Shields of Faith

Once again let's establish what an awful blogger I am... I am making yet another attempt to regularly chronicle our adventures but I'm not making any promises :)  Some days just keeping all of my peeps moving in the same direction is a feat in itself!  That said, we have been having a ton of fun around here.  I actually started planning some things a few weeks before school got out in an attempt to keep everyone learning (I use that word loosely), drive the "B" word (I'm BORED) out of our vocabulary, and limit screen time (computer, TV etc).

It's been a nearly a month since school was out and although we don't have a true "daily routine," things are going well.  Coming off of a crammed schedule with school and activities I wanted to have things to do but also room for plenty of fun and spontaneity (something I am constantly trying to get better at :).  One goal I did have was to regularly do devotions with the kids.  With the boys being almost 4 and 7 I knew I needed something solid but that could be done relatively quickly.  I settled on a couple things: The Long Story Short by Marty Machowski and Big Truths For Little Kids: Teaching Your Children To Live For God by Susan Hunt and Richie Hunt.  The Long Story Short I got at our church bookstore for under $11 (on sale for 50% off!) and Big Truths for Little Kids for the same on Amazon.  So both books for under $22 bucks.  I LOVE them!  

Big Truths for Little Kids is like a catechism with stories that go along with each section.  They are easy to understand but still appropriate for McK (almost 11).  I pull this one out whenever or sometimes we read out of it when we don't do the other one.  The Long Story Short is truly the 10-minute devotional I have been wanting.  Right now there is only Volume 1 which is the Old Testament but that worked out perfectly since we are learning about the solar system/space.  It has 78 weeks worth of devotionals, so we will be using that awhile :) Besides being fairly quick, it's solid- even though it covers the OT it points to Jesus.  Also, it has lots of questions to get the kids engaged and thinking.  It has definitely led to some great discussions with our Littles, making it more than worth the 11 bucks I spent for it- priceless in fact.  Anyway, I highly recommend both of them.

In addition to doing regular-ish devotions, I want to work on hiding God's word in our hearts.  The boys still have verses that correspond with their lessons in Sunday school but not a monthly verse per say, so no time like the present to have us learn some truths that we value as a family... Well, we value ALL God's truths but you know what I mean... :)  So for starters we are putting on the full armor of God, and making a shield of salvation.  I totally scored and got the huge shield die-cuts at Michael's on clearance for $1.49!!  For 6 of them!

Each kid got a shield to decorate anyway they wanted.  I put out tissue paper, jewels for bling, glitter (against my better judgement), markers, crayons etc.

K wrote I Love God and made a castle as a fortress :)

Cam LOVES gluing things so he had fun sticking tissue paper squares all over his.

McK's finished product

I didn't realize it when we first started, but I'm pretty sure we did the shields upside-down.  Oh well, still cute and a good visual for them in "putting on the armor" of God :)