Family Read Alouds...

I was blessed to grow up in a family of readers. My earliest memories include both my parents reading aloud to me. I am 41 years old and when I go home my dad still reads aloud to us...it is something I treasure.

When my sister and I were very young our parents read books like Dr. Suess and all the P.D. Eastman stories. Grimms Fairy Tales, the stories of Hans Christian Anderson and Beatrix Potter all figure prominently in my memory. As we got a little older the tales of E.B. White (Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Trumpet of the Swan) and Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House series) were the entertainment we enjoyed most evenings.

As we matured the content of what was read to us became more advanced. We often had family discussions about the books we read, and many of the values that have shaped who I am and what I believe had their seeds planted in my mind during those times. My mother favored books like Ben Hur, The Robe and anything by Jane Austen or the Brontes. My dad preferred more theological fare and shared passages from his favorite authors. He fully expected us to understand what was read to us, and wanted us to prove we understood by narrating back what we had heard. It wasn't unheard of for him to feed us information that wasn't theologically sound and then wait for us to realize it and refute it with truth.

All of this brought about several positive results...we spent our leisure hours in the company of our parents, there was a secure bond forged between us, and as a result my sister and I became voracious readers ourselves...reading both for pleasure and information.

When I married and began having children I determined that I would continue this rich tradition in my own family. I began as soon as Rush was born, and I am still reading Dr. Suess and Goodnight Moon to the little girls 21 years later! I have read innumerable books aloud to my children. Some of our fondest memories are of being piled up in the living room eating popcorn while I read Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Cat of Bubastes, My Side of the Mountain, Rascal, The Summer of the Monkeys, Little Britches and all the Ralph Moody books, Cheaper By the Dozen, and myriad others.

Here is a list of age appropriate books for reading aloud. I have found, however, that reading a little above your child's ability to understand is not a bad thing.

Toddlers/Preschoolers
Goodnight Moon
The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (all Eric Carle books)
Are You My Mother? (all P.D. Eastman books)
The Cat in the Hat (all Dr. Suess books)
Guess How Much I Love You
The Snowy Day
Chicka-chicka Boom Boom
Where the Wild Things Are
Bunny Bungalow
The Sleeping House
Corduroy
Harold and the Purple Crayon
The Runaway Bunny
Goodnight Gorilla
Put Me in the Zoo

Five to Eight Years
The Five Chinese Brothers
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
Miss Rumphius
Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born
Olivia Saves the Circus
Frog and Toad (series)
Little Bear (series)
Tikki Tikki Tembo
If You Take a Mouse to School
The Old Woman Who Named Things
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Babar (series)
The Cat Who Walked Across France
The Indian in the Cupboard
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
The Secret Garden
The Incredible Journey
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Courage of Sarah Noble
The Hundred Dresses
My Side of the Mountain
St. George and the Dragon
The Narnia Chronicles
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Charlotte’s Web
The Trumpet of the Swan
Little House in the Big Woods
Company’s Coming

Nine to Twelve Years
Tuck Everlasting
Harriet the Spy
Redwall
Bridge to Terebithia
Where the Red Fern Grows
Black Beauty
The Bronze Bow
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Cheaper By the Dozen
Call of the Wild
Number the Stars
The Sign of the Beaver
Chronicles of Narnia (series)
Little House on the Prairie (series)
Dear America and My Name is America (series)

Thirteen and Up
Watership Down
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: the Ultimate Teenage Success Guide
The Old Man and the Sea
All Creatures Great and Small
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Hobbit
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Agatha Christie mysteries

