Book Review: The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers

The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers 2, by Carla Barnhill, uses the (cute!) Little Blessings characters (Kaitlyn, Zoe, Parker, and Jack) to help children through easy-to-understand devotions. Each reading pairs a Little Blessings illustration with a short Bible verse and devotional thought that gets you and your child talking about the simple truths of Scripture. A fun, rhyming prayer or application completes each devotional. This book is a great way to get young children interacting with Scripture daily – to learn about God’s wonderful promises and timeless truths. Put out by Tyndale House Publishers, it was previously published as Blessings Every Day.

The back cover of the book states that the idea is “do-able, daily devotions” for preschoolers:

• Do-able: You and your child can just pick up the book and start on today’s date.
• Daily: Kids can learn about God and what’s really important, a little bit each day.
• Devotions: Kids can experience firsthand how to connect with God.

The book is intended for three to six year olds, but my initial impression was that it is too simplistic for that age range. The more I read, however, the more I realize that there is a mix. Some entries are very simple, illustrating one verse or principle for very young minds; others are more developed, requiring more thoughtful application.

After perusing the book on my own, I started at the beginning with my toddler, reading through most of January in two sittings – for the sake of this review, of course! We then jumped right into the middle of the book, reading at random.

The lesson from Psalm 139 is definitely a favorite; because we have an avid little “painter” and “builder” at our house, I love the connection made between activities she understands and loves – communicating in terms she can grasp the wonder of the Creator’s delight in making her:

“When God made you, He picked out all your parts and put them together. So He knows and loves everything about you. You are His special creation.”

Another favorite is A Solid Rock, in which the qualities and uses of rocks are explained in terms little ones can appreciate:

“[Rocks are] really strong. Big rocks are great to stand on when you want to see higher or to sit on when you need to rest… God is incredibly strong, and He’s always there when we need Him.”

I do find myself fleshing out the more simple entries, sometimes substituting stronger vocabulary and more often adding in the message of salvation through Christ. For example, the entry on King David states: “He knew God loved him, even when he made bad choices and big mistakes.” I added: “Because God loved David and because He loves you and me, He sent Jesus to die for David’s sins and for your sins and my sins, too – so we can be forgiven!”

The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers 2 can be a good tool in the hands of discerning parents who desire to teach God’s truths diligently to their children. (See Deuteronomy 6:5-7.) And it might help to make a noble New Year's Resolution a reality. Measuring 5.75 x 7.25 inches, the book has 384 beautifully laid out and illustrated pages in a hardcover binding. Because it is a book that will be used every day, all year, the list price of $14.99 seems very fair.

My almost four year old is delighted with the endearing artwork by Care Bears artist, Elena Kucharik. The cute Little Blessings characters at work and at play illustrate beautifully the principles being communicated and provide opportunity to discuss those truths further. We're looking forward to reading together!

Disclosure:

A complimentary copy of the book was provided to me, as a reviewer for Mama Bzz, by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for today’s blog tour.

A big “Thank-you!” to the folks at Tyndale House Publishers for the opportunity to review and enjoy this wonderful book!

Inspiration & Encouragement: Celebrating God’s Grace in 2009

It’s the last day of the year, an opportunity to pause and reflect – and give thanks to God for His grace! 2009 will very soon come to a close, and a new chapter of life will open with 2010.

2009 has been a year of both joys and trials – like any year of life on a fallen planet. Through it all, we are experiencing the great faithfulness of our loving Savior and Lord. His grace, as promised, has been sufficient.

As I close 2009, I pause to thank God publicly for His grace to me. With this post, I’m specifically celebrating my first full year of avid bargain-hunting. It’s not that I wasn’t frugally conscious before, but I didn’t realize the value of a coupon. Why anyone would try to save a few cents on a brand name item when store brands were almost always cheaper and equally good in taste and/or quality was beyond me! But that was before I understood B1G1 deals combined with double coupons, or coupon stacking, or rebates, etc.

The greatest value of couponing, as it has come to be called in Modern English, seems to be how it can change a shopper’s general perspective. Specifically, I “never” pay full price for anything anymore; if it’s not on sale, I probably don’t need it. There are exceptions, of course. After all, I’m driving the coupon car; it’s not driving me!

Of course, bargaining isn’t just about me and what I can get. Rather, it’s about wise stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to me. As I save and stockpile, I am more able to look for specific opportunities to serve God, my family, and others. What JOY!

As we close 2009, our family gives thanks to God for allowing us, by His grace, to finish paying “The School Bill” (and related expenses) in the fall of 2009. From my perspective, couponing sped us on our way to that goal. It’s not so much that what we saved by using coupons on groceries paid the bills. Rather, couponing created an awareness of a real way to reduce costs and made me, in particular, much more sensitive to prices in general – and to the fact that, if I’m patient, the staples and regulars will be on sale again, i.e. they tend to cycle. Even if I didn’t have a coupon, I had a new idea of what I was willing (or more often unwilling) to pay for any particular item. And each baby step contributed to the giant leap of debt elimination!

