.

5 Best Devotional Books for Kids

Jesus Calling for Kids by Sarah Young

devotional books for kids

 

Mighty Warrior Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh

devotional books for kids

Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

devotional books for kids

Grace for the Moment for Kids by Max Lucado

devotional books for kids

I am Loved by Sheila Walsh

devotional books for kids

We have all of these and our kids love them and refer back to them.  I have many precious memories talking about the stories in these books, and am looking for new ones to add to their collection this Easter.

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5 Tips for Family Dinner Time

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Eating family meals together routinely is not easy and has to be prioritized to make it happen! Here are 5 ways to make it easier.

Meal Ideas

  1. Keep it simple.  A meat, two veggies, and a starch work well for our family many nights.  We are not nutritional experts, but simple foods with simple ingredients work well when time is limited.
  2. Planning meals in advance- This is so important to me!  There is nothing more frustrating than going to the fridge, looking for an ingredient, and not finding it.  When we plan in advance, we save money AND we have what we need when a recipe calls for it!  I am old-fashioned, so I prefer to print a monthly calendar and write meals for each day. I try to schedule foods based on what activities we have that day, as well as store sales.  Additionally, I try to have variety throughout each week.  For example, one night is vegetarian, one night is steak, soup, fish, chicken, etc.  We try to keep it varied, even with picky eaters!
  3. Freezer meals are key!  Preparing enough for two meals or more each time you cook helps you always have food on hand for busy nights.  It also frees up your kitchen (and keeps it clean) on the nights you don’t have to cook!  A few favorites of mine include baked ziti, spaghetti sauce, lasagna, chicken enchiladas, and poppy seed chicken.  I always like to freeze leftover soup, even if it is just enough for one.  Soup makes a great lunch!  For more freezer meal ideas, check out our page Freezer Meals.
  4. Slow cooker meals are helpful on busy nights, and they make the house smell like you have been cooking all day!  A crock pot is a great investment, and will last you for years to come.  Simply put the ingredients in the crock pot in the morning, turn it on, and let it cook all day.  A few of our favorites are easy chicken and dumplings and French dip sandwiches.
  5. Use paper products if you need to!  You are still feeding your family a healthy meal, avoiding fast food, and sitting down at the table together.
family meals moms priority

Family Meals

For the complete article, click here.

 

33 Ways ~ Christmas Giving for Kids

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Tis the Season…for giving, and sharing the Love of Christmas with others. Your kids are never too young to start- it’s up to you to teach them to look out for others. I put together this list because even though we do some of these things,  I want our family to be more intentional at Christmas-time, and throughout the year.  Looking for needs, meeting them, and showing appreciation: these are habits I want to have and instill in our kids.  Here are 33 Ways Kids can Give this Christmas (without much money spent!):

Christmas Giving for Kids

Christmas Giving for Kids

Christmas Giving for Kids

1. Give a warm blanket to the homeless
2. Leave a thank you note and small gift card for the mail carrier
3. Thank your bus driver with a note, gift card, and big hug!
4. Sing and play Christmas carols at the local assisted living center
5. Pack a shoe box for Operation Christmas child
6. Invite someone who may be sad or lonely this Christmas to church
7. Smile – you never know the burden someone may be carrying
8. Donate pet supplies to the local animal shelter
9. Call your grandmother or someone you love and tell them you love them
10. Send Christmas cards in the mail to your friends and family
11. Bake goodies for your Sunday School teachers and take them wrapped with a smile
12. Write Christmas cards to the shut-ins at your church
13. Mail Christmas cards to soldiers serving overseas

More Ideas

33 Ways ~ Christmas Giving for Kids

33 Ways ~ Christmas Giving for Kids

14. Invite another young family over and send the parents out on a date without kids  READ MORE 

Three Gift Rule: Simplify Christmas

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Three Gift Rule

Christmas Gift Giving

When our children were babies, we implemented the three gift rule that someone told us about. Just as Jesus received three gifts from the three wise men, you’ll remember from the Bible story, our children receive three gifts from us! This simple rule has simplified Christmas for us! Someone told me about it years ago, and how it gave Christmas deeper meaning to their little children and a chance to share the story of the birth of Jesus. There are still plenty of gifts around the tree, because you buy for others. Likewise, they receive plenty because of extended family Christmas gatherings. But the message that we share around the tree is the story of Jesus and the three gifts of the wise men: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

3 Gifts of the Wise Men

Three Gift Rule

Three Gift Rule

So, what are these three gifts, and how do we implement that into our family Christmas tradition?

Gold: Something that they really want

Frankincense: Something that they need (like clothes)

Myrrh: Something to read or to help them grow (a book, devotional, or CD usually)

The message on Christmas morning is not one of extravagant material gifts, but of the most extravagant gift we could ever receive: eternal life because our Savior came and took the punishment we deserve. Our family is far from being holy or un-materialistic. These small steps, though, keep Christmas focused and keep our children from only caring about what they will receive under the tree Christmas morning! Our family time is meaningful and enjoyable. Christmas morning, along with Christmas Eve, is one of my most favorite days. We celebrate family and our Savior. I cannot remember who first told me about the Three Gift Rule, but I am so thankful they did!

Three Gift Rule at Christmas

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Christmas Gift Giving

When our children were babies, we implemented the three gift rule that someone told us about.  Just as Jesus received three gifts from the three wise men, you’ll remember from the Bible story, our children receive three gifts from us!  This simple rule has simplified Christmas for us!  Someone told me about it years ago, and how it gave Christmas deeper meaning to their little children and a chance to share the story of the birth of Jesus.  There are still plenty of gifts around the tree, because you buy for others.  Likewise, they receive plenty because of extended family Christmas gatherings.  But the message that we share around the tree is the story of Jesus and the three gifts of the wise men:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

3 Gifts of the Wise Men

Three Gift Rule

Three Gift Rule

So, what are these three gifts, and how do we implement that into our family Christmas tradition?