Ageless Titles
Aesop’s Fables
Andersen’s Fairy Tales
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
The Indian in the Cupboard
Banks, Lynne Reid
The Wizard of Oz
Madeline
The Five Chinese Brothers
Caddie Woodlawn
Goodnight Moon
The Secret Garden
Through the Looking Glass
Alice in Wonderland
James and the Giant Peach
Bonjour! Babar!
The Little Prince
The Hundred Dresses
Cheaper By the Dozen
The Wind in the Willows
Read-Aloud Poems for Young People
Oxford Book of Story Poems
All Things Wise and Wonderful: the Lord God made them all
Redwall Series
The Jungle Book
Just So Stories
The Story of Ferdinand
A Wrinkle in Time
The Tree That Would Not Die
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Frog and Toad Treasury
The Betsy/Tacy Series
The New Way Things Work
Make Way for Ducklings
Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie the Pooh
Anne of Green Gables (series)
Tikki Tikki Tembo
Sing Down the Moon
Bridge to Terabithia
Mr. Lincoln’s Way
Where the Red Fern Grows
The Complete Adventures of Curious George
The Journey: Stories of Migration
The Cricket in Times Square
Where the Wild Things Are
Oh, The Places You’ll Go
The Cat in the Hat
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!
Horton Hears a Who
The Lorax
Falling Up
Where the Sidewalk Ends
The Giving Tree
The Red Pony
A Child’s Garden of Verses
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The Hobbit
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Polar Express
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Peppermints in the Parlor
Charlotte’s Web
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
September Roses
Old Turtle and the Broken Truth
Mice, Morals, & Monkey Business: Lively Lessons from Aesop's Fables
Crow Boy
Rumpelstiltskin

There are hundreds, even thousands of books that I haven't listed here. Once when the older kids were young teenagers I read The Big Brag by Dr. Suess aloud to them. At first they were a little exasperated...after all, this is a KIDS book! They became interested in spite of their determination to remain aloof, however, and the lesson was received without any further instruction...bragging isn't cool!

I couldn't end this post on reading aloud without mentioning Bible reading and Bible study. My mother read our B.R.E.A.D. (Bible Reading Enriches Any Day) to us every morning before we left for the school bus. She also used chalk-talks, object lessons, flannel graphs and drama to convey to us timeless biblical principles. This wasn't occasionally...it was almost daily. I have had the Bible read through to me more times than I could tell you. Daddy was a firm believer in regular, organized bible study and I have heard the entire Search for Truth bible study through at least 10 times (no exaggeration!) Thanks, daddy and mama!

Object lessons...

When our older five children were little I often prepared object lessons as part of our daily devotions. Many lessons were taught and retained using this fabulous medium. Like Sister Crystal Stephen taught us...children retain more of what they see than what they hear!

Olivia has not experienced the benefit of our repertoire of object lessons. For whatever reason I am just not as focused on this method of teaching as I was a few years ago. Recently I felt as if the Lord brought to my mind the incredible effectiveness of using object lessons and I resolved to pull out all the old illustrations and put them to use.

Allen, Darlene and their children joined us for dinner last night and we took advantage of this opportunity to teach a lesson about words and actions. This is a well-used and familiar object lesson, but it has lost no effectiveness over time!

TOOTHPASTE
We started by giving each child a plate and a tube of toothpaste and encouraged them to squeeze the toothpaste out onto their plate. They had a great time as they decorated their plates with toothpaste...after all, what kid hasn't wanted to just squeeze a tube of toothpaste out all over the place?!!

After all the toothpaste was out of the tube we gave them another job...TO PUT IT BACK IN!!! Needless to say this was not only a lot harder to do than squeezing the toothpaste out...it was impossible. No one was able to get the toothpaste back into the tube...no matter how hard they tried.

The application is that while it may be easy and even enjoyable to say whatever you want to say or do whatever you want to do, taking words and actions back is impossible. You can apologize, but the fact remains that what you have done or said will always be remembered. Once the toothpaste is out of the tube you can't put it back in.

A little testimony to the effectiveness of this object lesson: within the last few weeks Rush (our 21 year old son) has said these words to me "Mom...I can't get the toothpaste back in the tube. I can't fix all these mistakes." While I wept with him for his choices and where they have taken him, I was impacted by the way he expressed his regret...by referencing an object lesson I had taught him 11 years earlier when he was 10 years old.

I was also thankful that even though we can't fix our mistakes I could point him to a saviour who could. So, while the toothpaste object lesson may help us remember to think twice and speak once, which is great preventative teaching, Jesus is able to bring beauty out of our most dismal failures. Please help me pray for my boy...he's not too far from home! Truthfully...he's just outside the door and afraid to knock.

