Faith and Freedom Trilogy by Douglas Bond

I have procrastinated on writing about these books but wanted to get them down. The kids enjoyed us reading the Faith and Freedom Trilogy which consists of the books Guns of Thunder, Guns of the Lion, and Guns of Providence. All these were written by Douglas Bond. These books are really written for boys and I thought I remember reading somewhere they are geared to boys 9-12. Who knows maybe I remember wrong!

My mind is lazy these days and Babe told me today I am officially crazy. Of course, he said this in the sweetest possible way. :-) I know what he means and he's right my mind these days is mush and I have hard time remembering ANYTHING. "The girls" as I call them these days (another words the twins) seem to suck the brain power right out of me. If I don't have something written in my day timer that is not a good thing!!

Ok, I wrote previously about Bond's trilogy that took place in Scotland. The name of the trilogy is not coming to me. Anyway, we loved every single one of of those books!! They could be a bit grotesque but filled with excellent thought and values. We really enjoyed that series. 

This trilogy was toned down in the gorry type details and takes place in America.

Guns of Thunder we really enjoyed.
Guns of the Lion honestly we were a little bored with. It was written in a different way and I would say we anticipated being done.
Guns of Providence we LOVED!!! Bond seemed to be back to his normal interesting and inspirational writing. I wanted to put an excerpt from this book here. A friend of mine was interested so I sent this excerpt to her. Most of the book is not this high brow in the writing but what EXCELLENT talking points with the kids!!

Pages 106-109  in the book Guns of Providence by Douglas Bond

One frigid day late in January 1776, huddled against  the cold, I turned to an essay penned by George Washington's favorite  author, Joseph Addison. What I read therein was as though written directly to my tentative mind, as though Mr. Addison had been handed to me by my father.

    "Having endeavored on my last paper to show the great excellency of faith," wrote Addison, "I shall here consider what are the proper means of strengthening and confirming it in the mind of man . . . . The first rule, therefore, which I shall lay down is this, that when by reading or discourse we find ourselves thoroughly convinced of the truth of a basic doctrine, and of the reasonableness of our belief in ti , we should never after suffer ourselves to call it into question."

    My first impression of these his words was that of a critic. I was now all of sixteen years and fully able to think for myself, so I imagined. I thought this first method of his a veritable call to halting all speculation, all intellectual investigation of ideas, and I was tempted to fling this essay aside without completing it.

    But as Providence would have it, I did no such thing. "It is in this manner that the mathematician proceeds upon propositions which he has once demonstrated," continued Addison, "and though the demonstration may have slipped out of his memory, he builds upon the truth because he know it was demonstrated." This gave me immediate pause. It as humorous to picture a mathematician returning to the proof of rudimentary axioms with each computation. To the disarming reasonableness of his logic, I had no answer.
   
    Addison then proceeded to his second method of confirming and strengthening faith. He urged on doubting minds, such as I had allowed mine to become, "that they should lay up in their memories and always keep by them in a readiness those arguments which appear to them of the greatest strength and which cannot be got over by all the doubts and cavils of infidelity."

    "Will you not read your Joe Addison aloud, Sandy?" asked Salem, between blowing on a spark he had made with his flint, trying to coax the tiny red glow into lighting a small mound of twigs he'd scavenged for a fire.  I briefly explained what I'd read so far and continued.

    "In the third place, there is nothing which strengthens faith more than morality. Faith and morality naturally produce each other. A man is more quickly convinced of the truth of religion who finds it is not against his interest that is should be true . . . . Faith is kept alive in us and gathers strength from practice more than from speculation."

    Salem grinned at this. "Reminds me of another proverbial observation I once heard. 'Many have quarreled about religion that never practiced it,' so it goes. Maybe that's a wee bit of what Joe Addison is driving at. Mere speculating about what the Good Book teaches, Sandy, is of little use to your soul. Read on, then."

    I proceeded to Addison's fourth method fro strengthening and confirming faith: "more persuasive than any of the former, and that is an habitual adoration of the Supreme Being, as well in constant acts of mental worship as in outward forms."

    Salem looked up from his blowing at the little fire.  "Have you been cultivating such holy habits, Sandy?" he asked. Salem could be uncommonly blunt at times. "By 'mental worship,' I'm a-thinking Joe Addison is working at saying what the psalmist said so much better, 'a-gazing on the beauty of the Lord.' Have you been dazzling yourself, Sandy, with gazing thus on the loveliness of Christ? Think on it, man," he said, returning to his puffing. "Read on, then."

    "The devout man," I read, "does not only believe but feels there is a Deity. He has actual sensations of him; his experience concurs with his reason; he sees him more and more in all his dealings with him, and even in this life almost loses his faith in conviction."

    I halted. "'Loses his faith?'" I said. "I thought this essay was about strengthening and confirming faith."

