Morning Devotions

For quite some time I had the tendency to use the time while the kids were eating breakfast to rush around the house and get things accomplished. I knew they would be occupied with eating for at least a few minutes, and any mom is happy for a short time in which she can do something without interruptions. But then recently I was reminded that the most important task I have is teaching and instructing my children, and those few minutes at breakfast are a time during which they are especially open and attentive. So we've started doing our devotions during breakfast. Not a new idea, I know. Before I even became a mom I'm certain that I read about many families who have done this very thing. It just never clicked for us until now, and I'm pleased to say that it has now become a part of our morning routine.

So far I've kept two books on hand for us to read, and I usually leave it up to Millie and Silas to choose which one we'll read each morning. I have really enjoyed The Jesus Storybook Bible, though it took some time for Millie to warm up to it. This is an excellent tool for portraying how the various stories tie into the "big picture" of the Bible. I love that we can read about Jonah or Noah or David, and in each instance see how these individual lives point to the bigger redemption story. And I really love the artwork - it's very unique and whimsical.


The other book, which was an instant hit with the kids, is My ABC Bible Verses. The stories about "Missy" and "Bill" immediately drew Millie in, and of course there's the added bonus of learning ABC's along with Biblical truths. I have to say that the stories set an especially high standard, but I've really appreciated the true-to-life situations portrayed, and the model of the children using scripture to help them make the right choice.

We've almost read all the way through The Jesus Storybook Bible, and I know we've read through My ABC Bible verses multiple times. So before much longer I will probably need to decide on some new books for our devotion time!