Teaching God's Word to My 2 Year Old

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to share God's Word with James now that he is 2 and developing his vocabulary and comprehension. I'm sure there are a million ideas out there but here is what has been working for us.

I bought James a lot of Bible story picture books. We have the Jesus Storybook Bible but it is a little beyond his attention span right now. Some of the books we got that he really enjoys are: 

God Made Me this Way

101 Bible Story Words

Touch and Feel Creation

The ABC Bible Verse Book 

I love the ABC Bible Verse Book the most because it has a verse that begins with each letter of the alphabet as well as cute illustrations that help drive home the meaning of the verse. 

I was toying with the idea of helping James learn a memory verse but I had some doubts about him memorizing and the last thing I wanted was to pound something as important as God's Word into him and cause him to resent it (and me). 

But then I thought about the fact that we are learning our ABC's, songs, colors, body parts, etc. and thought we might be able to learn a Bible verse in the same fun repetitious way. So one day while we were reading the ABC Bible Verse Book we got to the letter  G and I knew it was the PERFECT verse to learn first.

God is love! 1 John 4:8 

What better foundation could there be for James' understanding of God and his character?

So we wrote it on our chalkboard and started practicing...

And low and behold the most precious thing happened! 

I'm praying my sweet boy will always know in his heart of hearts that just like 1+1 will always equal 2 and B will always follow A, God is love and always will be! 

Thankful

I thought it would be nice to link up with my friend Ryan today for Thankful Thursday since I spent yesterday sharing my woes. Not that there is anything wrong with sharing woes. I think it is really important to be real, especially when it comes to pregnancy. We girls tend to do a lot of comparing, self-criticizing, and trying to measure up to false standards set for us on the internet. Hello Pinterest... are those people real? I don't want this blog to ever be a place where I pretend to have all my junk together. 

But I also find it a healthy exercise to frequently count my blessings as they tend to be more numerous than I often realize. So here is a little list of things I am thankful for lately. 

1. I am thankful and flipping excited about my baby shower this weekend at home in Georgia. I can't wait to see so many people I love. I've got some really amazing friends and family. 

2. Our church. We have become a part of a really great church here in NOLA called Edgewater. It can be hard to find a church and we feel extremely blessed to be a part of this one. I could go on and on about it. 

3. Andrew's new job. Andrew got a connection through some new friends at Edgewater and is now working at the New Orleans Country Club. Not what he saw himself doing but a great opportunity nonetheless. We are excited, relieved, and blessed by this unexpected work. 

4. Flying home this weekend. Andrew now works every other weekend and as it turns out his first one is this weekend so he can't come to the baby shower. While I am sad about that, I am thankful to be able to fly home and avoid the long car ride. Thanks Don and Mama!

5. Lastly, I am thankful for the things God is teaching me right now. He has been gently showing me how His love is unconditional and completely unmerited by me. I am finding that there is so much freedom when I stop approaching my faith with a works based mentality and embrace the fact that because of Christ there is nothing I can do to earn or lose God's favor. No amount of prayer, Bible study, or "right living" (although those things are not bad) can make me any more righteous in His sight. 

Grace and grace alone people. 

And isn't it a relief?

... because Ryan is the coolest!

Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate

I, like most of the nation, am overwhelmed with sorrow for the events that took place in Connecticut last Friday. I think being a soon-to-be parent has made it even more overwhelming for me personally. 

I have read a few things lately that have helped me gather a little perspective on how to interpret such an unimaginable tragedy. 

I can't begin to fathom walking in the shoes of those who were affected most personally by Friday's loss but I will continue to pray for them, for their community, and for the bright future that still awaits them. 

This quote by Martin Luther King Jr. and this scripture from Romans seem to echo one another. I am bearing them in mind as I search for the best way to respond. 

Thank you to Molly and Jeanett for sharing them. I hope they will bless you as they have blessed me. 

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Workin Hard for the Money

     Hello World, long time no see. I had the idea that I would be a blogging machine once we moved but to be honest, I just haven't felt like it. And that's OK. The day blogging starts to feel like a chore is the day I am out! Chores are one thing I do not like.

     However, I have great news to share and decided now would be a good time for a quick post. I GOT A JOB! Yeahh! It is not a fancy shmancy social work job but it is a job in the Psychology and Counseling department here at the seminary. I had the interview last Friday and started.... Monday. Yea. That was fast. 

