Take Root and Write

Review of Christmas Picture Books to Read Aloud

 "Read this one, please," Katie Beth's chubby hands held the book up to me. I adjusted Julianna who had finished nursing and was asleep on my lap. I opened the lovely Christmas picture book and began to read aloud. Katie Beth and I smiled at each other and the baby slept peacefully.

Fast forward 20 years. My baby is a grown up lady. Katie Beth and my third baby, Jenny Rose, are cuddled up on the couch reading Anne of Green Gables aloud. They have both read the book several times, but there is something wonderful about reading a good book together aloud.

This summer I went to visit my aunt with two of my daughters. The four of us enjoyed an Agatha Christie short story together. We took turns reading aloud. My aunt wrote me a note the next week about how much she had enjoyed that sweet time reading aloud together.

What is it about reading aloud that is so wonderful? Is it the story? Is it the sound of someone you love reading aloud? Or is it the sense of togetherness? There are several Christmas picture books out there. Which are the best for reading aloud?

Cranberry Christmas by Wende and Harry Devlin is a Christmas story set in Cranberry Port, New England where the winter is filled with snow, ice skating, and treats made with cranberries (like the cranberry cookie recipe on the back cover of the book). Meet Grandma and Maggie who help eccentric Mr. Whiskers prepare for a visit from his sister and fight to keep his property. A sweet Christmas tale and a great recipe! My children loved this book and there are great examples of kindness and friendship inside. Quaint pictures add to the delight of the book. I love the drawings of Mr. Whiskers!

One Wintry Night by Ruth Graham Bell shares the message of the Gospel. Lovely illustrations bring the story alive. Well, it is really two stories intertwined. We meet a mountain boy named Zeb who gets lost during a snowstorm. The kind lady, who takes him in and cares for him, tells him the story of Christmas, beginning with Creation. For two whole days while Zeb waits for the blizzard to end, he is immersed in the beautiful story of salvation. What a lovely book! This is a long one, though, and will require a long time to read it or two days of reading aloud.

Review of Visual Manna's Christmas Holiday Arts and Crafts

"I want to make a clothspin angel," Hannah chirped.

"Wait, let's make the folded stars. They look cool," Mark pleaded with his mom.

"I'd rather make the snowflakes," Brad said quietly. The whole family remembered last Christmas when the family room was filled with paper snowflakes of different colors, provided by Brad.

"We are going to make a different project every day for the month of December," Mom began, patiently. The four of them were leafing through their new E-book.

Visual Manna's Christmas Holiday Arts and Crafts by Rich and Sharon Jeffus is a treat for homeschooling families. Visual Manna has long been supplying art curriculum for home educators with a wide variety of art and crafts.

I received this book free when I attended the Ultimate Homeschool Fall Expo online conference. What a blessing the entire conference was with its focus on keeping Christ in Christmas and making the holidays stress-free.  Speaker after speaker challenged and equipped homeschooling families to keep Christmas Christ-centered.

Speaking of keeping Christmas Christ-centered, this e-book proved to be more than a little "thank you for coming" gift. Though the cover said Christmas in big letters, the book was filled with craft ideas for all the holidays from a Christian perspective.

In the introduction, celebrating Christmas with the arts is addressed. Art appreciation is a wide open field. There are many lovely paintings from different time periods, styles, and artists that display the nativity scene. Baby Jesus, his mother, Mary, and earthly father, Joseph, are depicted over and over in art. There is something so fragile and beautiful about the King of Glory laying aside His Splendor to become a man, a baby boy. Several paintings are mentioned, including The Nativity by Boticelli and The Presentation in the Temple by Rembrandt.

"God is Love" Valentine's Day - Family Style

"Mad 4 U," "Be Mine," "U Go Girl" are the sentiments found on little sugar candy hearts this year. Every year the sayings change a little to keep up with current ways we express kindness and affection. Over the years, "You Groove," "True Love," "Kiss Me," "Fax Me" and "Friends Forever" have been other ways to communicate affection for another. The words can change, but the heart intent remains the same. Valentine's Day is a day about expressing love!

