Have you ever tucked your kids in bed and said something like this:

“I’m going to tell you the story about the Three Little Pigs!”

How about this:

“I’m going to tell you the story about Jesus being born in a manger!”

???

Do you expect your children to believe both stories?

I’ve been trying for a while to come up with a different term but I’m always mid-sentence when I realize and then it comes out, “Let’s read some Bible -factual information- ahh…”

Today when I asked Mr. HusbandMan if he would grab the kids’ new children’s Bible and read to Sully before bed I started to fumble again and Ryan came up with “History!”  Perfect.

Bible Histories.  🙂 I like it.

*I wasn’t quite as successful with my goal today.  :/ Ryan fulfilled it for Sullivan.  So that’s good.  Story had fallen asleep in the car so she missed out.  My Bible wasn’t in the car today so the routine I had come up with slipped!

I might be designating a Car-Bible.

And I think I’ll be more intentional about reading for myself around the kids, too, this week.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of Godmay be competent, equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17

Two days in on Goal #1 and it’s going really well!

I had planned to peacefully read around my kids.  I don’t know what made me think that was going to work!  Whenever I sit down with something in my hands it is immediately claimed by someone smaller than me.

So it went like this.

Load up the car.
Buckle everyone up.
Run in the house for the YMCA bag.
Run in the house to turn some music on for the bird and make sure the dog didn’t escape.
Run in the house for a tissue (runny noses!)
Unbuckle Story for a quick potty break.
Rebuckle Story.
Lock the house up.
Sit in the car and realize that this is the perfect time to read the Bible!
(Ehem, when the kids are buckled down it’s the perfect time for a lot of things.)
Run in and grab my Bible (carrying it open of course!).
Relock, buckle self, start engine, and!
Hey, Kids!  I’m going to read the Bible before we go!

I skimmed a bit and found a little something perfect.  Just a verse or two.
What a nice way to start a little car drive.

I did the same when we parked the car.  Perfect transition!

That has been the routine for two days and I really like it! Sometimes the kids ask questions, sometimes not.  It’s totally casual.

One time Sullivan really questioned what I just read.  He lead the conversation and it went right into stating that he loves and trusts Jesus and wants Him in his heart!  {!!!} So cool!  

Story liked that idea, too.  🙂  Hers went more like, “I love Jesus and Jesus loves me!”

Aw, sweetness!

I love that it feels very natural.  That was unexpected.  It feels easy and nice.

I mean, I’m the mother of a 4 year old boy and a 2 1/2 year old girl.
When something is easy and nice tiny alarms go off in my head, “Repeat! Repeat!”

And that’s what I’ll be doing.
I like Goal #1!

And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13

So, a few months ago I actually heard God say, “Open Your Bible.”  Dude.  My Bible has been open ever since.  
Except for when I pick it up to bring it somewhere else.

…Mayyybe I hold it open then, too.  🙂

Oy.  Fairly significant change has happened since that day.  I actually read my Bible now!
Crazy, huh?
God is so crazy.

Usually this happens around 1am while laying in bed, with my tiny flashlight on, for about 5 minutes until my eyes start to droop and I have no idea what I’m reading.

How can I expect my kids to read the Bible if they’ve never even seen me do it!?  
Have you ever seen your parents read their Bible? Do you read your Bible?
Tell me!  I really want to know!

Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.  1 Peter 5:3


Parents: Be Examples of Christ to Your Children.