Yes! Only two more days. How are you holding out? Are you like me — running to open a blog window every now and then to let in a breath of fresh air? I know I’m not the only one. Kids and toys and presents, oh my!

Yesterday, my left arm was hurting…actually throbbing in pain — as I trudged through one last crowded, picked-over thrift-mart, carrying my baby daughter who was SO NOT interested in sitting in her infant seat. As I pushed my cart through the beaded craft kit section, I thought — I’m not going to make it. I’m so tired. Lord, can you help me get out of this store alive?

Yet I cannot TELL you how many people smiled at me, stopped to make eyes with my baby, and asked if I needed help. I thought this one man was an employee, and I asked him to get something for me — it turns out he was just shopping with his family! Later, a teen girl stepped out of her car in the parking lot and asked if I needed help. I must have looked pathetic. Maybe my aching left bicep was sticking up like a Popeye muscle or something.

We made it. So I’m in the thick of it today. And I know you are too. I wish I could THANK all those people who stopped to smile at me and help me…instead I have to just remind us all to return the favor by helping someone else out.

And to my confidential childhood friend who read my entire blog yesterday and wrote me an email as long as a book…YOU totally and completely made my day! I just have to share with you this great idea she gave me!

The best tradition we have is on Christmas morning, [my husband] rings the Christmas Bell and walks the halls proclaiming in his biggest, most important voice, “THE CHRIST CHILD IS BORN! THE CHRIST CHILD IS BORN! ARISE AND TAKE PART, THE CHRIST CHILD IS BORN!” It is a glorious way to wake up.

Isn’t that wonderful? Wouldn’t it be great if we all did that in our own homes? Then all over the world, in our different time zones, the sound of bells would make its way to our Lord in heaven as we wake up to celebrate His birth. Let’s do it!

Here’s something to cook that you can just throw into a crock pot and make your house smell delightful. It will take you five minutes max to toss it in, then it can simmer while you start wrapping finish wrapping presents. It tastes great with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream on the side.

I adapted this from Table Talk by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg — great book! (And I met Mary Beth recently — she works with MOPS now.)

Crock Pot Apple Crisp

4-6 medium-sized apples, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon (I go a bit heavier than that — it smells so good.)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 cups granola cereal (I used the kind with raisins in it.)
1 cup water

Place apples in crock pot and mix in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low 7-9 hours or on high 2-3 hours. Serve with milk or ice cream. Serves a bunch of kids and a tired husband.

This site is making its way around, but I’ll pass it along to you, in case you’ve missed it. Our whole family loves these pictures — they might be good party entertainment. Go straight to the bunny page and look at that bunny nipping at that cookie. You will be on CUTE OVERLOAD!!

Well, I’ll be out of my blog until Tuesday — when I’ll be having major withdrawal symptoms — so here’s my LAST chance to wish you and your family:

Jeunes filles au piano (Girls at the Piano). Pierre-Auguste Renoir. c. 1892. Musée d’Orsay, Paris.

I hope you’re enjoying the gift of music in your home. It sets the whole mood of Christmas preparations, doesn’t it? We’ve been hearing a lot of “Jin…gle…Bells” being played very sl…oooo…wly on our piano — by small hands making music for the first time.

I’m hoping 2006 will be the year we start our children in piano lessons. I would love to hear back from some of you parents who have ideas and advice about motivating children to practice. Once we begin, it’s a commitment I want to keep. The piano teacher we know is very much into memorization and training for “the guild,” (so I hear) — though I’m not quite sure what “the guild” is at this point.

I do know that God created us all with a yearning for music — it’s an act of praise to lift our voices and instruments in song. Here are a few inspiring quotes about music:

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” — Plato

“Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosphy. Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks and invents.” — Ludwig van Beethoven

“Bach gave us God’s Word. Mozart gave us God’s laughter. Beethoven gave us God’s fire. God gave us Music that we might pray without words.” — quote from outside an old opera house

“Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best.” — Henry Van Dyke

“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” — Johannes Sebastian Bach

It looks like I may not be climbing up on the roof after all in my support of American Girl dolls. Thank you to my savvy mom readers who alerted me to the fact that this company is supporting a controversial organization. I didn’t even know about this.

Here’s an article I found in Newsweek from November 14: The Politics of Playtime. And Focus on the Family also has some good information for parents on CitizenLink from 12/1, with the quote, “Tough times call for tough decisions.”