A candlelight dinner, a long stem rose, or a box of your favorite chocolates often are the ideas that come to mind when we think about celebrating Valentine's Day. When my children were little, my husband and I didn't live close to any family, and we were leery of trusting our precious children to babysitters. Since a special romantic dinner would not be in our plans for many years to come, I was delighted learn a way to celebrate Valentine's Day with my children.

One of the ministries I did for my local church was to contact visitors and make them feel welcome. Over time and natural to my talkative personality I began going deeper and asked questions to get to know the visitor and to see if they had any prayer requests.

It is funny how we can speak to someone once but remember the details of the conversation for life. This is what happen when I spoke to a lady on the phone about how she celebrated Valentine's Day with her family. She turned the typical couple focused day to a day to celebrate God's love, and at the same time created a family tradition that she continues to this day.

Happy Thanksgiving

"Give thanks in all circumstances, or this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).

On behalf of all the Take Root and Write team, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. We pray all is well with you and those most precious to you.

Our Lord desires for us to give thanks in all circumstances, yet it's not easy to be thankful in all situations. Some situations are really painful. I know I've been in some painful situations as I'm sure all of you have been too. I recall times my heart ached so badly, with tears streaming down my face, in a very angry tone, screaming, "Lord, I trust You. And all I can be thankful for right now is my eternal salvation. That's all I have to look forward to at this moment."

Amazingly, something interesting happens. A release came. I do not know how to explain it, but to know that the Holy Spirit is at work. When we put our faith and trust in God by thanking Him for what we can, He works through our circumstances. I wish I could tell you He makes it all go away, but it doesn't disappear like magic. But my attitude toward the issue changed. My perspective changed. And my faith increased.

So no matter where life is at for you, we can have an attitude of gratitude for something. If all is well, be thankful. If life is tough right now, we can be thankful that Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit who guides us through these times. We can give thanks.

Today, our regularly scheduled columns published. Some of the topics released today are not so cheery, but are real issues of life. In Lucy's column, we are reminded to show the gospel to someone in need. Let's keep our eyes open today to see if we can share the love of Christ with someone. In Winter's post, she explains the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Lots of military service people may have more stress on this day than any other. If we are around military, let's show them our appreciation for their service and encourage them. In Lakeyshia's article, we can remember that sometimes it's better to say nothing rather than to murmur and complain. We can find ways to enjoy those God has placed in our lives and set aside hurts and differences.Today's wrap up comes from Meredith on Homeschooling High School. She shares testimonies of homeschooled high school students and home school grads giving thanks. You're sure to be blessed by reading the attitudes of gratitude from young people.

Again, on behalf of the Take Root and Write staff and team, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Celebrating Easter: Christ's Resurrection!

"Christ the Lord is Risen today!  Alleluia. Our triumphant holy day!  Alleluia.

Raise your joys and triumphs high!  Alleluia.Sing ye heavens and earth reply.  Alleluia."

(Christ the Lord is Risen Today by Charles Wesley)

Without the resurrection, there would be no Christianity! Jesus' death and resurrection are the foundation of our faith! Because Jesus died and rose again, we can face life and death with confidence and hope! Easter is a great reason to celebrate!

Easter is my favorite holiday. I love remembering that Heaven is my home because my Beloved Savior conquered death!  What a reason to rejoice! At Easter, I focus less on decorating (at Christmas, I go wild with decorating!) and more on drawing near to God. Yes, we have fun and feasting in our house, but we also set aside time to focus on each part of the Holy Week saga.

Would you like to celebrate Holy Week & Easter with me this year, using this time to draw closer to God? Simply set aside some time each day to read Scripture passages and pray. Adding hymns and songs will make it an even more special time for you and the Lord. You can also celebrate with you entire family!

