BOOK REVIEW BLOG

Part-Time is Plenty by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, published by Westminster John Knox Press, addresses the problem of main-line Protestant congregations who can no longer afford full-time clergy. Due to declining membership and budget deficits, churches…

In my family, ‘a book’ is usually the answer to most questions. Where can I find information about Botswana? A book. I need something to do because I’m bored. Get a book. I don’t know…

Faith formation with children is a sacred calling. We meet children where they are, help them learn the basics of our faith, equip them to go more deeply into who we are called to be,…

“Wait. THAT’S what this was about? I did NOT get that,” were the words out of my 21 year old daughter’s mouth when she and I were discussing my feelings about My Guncle and Me…

Finding resources to use with teens is challenging. Finding resources that are theologically sound is tricky. Finding resources to use with leaders who don’t teach full time is a tall order. Finding resources that are…

I am probably not the intended audience of Hear Our Prayer; Prayers of the People for the Revised Common Lectionary by Jon White and Lisa Graves. I’m not someone who leads corporate worship. I’m not…

I think everyone knows my deep affection for and constant use of Common Prayer for Children and Families. (TL;DR version: I found it when cleaning out my new office last summer. It’s from 2019 and…

I find it ironic that adults will often comment that they don’t know how to pray when just about every young child I know will pray with the most beautiful authenticity. I am always honored…

My big sister has Down Syndrome. My early years were immersed in the world of her therapies and classes through early intervention, which was a brand-new thing in the late 70s. I never knew that…

For the past twenty years, you will find me on a couch, in a kid’s bed, or even in a tent in my backyard reading with children before bedtime. We’ve cycled through so many wonderful…

I have hit that part of human development where stretching is a necessity for me to be able to maintain my posture, balance, and ability to keep up with my children. When I began this…

Maybe it’s because I’m solidly in middle age, maybe it’s because I’m sandwiched between caretaking for my own young children and my aging relatives, maybe it’s because I see my oldest children launching into their…

Have you ever noticed how packaging can change the appeal of an item? Wrap it in sparkly paper, adorn it with a fun ribbon, and hand it to someone. I’m fairly certain they’re going to…

My day started at 11:56 pm on the day before when my 3 year old woke from a bad dream related to a lion. It began again at 3:13 am when the door to the…

When I think back on my early years of life, what I remember most are the everyday rhythms. How our lunchtime sandwiches were sliced on the diagonal, what the plastic feet of our footie pajamas…

I am known for changing around the furniture placement in my home or in my classrooms with regularity. I like how a small tweak causes my brain to rewire and refresh how we use the…

The longer I continue in life, the more I see that there are so many different responses to disagreements. Some people like to engage and reason, some like to yell and shut down, some like…

I have learned that, despite all the research I do before choosing or writing curriculum, scheduling sessions, and creating materials to help carry faith formation into the home, if it isn’t presented properly, it’s not…

If you’ve ever been in a classroom, a meeting, or even around a dinner table with me, you will know that I’m a big fan of sitting in a different seat each time we come…

Holy Week can be a tricky time to be in ministry with children and families. Worship services are usually at times that are challenging for young children. The content is graphic. The actions are, at…

By the time you get to my age, you’ve had the benefit of years to experience many different types of devotionals. So many of them are written from the point of view of the author,…

EDIT! The Giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Hallie Spence! I have mentioned before how much my children enjoy Glenys Nellist’s books and it’s time to get one of these fabulous titles into your hands. This…

I was listening to a sermon today where the pastor talked about getting star words on Epiphany. She had started this as a prayer practice and was a bit startled when her star word turned…

Most of the time, I use print curriculum as a springboard to help me plan alternate ways of getting at a lesson. I have ways that I like to supplement. I have trusted resources I…

I am a curriculum snob. For me, curriculum is a tool, something I use to help me learn what the group I’m working with already knows and how to help them use that to understand…

Congratulations to Jennifer Pierce! Check your email! James the WonderCollie sends his best fuzzy cuddles to everyone and thanks you for entering so he could snuffle through your names and get an extra treat today.

**Our winner is Jennifer Pierce! Congratulations! Check your email!** I have mentioned before how much my children enjoy Glenys Nellist’s books and it’s time to get one of these fabulous titles into your hands. This giveaway…

As a child, I had a fear of a tree in our backyard. It was gnarled and had a hollow in it that looked like gremlins would pour out of in the dark. The fear…