This reminds me of the boycott of Disney when our first child was born. So, we made it through those early baby years with very little of Disney.

Carol sent a link to this article from the American Family Association. Wow — how disappointing this is. This site also tells you how you can write a letter to American Girl. If I had more time, I probably would. But maybe someone in the American Girl publicity department will do a blog search and see that they’ve got some problems.

For now, I leave it up to you. And I thank those of you who wrote to tell me more alternatives. Vision Forum seems to have some great products for families.

Below are people you may want to contact with your concerns. I didn’t know that Mattel owns American Girl. Now I do! You may find their email addresses here.

Mattel Chairman, Bob Eckert
American Girl President, Ellen Brothers
Public Relations, Susan Jevens

A big ol’ thank you to those of you who got out and voted yesterday. It wasn’t that bad, was it? Now you’ve only got to do it for 8 more days! Just GO HERE and vote Mom 2 Mom Connection in the Weblog Awards Best Blog Design category. I’ve had several of you email me and say you couldn’t vote for some reason. Bummer.

Even my own husband came home and said he couldn’t vote for me — it said he’d already voted — but it had been over 36 hours. So, all I can say is keep trying! ANYWAY! This is kind of exciting — reminds me of a horse race or something.

Right now, we’re WAY behind the first place blog, but we’re neck-in-neck for second. I have to thank Sgt. Hook who has endorsed me in his blog. Now, if you haven’t voted in the Best Military Blog category yet, you know who to vote for. He told me his blog is also designed by Lisa Sabin of Elegant Webscapes, who is currently running a free blog design contest for New Year’s!

Here’s what Sgt. Hook wrote this morning, the 64th anniversary of Pearl Harbor:

The Greatest Generation are passing at an alarming rate. I shudder to think what our world might be like today had not these brave men and women answered the call to duty. Thank you for what you have done for this nation and the world.

Today we ought to take a moment and remember that infamous day the world changed drastically. I’ve been to Pearl Harbor, visited the USS Arizona, walked the line on Wheeler Airfield, visited the cemetaries where our fallen heroes rest. Words escape me as I attempt to describe the energy one feels visiting that hallowed ground. National Geographic has an excellent multimedia presentation marking this auspicious day. We’ll wait a few moments of your time as we remember the Greatest Generation. (Sgt Hook out.)

So, as the Sgt. says, “I encourage everyone to vote. You can vote in each category once during a 24-hour period…so let’s get out and vote. That’s an order Soldiers!”

He says to “Get out and vote, and that’s an order!” So, do it!

NOW, SOME ADVICE ON RAISING TEENS (NOT FROM ME!)
I don’t have any teens in the house yet — but this is a topic I’m always interested in. Several of you have entered Mom 2 Mom Connection lately because you’re googling “Devotions for Teenagers.” If any of you have any specific links to devotions for teens, please send them my way and help out some of these people. (I do recommend the book over there to the left in my sidebar, What Really Counts for Students, especially since some of my devotions are in there!)

As for me, I feel the teen years are where the rubber meets the road, and it’s why I’m always trying to hang around moms who ARE raising or who HAVE raised teens who they enjoy being around. Teenagers who are not rebellious, but are instead leading pure walks with Christ. Now, while they’re still under age 20.

I know a handful of moms of teenagers who I can’t spend enough time with. They’re all about ten years older than me. And there’s something special, unique about their teens. They have a friendly countenance. They don’t act nervous and bored around me — they smile and look me in the eye and call me m’am (which we like here in the South — I’ve gotten over the “feeling old” part – because I AM getting older!)

My friend down the road who has this houseful of teen boys tells me, “Keep a tight rein when they’re young, so you’ll have something to loosen up on when they get to be teens.” Wait a minute — this goes against all those hundreds of baby and toddler magazines I’ve been getting that say, “Kids should have freedom to do what they want. Let them explore their glorious boundaries, and give them lots of choices.”

Choices! My neighbor gives her sons more choices now that they’re teens. She tells me the most rebellious they’ve gotten is that one of them didn’t want to wear shorts this summer — so he wore pants even when it was burning up hot. Big deal. One year, her boys said they were tired of piano lessons, and she said, “Well, let’s keep going one more year.” So they did. And now they’re thanking her. When they’ve come to visit, they perform extraordinary piano concertos, the likes of which have never been heard around here. THAT’S WHAT I WANT! (And they’re also smart, excel at playing chess and basketball, are avid scientists, and I must say — not a bit wimpy!)