Menu Master List

Ok...I've had at least three people ask me for my master list of meals and sides. Here you go!

Main Dishes:
(CP indicates Crock Pot meal)

Soups:
Potato Chowder...........................................CP
Minestrone Soup
Navy Bean Soup...........................................CP
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup...................................CP
Chili
Clam Chowder
Chicken Tortilla Soup...................................CP
Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Split Pea Soup..............................................CP

Casseroles:
Chicken Broccoli Bake
Tamale Pie
Enchiladas
Poor Man’s Casserole
Chicken & Stuffing
Chicken Pot Pie.............................................CP
Lasagna..........................................................CP(sauce)
Meatloaf
Beanie Weenies.............................................CP
Chili Mac

One Pot Meals:
Sauerkraut & Dumplings.............................CP
Locke Pot Pie.................................................CP
Chicken & Dumplings....................................CP
Noodles Napoli
Spaghetti........................................................CP(sauce)
Hamburger Gravy/Rice
RoastBeef.......................................................CP
RedBeans&Rice.............................................CP
Corned Beef & Cabbage...............................CP
Beef or Chicken Stir Fry
Chicken & Walnuts
Cheese Tortellini/Ravioli

Miscellaneous Meals:
Tacos
Burritos
Potato Bar
Broiled Chicken
London Broil
Sloppy Joes...................................................CP
Oven BBQ Chicken
Hamburgers/Cheeseburgers
Meatball Subs..............................................CP
Cold Subs
French Dip Sandwiches..............................CP
Taco Salad
Nachos

Celebration Meals:
Banzarotis'
Roast Turkey Dinner
Baked Ham Dinner
Runzas’

Hot Side Dishes:
Oven Braised Carrots
Corn
Corn on the Cob
Green Beans (fresh or canned)
Bacon Fried Green Beans
Sis. Crystal’s Green Beans...................................CP
Green Bean Casserole
Mixed Vegetables
Steamed Broccoli
Peas
Peas & Carrots
Mashed Potatoes
Baked Potatoes
Boiled Potatoes
Country Potatoes (Sunny Rose)
Parsley Red Potatoes
French Fries
Potato Wedges (baked & broiled)
Brussels Sprouts
Steamed Cabbage Wedges
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Baked Onions
Stuffing
Spanish Rice/Refried Beans
Baked Beans (Daddy’s recipe)

Cold Side Dishes:
Pickled Beets
Green Salad
Potato Salad
Cole Slaw
Macaroni Salad (old-fashioned)
Pasta Salad
Chinese Cabbage Salad
Sliced Tomatoes
Cucumber Salad
Caesar Salad

Breads:
Sliced Bread (store purchased)
Homemade Bread
Homemade Rolls
Croissants
Biscuits (regular & garlic cheese)
Cornbread
Tortillas (corn & flour)
French Bread
Garlic Bread
Sourdough Bread

Desserts:
Apple Crisp
Apple Pie
Apple Dumplings
Apple Sauce (homemade)
Cinnamon Apples
Chocolate Cake
German Chocolate Cake
Carrot Cake
Lemon Bundt Cake w/Lemon Glaze
Lemon Squares
Gooey Lemon Cake (Daddy’s recipe)
Lemon Meringue Pie
Yellow Cake
White Cake
Angel Food Cake w/Berries
Banana Pudding
Banana Cream Pie
Banana Split Cake
Banana Nut Bread
Coconut Cake (Daddy’s recipe)
Coconut Cream Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Custard
Dump Cake
Chocolate Delight
Brownies (Jennie Mae Cake)
Cherry Pie
Blueberry Gingerbread
Peach Cobbler
Apple Kuchen
Ice Cream
Snickerdoodles
Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Rice Krispie Treats
No Bake Cookies
Jell-O Desserts
Sunrise Cake
Strawberry Shortcake

Breakfasts:
Cold Cereal
Pancakes
Waffles
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat/Malt o’ Meal
Eggs & Toast
Bagels & Cream Cheese
Egg Burritos
Biscuits & Gravy

Lunches:
Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Cold Cut Sandwiches
Bean Burritos
Macaroni & Cheese
Nachos
Tomato Soup
Cup o’ Noodles
Baked Potatoes w/Toppings
Leftovers