    "Aye, but it is, Sandy," said Salem. "Don't you see it? Faith is believing without seeing the evidence. And conviction, as Joe here uses the term, I'm a-thinking means believing something with evidence."

    I had o muse on this one. But at last Addison's meaning, or was it Salem's, started to take form in my mind. "So is he saying that faith so strengthened by habitual adoration of God grows so certain, sees and experiences the presence of God so veritably that it is no longer a believing without seeing? Is that what he's driving at?"

        "Aye, it is, indeed, Sandy," he replied. " And how I long to be consumed in such adoration of Christ. Don't you have the same longings, Sandy?"

    I agreed that there were times when I did.

    "And times when you don't," said Salem, nodding knowingly.

    "Aye," I said.

    "But there's some heat, lad," said Salem. "Like this wee fire here, there's a spark, and if there is, it is the Spirit graciously laying hold of you. Let's us hear how Joe finishes out," he said. "Read on."

    "The last method which I shall mention for the giving of life to a man's faith," I read, "is frequent retirement from the world, accompanied by religious meditation. Faith an devotion naturally grow in the mind of every reasonable man, who sees the impressions of divine power and wisdom in every object on which he casts his eye."

    Salem had a way about him of getting low and earnest, his eyes flashing with feeling, his voice calm and penetratiing. "You must hope in God, " he said, gripping my shoulders with his strong hands. "You must see the world, the war, the fighting, the killing, the good times and the bad, you must see all as from the hand of his loving providence."


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I took each of these points and discussed and explained them to the kids. Great thoughts!

New Year . . . New Books

 Carry On Mr. Bowditch

by Jean Lee Latham

This book I read to the kids and it took a few chapters to get into it but once into it it was AMAZING!!!!! We loved it!!!! It is the true story of Nathaniel Bowditch and his life from childhood into adulthood. Life wasn't smooth sailing for Nathaniel but this story tells of this young man's character, perserverence, and generosity of sharing the gift he had been given to change others lives. SOOOO GOOD and a must read!!!! Amongst the hardship it has GREAT humor!! Nat (as the book refers to him) is an incredibly gifted boy and with that comes blessings and challenges. Here is an excerpt from the book:

"How do you want to surprise your father?" 
"With a present. He always brings me something." Elizabeth's eyes danced. "This time I want to give him a present. Something he can use."
"Hmmm. How much can you pay for it?"
"Oh, that doesn't matter. Mother said I could get anything I wanted to."
Nat studied. "Parallel rulers might be nice."
"Do you suppose Father has them already?"
Nat exploded. "Of course! What sort of sailing master do you think he is?" Then he apologized quickly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bark at you."
"I know. I'm just like a chair you stumble over in the dark," Elizabeth said. "It isn't the chair's fault, but you kick it anyhow."
Nat blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"Your brain. It's too fast. So you stumble on other people's dumbness. And-you want to kick something."
Nat felt his face get hot. "But I shouldn't."
Elizabeth agreed. "No, you shouldn't, because even if people are dumb, they aren't chairs, are they? They do have feelings."
"Lizza, was right," Nat said. "You have eyes in the back of your heart."
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Wow, pointed words and good ones at that!

My FAVORITE humorous part I will not type all out but if you read the book the kids and I got a BIG kick when Lupe came one night to ask Nat to teach him navigation. It is just so funny and so great!!


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The book Natheniel Bowditch wrote, The American Practical Navigator, it said at the beginning of the book is still "a standard text in the U.S. Naval Academy." This book was published awhile back so I don't know if that is still true but still amazing. Nat never went to a day of college in his life! Again, Amazing!


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I'd Be Your Hero

A Tale of Godly Character

by Katheryn O'Brien

Some people might be critical of this book but I thought it was cute. I know in today's world that the word "hero" is to easily used but I think for Mommies with little boys all into going into being heroic this has good thoughts. It is about a little boy talking to his Mommy about how he imagines himself and his Mommy in medieval times and the grand things he will do. She always brings what he says back to a character trait and a Bible verse. The biggest bummer is the verses aren't in KJV but that is easily remedied. This book was perfect for my Carson. I wish I had thought of writing it!

Crown and Covenant Series

O.K., this is my favorite book series ever. The kids loved them, especially Gabriel!! These books were so amazing that I can not begin to do it justice with my words!! This series is written for 10-14 year old boys and was a historical fiction book about the Covenanters (Presbyterians) in Scotland during the 1600's. It was a period of history I had never heard of before. The Covenanters called it "the killing time". Well, I may have read about the Covenanter martyrs in The Story of Liberty and just not realized that is who they were talking about.