In contrast, last weekend, we shopped at Toys R Us, and guess what we saw lined up on one huge wall. Bright, colorful, trendy…TV SETS. For kids! Does YOUR child have a TV set in his or her room? Please email or comment and tell me why. I’m very curious. Is there anything closer to inviting the devil to come right on into your child’s bedroom?

What do you THINK comes on TV after 11 pm? Clifford? Barney? Of course not. Especially if you have satellite or cable. You have no idea what they’re sneaking up to watch with the volume turned down — and don’t fool yourself into thinking they don’t watch TV while you’re asleep — if they can turn it on by themselves, they WILL.

Here are some moms who HAVE raised godly teens — or are in the process. I look up to these families so much!

Susan Alexander Yates — She’s the author of my all-time favorite parenting book, And Then I Had Kids. She also has one called And Then I Had Teenagers. I think she knows what she’s talking about because her five kids all grew up well and are writing their own books now.

Spunky — you’ve GOT to read her post Don’t Bend the Wire. It’s the most inspiring thing I’ve read lately. Her teenage son, while eating four Arby’s roast beef sandwiches, waxed an eloquent point on why parents should stay the course and show their kids they care by giving them boundaries — “Just say no, Mom!” (Really — if you don’t have time to follow any more links, you’ve GOT to read this post — especially if you’re a mom of a teen!)

The Maxwells — I have the book they co-wrote, Managers of Their Homes. And I receive their free monthly newsletter — which is the perfect dose of godly parenting insight I need every month. OK, anyone who can raise and homeschool eight children has my vote for having her act together. Both Steve and Terri Maxwell write columns every month. Now their sons and daughters are also columnists. Keep it coming. They go against the flow, and I love reading what they have to say.

Carmen Rockett — she has a new blog, Full Contact, Christ-Centric Living, and is in the process of raising a house full of children, including teens she enjoys being around. She enjoys posting poetry, so if you like to write poems, you’ll love her site. Her post on balancing love with discipline is a great one, as well as her recent one on reading aloud — in which she includes many of her family’s favorite books.

Focus on the Family — anything by this organization. You can’t argue with James Dobson when you see what his grown daughter and son are out doing — speaking and writing, sharing their faith. Dr. Dobson is my modern-day hero.

I could list tons more…but I’ll let you do it for me. If you’re familiar with any authors or other people who inspire you in the process of raising children who don’t rebel as teens, please send them my way, via email or comments.

And — as you shop for Christmas presents, think LONG-TERM character growth. For example, I don’t like some of the clothing on dolls today, and I refuse to buy anything like those repulsive Bratz dolls, with sultry make-up and skin-tight clothing. (Why, oh why, does Mattel make dolls like that? Can’t little girls be little girls anymore?)

[Note: This post has been edited.]

Don’t you just love watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas?” My dad emailed to tell me it’s coming on tonight at 8pm (Eastern) — we’ll have to tape it because we’re going to see “The Living Christmas Tree” performance at a nearby church. I also found out this December 9th marks the 40-year anniversary of the first time it was ever shown on TV in 1965. You can read more about it at the Charles M. Shulz museum site.

Well, I also really enjoy going to watch “The Living Christmas Tree.” That’s one of my favorite traditions — I love the music. I always wonder how the person at the top of the tree keeps singing the whole time without feeling dizzy. There are lots of fake snowflakes puffing around.

Oh! And I almost forgot — when the Wise Men come out — these men really grow their beards out, and their costumes are glittery and fabulous. They usually sing a song called, “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” Just thinking about it gives me chills. I LOVE this song. It always reminds me how awe-inspiring it is that God came into the world as a baby. In a barn. With all the dust and mess.

A few years ago, I was 8 months pregnant on Christmas Eve, and I was a complete nervous wreck — having night after night of false labor. It made me realize what Mary had to go through — she didn’t have a hospital with sweet, smiling nurses and pain medication. Or those of you brave souls who’ve done homebirth — you’ve at least had a place where you could concentrate — I definitely would not want to be breathing through contractions on a donkey’s back. How come you don’t see Mary telling Joseph, “Stop the donkey! I’m having another one — a bad one!” in all these Christmas plays?

I’ve been perusing several women’s blogs this month, getting ideas for Christmas. Lorna in Finland at See Through Faith enjoyed a cup of tea and a slice of English mince pie with a friend after reading her Advent devotions (which she shared with us). And my sister-in-law’s blog is always a refreshing stop for me.

