Bible Before Screens (a.k.a. BBS)
Mornings during the school year are early and intense but not in the summer! When the boys wake up, I extend the invitation to read a chapter in Genesis (that’s the book of the Bible we decided to read this month) and ask if they rather read it out loud, together or to themselves. They don’t have to do it right away, but no screen is turned on until their chapter is read and discussed. We don’t use any fancy questions, I simply ask them:
- What stands out to you?
- What does this chapter tell us about God’s character?
Some mornings we finish quickly and other times they linger on the couch and in the floor while the sunrise peaks through the window and I sip my coffee. I can’t help but smile in wonder at the questions that flow from their heart and into the living room. It’s easily my favorite time of the whole day.
100% True: An Experiment in Telling the Whole Truth
This activity was born out of a comment one of the boys made about something he had done that wasn’t a full lie, but it was sneaky! It is a quick and delicious way to teach kids about how our actions can be 100% truthful. Click here for an excerpt from our Parent Guide with all of the details to conduct this experiment in your home.
Bear Came Along
We are LOVING this book and have read it numerous times. I read it to all four of my boys and it’s so interesting to see what different details they each notice. This book is a great reminder, especially during the summer, that we are exactly where we are supposed to be! No need for FOMO here, adventure is all around us, we only need eyes to see it.
Studying Jesus’ Parables Through Hands-On Activities
My kids seem to learn best from hands-on activities so when it was time to plant our summer garden I decided to turn it into an object lesson on one of Jesus’ parables! The boys took turns sowing seed on the path, in the rocks, among the thorns and in the good soil. I always learn more when I prepare to teach the boys something and this was no exception! This parable gently reminded me that Jesus is the Sower, this parable teaches us about His character.
I was also reminded of how important roots are to a plant, they anchor the plant when the wind and rain come, they also provide a way to get nutrients. As parents, isn’t that what we want most for our children? To be rooted in Jesus…yes! I love how Jesus takes our tiny acts of obedience and uses them to grow our heart, even when we think this was just a lesson for our children.
Summer Gratitude List
Since stumbling across Ann Voskamp’s devotional book, “One Thousand Gifts,” I often find myself rereading it each summer. She encourages the reader to write 1,000 gratitudes or gifts and watch as their heart is transformed by thanksgiving.
” We take the moments as bread and give thanks and the thanks itself becomes bread. The thanks itself nourishes. Thanks feeds our trust.” -Ann Voskamp
I hung up a large piece of butcher paper next to the kitchen table and placed a box of markers beside it, inviting the boys to take time to reflect and give thanks during the day. We decided to incorporate pictures along with our writing since not everyone is a reader, YET!
Mr. Marc was our next door neighbor and often played songs on his guitar as the boys ran around in the backyard. As part of the Speer Family, he grew up singing gospel music and continues using his gifts to record hymns for CB&J today! These hymns are a timeless way to remind children about the character of Jesus, and we are grateful to be able to share these with you.