This book chronicles the story of the M'Kethe family and their sincerity and devotedness to King Jesus in a time when the king of England wanted loyalty to him and his pope-ish miserable men that he put in the pulpit. The price of loyalty to King Jesus was torture and death and the book did not shy away from the description of torture and death. Yep, another heart wrenching book!!! but so good. I never cried until the second to the last chapter in the last book and I lost it. There is so much good to say about these books. The Scripture used throughout, the beautiful Psalms, the great family example, the always looking to Scripture for the answers. Beautiful. Rebel's Keep is the end of this series but it paves the way for the next series which they all come to America to escape the persecution . . . Good thing, we will be bummed when these books are done. These books really are for boys . . . or girls that have grown up around boys and have a stiffer inside.

Excerpt: "How to honor the king-and honor the King of kings all at the same go. Figure that out and ye have what Holy Scripture calls sanctification-holiness, without which no man shall see the King in all his glory and splendor on the Great Day. But, God be praised, we aren't left to figure it out on our own. We have the Word of God and we have the Spirit of God showing us the way of holiness. But donnae let's go expecting that the way to glory will be trod without suffering, without our being beset on every side by God's enemies." From where Angus's father sat at the trestle table, candlelight now flickered and cast his broad shadow behind him against the stones of the wall. A hush had come over the room, and only Angus's mother continued her knitting, slower now than before. Sandy M'Kethe [the father] reached for his big Bible as he continued. "If our Lord and Redeemer, the author of our salvation, was made perfect through suffering, who are we to go around all surprised at our sufferings. Ours are ordained by a loving heavenly Father that we might learn perseverance, that we might learn to lay our troubles at the all-capable feet of one who promises to bear them all for us."


The only pause in these books was in the first book on page 158 and there speaking on the election of man. It is a bit Calvanistic but that whole topic of election is hard for my mind to grasp it just sounded a bit extreme to me. Other than that the books were great.  Again, they were really graphic and that is NOT an exaggeration of any sort but so packed full of wonderful examples and principles.

Buried Alive For Christ--Kendrick

When I was growing up my dad used to tell the story "Buried Alive For Christ" to camp children and he did an amazing job of it. It is a gripping true story of great faith in Christ. I wish my kids could have seen him tell it. I decided to get the book to read to them.

The first quarter of the book tells this main story and others that go along with it. I'll be forth right . . . it was hard for me to get through. It is incredibly hard to read but yet so faith building. The rest of the book eases up and has stories dealing with answers to prayer on the mission field and faithfulness of Christ to the missionaries of Africa, and the souls won. All the stories are true from Baptist African missions. It is a great book just a bit gut renching. Hard to read without emotions swelling inside!! What Faith and Love for our Lord these martyrs had. They were truly sold out to Christ.

Indian Captive--Lois Lenski

Indian Captive written by Lois Lenski was a Newberry Honor book. I read this story to the kids. It is the story of Mary Jemison who really was captured by the Seneca Indians in 1758 while the rest of her family, one being a baby, was murdered except the 2 oldest boys who ran away.. She has been referred to as the "White Woman of Genesee."

 I must say this book was a disappointment. I realize that both the white men and the indians did wrongs against each other but this book chose to favor the indians in a BIG way and offer explanations for just about all their imperfections while making every white man in the book to be an idiot, coward, or full of himself. On the bright side the girl was ready to forgive and forget but unfortunately it wasn't so much a forgiveness of wrong doing of what was done to her family but a decision to embrace the pagan culture. The book was a good illustration of what happens when children grow up in a "religious" household but never have a personal relationship with their Saviour.

Heart of the Wilderness

When I think of authors whose books I like to read to my children Janette Oke is not one that comes to my mind. My mom read a Janette Oke book called Heart of the Wilderness and she thought it would be a book the kids would enjoy and she was right! Not only was it interesting but brought up and taught some good lessons. I was very happy I read it to the kids!

Here's what the back of the book says . . . "Orphaned at a young age, Kendra Marty comes into the care of her only living relative, her grandfather. A trapper who lives alone in the backwoods, George McMannus doesn't know what he can offer Kendra, but one look into her green eyes and he is certain they belong together."

"Papa Mac, as Kendra calls him, teaches her how to survive among the mountains and trees and rivers, but he knows his granddaughter needs and education he can't provide. What will become of Kendra when she leaves the only home she can remember to enter a scary and confusing world far from the wilderness she loves?"

No, I won't rush out to read more Janette Oke books to the kids but this one was a great read with great lessons throughout it. My Mom picked a good one and I'm glad she sent it to us!

