They made the cut...

These are the titles that made it through my furious sorting:

Book Collections:
The Children's Book of Virtues
My Treasured Tales
The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury
The Complete Beatrix Potter
A Child's Garden of Christian Verses

Honey for a Child's Heart recommendations:
The Ox Cart Man
Jesse Bear, What will you Wear?
Corderoy
A Pocket for Corderoy
Little Bear
The Grouchy Ladybug
Katy No Pocket
The Little Engine that Could
Amelia Bedelia

Early Readers:
Dr. Seuss ABC
Green Eggs and Ham
Go, Dog, Go!
Adventures of Biscuit
Frog and Toad All Year

Little Golden Books:
The Pokey Little Puppy
We Help Daddy
We Help Mommy

Read Alouds:
Charlotte's Web
Little House in the Big Woods

There is a crate of books I'll be sending to my mom's house to hold for us until further notice. We know someone is coming down in June/July/August who can bring 1 or 2 more suitcases for us, so while we need to prioritize a bit, more of the books may make it down then.

That's a relief to get that accomplished! On to a shower for the girls and then BEDTIME so I can get some relaxing time! Right now Ladybug is sitting IN the crate of books and Firefly is "reading" a book next to me. Such sweet moments...

The book dilema

I'm packing. A ton of stuff is gone. I'm SO happy about that! What can I just NOT let go of?


Our books.


I'm having the HARDEST time saying goodbye to some of our books! It's like seeing old friends move away. Does that sound corny and pathetic? Perhaps, but that's how I feel... especially my girls' books.


I'm SO excited that the Lord led me to a temporary solution!!


These two books:



The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury includes such titles as: Madeline, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, The Snowy Day, Make Way for Ducklings, The Story of Babar, Curious George, Stellaluna, and many more. I will be going through our library and taking out those books which are included in this collection to save space and weight in our 8 suitcases. I'm SO EXCITED!! PLUS, I found the paperback versions of both of these collections, so they are even LESS weight! (Doing a little happy dance.)
The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter includes all 23 original, authorized editions of Miss Potter's classics. We have a hardbound collection of each of the 23 books, but this is a GIANT series and it is heavy. I'm sadly going to have to leave it with my mother for use on our furloughs. However, we can still cuddle up together with Peter Rabbit and the Tailor of Glouchester any time we wish!

Off to paw through the book shelves...

Just a little fun...

I love doing these at Christmas... it's a little fun in my holidays! Merry Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Go in the strength you have...

I'm studying the story of Gideon right now (Judges 6) and I'm continually struck by his lack of faith and his desire to have it all answered before he moves. Doesn't he know that this is GOD who is talking to him, face to face?!?!

Then it hit me.

I am doing the exact same thing right now.

As we are preparing to move in about 5 weeks to another country I am in the throes of a control attack! I am analyzing every single detail and making sure that every one of my questions is answered... all my bases are covered... and I'm calling it "being prepared and organized."

What is it really?

A lack of trust and faith in the One who is sending me out to do a job I feel is too big for me.

Oh God, help me to back up and see that only You are going to give me the strength and abilities I need to survive day to day. Help me not to trust in the false god of preparation. Help me to see, like Gideon, that You can bring down a huge army with only a handful of men.

**edit** Go to my friend Lisa's blog to read about how God led HER to the story of Gideon right before she left for the mission field!