A Children’s Bible Storybook Recommendation

After writing this post, I’ve been thinking about a wonderful children’s Bible storybook by Sally Lloyd-Jones: The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name.

It is refreshing to read a children’s Bible storybook that has both good theology and beautiful language. Lloyd-Jones traces the story of salvation, highlighting how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of Jesus as the Rescuer. The introduction begins,

"There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every story in the Bible whispers his name."

From the beginning to the end of the book, Lloyd-Jones demonstrates a unmatchable ability to find words that both convey the weight of the Scriptures and catch the attention of children. I love her paraphrase of the creation narrative:

"God said, 'Hello light!' and light shone into the darkness . . . 'Hello trees!' God said. 'Hello grass and flowers!' And everything everywhere burst into life. He made buds bud, shoots shoot, and flowers flower. 'You’re good,' God said. And they were." 

And perhaps my favorite line in the book is her paraphrase of a verse in Revelation: "Everything sad has come untrue." This book is a must-have! Your heart will be just as blessed as your child's heart!

The Four Best Children's Books for Toddlers

Since I have three little ones, I thought this would be an appropriate post that could be helpful for an expecting mother. This short list contains a couple of the predictable classics and a couple unusual ones.

In order for a book to make it to the top of my list, both the words and the illustrations must be beautiful. I find it interesting that there is a correlation between the books I like the most and the books my toddler likes the most. Perhaps it’s simply a matter of preference, but neither my toddler nor I are really fans of the mindless words and pictures in some toddler books. When I read my son one of those books, he stares blankly at the pages. But when I read from these books, he comes alive--smiling, talking, and pointing.

Pat the Bunny
Nothing came take the place of this classic book in a family’s library. It is perfect for little ones who are just starting to respond to books.

Goodnight Moon
Another must-have classic. I love how the story is a soothing poem, written in simple rhyme. The illustrations enhance the story--the bedroom gets darker with every page that is turned.

Scholastic First Picture Dictionary
I think I would have naturally gravitated away from dictionaries if someone hadn’t given them to us (we also have this one and this one). However, they turned out to be some of my toddler’s favorite books! The Scholastic First Picture Dictionary is the best. It contains more than 700 words and pictures. It it perfect for little ones who are naturally working on expanding their vocabulary.

I Am a Bunny
This is a little-known book was written in the 1960s. It is my go-to book for gifts because I can be pretty certain that the family doesn’t already own it. Both the story and the illustrations are lovely, which makes it a favorite.

Atheism and Chess

I saw a newspaper article that made reference to a high school’s “atheist club.” I wonder if these clubs are common and if anyone else senses an irony. I understand an atheist to be someone who denies or disbelieves the existence of God. Do not clubs usually consist of people who share a common interest? An atheist club is a non-interest in God. It is like forming a non-chess club for people who are against the game of chess. And wouldn’t the existence of a non-chess club help to validate the existence of the game of chess?

While on the topic of atheism, my college philosophy professor, Dr. Jim Spiegel, has a great little book on the subject--The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief. He approaches the issue with a unique perspective, and the book is insightful and very readable.

The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life

Wow. Joan Chittiser is such a good writer. I’ve really enjoyed her book The Liturgical Year. And if the title sounds a little bland, allow me to add the subtitle: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life. The phrase has been bouncing around in my head for a while now. I love Chittiser's use of language. Usually the word “spiral” is paired with the word “downward.” But the subtitle of this book evokes the image of an upward spiral--a gradual ascent to holiness. Here are some quotes that I've enjoyed...

“The liturgical year is an adventure in bringing the Christian life to fullness, the heart to alert, the soul to focus. It does not concern itself with the questions of how to make a living. It concerns itself with the questions of how to make a life” (page 4, emphasis added).

“The liturgical year is the year that sets out to attune the life of the Christian to the life of Jesus, the Christ. It proposes, year after year, to immerse us over and over again into the sense and substance of the Christian life, until, eventually, we become what we say we are--followers of Jesus all the way to the heart of God. The liturgical year is an adventure in human growth, an exercise in human ripening.” (page 6, emphasis added)

“The liturgical year is the process of slow, sure immersion in the life of Christ that, in the end, claims us, too, as heralds of that life ourselves” (page 13).