I’m thankful!

I’m thankful for God’s enabling grace. I’m thankful that it’s never too late to learn. I’m thankful for my Dearest and my Little One – and their patience! And I’m thankful for friends on the bargaining blogosphere who shared their stories and lessons learned and encouraged me along the way by example...

So, I’m sharing God’s grace in a small (but significant!) chapter of my life – “Just for the Joy of It!”

2010 promises to be a year of new opportunities to trust God as we launch out on a new adventure.

May we have a Blessed New Year!

What's Cookin'?

Can you guess?! If you've been following along, you know the answer has to be more pumpkin!

About half of the pumpkin puree from the bigger of the two pumpkins did end up in the freezer for later use. Another four cups made their debut in the very yummy Pumpkin Curry Soup we enjoyed on Sunday afternoon.

We also enjoyed Tomato Bread (with both tomato and pumpkin in it) as part of our Christmas Eve Dinner. And another loaf just came out of the bread maker earlier this afternoon.

I even stuck my neck out and came up with my own pumpkin recipe which I'm calling Pumpkin Veggie Bake. If you add a pound of ground meat (cooked) and two or three cups of rotini pasta (cooked), you can also turn this side dish into a hearty main dish. We tried that version – using ground venison – and really liked it, too!

The second pumpkin started going the way of all flesh before I could tend to it. So, it got moved from the living room (where it had become part of the decor) to the front porch – which ended up acting the dual function of refrigerator!

Last night, I was able to salvage about half of the second pumpkin and bake it. About eight cups of little pumpkin cubes are playing the main role in a second big batch of Pumpkin Veggie Bake – with no meat this time.

Cutting the pumpkin into chunks this time, cut the cooking time to about one hour – half the time it took to cook the bigger half of the bigger pumpkin previously.

The remaining pumpkin chunks (now baked) will probably be made into puree and/or integrated into An Adaptation of Uruguayan Puchero. (Yes, that recipe is still pending.)

Classic Pumpkin Bread will also be in the works. My Dearest's co-workers enjoyed it, and I promised some to my co-workers, too. Fresh pumpkin puree tends to be quite a bit milder than its canned counterpart, so that even those who claim not to like pumpkin enjoyed this version of the popular sweet bread.

Carving pumpkins are very good-for-you, economical food. It's a real shame that so much gets wasted in our country every autumn...

Yes, we are thoroughly enjoying our pumpkin recipes. And we're very thankful for God's provision!

Recipe for Tomato Bread

Another last-minute experiment right before Christmas, this is on its way to becoming a favorite at our house!

Ingredients:
¾ cup + 1 Tbsp (warm) water
4 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
¼ to ¾ tsp rosemary leaves, crumbled
6 to 8 fresh oregano leaves, minced
1½ tsp (active dry) yeast

Instructions:
Place ingredients in the bread case and insert the bread case into the bread machine. Select the Basic Bread Mode and press Start.

Enjoy!

Recipe for Pumpkin Veggie Bake

The result of a last-minute experiment right before Christmas, this dish will probably become a family favorite!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp dried onion
8 cups baked pumpkin or (winter) squash, cubed
2 cans (15 oz) diced (fire-roasted!) tomatoes, with garlic
1 cup pasta sauce
½ tsp “Mrs. Dash” seasoning
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
Dash of fresh ground black pepper
6 or 8 fresh oregano leaves, minced

Instructions:
In a large Dutch Oven (or saucepan), heat oil over medium heat and sauté onions until lightly fragrant. Stir in pumpkin and tomatoes and then pasta sauce. Add remaining spices and mix well. Transfer to a slow cooker and let simmer for three or four hours – the longer, the better!

Make a hearty main dish by adding a pound of ground meat (cooked) and two or three cups of whole grain rotini pasta (cooked).

Enjoy!

Recipe for Pumpkin Curry Soup

Another wonderful recipe – especially for cold fall and winter evenings!

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp dried onion
2 cups grated carrots
1½ cups water
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp salt
Dash of fresh ground black pepper
4 cups fresh pumpkin or (winter) squash puree
½ cup whole milk
1½ cups (12 oz can) evaporated milk

Instructions:
In a large saucepan melt butter over medium low heat. Add olive oil, onion, and carrots; sauté until tender. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add curry powder and salt, and then add pepper and pumpkin. Working with approximately 2-cup batches, blend until smooth and then pour all back into saucepan. Stir in whole milk and evaporated milk until well mixed. Heat through.

Serve garnished with sour cream, parsley, chives, or toasted pumpkin seeds, as desired.

Enjoy!

Walgreens Deal: Buy Milk, Get Cereal FREE!

There's a great deal at Walgreens this week!

Buy one gallon of milk – $2.59 (locally)
Buy two Honey Nut Cheerios – two for $4.00
Get $2.00 Register Rewards
Use two $1.00/1 printable coupons*
Pay $2.59 for everything!

