Devotions with Kids

i really wanted to read my bible saturday morning.  jon was up in estes park for our churches men's retreat, so i had to come up with something to occupy the wild indians so i could.

i've always tried  to read my bible in front of the boys.  even if i wake up before them to have time with the Lord, i still at some point during the day try to make an effort to let them see me doing it too.

with jack old enough to read now, and also in possession of his very own bible, we tried something new saturday morning.  it's kind of in preparation for the summer too when we don't mad dash out the door to get jack to school every morning.

i went to their book shelf and gathered up every kids bible and bible story book we own.  not just any ole books, we do that, but bible books to learn to spend time in personal study and reading.  i set the timer on the stove for 30 minutes, and sat everyone down.  in separate chairs.  in different parts of the room.  just sayin'.  do you know what happens when (my) 3 boys pile up on a couch together?

we all sat in our chairs, reading our bibles and enjoying the (mostly) silence of time with the lord together.  i got through a bit of ephesians, which gwyn and i are reading together for our accountability, with but a couple of diversions to help rowan learn to sit still.

go sit in your chair rowan.
quiet buddy.
pick another book.
go sit down.
shhhhh




isn't it funny the things you never think to do with your kids?  jack's seven, and i've never done this before.  it's never too late though.  i've learned that for so many things.

one of our students was struggling with blowing up at his teammates and getting so angry then feeling so bad.  i told him i do the same thing.  only with my kids.  blech.  it's awful sometimes, cause you know what? out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  that's why we've got to read our bibles.

it's the same with my kids.  they need to have truth in their hearts, and to be changed by God's word too.  when our timer rang we started memorizing 1 john 4:21 together:

"and he gives us this command: 

whoever loves God must also love his brother."

God's word is already starting to transform my boys, and i'm eager to sit down together again and read and learn along side my little men.