In fact, I had a little visit from the “Christmas Fairy” over the weekend! My sister-in-law went out in my backyard and climbed up a pile of old bricks to clip pine boughs and berry-laden branches. Then she also found a stick covered in some kind of lime-green lichen and immediately said, “Oh, look at this! Won’t this look pretty!” And within five minutes of her artful arranging, my mantle looks like something out of a magazine. And it didn’t cost me a penny! (Of course I told her, “I have to blog about this!”)

So back to the Charlie Brown idea — the less commercial, the better. I’m going to try to pare down our Christmas clutter and use more real pine greenery and berries…whatever we can find that’s simple and can be tossed back outside in a few weeks.

OK, here’s my daily reminder of these Weblog Awards — if you like this site design, please vote for Mom 2 Mom Connection in the poll. You can click here or directly on the logo, and it should take you straight there. I don’t like having to ask people to do things like this — but it’s making me all nervous because they post how many votes people have! And these other sites — wow — some have made their own logos with links. I don’t even know how to put a link in my sidebar template. If anyone knows, I’d love to find out.

Thanks for your support! What makes me feel jittery is — this thing lasts until December 15! And you can vote as often as once a day — so I can’t ask you to vote once, then leave ya alone. I gotta remind you every day. Which makes me feel annoying. (So if you’re annoyed, just ignore me here — sorry.)

Countdown: 3 more days until Narnia, 9 more days of this weblog contest, 19 more days until Christmas.

We’ve made it to the last month of the year — December is here. This is the weekend many of us will begin hauling boxes up from our basement or down from our attic — as we attempt to usher in the season of Christmas.

Here are a couple of traditions we enjoy in our home that you may like to do in yours. We’ve used an Advent Calendar for years to count the days until Christmas. I bought it at a Christian bookstore. It has little pockets with numbers 1-25 on them, and inside each pocket is a little stuffed piece that we take out each day to create a Nativity scene.

The first few days are things like stars, the moon, clouds, etc. Then we add in angels, sheep, donkeys, camels, shepherds, wise men, and eventually the family of Jesus. This is always one of our favorite activities to do first thing in the morning — and I never have to hear, “How many days until Christmas?” because my kids can see the calendar and count for themselves!

We’ve ended up with several of those little tabletop trees, and I let the kids have one in their rooms all month. It’s a nice scene to see them going to sleep in the glow of tiny Christmas lights. On one of our table trees, we decorate using a book called “Adornaments.” Each little ornament is a small book — you open it up each day the twelve days before Christmas and read what the ornament means. Each is a symbol of Jesus. My kids love doing this. A friend gave this book to me last year, and I must tell you — it’s so easy for busy parents. And as the kids read, I’m reminded to celebrate Christ as the center of Christmas.

In years past, we’ve decorated a Jesse Tree, using a book called The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for Children and Adults to Prepare for the Coming of the Christ Child at Christmas (by Dean Meador Lambert). Our church used this book and taught us how to make ornaments that all relate to the whole story of the birth of Christ — beginning in the Old Testament. It’s really a magnificent way to give your family a glimpse of the BIG picture.

Oh, we also love to pull out our Christmas books and videos. A few years ago, I invested in some of those red and green Rubbermaid boxes, and they’ve been definitely worth it. (Though this year, I’m going to get better at LABELING the boxes with exactly what’s inside.) I used to not know what to do with all the Christmas books we got as gifts. They’d end up on the kids’ bookshelves and would be ignored and forgotten by Easter. But now, we pack them away at the end of the season and pull them out again with our decorations. They stay NEW this way! We have one book that sings little Christmas songs — that has got to be nearly ten years old. It still works, and every child has loved on that book.

So, from my house to yours. Now it’s your turn to help me out. What are your most-loved Christmas decorations?

I can get overwhelmed just thinking of all that I have to do — but I try to take it step by step and focus on what really matters — that my family enjoys being together celebrating the birth of our Saviour. Jesus is the REAL focus of the season. But it’s up to me to provide the background sounds, sights, smells, and TASTES (mmm…) to make their memories more tangible.

