Great Kids Devotional Book

So Emma went to get a book to read before bed tonight and came back with this one.

I've had this book since I was a child, but haven't thought much of it until tonight.

Tonight I read a devotional to Emma from it, and memories of my mother and father reading them to me flooded back. I don't think this is my original copy, but it very well may be. Either way, Amazon has used hardback copies starting at one cent. Now that's a deal.

Anyway, this book is comprised of two-page spreads which include a picture and a devotional including probing age appropriate questions, a related prayer and a verse.

Emma thinks they're fantastic and I really do too. Guess my mother was right on!

Giants Steps for Little People by Kenneth N. Taylor

She's Crafty

I thought I'd post a few nature enthusiasts from friday's, She's Crafty. These little budding artists went "green" for the morning and created the most adorable nature friendly artwork.

Take a peek at these cuties and their masterpieces!

October Speaker Resources

If you weren't with us for GUM this month - fear not. I have speaker notes.

October has been all about our family of origin. Learning about where we've come from and how that affects and effects us as we parent our own children. Judy Underwood and our very own Titus 2 mom, Carol L. shared about their own stories - thanks ladies for sharing your hearts with us!


Below you'll find a whole gamut of resources - books the ladies recommended, which aided thier own journeys as women and parents. So drive by the library and pick one up, (they're also all available at Amazon).


Judy's Recommendations:
Confident Children and How They Grow by Richard L. Strauss
Children Are Wet Cement by Anne Ortlund
What is a Family by Edith Shaffer

Carol's Recommendations:
Devotionals
The Unquenchable Worshipper by Matt Redmond
31 Days of Praise by Ruth Myers

Spiritual Life
Set Apart; Calling a Worldly Church to a Godly Life by Kent Hughes
Celebration of Discipline; The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster
The Great Omission; Reclaiming Jesus’ Essential Teachings on Discipleship by Dallas Willard

Child-Rearing
Dare to Discipline by James Dobson
How to Really Love Your Child by Ross Campbell, M.D.
You and Your Child by Charles Swindoll

Carol also recommended the blog from Leadership Catalyst at http://truefaced.com/blog/

Costume Exchange

This Thursday we'll be having a Costume Exchange. If you have a costume you no longer want or need, kids out grew it, etc. bring it on Thursday.

The rules are simple. Bring one to exchange or one to donate. If you brought one (or three) you can take home one (or three) or none if you'd prefer. Mamas who brought have first choice, and then we'll open it up to the entire group. Please bring them labelled by size.

So dig through those closets and storage boxes in the garage and pull out those costumes or dress up clothes and bring them with you on Thursday.

I'll be bringing the ladybug above and this dandy sweet pea (child not included). What have you got?

God is love.

I am a woman and most likely if you’re reading this, you are too. Nothing can change that I am woman. It’s who I am. [I know you wonder where I'm going...but stay with me...]

God is love. I am so not love. I feel love. I experience love. I give love. But I am not love. God is love. It is not a feeling or an experience or an action, it is who He is. God IS love. And He loves us. He loves you. He loves me. He love our kids. And nothing can change that God is love, and he loves us.

Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A couple weekends ago I attended the COD women’s mini retreat, a video conference by Beth Moore on the topic of love. And this concept of 'God is love' hit me in a new and refreshing way. As unchangeable as I am woman, God is love. And he pours out his love on me so that I might love others. His love overwhelms me, it heals me, and it spurs me to love when I can’t do it alone.

So I was reminded of this when I woke one morning after a long week of emotional exhaustion and ministry and thought I can’t do this, I can’t love these children or these other people in my life anymore today, I’m still exhausted from yesterday. Or last week. Or maybe the last month. I know you mamas know this exhuastion. Its the one that makes you doubt your ablity to play with, change, or run errands with your little ones. Its the exhaustion that spurs you to let voicemail answer your calls, or have cereal for dinner. The exhaustion that leaves your emotions raw from the heartache that comes with life sometimes, and un-able to give anything else, to anyone.

But that morning when I woke and felt unable to manage my day and desired nothing but to hide under the covers until everyone stopped poking me - it was then, right there in my comfy cozy bed, in a moment with God, when He reminded me of an amazing truth. When I am unable, God is able. When I am exhausted, God gives me strength. When I am weary, God gives me rest. When I am afraid, He gives me courage. When I am worried, He gives me peace. When I am broken-hearted, He heals my wounds. What is impossible for me to do today, is possible because of God. Because He loves me and His love fills me. I have all the resources I need in Him.