More Books

The Ministry of Motherhood-by Sally Clarkson (a personal read)

It took me longer to read this book than it should have. It is an easy read and not terribly long. In fact, the author set it up for mothers with small amounts of time but I found myself struggling at times to pick it up and be challenged :-) but whenever I did pick it up I was actually blessed and encouraged. The whole book is great but I especially enjoyed the second half of the book myself. Her chapter on "Training children to Think" was SUPER!! Her example to her daughter about a bird and how it pertains to our thoughts was BRILLIANT. I have already shared it with the kids and referred to it at times. Something I can use myself too! Another chapter was on "A Model for Service". Let me quote some sections . . . "Now, the disciples realized, he was calling them on this mission of compassion, this service of mercy and love. This is what he had meant when he first called them to be fishers of men. Their mission was not to set up kingdoms of power on this earth BUT TO LIVE OUT THE REDEMPTIVE KINDNESS OF GOD IN SERVICE TO THE NEEDY AND THE DOWNTRODDEN (emphasis mine). This service of love is what would turn the world upside down." Another exerpt "Giving our children the gift of service is not really a matter of teaching them what to do. It's more a matter of helping them look at other people through Jesus' eyes and respond as he did. It really is that simple--though it's not often easy." She discusses how she handled the pain that came from the hurt of other Christians in their families life. People that misunderstood them as a family, etc. Very interesting and encouraging! Their family called them IRP (Irrational People) and taught the kids that people may try to "hurt you or even seek to tear you down but part of our responsibility to love them . . ."
Anyway, it was a good book with good challenges as a mother on how to impart a Christ centered thinking in my children's hearts. Loved the verse she put in one chapter:
Daniel 11: 32b
"but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits (their going to "take action").

The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt by Day-by Scott O'Dell
I was NOT familiar with this book when I picked it off our bookshelf. I believe it was a recommended reading by a children's history through literature program. I wish I could remember what grade level it was recommended for. It was a bit hard to follow at some points and had some words I was clueless too. Slowly Ross and then Annalina got disinterested but Gabriel and I were hooked at what would happen next. I was shocked to see that Scott O'Dell (non Christian) wrote this historical fiction book about the time of Tyndale and the smuggling of Bibles. I believe just about all the characters in the story are true except two. I was curious how a non-Christian would handle the story but I was pleasantly surprised at how he portrayed Tyndale's life with passion for God's Word and compassion for people. It was simply stated but beautiful. Of course, Tyndale is burned at the end but his life and work lived on through his translation of the Bible into the common man and through his investment into the lives of others. The book takes awhile to get going and catch your interest but it ended up being great. Definitely for upper elementary kids and higher.

How God Stopped the Pirates--by Joel R. Beeke and Diana Kleyn
This devotional book I was skeptical about but we are 2 devotionals away from having it done and I have been super impressed! I want to buy more in the series (The Building on the Rock Series)! Each devotional takes a true story in history (challenging to Christian faith) and ends with pertinent questions and Scripture passages that are wonderfully picked and cause great discussions! I felt like it was hard picking a devotional that fit the age rage of my kids but everyone loves a good story and the Scripture is not an after thought but the clincher of it all! I did not feel like it was watered down storytelling at all. Also, it had stories of missionaries in countries I had never heard missionary stories from. Love this book.

Corrie Ten Boom

I recently finished reading Corrie Ten Boom Heroine of Haarlem by Sam Wellman to the kids. This was a great book. There was just a few things they put in the story near the beginning that I considered unnecessary and inappropriate but once past those . . . what a story! I was impressed with the parenting of the Ten Boom seniors who raised Corrie and her siblings with such a strong faith and strong love for others! Corrie's sister Betsie was just a rock of faith.

This book also brought up Christian ethics questions. Gabriel called different relatives about
"What do you think about lying during time of war?" He got mixed answers and good things to think about. Within the Ten Boom family there was disagreement as to if lying to the Nazis was correct or not.

The Ten Boom's whole hearted dependance on God and His Word was moving. The kids will eventually read The Hiding Place. I don't have it in our library yet.

Jonathan Parks Study Guide-The Adventure Begins Volume 1

I had 2 friends introduce me to the Jonathan Parks CD series (thank you H. F. and K. A.). The kids have really enjoyed listening to the adventures and learning more on the creation vs. evolution debate. I have been surprised at the depth of these Cd's. You think of stuff like this as being for younger kids but really adults are going to learn listening to these! I still really like ICR material but after that foundation I think Vision Forum does an even better job of giving a lot of substantive information in defending a creation stance.

Anyway, I met a lady since moving here that told me and loaned me the first Jonathan Parks study guide book that goes along with the first CD. We just finished the book and have taken our time going through it. SOOOOO much information. Some of this stuff is DEEP (at least for me and my NONE scientific mind!) and honestly is probably better for 3rd graders on up. (Cd's could go younger. Ross enjoys listening to them and he's 5) I had a hard time wrapping my head around Fibonacci numbers but I got the jist of what it meant! We learned the difference between Micro vs. Macro evolution and reasons evolution does NOT make logical/scientific sense or have credibility. I plan on buying the next study guide and reading that also to the kids. I learned a lot and it cements and deepens the kids understanding of what they are hearing in the CD's. Love this book.