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday (Matthew 21 & John 12) where Jesus is received with cheers and worship as He enters Jerusalem on a donkey. Your church service may include waving palm branches at the beginning or during the worship. In the church I grew up in, we had a processional around the church grounds singing "All Glory, Laud, and Honor" while we waved palm branches. In our home, we have a special time of singing Palm Sunday evening.  When the children were little, we included palm branches too. The day before Palm Sunday, Jesus was anointed for burial at Bethany by Mary, the sister of Lazarus. She poured a pint of expensive perfume on his feet and wiped it with her hair. Any of these Bible passages are great to read aloud or meditate on. You might celebrate Palm Sunday be giving one another foot rubs with sweet-smelling lotion in memory of how Jesus was worshiped by Mary. You don't have to celebrate Palm Sunday on Sunday, you can do it on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. The days are not important.  What is important is to focus on each aspect of the last week of Jesus' pre-resurrection life!

Celebrating St. Valentine's Day

 

The stores are filled with hearts, chocolate, and roses in every shade of pink and red imaginable.  As a lover of pink, chocolate and roses, this just may be my favorite time of year to shop!  It's St. Valentines Day!  Yes, St. Valentine's Day--I know that sounds a little odd to your ears.  When I was a little girl, that's what we called it.  But in recent years, as all holidays are secularized and materialized more and more, St. Valentine's Day became Valentine's Day. 

Who was St. Valentine and why do we celebrate love on the day we've set aside to remember him?  Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius.  He was know for his kindness and selfless love.  He was arrested for his faith and imprisoned, but managed to send and receive letters from his friends and fellow Christians. Emperor Claudius tried to convert him to Roman paganism to spare his life, but Valentine shared the Gospel with the emperor instead.  Before he was martyred for his faith in Jesus, he healed the eyes of his jailer's blind daughter.  

In the Late Middle Ages, when courtly love and romance became the rage throughout Europe, St. Valentine's Day became associated with love and romance. Both romantic love and Christian martyrdom are things to celebrate.  St.  Valentine stands in the "great cloud of witnesses," in Hebrews 12, cheering us on!  St. Valentine's Day can be celebrated in either direction, or both directions.  We can celebrate the romantic love we share with our sweethearts or we can remember those who have given their lives for the Gospel of Christ.

If we are celebrating St. Valentine's Day with our sweetie, there are many options.  He, of course, can buy us a dozen long-stemmed roses and a big box of Godiva chocolate.  We can go out to a lovely dinner and gaze into each other's eyes.  But, of course, those things cost money.  So, what are some inexpensive ways to celebrate the romance you share with your husband?  Here are some things Mike and I have done:

• Pack china, crystal goblets, a tasty lunch, and sparkling grape juice.  Go on a picnic in a pretty spot.  Bring a beautiful comforter to sit on and be careful with the china and crystal!

• Buy a package of Valentines for children.  Write little notes to your husband on each one and hide them throughout the house.  Make most easy to find, but hide some so that they won't be found until later!

• Make a CD of romantic songs and dance outside on the patio in the moonlight.

• Make a scrapbook of your relationship from its conception until now.  Look at it together. 

• Tell your children how you met, how your husband proposed, and other fun stories.  Your children will love this!

Celebrate the New Year with the Lord!

It is time to celebrate!  We celebrate because we are loved!  We celebrate because God is good!  We celebrate because we are safe in His love!  Let's celebrate with the Lord and His Word so that we can bring in the New Year with style!

Another year is over and a new one is about to begin.  The world has its way of celebrating this transition, but God has a better way!  No matter what has happened this past year, God has been faithful to you!  Even if you don't believe that right now...it's true!

If only we could see with spirit eyes the battle all around us.  Angels at war protecting our health, lives, loved ones, possessions, and honor.  We can only see what God allows to make us stronger in Him, not all that He keeps the enemy from inflicting.  I encourage you to enter 2009 with worship, prayer, and God's Word.  Why not gather together sometime this week with other believers who are serious about the things of God.  Seek His face together as the New Year begins.  The ball dropping in Times Square was not the highlight of our New Year's Eve celebration.  Worshiping Jesus was the center of our celebration!

