giveaways

Well, most of the turkey in your fridges is probably eaten – we have some about to get into a casserole for lunch tomorrow. You may have some pie left – but I guarantee if it is good pie than it is already gone. We have one piece left, but I’m sure my mister will eat that when he gets home in a few.

But, now we move on to Christmas. Some of you have already been playing carols in your car. My mister starts listening to Christmas music in the summer because he always puts together the Christmas cantata at our church so he needs to know the music before Thanksgiving. There are only a few Christmas cds that I can listen to all year, but mostly I just listen to them in December.

This year I’ve been receiving texts from friends asking what we are going to do with our boys and Santa. I give them what we are doing – and then couch it all in – Bring Christmas back to Jesus where it belongs. No matter what you do with Santa.

Tommy Nelson has a new book out for Christmas and your preschoolers this year. I was reading through it with mine tonight and it really has some good illustrations to help you tell the Christmas story – couched in many of the things we know and experience about Christmas. It helps us to continue thanksgiving into the holiday season of Christmas. I love how it talks about snow and forgiveness. And even our warm beds and the manger. This book leaves a little bit to be desired in its depth of Christmas. It is a little generic, maybe secularized or weak so as not to offend, which can lead to a false theology of Christmas. Its missing a specific reference to why Jesus had to come to earth. The parent would have to further explain more to their children about what Christmas is – but it is a good start.

You too can read this book to your child. All you have to do to win it is tell me what is something you are looking forward to doing with your kids this Christmas. We are going to ride the Pink Pig at a mall in ATL – a long-standing tradition for many Atlantans. And we are going to start making a Happy Birthday Jesus Cake.

The kind folks at Thomas Nelson Publishers recently contacted me about doing a book review on their Read and Share Bible and gave me one to giveaway to one of my readers. So, to be elegible for this giveaway, just leave a comment about one amazing thing you do in your family worship or children’s worship at church to get the Bible into your children’s hearts. These comments alone will be a blessing to me in the ministry I’m involved in.

I have to say there is one children’s Bible out there that I use as a plumb line for all others. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t match up, but it does have some great qualities. Here are the impressive traits about this children’s Bible:

1. The amount of stories. Some children’s Bible only has the “popular” stories or ones that are often told. This Bible has over 200 stories retold by Gwen Ellis.

2. I love the user-friendliness of this Bible. There is a table of contents (including topics, Scripture passages, and page number). Ok, I know this may not sound like much. But, I find it difficult in other children’s Bibles to find the story corresponding to the passage in the “real” Bible.

3. At the end of every story, there is a question. So what? This is a helpful tool for parents as they take the leadership in their children’s lives as their primary discipler. Some parents have no clue what it means to teach their children about worship and Jesus. Maybe they didn’t grow up in a home with Christian parents who led in family worship? Maybe they are new believers who don’t know what that might look like. Thankful these questions are there so parents can have a helpful resource for starting conversations with their children about what it means to treasure Christ.

So, what are your tips for getting the Word in the lives and hearts of children? Leave your comment and I’ll choose a winner and send out the Bible on Tuesday, January 11th.

Thanks Thomas Nelson!

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