P.S. Just in case you think I might have my act together: I don’t! The Advent calendar is still in a box as of this posting — and will come out tomorrow, a day late. As I grocery shopped yesterday for seven people and seven cats, I felt like I was on the edge of a cliff, teetering very close to the edge. (Teething baby, one ear infection, two baton twirlers in today’s Christmas parade, one 4th grader in need of styrofoam balls for a solar system project, two light-saber-wielding knights in very LOUD action…) I will not make it through one tiny second of Christmas without being plugged into God’s strength through prayer. There — the TRUTH to “how I do it!”

If you’re a parent, you probably remember those first few months when you brought home your newborn — you were scared out of your mind. All your ideas about taking care of a baby flew out the window when you took a good look at this new person and realized: she’s completely dependent on YOU for survival. And you need SLEEP to be able to think straight!

The best-case scenario those first six weeks is that you only wake up every three hours for a feeding — but some babies are fussier — or there’s some difficulty with getting a feeding routine established. Then you find yourself bombarded with advice and opinions…and the bags under your eyes show the world that you’re on the verge of losing it.

It does get better…right? Then the baby magazines start coming…loaded with more advice. Your pediatrician tells you one thing…your neighbor another…the church nursery ladies tell you something else…the lady in the grocery store stops to give you her opinion about what’s wrong with your whole generation…and then your mom says, “Well, when you were a baby, I did…and you turned out fine.”

You’re on overload! So how do you sift through all these opinions and discover what works best for YOU?

In her book, Parenting Power in the Early Years, Brenda Nixon offers you the refreshing encouragement you need to stay sane those first five years. As a national parenting speaker and columnist, she knows what the critical issues are in raising your child. She’s condensed her most sought-after columns into one practical book that would make a great addition to any parent’s bookshelf.

The book is divided into three sections: Embrace the First Year, Survive the Toddler Years, and Maneuver the Preschool Years. Nixon’s positive tone builds rapport with readers who want to hear from someone they can trust, who can answer questions in a loving way. She doesn’t shy away from any controversial issues, and includes her columns about temper tantrums, clinging toddlers, biting, spanking dilemmas, nightmares, thumb-sucking, bedtime resistance…you name it.

In the appendices, you’ll also find a wonderful gift-giving key for newborns up to age five, a child development guide, and a fantastic list of resources — with current website information. The table of contents makes it easy to look up any topic, and you don’t have to wade through extraneous ads and information to find what you really need.

What I also like about this book is that she includes plenty of in-depth research, and she keeps her readers focused on the long-term vision of parenting. Here’s what she says in her column, “Give Children What They Really Need:”

From birth to age 18, 85 percent of your children’s waking, learning hours are spent, not in the classroom but, in your living room! You are their first and most influential teacher…Now is the time to fully embrace parenting and give your children what they need. Give them your attention, give them time, and give them a faith for their future. Nelson Mandela said, “We must…realize that the time is always ripe to do what is right.”

I think this book would make a great baby shower gift for moms-to-be, as well as a refresher for parents in the thick of those early years. It would also be helpful for nursery or daycare workers, as well as grandparents who spend a lot of time caring for their grandchildren. Packed with wisdom, this is a handy book that will empower you to soar above the difficulties and embrace the joys of the sacred calling of parenthood.

Last night, we were sitting in front of the fire reading our first story of the new season — The Christmas Cat by Tasha Tudor. It seemed awfully quiet for a few minutes, and I was able to read several pages without being interrupted. Then I looked over and saw my two-year-old standing on top of the barstool shaking a torrent of fish flakes onto our poor, unsuspecting goldfish.

“Oh no!” all of us noticed at once.

This required an immediate rescue attempt on my part, and we had to abandon our story. The little fish was gulping food as quickly as she could — so much! So good! So fast into her belly!

I scooped her into a little container, then dumped out her murky bowl and replaced it with clean, clear water. She kept gulping all along, trying to fill herself with every flake she could see.

This reminded me of how we parents go into the Christmas season. So much! So good! So fast! Our kids really don’t require anything but love and hearing the True Christmas Story, but what do we do? We pour as much as we can on top of them — to the point of complete saturation.

Several years ago when my son started preschool, I was in for a surprise at his first Christmas party. I arrived a few minutes early to help pass out napkins and snacks, and I saw one of the mothers out in the hall in front of the classroom. She wore a gigantic red Rudolph nose, antlers on her head, and a brilliant Christmas sweater complete with red-and-white-striped knee socks. When I got closer, I noticed she was frantically wrapping pipe cleaners around candy canes that had little eyes glued on.

“Won’t these be adorable?” she said to me, in a breathless voice. “I’ve just got six more to make!”