Jesus is our Promise Keeper!  He has protected you this past year from untold tragedy, misfortune, and peril.  We look at all that has happened, but so often we don't think about what might have happened.  Maybe you lost your house this past year, a terrible thing, but you still have your family.  Maybe you lost a loved one this past year, but you are not here in this world alone.  Imagine the destruction that could have come your way that the Lord prevented.

Christmas Traditions

 

What fun to open stockings at Christmas!  There is something about putting your hand inside and wondering what you will touch. Enchantment and wonder seem to go along with Christmas.  What makes Christmas so special?  Often, what warms our hearts are the memories of Christmas traditions.

"At Christmas, we always...."

Mary remembers a favorite Christmas before her grandmother died.  The whole family gathered together and enjoyed warmth and laughter.  Her cousin sent a huge smoked salmon from Washington state.  Mary's Dad went out and bought all kinds of fresh seafood and they feasted on crabs, scallops, shrimp, and crab cakes.  To remember this special Christmas, Mary enjoys bagels and smoked salmon for breakfast every Christmas morning.  As she bites into the smoky fishy treat, she remembers her grandmother with joy and that pleasant Christmas Day so long ago.  It was the last Christmas they were all together.  Now, everyone has their own families and getting together at Christmas just doesn't seem to happen.

Barbara remembers baking cookies with her mother.  There were certain traditional cookies they baked year after year:  oatmeal lace, almond crescents, toffee bars, snickerdoodles, and cut-out gingerbread cookies.  The cut-out cookies were her favorite.  When they were finished, mother and daughter were covered with flour, even on their eyelashes.  It would take hours to clean up the kitchen together afterward.  Barbara made these same cookies with her son, Billy; now, she makes them with her grandchildren.

Shirley remembers new pajamas, opening them on Christmas Eve and wearing them to bed.  She found out later that her mother had an ulterior motive.  She wanted the children in clean, fresh pajamas for all those Christmas morning picture.  Now, that Shirley is a mom, she does the same for her children.  Two generations of lovely Christmas morning pictures.  If only they would brush their hair.

Christmas Traditions: The Traveling Dinner

 "...We just travel somewhere on Christmas Eve.  I roast a turkey or chicken.  We eat finger foods..." my new friend, Laura paused for a breath.

"What a beautiful way to remember Christmas Eve with Mary and Joseph traveling so far.  I love your family tradition."  I clasped my hands together joyfully.  In my imagination our whole family was traveling to Bethlehem...on donkeys. 

"Well, you could join us this year," Laura invited, "We could meet...."

I rushed home to tell the family about our brand new Christmas tradition.  I even looked in the Yellow Pages for donkey rentals.  This was the year of our Lord Two Thousand and people still used land lines and the Yellow Pages!

"Go to the beach on Christmas Eve?  Isn't that a strange way to celebrate Christmas Eve?" Julianna replied when I asked her what she thought of the Nolette family's invitation.

"What about our big family dinner?" my dear pastor husband, always thinking of the important things...like food!  I thought about our tradition of ME fixing two HUGE holiday feasts back to back.  A light picnic supper sounded wonderful!

"It's a terrible idea!"  Katie Beth doesn't like change.  "We can't change our Christmas traditions.  "Isn't there a verse somewhere about not exasperating your children?"

"What's a Traveling  Dinner?" Jenny Rose asked.  "Are we going to Bethlehem?"

"Well, I've already said that we go," I answered tersely, not meeting my husband's gaze.  "Let's just try it this year.  If we don't like it, we can go back to our old ways!"

Alternatives to Celebrating Halloween

To celebrate, or not celebrate, Halloween was not a difficult question for our family.  There were just too many pagan practices in the American version of this un-holy-day.  We decided to use it as a time to evangelize unsaved family, friends, and neighbors.  In the past, we have passed out candy and tracts about Jesus.  But, then, I would watch my children serving other children dressed as goblins and witches who were getting candy, while my children just sat and passed it out.  I decided that while my children were younger, I would spend Halloween doing something else.  I work very hard, now, to NOT be home on Halloween.  In the future, I will go back to tracts and candy, but for now....