Lunch Sides:
Potato Chips
Tortilla Chips
Carrot & Celery Sticks
Pickles
Green Salad
Fruit
Crackers & Breads

Snacks:
Fruit (fresh)
Fruit (canned: mandarin oranges, applesauce, peaches)
Pretzels
Cookies
Vegetables
Graham Crackers
Goldfish Crackers
Ritz Crackers
Yogurt
Potato Chips
Tortilla Chips
Popcorn
Dried Fruit (raisins, prunes, apricots, banana chips)
Nuts & Seeds (peanuts, mixed nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios)
Popsicles/Ice Cream

Beverages:
Iced Tea
Lemonade
Juice (orange, apple, cranberry, grapefruit, grape)
Milk
Coffee
Herbal Teas
Hot Apple Cider
Hot Chocolate

Roles, Goals and Responsibilities

As a young wife and mother I was often overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the tasks I faced every day. From the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning till long past the time that my family had retired for the night I was working to keep all the balls in the air. Many times I felt as if all I had done each day was meet my family's basic needs for survival...cooking, cleaning, bathing, dressing, laundry...the list was endless. I also felt as if all I was doing was futile...for every load of laundry done there were 3 more waiting. I worried that I was neglecting so many important aspects of raising my family. Being focused on the physical needs of my children I questioned whether or not I was giving them enough spiritual nourishment. Were we having enough fun? Was I truly preparing them for the future? The answer to these questions more often than not was a resounding "no!"

After taking on the responsibility of my children's education the load felt even more unmanageable...now I had to be sure they received a superior education. When a parent decides to homeschool it's because they want to provide an education for their children that is better than they would have received anywhere else!

Add to this our church involvement and you begin to get a picture of how demanding life was for us at that time.

Guess what? It didn't slow down. We added four more children to our family. Life dealt us some cards that were hard to play. Our responsibilities increased and pressure mounted. But it DID get easier because of one simple thing...I learned to identify my roles, goals and responsibilities. Once this happened everything I did had increased significance. Cooking dinner wasn't just another meal in the long unending line of meals I would cook in my lifetime. Suddenly cooking dinner was a way of honoring my husband, nurturing my children and helping me fulfill my role as homekeeper. Every single responsibility I discharged each day increased my effectiveness in regard to the role it related to.

It has been fifteen years since I first sat down with a pen and paper to identify my roles, goals and responsibilities. The original copy that I typed and printed on Kirsten's computer at 2:00AM has long since disappeared. But the transformation that began then has continued to enhance my life and the lives of those I love.

This is an extremely abbreviated look at my personal roles, goals and responsibilities. Yours will be much different than mine, but I do encourage you to try this exercise.

Roles: (all the different parts I play)
Child of God
Wife
Mother
Homekeeper
Educator
Family member
Friend
Minister

Goals: (my ultimate desire for the outcome of each role)

There is no way that I can recreate every goal for each role listed, but here is one...

Homekeeper: To "look well to the ways of my household, and eat not the bread of idleness." (Prov. 31:27) To create and maintain a warm, nurturing environment for my family. To complete necessary tasks in an orderly and timely manner. That our home is a clean, pleasant shelter from the pressures of the world, and that it would be an optimal environment for each member of my family to learn, grow, thrive and reach their full potential.

Responsibilities: (the daily things that must be done to see that the goal is reached)

Homekeeper:
Create and implement a schedule for cleaning, laundry and meals.
Be aware that atmosphere is everything...engage the 5 senses.
Involve the children in this process in order to prepare them for the future.

For each of these areas I developed an detailed list of instructions that included everything from how often to vacuum to how to present a meal attractively.

Looking back now I am amazed at how difficult the first years of adulthood were for me. And thankful for the time I spent defining who I was, who I wanted to be and how to get from there to here!