     I am basically a secretary; a totally unfamiliar field for me. I think God has been teaching me some humility through it already. Don't get me wrong, secretaries are vital to practically every institution but I didn't exactly go to school for 6 years to be one. I am grateful nonetheless and am trying to focus on taking this job as seriously as I took my previous job even though it is not a "career" move, whatever that means. 

     On another note, one of my all time favorite home bloggers, The Inspired Room, is going to be hosting a Fall Nesting series so get ready for some Fall related posts come September! 

     I'm also going to be posting a great pimento cheese recipe that I have been hoarding for a week and a State of the Apartment tour, so hang in there while I get back into my blogging groove! 

AND

Linking up today with YOLO Monday.... a day late. 

Par for the course!

10 Apartment Details to Love

     I was SO nervous before we moved that I would have a hard time really feeling “at home” in our campus apartment. Feeling at home is a very big deal to me. I find it extremely comforting to be in a home that is not only pretty but also cozy, lived in and comfortable. I need my home to be a safe haven, a security blanket of sorts especially in a new and unfamiliar, if not otherworldly city. I decided ahead of time that I would be very intentional about making the apartment homey no matter what its bare bones looked like. There are not many places that pretty linens and good art can’t fix.

     You can imagine how pleased I was when I opened our front door to find our apartment possessed an immense amount of charm all its own. Walking into a room that smelled of fresh paint and had sunlight streaming in onto beautifully polished old hardwood was like getting kisses from God. Our little campus apartment is certainly not perfect. I wish the counter tops weren't permanently stained with Lord-knows-what and that I could find that enormous roach that got away, but I think you and I both can find some joy in noticing the beauty in the details, don't you? So here are my favorite details in our New Orleans apartment that have nothing to do with my stuff and everything to do with a home that was prepared for us long before we got here.   

 Nine windows pour sunlight into six rooms.

Original wood. 

 Odd free space turned bookcase.

Big basin sink, coffee mug for perspective.

View of the chapel steeple and park from the kitchen.

Cooking on gas. 

Elephant trunk (my term) bathroom faucet. 

Red for hot and blue for cold. 

Honeycomb tile. 

 Four closets. Need I say more?

     I'm curious, what details do you love in your home that others may not notice?

In 10 Days

We are moving to New Orleans in 10 days.
In 10 days I am leaving a stable career-enhancing job with benefits.
In 10 days Andrew is going to be a full time student.
In 10 days we will be 6 hours from the nearest family member.
In 10 days we are leaving a 3/2 home for a 2/1.
In 10 days we won’t have a definite source of income.

Deep breath.

People have done crazier things and made bigger sacrifices and adjustments. When I stare in the face of these realities I feel somewhat weak for crying over them 5 times this weekend. I feel a little selfish that most of my worries are material. I get a pang of hypocrisy that I appear to be handling it all so well. I get a sense of guilt over my struggle. We chose to do this. Any trouble with it is ours to swallow… right?

And there is always the lingering thought, what if it turns out like last time?

I want to be writing this post, telling you all about how faithful the Lord has been to me in all these things. How He has quieted my soul, taken my heavy load and delivered peace.

He has indeed been faithful. The problem is not His faithfulness, it’s mine. I have certainly been running on the fumes of emotion the past few weeks and they are running me ragged. I haven’t been drinking deep from the well of living water. I haven’t been waiting, resting, and seeking Him.

I somehow always allow this to happen when change comes. Things get busy, chaotic, important, or urgent and I somehow shift my power source from Him to myself. Like deep down the autopilot is still Charlotte and not Christ in me. Such is the battle of the flesh, I suppose. Will it be this way the rest of my earthly days?

I’m praying about it. I’m praying that my ever inward turned eyes would fix their gaze on Jesus and others in order to get a little perspective. That I might prioritize my need for Him above my need for sleep, exercise, cute hair.

He is with us now, He was with us the first time, and He is already there preparing the way. I’m marking my words because I know He who began something in me and in Andrew WILL be faithful until it is complete.

Turtle in the Road... It's InstaFriday!

Hey Y’all! Today I am linking up with Jeannett for InstaFriday where we share tidbits from our week in pictures! I am so thankful for FRIENDS this week. I know it’s a little redundant since I wrote about friends in my last post but this is my blog and I’ll be redundant if I want.

I really think God is working it out for Andrew and I to spend quality time with all the people we love before we move to NOLA. I'm serious. It's just working out without us even trying. LOVE IT <3!