Recent Kids Books

This month we reread books I believe we read last January! They are some of our favorites and are so good in character building. We read again The Giant Killer. Written in the 1800's is the story of a pastor's family and how they are trained so well but their mom sees something missing and when they bring in some kids that have not had their training they have to face their giants in themselves. I think this book is a must read for every Christian homeschooling family. It is convicting!! Gabriel when we were done reading it reread it again on his own and is trying to fight the good fight and showering "enemies" or annoyances with benefits. He asked to talk with me this morning and told me how he had thrown benefits and it worked. That is very tough as we as adults know. Annalina told me her giant is emotion (that's one of her mom's is too!:-) and she battled it this morning. We are trying to fight the good fight.

The other book we read was Teddy's Button which is probably in the top 2 of my favorite children's books! This passionate little boy enlists in God's army and starts to fight his greatest enemy which he learns is himself. This book will make you laugh out loud and cry. Just LOVE this book!

The Light and the Glory

A few weeks ago I finished the book (for my own personal reading) The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel. Aside from the Bible of course this was the next most influential book I have read. It is telling and documenting the Christian roots of America. So much was said about George Washington and I won't even get to him. He was truly an amazing person.

I am not good at thinking through and putting words together right now but if I was to sum up this book I would say stressed the importance of keeping a short account with God and next "enduring hardness as a good soldier of Christ."

I have asked God to help me grow this year. Last year was EXTREMELY tough on just about every level one could imagine and I want to live this year closer to my Lord than the last . . . greater faith and greater love being my main focuses.


Quotes:
George Washington said: "To the distinguished character of a Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of a Christian."--Love this quote for my boys especially

Abigail Adams in a letter to her husband: "I feel no anxiety at the large armament designed against us. The remarkable interpositions of heaven in our favor cannot be too gratefully acknowledged. He who fed the Israelites in the wilderness, who clothes the lilies of the field and who feeds the young ravens when thy cry, will not forsake a people engaged in so righteous a cause, if we remember His loving kindness." What faith!!

Samuel West preached in Boston: "Our cause is so just and good that nothing can prevent our success but only our sins. Could I see a spirit of repentance and reformation prevail throughout the land, I should not have the least apprehension or fear of being brought under the iron rod of slavery, even though all the powers of the globe were combined against us. And though I confess that the irreligion and profaneness which are so common among us gives something of a damp to my spirits, yet I cannot help hoping, and even believing, that Providence has designed this continent for to be the asylum of liberty and true religion."

"Because the way to deepening in Christ is the Way of the Cross: the way of self-denial--of unconditional surrender of one's own will to God's will, and of true covenant commitment to one another." This is the Way to which He has called all serious Christians ("If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me"-Luke 9:23)

"In our hearts, we also know that God has called us Christians to a horizontal as well as vertical covenant. But the cost--of turning from our independent ways, of being willing to hear God speak to us through the lips of others, of coming into the light by exposing the hidden sins of attitude or thought, of humbling ourselves by admitting where we are wrong-is more than most of us care to pay."

Does this quote describe much of America today or what?
"But to an agnostic, who has no Redeemer, no Saviour, no Comforter, no source of grace or forgiveness or Providential intervention, the concept of the utter depravity of man is so depressing that he has to believe in the basic goodness of man--or go into despair. Such a man simply blinds himself to the bankruptcy of his philosophy, and goes through life carefully avoiding a head-on confrontation with reality, all the while affirming the nobility of "the brotherhood of man."

"But the intellect is on of Satan's prime harvesting grounds for reaping the fruit of pride, and without the strong check and balance of an awareness of the danger of self-righteousness, it can soon become an instrument for the glorification of self, not God."

". . . it became rather naive and even a trifle primitive to think of God in such intensely intimate and personal terms as had been the case in first-century Christianity."

Recently Read Books

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell was a book we all enjoyed. It is about a girl that gets stranded on an island off the coast of California. She and her people lived there and then they were viciously attacked and many were killed. As she and her people are leaving the island to escape she sees her brother has been left behind and so she jumps into the sea to be with him. He dies of a wild dog attack within 24 hours of the being on the island alone. She is already aware of how to live off the land which helps her a lot! But it is interesting to read the story about how she lived on the island about 8 years until she was taken off. The kids loved her story of survival. Obviously she has no knowledge of the Living God but the book doesn't go on and on about her beliefs or lack thereof it really concentrates on what she did more than her thought processing. It does show in one part of the book that the beliefs she had grown up with were false and for a short while she struggles as to if she would make weapons since she had been told that women can not build weapons because they will fail in time of need, etc. This book was, from what I understand, based on a true story.

