ann voskamp – Simply Living for Him

ann voskamp, gratitude, journals, making brothers and sisters best friends, one thousand gifts, Simply...Living For Him

Gratitude Journals-and Making Brothers and Sister Best Freinds

We have added gratitude journals to our Bible time in the mornings. {we tried these while back, but somehow, they were forgotten…}

The reason is, without gratitude, how can I cultivate love in our family?

So after our Bible reading (so far focusing on love…for each other, our enemies, etc.), we then sing praise and worship, followed by prayer.

Afterwards, we are reading from Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends. We read this a few years back, but I felt like it was time to read it again. The book is written by three teenage brothers and sisters. It is so good!

The whole premise is that our families were designed exactly by God. Our family is a gift from God, and we should reject what the world says about it being “normal” for brothers and sisters to have discord. We should focus on our family being the priority and all of us being on the same team.

With lots of wit and humor, this book is a great read aloud. It is filled with scripture as well to bring home the points, and direct us to God’s Word and what He has to say about families. There is also lots of practical application to apply the principles in the book.

After we read, we then take out our journals. The kids are required to write down something each day that they are grateful for.

{these photos are from last year’s journals, but aren’t they sweet?}

I decided to do this after the new year, because gratitude truly does foster joy. After reading Ann Voskamp’sOne Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, this was very evident to me.

So now we are writing down things we are grateful for each day. I want the children to be grateful-not just for the big things-my home, my family, God- but for the little things.

Because after all, they all come from God~the big things and the little things.

“Because what will the math really matter if they are bitter? If the house is immaculate — but my attitude a mess? If they can count — but they don’t know how to count all things as joy? If we get the lists done, but have lost happiness in Him? How can any grammar skill outweigh the fact they don’t know the language of grace and thanks? What good will it be if they can recite all the major British battles — but they don’t know to see beauty? What am I teaching our children if I’m not living simply, quietly this: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil. 4:8). Focusing on what is beautiful, good, true –isn’t this the truest education?

Ann Voskamp, at A Holy Experience

SimplyLivingforHim

January 4, 2012 by Karen DeBeus

a Child's Geography, amazon.com, ann voskamp, classical kids, Simply...Homeschool

Geography and Composer Study Resources

The kids listening to Mozart’s Magnificent Voyage, while coloring, drawing, and relaxing.

I love Thursdays. We use Thursdays to set aside history and science and we read our Geography book, Ann Voskamp’s, “A Child’s Geography.“ Her children’s book is just as enjoyable as reading her book “One Thousand Gifts.” It’s fun and written as though she is taking the kids through a journey.

We also do picture study (we are studying Rembrandt) and composer study.

It’s a nice change of pace and today we listened to Mozart’s Magnificant Voyage from Classical Kids CD’s.

These CD’s are great. We have listened in the past to Tchaikovsky Discovers America and Beethoven Lives Upstairs. These are dramatized stories set to the music of the composer. The dramatization takes you through the life of the composer, getting to know their character, all while listening to their beautiful compositions. We abslutely love them.

It’s days like these where learning takes place very naturally, without being forced or memorized. Where it is immersed. The atmosphere is relaxed. The kids are relaxed. Mommy is relaxed. 🙂

I highly recommend these CD’s as well as Ann Voskamps’ book.
All can be found at the links below.

Enjoy!

*Disclaimer: Although I am an affiliate with Amazon, these opinions are true, accurate and honest and were no way influenced by me being an affiliate.

SimplyLivingforHim

October 21, 2011 by Karen DeBeus