*Click on "Get your $2.00 in Coupons" and two coupons will print ($1.00/1 and $1.00/2); you should be able to print twice per computer.

CVS-ing with my Sister!

For the most part, I took a (much-needed) break from couponing over the Christmas Holidays...

Two main exceptions were using up Register Rewards at Walgreens on staples (including milk and eggs) and taking my sister to "show her the ropes" at CVS.

We were both shocked when the cashier told her there was now a $7.00 charge to apply for an Extra Care Card... Thankfully, he was joking!

We each used a $5.00 off $20 Purchase Coupon (from The Sacramento Bee online) to get some great deals. I went for the following:

Revlon Lip Stick – B1G1 for $7.99
Get $5.00 ECBs (Limit 3)
Used $2.00/1 coupon (SmartSource 12/13)
FREE plus $4.01 overage after coupon and ECBs

Oral-B Dental Floss (55 yards) – $2.88
Get $2.00 ECBs (Limit 1)
Used $1.00/1 coupon (P&G 11/29)
FREE plus $0.12 overage after coupons and ECBs

Neosporin Lip Health – $5.39
Used $2.50/1 CVS Clip-Free Coupon (automatically applied)
Used $3.00/1 printable coupon
FREE after coupons

Buy $12 of Glade Products, Get $4.00 ECBs (Limit 1)
Bought two Scented Oil Candle Holders – $3.00 each
Bought two Scented Oil Candle Refills – $3.00 each
Used coupon for Free Refill wyb any Holder (SmartSource 12/06)
Stacked with two $1.50/1 Candle Holder coupons (from previous holder boxes)
$2.00 for everything after coupons and ECBs

Sambucol – $12.99
Used $7.00/1 CVS Clip-Free Coupon (automatically applied)
$5.99 after coupons

I paid $2.27 out of pocket after coupons and $13.96 ECBs – and earned $16 ECBs for next time!

We both got a raincheck for the following deal:

Nivea Body Wash – $5.99
Get $5.00 ECBs (Limit 1)
Use $2.00/1 printable coupon
FREE plus $1.01 overage after coupons and ECBs

My sister was especially interested in the Sambucol deal. When it was all said and done, she left CVS with three Sambucol, an Oral-B Dental Floss and Neosporin Lip Care for slightly more than the regular price of one Sambucol – plus $2.00 ECBs for next time. She was happy!

And I had fun with my best childhood friend!

Inspiration & Encouragement: Sing Joy to the World – The LORD Is Come!

Behold, I bring you good news of great JOY which will be for all the people!
(Luke 2)

JOY to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

JOY the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding JOY,
Repeat the sounding JOY,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding JOY.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Words: Isaac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid, 1719.
Music: An­ti­och (believed to have originated with Handel) arranged by Low­ell Ma­son, 1836

Did you know that Watts based the words of "Joy to the World" on Psalm 98 and wrote it as a hymn glorifying Christ's triumphant return at the end of the age, rather than as a Christmas song celebrating his first coming as a babe born in a stable?

The LORD has made known His salvation;
He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;
Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.
(Psalm 98)

Meditate on those truths. Make them personal. Rejoice in your Savior!

Once again, I'm joining "Just for the JOY of It" – and sharing the Savior, the Best Reason to REJOICE on Christmas Eve!

Publix Highlights – 12/16 thru 12/24

Merry Christmas!

These are the highlights for our family – along with the $5 off $50 Purchase Coupon (from Sunday’s paper).

Betty Crocker Potatoes – B1G1 for $1.75
Use $0.40/1 printable coupon*
$0.08 each after doubled coupon

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese (8 oz) – $1.25 each
Use $1.00/1 printable coupon*
OR use $1.00/1 coupon (Winter Family Savings Booklet)
$0.25 each

Barber Foods Stuffed Chicken Breasts (8 oz or 10 oz) – B1G1 for $4.99
Use $1.00/1 printable coupon*
Stack with $1.00/1 Publix coupon (Winter Family Savings Booklet) (limit one per purchase)
$0.49 or $1.49 each

Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix – B1G1 for $2.59
Use $0.75/2 printable coupon*
$0.92 each

Pure Wesson Oil (48 oz) – B1G1 for $3.69
Use $0.25 coupon (Smartsource 11/15)
$1.35 each after doubled coupon

Pompeian Olive Oil – B1G1 for $6.99
Use $1.00/1 printable coupon*
$2.49 each

Sweet potatoes – $0.29 per pound

Publix Egg Nog – $1.99 per quart

Leg of Lamb – $3.99 per pound

In Uruguay, it’s a tradition to eat roast lamb on Christmas Eve. I’m so thankful Publix has it on sale this week – so we can celebrate in true Uruguayan style with the rest of our Uruguayan family in town!

* For links to the printable coupons (in the comments section, too) and to see more deals with coupon match-ups, check out the weekly post by FiddledeedeeMom.