We really loved this book (George Mueller by Janet and Geoff Benge--a YWAM book on Heroes of the Faith) and were surprised by it! The kids and I were surprised by Muller's early years as a rebel and godlessness which is not what we pictured of him! But God did a miraculous work in his life and his life is clearly a picture of what God can do with one of His children when they completely surrender to Him. This book brought be to tears. It was so moving and challenging. The kids loved it for sure. Thanks K for the recommendation.

Our pastor at church on Wednesday nights has been studying the Names of God. Gabriel had really been enjoying it and I told my parents. They had purchased some books and when they heard Gabriel's interest in the study of God's names they said we'll send them to you then! This first book Names of our Father by Yvonne Riley was really good. It gives a name like "Abba" then describes it's meaning in many short phrases then gives about a paragraph on how to think about and how that name applies to your life as a Christian. We read one a day before devotions since they are so short and we went through the book twice. The illustrations are VERY VERY childish and look like they are meant for preschoolers. I do think this book is easily understood by small children but a lot to glean for older children as they learn the names of Christ and how those names apply to them. The second book is slightly different and we are still going through it. I liked this book and what it taught. I would quiz the kids over previously learned names and meanings.

My parents also gave us this book Passport to the World by Craig Froman. This book takes you through many countries of the world and tells you small amounts about the country and shows some pictures of the people or items of interest. A cool feature is it has a passport with stickers from each country that you "visit" to put in your passport. This book the kids enjoyed more than I did. I did not like the way it was written. I thought they put unnecessary info into it while leaving info that I thought kids might really enjoy about the countries out. That said the kids enjoyed it anyway, right? One thing I did really like was they tell you how to say different words from each of the countries and we all really enjoyed that. The book is valuable in introducing many different cultures. Our prayer devotional book that I blogged about awhile back said to be praying for other countries and if you didn't know a whole lot about them to get a book. Well, we got a good tour through the world. I can't say we have been praying for specific countries but we do at times pray for the persecuted Christians because we read Voice of the Martyrs publication. I want the kids to be aware of the price other Christians pay for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Another book from my parents. Gladys Alyward by Janet and Geoff Benge. One of the many books put out by YWAM (Youth With A Mission) This book is PACKED FULL OF ADVENTURE. All I can say is this women is absolutely amazing in her faith! Again the end of this book brought be to tears! Gladys was a missionary to China. She was flunking out of her Bible classes and dismissed from missionary school. She toiled and worked and researched and after an amazingly courageous journey to China she meets this grumpy missionary that she thought would be so excited to have her come to help but instead is well just grumpy! But they do indeed minister along side each other. I just can not begin to tell the adventure and faith described in this book. I am not a good writer and could not do it justice! There is no such thing as a boring chapter! Christ is so evident in her walk through life and she endures so much. You must read about her coming back home to England and what happens on the train station platform. She eventually does go back to minister to post war China. Her story of being what seemed to be an average person with no obvious talent who struggled in school but with Christ in her life she became extraordinary. I love it.

Jeremiah 17:5-8

⁵Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

⁶For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

⁷Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

⁸For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Lord, Teach Me To Pray for kids-by Kay Arthur and Janna Arndt

For weeks now the kids and I have been working through the above devotional. It has been SOOOOO good and we are days away from being finished in this study. For fun it likens you as being a special forces soldier and each day is a mission or training. A few days ago we studied the above verses in Jeremiah 17:5-8 (this training was about receiving the supplies we need from our Commander in Chief -God our Father-)and this study proved to be a great reminder and lesson of the difference in a life between those that live a life of faith dependent on God and those that rely on human strength. It touched my heart and convicted me. When we got done Gabriel said "That was good!" The lesson challenged us at the end by asking . . .

"Are you anxious in hard times (times of heat)? Or are you resting because you know that the heat can't destroy you because you are rooted by a stream and God will meet your needs? . . . How dependent are you on God? Have you sent your requisition (inquiry) to the Commander in Chief asking for the supplies for your mission? Communicate with Him and ask Him so supply your needs from his riches . . . (Lord Teach Me To Pray for kids-by Kay Arthur and Janna Arndt)

One last Bible Verse

II Corinthians 1:20:

"For all the promises of God IN HIM are yea, and IN HIM Amen, unto the glory of God by us." [emphasis mine obviously:-)]

Thrilling Western Stories Devotional

My parents gave us this devotional book by Dr. Bill Rice. He tells a story and then makes an application at the end. I was skeptical when I first started reading it. He was an evangelist and writing was obviously not his gift (as it is not mine! :) . . . anyway as we got into it the kids really enjoyed it especially Gabriel and Annalina. Ross did find them long towards the end. One day we even read 2. There were a number of things that I appreciated about this book . . . One, he had some very challenging applications (a fair amount were on salvation but there where other challenges too for those already children of God). Second, it showed the kids a time in history and a way of life they are not familiar with. Childhood was MUCH different then as was his way of life. When he was a YOUNG boy they would go off camping out in the wild with his friend on their own. He talks about saving up for his first gun and going out shooting with just his brother. He does have pretty neat stories. I did skip one devotional as it seemed pretty heavy for the kids but really over all we enjoyed the book. I may have the boys read this one their own sometime later down the road. He does an excellent job of encouraging to be a Christian set apart for God and not getting entangled in the snares of the world. I was really thankful to have read this.

