Flower Friday: Zinnia

Zinnias bring me joy. 

I fell in love with the colorful heads that sway in the breeze, when I was a child. 

These jewels grace my flower garden. Their bright shades of beauty speak summer!

Has God Called You?

Children's Picture Book Review: The Wonder that is You by Glenys Nellist, illustrated by Aurelie Blanz

Book Description:

Every parent dreams of embracing their new child, and when that dream comes true, it’s as if all of creation rejoices with them. In the tradition of Nancy Tillman’s On The Night You Were Born and Emily Winfield Martin’s The Wonderful Things You Will Be comes The Wonder That Is You by critically-acclaimed author Glenys Nellist. This heartwarming book beautifully captures the universal love and joy parents feel as they celebrate the arrival of a new child. A perfect gift for baby showers, baptisms, adoptions, birthdays, or any time you want to tell your little one how much they are loved.

It felt as if the world stood still
The day my dream came true,
And all creation paused to see
The wonder that is you. 

I thought I heard the trees clap hands
And as their leaves unfurled,
They whispered softly in the breeze,
Welcome to our world.

My Review:
Glenys Nellist has penned another beautiful book for parents and children. Her poetic voice and verse sing the joy a new parent has for their child. This is a sweet ode to the child and should be shared often as the child grows. Aurelie Blanz's illustrations are drenched in color and whimsy. Perfect to show to a little one who is exploring the world. As always, I love how Glenys paints a heart-warming picture of God's love. This is a beautiful book to share with grandchildren or any child in your life. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zonderkidz. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

He Sees my Journey

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

My granddaughter shared with me that she rode her cousin's horse. In the pictures she stood tall and handled the horse well. She was a natural.  I surprised her when I told her my family owned two horses and two ponies when I was young; Musket, Babe, Shotgun and Pistol.  She had no idea her Babaw (grandma) rode horses.

Photo by Maggie Wickline-Jowers

The strength and confidence horses exude gave me the trust I needed to climb into the saddle and ride Shotgun through our fields. God created pure beauty when he made horses. I admire their muscular grace. I trusted my pony would carry me across the rough terrain and then lead me home.

In Bible times, the people traveled by foot, horse, and chariot. They trusted their horses to guide them where they needed to go. Even as they relied on their horses they knew that animals could stumble and fall.

But God never fails.

My faith in Jesus outweighs everything. I place all my trust in the Lord because he never falls short . He has a plan for my life, and I do my best to follow the Holy Spirit's nudges and direction. I loved the freedom of riding Shotgun through the fields as the wind blew through my hair and the weight of the world fell away. By trusting God to guide me through life, I embrace the freedom of knowing he understands me and knows my needs. Sometimes fully trusting my life to God is hard. At times, I don't understand the whys and what fors. But God knows me, he recognizes my needs before I do. He created my path and sees my journey. I trust him with my life. 

Flower Friday: Queen Anne's Lace

When I was child, the ditches along my parent's home were filled with Queen Anne's Lace. I was sure these were the flowers the fairies grew. 

Their lacy, delicate heads swayed in the hot summer breeze. 

According to legend these beauties are named after Queen Anne, who sewed her own lace. The tiny purple-red dot in the center is said to represent a drop of her blood when she pricked her finger.

Queen Anne's Lace

“Queen Anne's LaceDaucus Carota.” EdibleWildFood, www.ediblewildfood.com/queen-annes-lace.aspx.

Wake up Grateful!

Children's Book Review: Brick Builders Illustrated Bible

Book Description:

The Brick Builder’s Illustrated Bible uses the popularity of brick-building pieces to engage children with the Word of God. With bold, colorful illustrations by Antony Evans and child-friendly text, over 35 beloved stories from the Old and New Testaments come to life. Readers will travel from Genesis to Revelation as they read stories like Creation, Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, the Birth of Jesus, and Jesus Walks on Water. And each story contains a “Building Block” takeaway for kids to help them apply the biblical principal to their own lives. What better way to bring the family together than with the Brick Builder’s Illustrated Bible, perfect for readers of all ages.

My Review:

My grandkids love building with Legos. When I saw this book, I had to see what it was about. From beginning to end, the bright, bold illustrations blew me away. I love the designs of the characters and the expressions on their faces. They fit perfectly with the well done Bible stories. My favorite feature in the book is the take-away. After each story is a section called "Building Block," a call to action that echoes the wisdom in the story. This would make a great gift for any child who likes to build. You could also use it in Sunday School to emphasize a lesson or in family devotion time. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zonderkidz. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.