What’s impossible for you today? Are you exhausted, weary, or afraid? Tell Him. His love is unfailing and enduring. Let His love fill you.

James 1:5

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Carol will be sharing more of her insights from the women's mini-retreat on Thursday - don't miss it!

Pint Sized Adventure: LA Zoo

Here's all the info for the Pint-sized Adventure this THURSDAY, OCT. 9th.

We'll be meeting at the gate at 10:30, try and be on time so we can all go in together. As I mentioned, a number of us are members and can get people in on our passes, as well as I have some free tickets too.

Please let me know if you plan on coming! Bring a lunch and we'll picnic in the park or playground after we've seen some animals.

DIRECTIONS:
The Los Angeles Zoo is located at the northeast corner of Griffith Park at the junction of the I-5 (Golden State) and the 134 (Ventura) freeways. The Zoo is directly across from the Autry Museum of Western Heritage.
Take the 210 West to the Westbound 134: Use far right lane approaching I-5 (Golden State) Freeway coming out of Glendale. Follow signs indicating 134 (Ventura) Freeway. Exit Zoo Drive, continue past soccer fields, across the bridge to the parking lot (this is a big loop around and under the fwy).

Here are their prices for your reference:
General Admission Prices
Adults (ages 13 - up) $12
Seniors (age 62 and up) $9
Children (ages 2 to 12) $7
Children (under 2) Free
Parking Free

For more zoo info: http://www.lazoo.org/

Fun ZOO Concentration game to play with your kids (or by yourself)!

http://www.lazoo.org/fun/matching/

HOPE TO SEE YOU THURSDAY!!

Bracelets, Boogers, and Beads...oh my!

Just thought I would drop by a humorous Willmer happening....
Today the girls and I were making sweet little charm bracelets from a kit Emma was given as a birthday gift. Everything was going well. Titus was munching on some plastic pretend scissors, Emma was focusing in on the perfect dazzling bracelet, and Addie was shaking her head (like you do when your trying to get water out of your ear), only she was doing it in the forward motion-not to the side. Then I noticed, she started sticking her finger up there too. I giggled thinking she was trying to shake a booger out of her nose. And so I asked her, "Are you trying to shake a boogie out?" She giggled and answered "No." I said, "What are you doing then?" She replied, "Trying to get out a bead, it's stuck." You may have thought I should have immediately known it was a bead, not a booger, after all we were working with beads. I thought we were in the clear for situations like these. You see in 6 years, none of my kids have stuck anything in their noses (and have had plenty of chances too), but boogies-those we have always had in great abundance. So, to me a booger made sense. Maybe the reason they have never stuck anything up there is because it was usually already occupied. Anywho, not panicking I asked her to cover the vacant nostril and blow out with the other. This girl cannot blow her own nose, so, the chances were slim, and I felt almost certain tweezers were in my immediate future. To my amazement it came shooting out and with such great force it pelted off my leg...causing all three of us to laugh out load. That little pink bead was tucked way up there so far, that I thought it was purple until it came out.

Thank you God for pink beads and for the safe evacuations of them :)

See the Titus 2

Here's the snap of our Titus 2 Moms!

Carol, Tina, Barb and Judy

Coming Up This Month: OCTOBER

October Theme: Family of Origin - Ties that Bind

October 2nd: Guest Speaker Judy Underwood

October 9th: Pint-sized Adventure
Meet us at the LA Zoo at 10:30, just inside the gate. We'll visit the animals and picnic at the playground.

October 16th: Carol Lougmagne shares what she learned from COD's Womens Mini-Retreat.

October 17th: She's Crafty - (check the info on the right)

October 23rd: Mom's Night Out
Pinkberry in Azusa (in cheap movie theater stip mall)

October 25th: COD Family Fall Fest
This is an awesome day of fun for the whole family. Make your way through the haymaze, go on a hay ride, ride ponies, bounce your heart away, music, crafts, food and a pumpkin patch!
10am-4pm all over COD's hillside campus
It takes tons of volunteers to make this day fantastic! Wanna help?? Contact Scott Dodson, Childrens Pastor at scott@churchoftheopendoor.com or let Karen or Lindsay know.

