Christmas Gifts Which Make a Difference - Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children

   

So far this month I have been sharing with you books and resources which you are able to add to your own "tool kit" of books/ resources which will equip and empower you to hand down confident faith and also make wonderful Christmas gifts which make a difference. 

Today I am so very happy to let you know about another resource; Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children. This book is unique in two ways; first, it is specifically written and developed for children ages four through 14 to help them learn to pray by praying the Psalms back to God and secondly, my grandsons collaborated with me on developing, writing this book, and by providing most of the illustrations!

My Christmas Carol for Today - Christmas Time is Here

While I picture Charlie Brown when I hear this song, I love how Michael W Smith and Vince Gill combined their considerable talents to present Christmas Time is Here - you will find it at this link.

I'm posting the lyrics in case you would like to sing along . . . 

Four Steps to Making Great Memories with Grandchildren!

I so appreciate the following devotion from the Grandmother's Bible! It was written by Bobbie Wolgemuth and is entitled, I Will . .  I Will . . .  She says, "Psalm 9 contains a great 'I Will' activity list to remember when you spend time with your grandchild. First, start with an attitude of praise. Tell the Lord what you are thankful for. Count your blessings, name them. It will be easy to have a heart full of thankfulness after you've named even a few. Your heart will be full and running over with the kind of attitude that pleases God and spills over on the young ones with the love of the Savior. Second, tell the kids what God has done in the past. One of our greatest resources as grandmothers is the history we have lived. Everyday miracles fill our memory banks.  Pull a few past marvels out of your memory treasure chest and tell your grandchild of the Lord's wonders. Third, be a happy grandmother. Open the door with a smile and a hug. Let your face show the gladness of the Lord. Your inside joy should envelop your grandchildren with every encounter, no matter where you are. The fourth 'I will" is my favorite: sing. Sing with your grandchildren. Leave a song in their hearts."

grandma's cookbook - Surprise Inside Cookies!

Monday I shared a tasty cookie recipe with you for National Homemade Cookie Day. Yesterday I shared they delicious Peanut-Butter Cup Cookies recipe and today I wanted to share one more recipe for Chocolate Kisses Surprise Inside Cookies instead!

My Christmas Carol for Today - Michael Buble' - Let it Snow

I live in Michigan and Sunday morning, it was beginning to look like Christmas (at least from my childhood) as it was snowing. Everything was so pretty. Today it looks more like Christmas from the last few years (no snow on the ground and the forecast says to expect warm - 40's - weather.) So, regardless of what it looks like outside, my song for today makes me smile - I hope it will bring a smile to your face as well . . . 

grandma's cookbook - Peanut-Butter Cup Cookies!

Since yesterday was National Homemade Cookie Day, I thought I'd share another cookie recipe with you today. I saw this recipe on Pinterest so today is a the day to share it with you! I love how this is a fairly simple recipe and it is one the children you love will have fun helping you make - I'm sure they will love putting the peanut-butter cups in the cookies! (Of course, they are very likely to sample a few peanut-butter cups as well!)

crafting with grandma - Crocheted Minions and Perry the Platypus!

Ten years ago for Easter I made my grandsons stuffed Perry the Platypus toys - I hid them in the house so after they went on an egg hunt in the yard, they were able to come in and look for another special surprise! The boys loved their Perrys - they developed a soft, and well-loved look, and since they were made with love, I'm really happy the boys enjoyed their Perrys!

The DNA of Grandparents & Parents Who Hand Down Confident Faith - a Christmas Gift which Makes a Difference

"The DNA of Grandparents & Parents Who Hand Down Confident Faith" has a new cover and updated content as well! Look what Tim Kimmel (Family Matters) and Dr. Scott Turansky (National Center for Biblical Parenting) have to say about it -

My Christmas Carol for You - While You Were Sleeping - Casting Crowns

We are all familiar with how there was no place for Jesus to be born - most of us think there was no room in the inn, but it is very, very possible the place where there really was no room was in Joseph's family's home. They knew Mary was pregnant without first being married and may not have wanted her in their home - leaving just the stable for her and Joseph to find shelter when Jesus was born.

Regardless of whether it was an actual inn, or family, when Jesus was born, He was not greeted by a warm, soft bed in a home, hotel or hospital. He slept in a manger among the animals. He was not welcomed into the arms of grandparents and extended family; he was greeted by shepherds. Just think what they missed.

Think what we miss when we do not focus on Jesus; when we do not make room for Him. Today's song by Casting Crowns calls us to be awake and to watch and make room for Jesus today!

Give an "Experience" as a Gift - Check Out Rebounderz

As you think about your Christmas gift list for this year, don't forget to think about giving an "experience" in place of a "gift". While children in particular, may enjoy an actual toy type gift, eventually they will outgrow the toy - or it might break, but experiences which result in memories are things which have the ability to last.

Today is National Homemade Cookies Day!

Today is National Homemade Cookie Day, so I certainly had to celebrate it with you by sharing my family's favorite cookie recipe with you - Three Boy's Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies! 

Give Two Books in One with the Little Ginormous, Humongous, Hairy, One-Eyed Monster Boys Adventures!

When my children were young and then when my grandsons were young, I always gave books as part of their gifts at Christmas. If you are a grandma or mom who also gives books at Christmas, then this is the book to give the children you love! When my grandsons were young and at my house for a sleepover, we typically made up stories at bedtime which almost always had monsters or dinosaurs in them. One night when my oldest grandson was six, my middle grandson was three, and my youngest grandson was one, we were getting them into bed when my oldest grandson said he saw a monster under his brother's bed! This was not what my middle grandson wanted to hear, so I said there could not be any monsters under his bed because the monsters were at their poppa's and grandma's house getting ready for bed on their sleepover. My grandsons found this idea very interesting, so of course, our bedtime story for the night had to have little, ginormous, humongous, hairy, one-eyed monster boys getting ready for bed and being scared because they thought they saw, teeny, tiny, itty, bitty, not-so-hairy, two-eyed people boys under their beds! 

Today is Make a Gift Day

When we think about the gifts we plan to give the people in our family for Christmas - or a birthday - we tend to think about a gift we will purchase. While there is certainly nothing wrong with purchasing a gift, think this year about giving a gift you make to those on your list - today is National Make a Gift Day. When my grandsons were younger I made crocheted hats for them for Christmas. One year I decided to make something different and crocheted them each a scarf - it looked like a tongue sticking out a mouth with teeth! I just couldn't crochet a simple scarf!

Christmas & Learning to Be Gracious

Christmas is just a few weeks away, today I am remembering a few years ago when my daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons joined us for dinner Christmas Eve - and of course, to exchange gifts. This particular year, one of the things we gave the grandsons was three $5 bills each. I decided to wrap them in different size boxes and went through the house to find - and in some instances, raid boxes. I ended up with an interesting mix . . . an empty band-aid box, a box which had cold pills in it, and other miscellaneous boxes.