1.      Thanks to hurricane Debby, I happened upon a soft shell turtle in the middle of the street in my neighborhood. He was more than a little freaky looking. I did some in-depth Wikipedia research and found out that soft-shells are largely aquatic so this little fella was most likely lost. I had no idea who to call and I was too scared to pick him up so I left him. Hope he made it!

2.      Here’s my token food pic. There was nothing remarkable about this apple other than the fact that it was GINORMOUS. I know you can’t tell by my sub-par photography skills but trust me… I couldn’t even finish it and if there is anything I am NOT, it’s a wimpy eater.

3.4.5…  Last night was hands-down the best part of our week. We got to visit with some of our youth kiddos from Nicholson who were down in Bainbridge for a mission trip. Randi and I kept cracking up because we had to keep swatting gnats trying to take a picture. The other pic is Andrew and one of our brother-sister duos, Brooklyn and Dayton. After we took these I completely forgot to keep taking pictures because I was wrapped up talking to my sweet babies and hearing how their lives have been and I am totally OK with it! Y’all, I can’t tell you how proud I am of these kids.

Shout out to: Ronnie, Randi, Brooklyn, Dayton, Matthew, Alex, Lauren, and Paige! I love you and miss you and am proud of you! Andrew and I could not stop talking about you last night. You are all such amazing-smart-talented-wise-compassionate-strong-handsome-beautiful-funny-dedicated-loving-pleasing disciples of Jesus. It is so obvious you are making a difference and growing into people of influence! I just love you, love you, LOVE YOU!

Life is so good right now. I’m trying to savor every moment of this time. Lord knows it hasn’t always and won’t always be this good. PTL for seasons in our lives. Some of them are so so sweet!

Roller Coaster Ride

Just wanted to do a short little post. Things are rolling along quickly and slowly at the same time. I know I translate my excitement about moving to New Orleans very clearly on the blog but it has not been all sunshine and furniture redo’s the past couple weeks.

I am just as excited, at peace, and ready as ever but I have been extremely emotional, irritable, and overly sentimental lately. On an ordinary day I am likely to be more emotional, irritable and sentimental than the average person but over the past two weeks it has cranked way up.

I had a verifiable meltdown deciding what I wanted to do for my birthday {this weekend!} because I felt an urgency to spend as much time with ALL of my precious family as possible. God bless my dad who endured it. I’m sure he is thoroughly freaked out.

One day all I wanted to do was clean out my drawers and the next day all I wanted to do was procrastinate.

I got teary leaving the Y on Tuesday thinking of how I am going to miss all those sweaty people I’m so accustomed to seeing every day but barely know by name.

My mama gave me some good advice. She told me to keep doing all the things I normally do that make me feel good {i.e. exercising, spending time with God, eating right, going to bed early} because if I don’t, the emotional weight of all the change taking place is going to seem much much heavier. I think she is right.

My sweet husband has remained his patient, steadfast self and I am so grateful. He even planned me a surprise birthday party taking place tonight, but knowing I’m not big on surprises, sent me an invitation in the mail so I could look forward to it!

Overall I feel like I am on a roller coaster ascending the first big plummet. Riveted yet apprehensive. Praise Jesus that I can take a death grip on His hand, knowing it will be the ride of a lifetime.

She Reads Truth

Hey there YBL readers, I am so excited to share #shereadstruth with you all… especially with the ladies! She Reads Truth is an online community offering women a place to share what they are learning in their walks with Christ and encourage one another to continually seek truth through reading the Word daily.

Compassion International, a ministry sponsoring children living in poverty around the world, hosts trips for bloggers to travel and meet with the children and families Compassion serves. The bloggers recently went to Tanzania and I kept up with them and all their experiences along the way. One of the bloggers I followed was Maggie of Gussy Sews. She wrote a really moving post called {letting your dirty feet rub against the dirty feet of your neighbor} and I have been reading her ever since.

When Maggie came home from Tanzania, she had a renewed desire to be in the Word daily and began tweeting what she was learning with the hashtag #shereadstruth. She joined with some other awesome blogging ladies and a movement (or soon-to-be movement!) was born.

If you are interested, you can read more on the She ReadsTruth website. To participate you can link up, sign up for emails, comment, tweet/instagram #shereadstruth, or just read what others are saying!

Personally, I can’t wait to be a part of this growing community of girls. I need accountability and encouragement EVERY DAY. 

 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

2 Corinthians 13:8