Gold:  Something that they really want

Frankincense:  Something that they need (like clothes)

Myrrh:  Something to read or to help them grow (a book, devotional, or CD usually)

The message on Christmas morning is not one of extravagant material gifts, but of the most extravagant gift we could ever receive:  eternal life because our Savior came and took the punishment we deserve.  Our family is far from being holy or un-materialistic.  These small steps, though, keep Christmas focused and keep our children from only caring about what they will receive under the tree Christmas morning!  Our family time is meaningful and enjoyable.  Christmas morning, along with Christmas Eve, is one of my most favorite days. We celebrate family and our Savior.  I cannot remember who first told me about the Three Gift Rule, but I am so thankful they did!

Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

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Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is THIS week, ending on Monday, November 21.  This is an incredibly simple way to share the love of Jesus with a child in another part of the world, while teaching your child about Jesus’ love.  It’s not too late to participate!  To find a drop off location near you, check here.

Filling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child is a Christmas tradition for our family.  In a simple gesture, the kids and I gather our gifts to go in the boxes typically starting on Fall Break.  We try to send out by early November, so the kids who receive them do so by Christmas time.  In these boxes, we include the following:

  • Simple toys, like a jump rope or bouncy ball
  • Wooden games or puzzles from the dollar store
  • Basic hygiene items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, comb or brush
  • Clothes, such as a T-shirt, underwear, socks, and possibly flip flops or another kind of shoe
  • School supplies, like notepads, pencils with sharpener, pen, or markers
  • Whatever our child enjoys at their age, such as matchbox cars or little dolls, gets included
  • A handwritten note
  • Hard candy

 

Most importantly, the kids and I pray for the child who will receive this gift.  We can pay $7 to have it shipped, and we can track where it goes online through Samaritan’s Purse.  It’s an incredible learning opportunity for the kids.  Undoubtedly, the kids want to know more about the country and culture that this child is in.  It teaches our children empathy and an age-appropriate awareness of the world we live in, outside our community.  My prayer, like many other parents, is that it fosters in their hearts a love for other people who come from different backgrounds than us.  I pray that their love grows as they grow, and that they want to share the love of Jesus Christ with others.   These shoeboxes are an amazing start to the Christmas season because they turn our focus outward.

Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes bless others, but I think we are the ones who are truly blessed.  We coordinate these with our church’s mission opportunities, but you can give a shoebox regardless of church affiliation.  Learn more at the official website here.

Celebrate Thanksgiving with Gratitude

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Our Gratitude Jar: Celebrate Thanksgiving with 25 Days of Gratitude

25 Day of Gratitude: Our Gratitude JarLast year, we started a new tradition that our kids are already asking about:  Our Gratitude Jar.

How to Create a Gratitude Jar

Here are the simple steps to create a Gratitude jar with your kids:

  1. We found a jar lying around our house and tied twine around the handle for a simple decoration, and you can do the same.
  2. We cut pretty paper into strips.  Leftover scraps of paper or torn brown bags will work.
  3. Each day starting November 1, we each write one thing we are thankful for.
  4. By Thanksgiving, our jar is full and so are our hearts.

Gratitude

From our family to yours, we challenge you to do this every day in November and feel the fullness of your heart by Thanksgiving.  Don’t worry if you miss a day- you can catch up!  You will be amazed at all you can come up with to be thankful for!  We ALL have been given much, and when we celebrate what God has graciously given us, the discontent and insatiable appetite for more fades, and we focus more on what we can do for others.

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. 

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” 

– Philippians 4:12

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Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child

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Filling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child is a Christmas tradition for our family. In a simple gesture, the kids and I gather our gifts to go in the boxes typically starting on Fall Break. We try to send out by early November, so the kids who receive them do so by Christmas time. In these boxes, we include the following READ MORE

Top 10 Kids Halloween Costumes of 2016

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For the first time, a superhero costume is more popular than a princess costume!  For the complete Top 10 List of Kids Halloween Costumes for this year, check out Mom’s Priority’s page.  If you order soon, it is not too late to find a perfectly adorable and affordable costume.  Most retailers offer free shipping too, so check out this page for cute ideas!

Shopkins Lippy Lips Kids Halloween Costume

Shopkins Lippy Lips Halloween Costume

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Ministry Appreciation Month ~ Shine the Light

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October is Ministry Appreciation Month, and I just love that DaySpring is making it easy for us to show appreciation to those who impact our lives in amazing ways!  Ministry Appreciation can include pastors, teachers, leaders, and servants in the church.  I am sure we can all think of someone who has impacted our life in an amazing way.  These ministers need to know they are appreciated, but even more than that, they need our prayers.  I can confidently say that they appreciate the prayers- they can even often feel the prayers being lifted on their behalf.  So, even if a material gift is not something you can do, pray for them.  You can also send a free ecard!

Blessing your ministry team is not something to limit to one month, but for thoughtful ideas that can be used throughout the year, please check out DaySpring’s Return the Blessing page!  I love how they’ve thought of everyone!

ministry appreciation month

ministry appreciation month

For any purchase on DaySpring’s site, use code FALL20 to take $20 OFF ANY $60 PURCHASE.   This offer includes FREE SHIPPING and expires 10/16.

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