There are three different options that we have tried and all have been fun and, I believe, pleasing to the Lord.  We have celebrated Reformation Day, celebrated All Saints Day, and enjoyed Fall Festivals.

Celebrating Reformation Day

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenburg door--the Reformation officially began!  Reacting to the corruption of the Roman Catholic church (especially the sale of indulgences) and its fall away from teaching that salvation is through faith in Jesus alone, not good works, Luther taught about the amazing grace he had received through faith alone!  His teachings began to spread.  Some embraced them and others denounced them.  When Luther was called to the  "Diet of Worms" (a church council, not a punishment!), he was asked to renounce his "heretical teachings."  He asked for a day to think it over and during the night wrestled with God and the adversary.  He is said to have written the great hymn, A Mighty Fortress is our God, from this experience.  The next day, he was asked again to renounce his beliefs.  His response:  "Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience.  Here I stand.  I can do no other.  God help me.  Amen."

Get Ready for Christmas Early this Year!

Yes, I know it's only September...but the kids are back in school and before you know it, it will be time for Thanksgiving and then, Christmas.  Like most Americans, you will probably spent more on gifts during the Christmas season than at any other time of year.  Hopefully, unlike most Americans, this year you will spend less, not more, than you want to spend on celebrating Christmas!

Christmas is a holiday that enchants us!  Who can remain unmoved by the God-King who laid aside His glory and became a helpless baby lying, not in velvet and satin, but a manger filled with straw?  We can almost hear the angels singing.  How we long to go back in time and see a baby-King who would change the world forever!  We would have worshiped at his cradle, brought him gifts like the wise men, and spread the news of His birth like the shepherds.  The simplicity of his birth amazes us--once again we realize that God's ways are higher than our ways. 

So, how did His simple birth turn into such an elaborate celebration?  If you are like me, there are times that the wonder and miracle of Christmas has been lost in the hectic busyness of the celebration.  I have discovered that the earlier I begin planning and preparing for Christmas, the more enjoyable the season is for everyone in my world.  Early planning and preparation leads to a nicer and calmer me!  My family, friends, and worship team all appreciate that!

Set aside an hour this week to make a plan for this year's Christmas celebration.  Christmas will come and go whether you do this or not, but consider controlling your Christmas, rather than letting Christmas chaos reign supreme.  Before you begin, keep in mind that holidays can provide refreshment, strengthen family relationships, provide opportunities to instill godly values, and allow us to celebrate the goodness of God.  Or holidays can wear us out, drain our pocketbooks, and strain our relationships.  Planning ahead can help the former, rather than the latter, to occur.  So, here is that plan for you hour this week...

Holidays are more than Fun!

Cookies baking, laughter in the air, and a sense of expectation in every heart.  Holidays are more than national celebrations!  These special days can provide refreshment, strengthen family relationships, instill godly values in our children, and be celebrations of the goodness of God!

Holidays Can Provide Refreshment!

We are all thankful to be alive and have the strength to serve the Lord.  Many of us, though, have stressful lives and burdens that we carry.  We may have a difficult marriage, an eldery relative to care for, or a house full of little ones that demand our constant attention.  A holiday is a break from the routine!  If we are careful not to run ourselves ragged in the pursuit of the "Ideal Holiday Menu," each holiday can be a time of refreshment where we break away from the dreary routine and enjoy the company of family and friends.  View holidays as a time to RELAX and unwind from the pressures of life.

"Repent then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Acts 3:18

When non-Christians repent and believe in Jesus, their sins are forgiven and times of refreshing come from the Lord.  When we are weary, we may need to may changes in our lives and habits so that times of refreshing may come, once again, into our lives.  Sometimes our motives at holiday celebrations need adjustment from the Lord.  We may be trying to impress rather than serve.  Or we may be trying to please others rather than living to please God.  Relax the expectations you have for yourself to be the "perfect hostess" or "perfect mother."

Holidays Intro

Introduction to Holiday's Category!
Multiple Authors posting Holiday Ideas.
Especially creative ways to celebrate here in Central Florida!