Cultivating a Heart for Motherhood Week #4 Part B

We are now in our fourth week in the short series on Cultivating a Heart for Motherhood with Joy Forney's ebook based from her blog series last winter.  You can pick up the free ebook at GraceFullMama.

My ideas for Constant Love:
*Every morning I cuddle with both of my children for as long as they want to be held.
*Letting them choose what to do with me during play time- working on this one (need to let go of my "schedule")
*Spending one on one time with child daily
*Tickling them on the floor
*Reading books while sitting in the rocking chair or in bed
*Praying with them and for them


My ideas for Consistent Training:
*Read the Bible at breakfast every morning. Plan relevant Bible lesson activities.
*The Positive Conclusion- Many times during the day I use this tool.  Very helpful in connecting to the heart!
*Being willing to ask forgiveness, extend forgiveness, respect, role-play various situations and expecting obedience (with a happy heart).

I am definitely in process in all of these areas, but I know that as I learn to make a habit of being intentional I can have the heart for motherhood that I desire!

How about you?  What your ideas for these areas?  Please share in the comments.

Only one more week of this series!

I Can Teach My Child to Read by Jenae Jacobson Ebook SALE!!

I just started working with Shrade to learn how to read. I taught Kindergarten for 12 years and I taught hundreds of kids to read, but when it comes to teaching my own child, I'm a little unsure! I have been introducing my son to letters and sounds since birth, but I need some guidance from a parent's perspective. Jenae Jacobson from I Can Teach My Child just wrote a new ebook especially for parents!! I am so excited to share this book with you.

Get this ebook on PDF through Friday for only 99 cents!!  (If you click to buy it will come up with the 99 cent price. )

I Can Teach My Child to Read by Jenae Jacobson 

Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Book Review

The Berenstain Bears Present the Series’ First Ever
Storybook Bible for Kids

My review: 
This storybook Bible featuring the Berenstain Bears was a winner in my home.  I found it completely funny to read Bible stories, but that the pictures were of Berenstain Bears.  But these pictures were true to form and helped to engage the listener in the real stories of the Bible.  The stories were short, but told the main points and I do have to say that the pictures really added to the whole package of this sweet little storybook of 23 Bible stories.  I read this to my kids daily at lunch and they looked forward to learning about God through the eyes of the Berenstain Bears.  We enjoyed this book very much. 

The Berenstain Bears clan now has its first-ever storybook Bible for children ages 4-7, which is destined to become a classic.

THE BERENSTAIN BEARS STORYBOOK BIBLE (Zonderkidz; February 2013; $16.99), by Mike Berenstain and the late Jan Berenstain, brilliantly brings to life 23 Old and New Testament stories through colorful illustrations and text aimed at young readers.

Children will cozy up with their parents and siblings as Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear get together to read their favorite Bible stories, imagining what it would have been like to see Adam and Eve in the garden, to watch Noah build the ark, and even witness the miraculous birth of Jesus.  

Of course, the cubs picture the biblical characters as bears—just like them!

With charming prose and vibrant pictures presented in the traditional Berenstain style, this storybook Bible will capture the hearts of children and reintroduce parents to key Bible stories.

After celebrating their 50^th anniversary in 2012, the Berenstain Bears remain a cornerstone of children’s literature, providing morals and rich life lessons in more than 300 titles that have sold hundreds of millions of copies around the world.

A family treasure for generations to come, THE BERENSTAIN BEARS STORYBOOK BIBLE continues the Berenstain tradition of inspiring children, providing context and helping them understand important and meaningful stories from the Bible.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stan and Jan Berenstain introduced the first Berenstain Bear books in 1962. Mike Berenstain grew up watching his parents write about and draw these lovable bears. Eventually he started drawing and writing about them too. Since the late 80s, he has been very much involved as a writer and illustrator with his family’s creation, the Berenstain Bears. He continued to work with his mother, Jan, creating new books, up until her death in 2012. The antics and activities of Mike’s three children have provided inspiration for many Berenstain Bears books over the years. Though Stan and Jan passed away in 2005 and 2012, respectively, Mike continues to create the delightful Bear adventures from a studio in Pennsylvania, in an area that looks much like the sunny dirt road deep in Bear Country. www.berenstainbears.com

Zonderkidz™, a division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it produces bestselling and award-winning Bibles, books, board books, graphic novels, audio, video and digital products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 16 and the people who love them, from family members to educators. Zonderkidz is the publisher of the NIrV (New International Reader’s Version) Bible translation, the third-grade reading level edition of the NIV that is ideal for children and those who speak English as a second language. Visit Zonderkidz on the Internet at www.zonderkidz.com.