That was an epiphany for me. I realized what I was stepping into — my pace quickened. Christmas crafts! Songs! Activities! Santa lists! Themed Christmas trees! Buying presents beyond our means! And don’t forget — adorable Christmas outfits that stay clean for pictures — and everybody smile!

Too much of a good thing? Maybe so. In our haste to give our kids everything, are we really giving them anything? I have opinions on a few issues — and since I’m blogging this year — I’ll tell you my thoughts. Stay tuned.

Tomorrow is the first day of Advent — now this is something I anticipate with great joy. I hope you’ll stop in and pick up a few ideas to help keep the focus of your home on the true Joy of the season.

I hope you all enjoy a marvelous Thanksgiving today with your family. Here’s something to keep in mind as you count your blessings. There are a lot of people out there who aren’t going to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving. They may not have anybody to eat with — or they may have to work.

When I was growing up, we always ate a big Thanksgiving lunch at my grandmother’s house in south Georgia. But the tradition changed a few years ago, and now we go to my mom’s house. This is the way she is: we’ve never eaten Thanksgiving with just my family. We’ve always had a few extra guests — people Mom thinks would enjoy a meal with us. For example, she’s invited single people who don’t live near family.

There are also a lot of people in the world who can’t afford to take off work to enjoy Thanksgiving. Yesterday, I ran into a local convenience store to pay for my gas and get a gallon of milk. A nice Indian family owns this business, and the man always smiles at me and asks how I’m doing.

So, yesterday I asked him, “Will you be off tomorrow for Thanksgiving?”

“Oh, no, no,” he said. “I must work tomorrow. I work every day, seven days a week, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.”

“How do you do that?” I asked him. “Don’t you ever get a break?”

“This is not bad. This is nothing,” he said to me. Then he stopped ringing up my sale and looked me in the eye. “I used to work day shift here, then I went to a factory and worked all night. I did that for 12 years. I worked 22 hours a day for 12 years.”

I couldn’t believe it.

“I did this so I could save money,” he continued. “Then I bought this shop here. Now I can have money for my two children.”

Now there’s a story. How can anyone do that? Work 22 hours a day for 12 years? What keeps him going? What makes him get up in the morning to work that hard? And how does he always have a smile on his face?

People like him fascinate me. Amaze me. I’m going to start asking some questions the next time I stop in because someday I’d like to write a story about him. I want to know what helps him persevere. What kind of life did he leave behind to move here? I think he keeps going because he sees a brighter future for his children — this is the American Dream.

Say a prayer for him today, and for those like him — as you’re eating lunch. He and many others will be doing the same old thing — alone.

God bless you all this Thanksgiving! Here’s a wonderful hymn you can click and listen to. Maybe you could even read or sing this out loud at a family gathering:

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child;
Friends on earth and friends above;
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.
…….
For Thyself, best gift divine,
To our race so freely given;
For that great, great love of Thine,
Peace on earth and joy in heaven:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

What do people think of the new Harry Potter movie? Once again, I send you to La Shawn Barber’s blog where she’s compiled a round-up of blogger and media reviews. I have to thank her for mentioning Mom 2 Mom Connection in her list. Here’s how she quoted me:

Mom to Mom Connection links to a review and addresses the occult controversy: “We haven’t gotten into the Harry Potter books yet — a Bible Study teacher I had once told us to keep our children away from them because of the wizardry. She used the example of Saul displeasing the Lord by consulting a medium…”

Another awesome blogger who has some great things going on at her site is Sally Apokedak. She is a kindred spirit who values books for kids that help promote solid Christian values. I was shocked to learn about some disgusting, pornographic books that are on school library shelves — and stirring up quite a bit of controversy. You’ll have to go read about it at her site — here’s what she has to say to us parents who love our kids:

There is only one thing that can change the hearts of men. The gospel.

So, preach the gospel in season and out. And pray for the children in your neighborhoods. Pray for their parents.

If you are a writer, write books that glorify God…and put Christians and especially Christ in a positive light.

If you are a publisher, commit to publishing high-quality children’s books and devote some advertising dollars to telling parents and kids that they now have a choice. Look at Barbour with Landon Snow and their new manga book. Invest in quality…

If you are a parent, buy good books and distribute them.

And I might add, if you are a parent, DON’T buy books for your kids that compromise your values — and DON’T take them to see movies that make you cringe. Follow your heart! Follow your convictions. “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good!” (Romans 12:9)