Binding and Loosing

And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt

loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 16:19

If there is a force more powerful than that of a fervent intercessor, I don't know what it would be. Anyone who invests time in prayer does it desiring to see God move in the lives of those for whom they intercede. Many years ago when praying for my family I found that I only prayed AGAINST evil things, rarely FOR blessing. Disturbed by this, I began to search out a way to pray positively. I call this my bind-loose list and pray frequently that not only will God bind these negative things, but that He will loose the opposite blessing in the lives of those I love. There was a marked difference in the results of my prayers when I started to pray this way...I started to see the positive things I was praying for come to pass because I was being specific.

BIND LOOSE
Bitterness - Forgiveness
Strife - Peace
Slothfulness/Laziness - Diligence/Industry
Complacency - Zeal
Pride/Arrogance - Humility/Meekness
Love for the world - Love for God /His Word
Lust - Purity
Lying - Truthfulness
Deceit - Honesty
Discord - Harmony
Shame - Mercy/Confidence
Materialism - Sacrifice
Foolishness - Prudence/Wisdom
Anger/Hatred - Love/Gentleness
Rebellion - Submission
Disrespect/Dishonor - Respect/Honor
Disobedience - Willing obedience
Arrogant/Know-it-all - A teachable spirit
Sarcasm - Kind & gentle speech
Cursing - Blessing
Worldliness - Holiness
Doubt - Faith
Fear - Courage
Confusion/Depression - Peace/Sound Mind
Bondage - Deliverance
Dissatisfaction - Contentment
Distress/Sadness/Anxiety - Joy
Grief/Hurt - Comfort
Loneliness - Godly companionship
Frustration - Patience in tribulation
Impotence/Lack of confidence - Power/Boldness
Complaining - Praise
Danger/Evil - Protection
Sickness - Health
Fearfulness - Security
Weakness - Strength
Temptation - Deliverance

Chicken Broccoli Bake

For everyone who has asked me for this recipe...here you go! (Love you, Emily!) If it sounds like a crazy combo, just make it anyway...it is a great way to feed a lot of people on a small budget. Recipe can be halved or doubled.

Chicken Broccoli Bake
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 lbs. broccoli, cooked till tender and drained
4 cups cooked rice
Sauce (recipe follows)
2 cups crushed corn flake cereal
2 tbsp. melted butter

In greased casserole layer rice, chicken and broccoli. Top with sauce. Mix cereal crumbs with butter and sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Casserole will be bubbly and crumbs nicely browned.

Sauce:
2 cups cold milk
1 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth, or hot water and bouillon
1 cup mayonnaise (just close your eyes and put it in…it’s what makes it yummy)
1-2 tbsp. curry powder, depending on how well you like it. I always use more!
2 tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

In a COLD pan place milk and flour. Mix with whisk till no lumps remain. Add broth and whisk well. Put over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly till thickened. Remove from heat and add mayonnaise, curry and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. I have made this with fat free mayo and it is very disappointing. Better to have the real thing occasionally than to sacrifice the real mayonnaise!

And the wife see that she reverence her husband...

However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife [as being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].

Eph 5:33 Amplified Version

These terms defined:

Respect: high or special regard, to consider worthy of high regard

Reverence: honor or respect felt or shown, profound adoring, awed respect, to regard or treat with reverence (to revere)

Notice: to treat with attention or civility, to take notice of

Regard: to pay attention to, take into consideration or account, to show respect or consideration for, to hold in high esteem, to look at

Honor: to regard or treat with honor or respect, to confer honor on

Prefer: to like better or best (to like better than WHAT? Better than any other earthly relationship…better than children, parents, siblings, friends or church family members. To prefer serving him to any other obligation or duty, knowing that (having been created for him) service to your husband is your first God-given ministry, and that if this is neglected nothing else you do will have the full blessing of God.)

Venerate: to regard with reverential respect or with admiring deference, to honor with a ritual act of devotion

Esteem: to set a high value on, regard highly and prize accordingly

Defer to: to submit to another's wishes, opinion, or governance usually through deference or respect

Praise: to express a favorable judgment of, to glorify (a god or saint) especially by the attribution of perfections, an expression of approval

Love: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, attraction based on sexual desire, affection and tenderness felt by lovers, affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests, warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion, the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration, unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another

Admire: to regard with admiration, to marvel at, to like very much

And my favorite part...all of these

Exceedingly: to an extreme degree