Cultivating a Heart for Motherhood Week #4 Part A

We are now in our fourth week in the short series on Cultivating a Heart for Motherhood with Joy Forney's ebook based from her blog series last winter.  You can pick up the free ebook at GraceFullMama.

This week we will learn about a few of the the 3 C's for Mothering.  There are several resources on page 29 for the assignments in these chapters. 

Assignment: Read chapters 7 & 8. Look at the lists and ideas in the appendix for ways to make Constant Love and Consistent Training a part of your life as a mother. 


On Thursday, I will share some of the ideas that I have for ways I practice Constant Love and Consistent Training.

The Berenstain Bears: God Made Colors, Thank God for Good Health and The Trouble with Things Book Reviews

The Berenstain Bears Present Three Colorful New Books for Kids from the Popular Living Lights Series

My review:  The Berenstain Bears have become a staple in our new Zonderkidz library!  These fresh new books along with remakes of old classics including Christian principles really knock it out of the park!  The I Can Read book series are perfect for young readers who are ready to explore life with the Berenstain Bears.  "God Made Colors" is a fun rhyming story about the colorful world God made.  "Thank God for Good Health" is a great story for young kids to read before they go to the doctor and a reason to give thanks to God for good health.  In "The Trouble with Things" Brother and Sister Bear learn the valuable lesson of being content with what they have been given. 

America’s favorite Bear family is back with three inspiring new I Can Read! books from the Berenstain Bears® Living Lights™series by Stan, Jan, and Mike Berenstain, just in time for spring.

Updated to highlight important Christian values, THE BERENSTAIN BEARS: GOD MADE THE COLORS and THE BERENSTAIN BEARS THANK GOD FOR GOOD HEALTH (Zonderkidz; February 2013; $3.99 each) revisit two 1993 stories using the I Can Read! Level 1 simple text designed for new readers.

 

Based on the book The Berenstain Bears Learn About Colors, GOD MADE THE COLORS follows Brother and Sister Bear on an inspiring walk through the beautiful landscape of Bear Country.

As they view the landscape all around them—a classic red farmhouse, lush green grass, Mama Bear’s blue polka-dot dress, and much more—the cubs discover that God splashed the world with an endless variety of color.

 

THANK GOD FOR GOOD HEALTH adds a faith-based message to The Berenstain Bears Get a Check Up, as Brother and Sister prepare for their annual visit with Dr. Grizzly. Have the cubs been taking care of their bodies the way God intended, and will they need the dreaded booster shot?

Ideal for bedtime stories and Sunday School, both I Can Read! books evoke the classic stories using the original artwork by Stan and Jan Berenstain.

A new addition to the Living Lights brand by Mike and Jan Berenstain, THE BERENSTAIN BEARS: THE TROUBLE WITH THINGS (Zonderkidz; January 2013; $4.99) calls attention to our obsession with material items.

When Mama Bear announces a quick trip to the Bear Country Mall, Brother, Sister, and even Papa Bear, begin to make a list of all of the things they “need”—a Space Grizzlies play set, a pink Bearbie dream house, and a new salmon-fishing reel. 

Brother and Sister arrive at the toy store and become over zealous, begging for new skateboards, video games, puzzles—and almost everything in sight. Shocked at her cubs’ greed, Mama realizes what the family really needs—a Bible. When Mama reads the story of King Solomon, the Bear family learns that God’s gifts are superior to anything found at the mall.

