I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

Infants soft and sweet smelling. So needy and fragile and so perfect in every tiny vein carrying life throughout their entire being effortlessly. God blessing them with the ability to breathe and with each ounce of strength they possess. Yet with all the physical and emotional involvement parents seem to have, that little life, that little soul does not belong to us. No, it is only entrusted into our care for a short time, often shorter than we think. The responsibility of giving the kind of care God desires us to give to his children is enormous. God in his perfection knows how to guide us to fulfill these needs. He does not leave us alone, he does not leave us comfortless. He has given us his Word the Bible, and by his Word alone can we hope to teach children to be wise, and to follow the Lord that they may know the plans that he has for them. How wonderful it is to remember that God knows more about us than we do ourselves, and so certainly his plans for us will be fulfill us more than following after any of our own selfish dreams and desires.

So the wee little ones, so precious, must not be taken for granted. They are a blessing given from God. We are all here to glorify God, whose perfection we cannot comprehend. Our faults make us assume God is faulty. He is Holy and Beautiful and perfect and His name is to be praised!

Psalm127

[1] Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
[2] It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
[3] Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
[4] As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
[5] Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate

Let us not labour in vain.

Nurslings and Nestlings

LITERATURE FOR THE EARLY YEARS

Note: These are some of the books I’ve read to my children and I’ve found them to be wonderful selections. I have been finding a wealth of lovely old books on-line like A Little Present for a Good Child by Unknown. Looking in Antique stores for old primers and childrens books is a great idea, as many carry good morals and it is so much nicer to sit down with your children in your lap than to sit at the computer.

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Children%27s_Picture_Books_%28Bookshelf%29

As a general rule we do not read Fairy tales, avoiding literature that involves magic, witches, sorcery and the like. In the Bible it is clear that these are things that do not please God, so we just avoid them, giving a clear explanation when we come across these types of stories (which is quite often as they are popular). My girls love The Little House books and the more recent Martha series written by Melissa Wiley. Martha is Scottish and true to her cultural background there are plenty of fairy stories and references. As the girls are a bit older now they understand that there are many areas that they must have discernment in. So they skip parts and know what is frivolous and what is dangerous. For the younger more impressionable I suggest we cover our young tomato plants. I find most of the stories for children about prairie or farm life to be wholesome.

King James Bible

Some older Arch Books (These I’ve had to weed through) John and the Little Lost Lamb is my favorite.

Rod and Staff Preschool Workbooks and Little Jewel Books

Peter Rabbit Books by Beatrix Potter

My First Little House Books

Fireman Small, Policeman Small , Farmer Small etc. by Lois Lenski

Blueberries for Sal by Robert Mccloskey

Bunnikins Picnic Party by A.J. Mcgregor

Tell Me About God by Mary Alice Jones

Some of the Little Golden Book Classics like:

The Jolly Barnyard, Baby Animals, The Fire Engine Book,The Shy Little Kitten

Jay Bird by Marie Hall Ets

Uncle Aurthur’s Bedtime Stories

The Mole Sisters by Roslyn Shwartz

Are you my Mother? by P.D. Eastman

The Big Storm by Rhea Tregebov

Billy and Blaze Books by C.W. Anderson

Abeka Science Kindergarten and Grade One

Wherever I am There’s Always’Pooh by A.A. Milne

Deuteronomy 6:5-7

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.