“Liturgical time is the arc that affixes the layers of life. It binds heaven and earth into one and the same rhythm. Rather than give ourselves totally to life as we know it here and now, liturgical time raises our sights above the dailiness of life to the essence of life” (page 39, emphasis added).

What Price Are We Paying?

Photo from www.theatlantic.com

The Atlantic recently published an article entitled, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The article discusses how the internet has diminished our attention span and our ability to concentrate. It is worth reading.

On Eating Responsibly

Wendell Berry’s collection of essays published in What Are People For? includes a particularly interesting essay entitled “The Pleasures of Eating.”

In this essay, Berry asserts that our culture has turned the act of eating into an utterly passive act so that the eater becomes merely a passive consumer. This problem results from how little most eaters know about the agricultural process of producing food. He writes, “When food, in the minds of eaters, is no longer associated with farming and with the land, then the eaters are suffering a kind of cultural amnesia that is misleading and dangerous” (What Are People For?, page 146). He warns that there is a danger in not knowing about the food process, whereby we support an industry that only concerns intself with volume and price.

Photos by my husband.

Berry gives seven tips on how to eat responsibly:

1. Participate in food production to the extent you can. He suggests having a little garden and making your compost to fertilize it.
2. Prepare your own food. This gives you measure of “quality control” because you know what has been added to the food you eat.
3. Learn the origins of the food you buy, and buy the food that is produced closest to your home.
4. Whenever possible, deal directly with a local farmer, gardener, or orchardist.
5. Learn as much as you can about the economy and technology of industrial food production. Berry says this is a matter of self-defense.
6. Learn what is involved in the best farming and gardening.
7. Learn of the life histories of the food species.

A Theology of Beauty

Christian homes should be dramatic expressions of the gospel message, and they should teach people about God. My favorite book on the subject of reflecting the Lord’s character within our homes is The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer, the wife of Francis Schaeffer. This book is no longer in print, but you can find it used, and I highly recommend it. Edith writes:

"A Christian, above all people, should live artistically, aesthetically, and creatively. We are supposed to be representing the Creator who is there, and who we acknowledge to be there. It is true that all men are created in the image of God, but Christians are supposed to be conscious of that fact, and being conscious of it should recognize the importance of living artistically, aesthetically, and creatively, as creative creatures of the Creator. If we have been created in the image of an Artist, then we should look for expressions of artistry, and be sensitive to beauty, responsive to what has been created for our appreciation" (The Hidden Art of Homemaking, page 32).

Gum, Geckos, and God

Gum, Geckos, and God: A Family’s Adventure in Space, Time, and Faith. If the title itself doesn’t make you want to read James Spiegel’s book, the first chapter certainly will. Here is an excerpt from the publisher’s description of the book:

“James Spiegel never realized what challenges and adventures he would face in talking about God with his own children. In a book that is witty, warm, and profound, he explains complex issues of the Christian faith in terms that his children can understand and accept…As you read, you’ll step into a new depth of Christian doctrine as you come to know and enjoy the Spiegel family and follow their journey of spiritual growth. Here is a uniquely incisive look into the most complex issues of faith in a way that’s absorbing, engaging, and highly personal.”

My husband and I devoured this book in only four days! It was a wonderful read—funny, thought-provoking, and challenging, and we strongly recommend it.

An In Utero Tale

Recently I attended a baby shower honoring a friend who is pregnant with her second girl. She received lots of darling gifts, but one gift in particular was especially cute. It was a book entitled, Ma! There’s Nothing to Do Here! by Barbara Park. The book is written from the perspective of an unborn baby who laments over the lack of activities in the womb. The illustrations by Viviana Garofoli are wonderful. It was a perfect gift for my friend because she can read it to her little daughter. What a helpful and humorous way to prepare a child for the arrival of their new baby brother or sister!