Complete with stickers, THE TROUBLE WITH THINGS expertly weaves humor with a fresh Christian message that will appeal to Berenstain Bears fans everywhere.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Stan and Jan Berenstain introduced the first Berenstain Bear books in 1962. Mike Berenstain grew up watching his parents write about and draw these lovable bears. Eventually he started drawing and writing about them too. Since the late 80s, he has been very much involved as a writer and illustrator with his family’s creation, the Berenstain Bears. He continued to work with his mother, Jan, creating new books up until her death this year. The antics and activities of Mike’s three children have provided inspiration for many Berenstain Bears books over the years. Though Stan and Jan passed away in 2005 and 2012, respectively, Mike continues to create the delightful Bear adventures from a studio in Pennsylvania, in an area that looks much like the sunny dirt road deep in Bear Country. www.berenstainbears.com

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Zonderkidz™, a division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it produces bestselling and award-winning Bibles, books, board books, graphic novels, audio, video and digital products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 16 and the people who love them, from family members to educators. Zonderkidz is the publisher of the NIrV (New International Reader’s Version) Bible translation, the 3^rd-grade reading level edition of the NIV that is ideal for children and those who speak English as a second language. Visit Zonderkidz on the Internet at www.zonderkidz.com.

Cultivating a Heart for Motherhood Week #3 Part B

We are now in our third week in the short series on Cultivating a Heart for Motherhood with Joy Forney's ebook based from her blog series last winter.  You can pick up the free ebook at GraceFullMama.

This week we were to write out our plan for how to overcome the three obstacles that Joy mentioned:

Obstacle #1: Forgetting to Fill Up on Living Water
*I want to develop a better prayer life.
*I want to apply what I am learning in my Bible study.

Obstacle #2: Feeling Overwhelmed
*I am going to post the 4 verses around my home for when I feel overwhelmed about discipline, cleaning, cooking and teaching, etc.
*I am going to sit down for 5 min a day and breathe.
*I am going to exercise and get outside more.

Obstacle #3: Being Too Busy
*I am going to simplify my online and offline schedule.
*I am going to make a plan for the day.
*I am going to relax and enjoy my family.


What plan did you make for the obstacles Joy presented?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Psalm 23 by Richard Jesse Watson Book Review

Bestselling Illustrator Richard Jesse Watson Delivers Another Beautiful Rendering of a Beloved Bible Verse

My review: Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved Psalms and this version is perfect for children.  The illustrations are bold, beautiful and completely capture the strength of these verses.  As you read this to your child you will have plenty of opportunity to talk about the pictures and the meanings of the words as only one phrase is written on each page.  And be sure to use this as a tool to help your child memorize a Psalm that will bring hope, comfort and embrace your child in God's protection throughout their life.


Two years after his 2011 collaboration with Rick Warren on The Lord’s Prayer, artist Richard Jesse Watson returns with another breathtaking illumination of important scripture for children.

In PSALM 23 (Zonderkidz; $15.99; February 2013),Watson excites and inspires young readers with bold ilustrations that highlight King David’s beloved words from the Bible:

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters…

The soothing and familiar words of the iconic scripture of Psalm 23 have been paired with the vibrant and child-friendly illustrations of Richard Jesse Watson, resulting in a picture book that is as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the soul. Using KJV text, this book helps familiarize children with real biblical text while also incorporating gorgeous illustrations that help make the words of David come alive for even the youngest reader.

It’s not always easy to teach children the powerful messages from the bible. That’s why PSALM 23 is the perfect tool for Sunday school teachers and parents. It brings the scripture alive in a way that children can relate to and cherish.  

Watch a video featuring young children reciting Psalm 23: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgBusCOBN7c&feature=share&list=PL88C6294EBFC555EA

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ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Richard Jesse Watson has contributed to children’s literature for nearly three decades. His 2006 book The Night Before Christmas is a New York Times bestseller. Watson earned a Golden Kite Award for his 1993 picture book Tom Thumb, and teamed with renowned spiritual leader Rick Warren on The Lord’s Prayer in 2011. He and his wife live in Port Townsend, Washington.

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Zonderkidz™, a division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it produces bestselling and award-winning Bibles, books, board books, graphic novels, audio, video and digital products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 16 and the people who love them, from family members to educators. Zonderkidz is the publisher of the NIrV (New International Reader’s Version) Bible translation, the 3^rd-grade reading level edition of the NIV that is ideal for children and those who speak English as a second language. Visit Zonderkidz on the Internet at www.zonderkidz.com.