Recently Finished Books

This book was so SUPER! It started out slowly and I knew it was a stretch for Ross but I was banking on the excitement kicking in later and that was so true. This is definitely a missions book and the whole focus is on reaching people for Christ. Jim Elliot was a man sold out to serving his Savior. He and his wife worked as a team on the mission field. In fact, it was fun to read of the wives of these men that died. These wives were extraordinary. They had the same strength of faith as their husbands.

The kids were THRILLED to listen to how they reached out to the Auca Indians through gift drops and loud speakers. They LOVED it. We were all very sober to read of their deaths. Ross was sitting right next to me in a chair and he whispered in my ear at the end "I think I will see him in heaven." The story touched little Rossers and us all. Ross didn't say think as in "I wonder if" but as in "I'll get to see him up in heaven though". It was SOOO sweet and Ross's response touched me. His response was this makes me sad but I am going to encourage myself that I will get to see him someday in heaven.

This was a good book and had the kids attention from the beginning! David Livingstone was a man strong in faith and unwavering in his devotion to God and Africa. The kids really enjoyed the story of his life but they were NOT impressed with his fathering skills. He had children but he did not raise them. They were sent to Scotland to live for the most part and some of them hardly knew him. Ross noted that his daddy left but not for that long! That being said he and his wife, despite living apart for MANY MANY years were very much in love and devoted to each other. The death of his wife really drained some of the life out of him.

A little disappointment in the book was it started off with the importance of missions and turned into the story of his explorations. Gabriel wondered what happened to telling people about Jesus. I had thought the same thing. I didn't know enough about his life to know if the book just expected us to assume that teaching was going on during those years or if he switched gears more toward exploration? I don't know but it was a good book. He was a determined man with much faith.

Little Known Tales of California was a book that started out MUCH more interesting than it ended. By the end of the book I think we were all ready to be done with it. There was some stories that were interesting like The Lost Spanish Galleon, Pegleg Smith's Spanish Gold Mine, The California Presidios, The Rocking Stone, etc. If I read this in the future to Carson I would pick out only certain chapters that are worth the time reading. Not a whole lot of good examples in this book. There where a lot of money worshiping lawless people.

It's been a little while since the kids and I finished book 2 of Proverbs People. It is nice to be able to go through Proverbs according to topic. This book is basic and really just catagorizes the verses for you and asks usually one question per verse. It is simply done but is helpful.

Mission Possible--Charles Swindol

As we looked toward Easter this year we used the pamphlet Mission Possible (A 40-Day Adventure with Jesus) to prepare. Each day it just gave a short passage of Scripture to read and then after you read the Scripture it would restate and paraphrase what you had just read in the Bible getting them to focus in on a particular aspect. The reason of the pamphlet is just to focus in on Jesus on the 40 days leading up to Easter. It really isn't teaching but just focusing and reading the Biblical account of what happened leading up to, during, and after Christ's crucifiction. Gabriel was really touched with the reading of what Christ endured before and while on the cross which was great. I liked how it helped us ponder Christ's death and resurrection and give them more of a focus than just the one day.

While Annalina and I were in Colorado my sister-in-law showed me an idea for children in preparation for Easter (pictures above) and I just loved it! The kids did too! You take a disposable pan and fill with sand. Take a toilet paper tube and cover with sand except for one side for the tomb. Find a rock to cover the entrance and then make a stick cross and decorate with grass and flowers. Helps to make the sand damp to hold things better. The kids LOVED this and were excited to move the stones away on Easter. Thanks Theo for sharing the great idea you found!

Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends

I don't even want to attempt to explain this book. I am not a talented writer and this book was just amazing. Not only was it imformative, thought provoking, and packed with Scripture it was also FUNNY and just a whole lot of fun. The kids really enjoyed it. It definitely impacted their minds and hearts. I still miss reading this book to the kids. We would just read a few pages after devotions and it took us a few months. It will be read again! This book is for all ages probably 4 and up! LOVE IT!

It is written by 3 siblings . . . 2 girls and one boy. They were gifted by God for this task! They are honest and fun!

The Secret Garden

"Two things cannot be in one place. Where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow." --one of my favorite quotes from the book

Of course, this is a classic and well known book. We LOVED it! The kids would ask me to read more! We throughly enjoyed and looked forward to reading this book at lunch time!

Quotes from the book:

"If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden."
— Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden)

"Two things cannot be in one place. Where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow."

— Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden)

"To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind is as dangerous as letting a scarlet fever germ get into your body. If you let it stay there after it has got in, you may never get over it as long as you live."
— Frances Hodgson Burnett

"It made her think that it was curious how much nicer a person looked when he smiled. She had not thought of it before."
— Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden)

"Much more surprising things can happen to anyone who, when a disagreeable or discouraged thought comes into his mind, just has the sense to remember in time and push it out by putting in an agreeable, determinedly courageous one. Two things cannot be in one place."
— Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden)

"At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done--then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago."
— Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden)

The Bird's Nest and The White Dove

This book for some weird reason I was skeptical as to if I would like it or not which is weird considering Lamplighter Books are SOOO good! Well, my "feelings" were very wrong. What an start to the story I thought of Gabriel and even Gabriel realized that it sound like something he would say because he loves to talk war and battles with his Daddy! I've seen them as I am shopping in Costco in another world as we walk because they are into history and lost to the present world! Anyway, here's an excerpt . . .

One day the father walked with them [his 2 sons] into the woods. It was spring time, and the trees were full of blossom. Here and there a flower lifted its head in the sunshine, and here and there a primrose was peeping from the hedge, and from a branch or thicket might now and then be heard the chirping of the birds. The father showed the children a bird's nest, told them how curiously and carefully it had been built, and interested them about the love the parent birds have for their young, bidding them watch how five tender young things which lay in the neat little nest were fed and nourished by the old ones. The children were very much delighted, and still more so when their father, sitting down on a green mossy bank, beneath the wide-spreading arms of a stately oak, said he would tell them a story.

"Oh do, papa, " said both the children together, "we will sit down here upon the grass. We do love your stories so."

"Yes, my children," he answered, "and glad am I to have such willing listeners.

What shall it be?"

"Tell me about the wars," said one, "tell how brave the soldiers looked, and how gallantly they all behaved; tell us about sieges, and battles, and victories, some good old story of the fighting days gone by." . . . . . "but I love to hear about heroes and conquests, and you don't find heroes among green fields and sheep-walks."

"Are you sure of that?" asked their father. "But Papa is it not a gallant thing to lead an army, to ride upon a grand white horse, as our prince does, and with a long sword by our side, and a gay plume in your cap, ride out at the head of a strong army, to meet the enemies of fatherland? Is it not a gallant thing to lead on your men, and sword in hand to rout the foe? And is it not a pleasant thing to come back amid the blessings of all people, and to hear them telling the story of your courage and daring, and saying he is a true hero? I am sure you cannot doubt, dear papa, the value of all this."

"But my dear child, " the father answered," it is quite possible to be a hero, and to win a great victory, without a fine while horse, and feathered cap, and blade of steel. There are many heroes in the world who who will never wear a cross or star of some grand order, and yet have won more earnest battles than the bravest soldier in the field." What, papa, win a battle without a blow; be a hero without a struggle?"

"No, not without a struggle. What I mean is this, that to act and speak as we ought, is sometimes a greater struggle than to charge at the head of a troop, or command a field battery; and that he who fearlessly does right when there are greater temptations to do wrong, is as true a hero as any soldier that ever carried a sword." "I should like to hear of such a hero, papa."

And so comes the story that had my kids riveted as to how the boy in the story would respond to the difficult situation he found himself in.

Well, now for The White Dove. This book is quite short and is about a little girl that has a brave and vallant father and how this little girl shows love by giving up her most loved possession to a fatherless child and what happened because of that sacrifice. It is a story of self sacrifice, love, and humility. Great story and great lessons.

Dinosaurs of Eden-By Ken Ham

We are becoming a bit of Answers In Genesis junkies when it comes to learning about Creation Vrs. Evolution. The kids LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the DVD's they put out teaching them truth about the creation of the world and what false ideas they will come across in the world.

My parents gave us Dinosaurs of Eden. I thought this book was really good. The kids knew a fair amount of the dinosaur parts because Ken Ham is the President of Answers In Genesis and of course if you listen to their Dvd's then there will be material repeated. Also, in Gabriel's Sub Club Bible club he has been teaching his way through a creation dinosaur book with Annalina and Ross and probably twice while I was reading this book Annalina told me she learned that in Sub Club, which is great! I still thought it was an excellent book and an excellent review of important scripture. Even the review at the end of sin and it's consequences I thought was great.

Today we were in the car listening to Buddy Davis music (again from Answers in Genesis) and the song was about the teaching a child so they can defend their faith and not fall to untruth. Babe and I told Annalina that song was a reminder to myself and Daddy when we hear it to teach our kids about how to defend their faith whether it be about the creation of the world or the Bible. Annalina said "I don't think you need to worry about me or Gabriel about creation. I think evolution is dumb." I am thankful for that but the training will continue so she knows how to verbally and intelligently refute it. I know they are on their way to that due to the help of Answers in Genesis! I LOVE THEIR STUFF!