I love to read. I mean really, really love to read. It could be my favorite hobby. Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved to snuggle away somewhere and read for hours. Of course, I don't remember the last time I did that (oh wait, it was probably in July when I was HUGE and laying around, because I could barely waddle at that point, waiting for my little munchkin to arrive in August), but even with my much more limited time, I still try to read a couple books a month.
Fiction is my favorite. I love stories. I learn a lot from stories. I love historical fiction, biblical fiction, or well-written modern fiction. I understand why Jesus taught in parables, because I gain wisdom and insight into life and am able to apply them to my life. I learn from others and God really speaks to me through stories. They stay with me and I absolutely get hooked and if they are good enough, I reread them, sometimes once a year or once every couple of years.
Because I have this love affair with fiction stories, I have realized that I have to make myself read some other books that will challenge me as well. There are some wonderful books that are not fiction that can teach me lessons I want to learn. Usually once I read them, I am so glad I did. I have really enjoyed reading the ones that I have read, but I have to actually choose to read them over other books. Last year, I made it a goal to read 12 non-fiction books, one a month. I think I might have read 3 or 4....
SO this year, I have a new plan. I am going to write book reviews on them. That way, I will be held more accountable to actually read them.
I have actually already read one for the month of January. It was a sweet little book given to me by my Aunt Jeany for Christmas. It's called, "Treasuring God in our Traditions".
I would highly recommend this book to any mommies or plan-to-be mommies out there, or aunts or grandmas or cousins....basically anyone who is involved in the lives of children. Piper's thesis is the importance of traditions in our family, and how we can use traditions to point our children to the One who made them and loves them and desires a relationship with them. She highlights different kinds of traditions, every day ones like daily habits, and special ones like birthdays and Christmas. She gives you ideas from their family and other families, but also encourages you to create your own. She also focuses on the importance of traditions and repetition for children, something we adults can forget. I'm not saying that traditions are going to get you into heaven, and on the flip side some people stay far away from traditions for the sake of legalism, but if you read through the Bible, God is big on traditions. He asks his people whether in word or deed, (think of the child's scripted questions for the passover celebration, or all the people, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Elijah who built alters) to remember Who he is and What he has done for them. Reading the book made me very thankful for two parents who understood this idea of bringing God into our traditions growing up, and as I sit here writing this I can think of many traditions we did that were special and fun, yet they had a good purpose, to remind us of who God was or to remember his blessings to us.
It's an easy read, but very inspiring and encouraging that we mommies can do so many little things to teach our babies about their Creator.
As I was reading, it reminded me of Deuteronomy 11:18-21,
"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds: tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting home. Write them on the doorframe of your houses and on your gates, so that your days may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth".
Looking forward to creating some traditions for this Parsons family :)
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