by Donna | Dec 21, 2018
For not really being “singers”—and for most of us not really knowing that much about music—we are a pretty “sing-ee” family! We love to sing hymns and worship songs while we’re driving or sitting around the living room. If one of our pianists is here (Kara and Cami), it’s even better! At Christmas time, we really getting into the singing spirit! We love to memorize a complete carol (all the verse) and sing it together; we love to drive around looking at lights and have someone lead out when a certain decoration or sight reminds him of a carol; we love to “sing through the Christmas story.”
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by Donna | Jul 1, 2016
When You “Cue” Your Kids for Talk Time—Our Talking Song
“Talk to me; show me that you care. Talk to me; listen to the words I say. Talk to me; there’s so much we can share. I know you love me when you talk to me.”
I can still sing it from memory. And so can my kids. It was our talk song. And now I am crying.
Years ago we used to listen to a “cassette” that had this catchy, heart-warming song on it about talking. The chorus was that “talk to me” line above. I wish you could hear it being sung as it is so sweet.
Like a lot of things that we heard, read, or watched together as a family, it became part of us. And we used it…over and over and over again. And never tired of.
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by Donna | Jan 5, 2016
We are the most balanced baby people I know! No extremes here of nursing a child on demand until age three —or of putting a baby on a four hour eating schedule while he’s still in the hospital at two days old! Somewhere between those extremes is an amazing way to parent babies and toddlers in which everybody (baby, parents, and siblings) enjoy each other and fall into a comfortable family rhythm that does not over-emphasize one child’s “wants” over another. And one in which wants and needs are differentiated and met as is appropriate. This is certainly not an article about baby and toddler training (check out our blog for more on that!); however, our parenting of our babies really did have something to do with the deep, communicative relationships that we developed with our children.
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by Donna | Apr 27, 2011
“You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” Deuteronomy 6:7
Yesterday I described how I enjoy daily or many-entried books with my teen boys (and actually, all throughout my parenting!). I mentioned a book yesterday that has a theme that I would like to elaborate on today: hymns.
We are not musicians/singers here. We have a couple who know a little about singing and can sing pretty well. We have two piano players, one drummer, and two dancers (Mom and Dad!). However, we are not what one would call a musical family.
However, to enjoy singing and worshiping God, we have found that being a musician or singer is not necessary! In addition to singing and listening to music most days, we have also enjoyed studying about songs and songwriters.
We are currently doing a book that I love called “101 Hymn Histories.” This books has 101 hymns (music and words included for each one!) and a one-age excerpt about each one—its author, its history, etc.
For example, did you know that one major thing that Martin Luther’s theses and the following reformation did was bring congregational singing out? Prior to that, the people themselves did not sing much. And did you know that his “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” was the beginning of this? Do you know how powerful and moving the words to that song are? We do…we just read it today!
I will put links below to some “song books” that we have used. Happy singing!
*”101 Hymn Stories”– https://www.christianbook.com/101-hymn-stories-kenneth-osbeck/9780825434167/pd/34165
*”101 More Hymn Stories”– https://www.christianbook.com/101-more-hymn-stories/kenneth-osbeck/9780825434204/pd/34203?event=CF
*Then Sings My Soul” (our son, Jonathan’s favorite right now)– https://www.christianbook.com/then-sings-my-soul-volumes-1/robert-morgan/pd/5168 (two volumes listed there)
*”Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas”—we read from this one every Christmas!– https://search.barnesandnoble.com/Stories-behind-the-Best-Loved-Songs-of-Christmas/Ace-Collins/e/9780310239260/
*”My First Hymnal: 75 Favorite Bible Songs”—the one I used to do everyday with my toddlers– https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000T044UI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0634056727&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1DXSNXV0QHW25YZ2P3EH