October 30th: GUM BUNCO
Come enjoy breakfast with the ladies and get your dice hands ready!


Extras:
October 1st - Car Seat Saftey Check at Sams Club Glendora from 10am-2pm
October 28th, 29th, 30th - Come to storytime dressed in their Halloween costumes. After storytime, children will have fun "Trick or Treating" in the library. 10:30am - 11:30am.
October 31st - Glendora Halloween Walk, Trick or Treat in Downtown Glendora, 10am - 2pm
October 31st - Glendora Family Carnival from 5-8 at Finkbiner Park

Meet Your Titus 2 Moms

So you've all met the Titus 2 Mentor Moms right? Well, here's a little bit about them so you can get to know them more. Just in case today wasn't enough for you, or maybe you missed today (we missed you too!) I asked Barb, Carol and Tina 3 questions, so without further ado, here's their answers.

What's your favorite book?
Barb: The Bible, and I've really enjoyed reading it this last year and seeing the way God continually forgives those who repent, and how His plan for redemption is clearly woven throughout the Old Testament. Those written by humans: Anything by Francine Rivers, like Redeeming Love. I really enjoy her style and the way she hits my heart. Secular author, a new one to me, Emily Griffin (at least I think that's her name). I occasionally read a book written by a non-Christian, and I found myself hysterical over Something Borrowed, and the sequel Something Blue. They were about real, worldly friends (totally carnal) but I liked them because there really are people like them out there, and it helps me see real life through the eyes of the unsaved (and makes me thankful that I'm not there!). And, I laughed throughout both books!

Carol: One of my favorite books is Witness by Whittaker Chambers. (Usually my favorite book is the one I'm reading at the moment, but this one is an all-time favorite.) Witness is the biography of Mr. Chambers that includes his dramatic escape from being a KGB agent in the communist party in America and the way God used this humble, private man in a very painfully public trial. He wrote the book so his children would know the truth. He suffered for truth. His story made a big impact on me as a college student and again when I reread it a few years ago.


Tina: Hard to pick THE "favorite" but this is one that I have loved: Life of the Beloved by Henry Nouwen. It is a beautiful affirmation of the truth that I am the beloved daughter of the God of the universe and that this knowledge is the source of my greatest joy and peace and purpose in life.

What scripture was most meaningful to you in the last year?
Barb: Most meaningful Scripture--this one takes pondering...this probably sounds kind of odd, but I was really impacted by Daniel 1:8, where it says "But Daniel PURPOSED IN HIS HEART that he would not defile himself...." I think that in order to remain pure and "undefiled" in the world we live in, we have to make some decisions ahead of time, and have a plan for when certain situations arise. If we're thrown into things without a plan, then we are far more likely to error and do something with lasting negative consequences. This is what I'm trying to teach Kristina regarding dating and other situations that she faces in high school.

Carol: A passage of Scripture that has meant a lot to me over the last year is Psalm 103. It is a psalm that says a lot about who God is, but near the end, it says this, "Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust." It reminds me of who I am compared to who He is. When I feel overwhelmed, I am comforted and reminded to wait on Him because He knows my frailty, my weakness. Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." He created me for a purpose and he'll walk beside me in the process.

Tina: I have found myself turning again and again to this passage which brings me such comfort as I have faced circumstances that have challenged me to rely fully on His sovereignty and power in my life and in the lives of those I love: Isaiah 42:1-4 "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned . . . For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior . . . you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you . . . ."

When you had small children, what was your favorite 'just for me' activity?
Barb: What I did for me when my kids were young--take a bath every night with my favorite book, or almost any book. Amazing, cheap therapy!

Carol: My favorite "just-for-me" activity when my children were small was to escape my house (leaving my husband to baby-sit, of course) to go to a music rehearsal at church. My friends were there. We worked on something beautiful in our time together and I loved it. And it is still my VERY favorite "just-for-me" activity.

Tina: Good question! I found myself doing a lot of sewing - matching outfits for my girls (sometimes even for my son, which his wife thinks are really precious now!) That was really fun for me I also enjoyed reading historical fiction - The Zion Chronicles series and The Zion Covenant series by the Thoenes.

Thank ladies for sharing with us!