Bright Gems Offer

Bright Gems for His Crown book

The Bright Gems book is once again priced down for the summer with free shipping as well. While our little home business is in fact winding down and will eventually be no more, we will still be offering this book, the one product which has generated the most interest through the years. Teaching children the love of Jesus and how to live in a way that pleases Him is timeless, so hopefully this book will be as well. It still seems many folk use it for family devotions with their various aged children and while this was not the original intent, it's surely fine with me! If you see this post and know anyone who may be interested, please pass this information on. Thanks! (Click on the picture caption above to go to the product page.)

Lovingly,
Nanna Maxine

"Packages of Time"

So sorry for the typo on the word "sickness" but the truth of this is the important thing. While in Ecclesiastes we're taught there is a time for this and that, indeed it's not handed to us in a neat little package from which we can choose those times. What is a Family? is a wonderful book, authored by Edith Schaeffer, and I highly recommend it for your library if you don't have it. It's available for your Kindle at a great price.

Bright Gems Offer extended

Well, happily for customers, not only has the regular price for the Bright Gems for His Crown book been reduced, perhaps forever, but the special offer for our online friends has also been reduced and extended. Here's the direct link for folks which can be only accessed via Facebook, Pinterest, and this blog. Take advantage here. Not only does this book teach your kids character qualities, but at the same time there's mixed in the doctrines about God and Jesus which we all hold dear. Your older primaries can use it for personal devotions or you can use it for family devotions with all the ages, including the younger ones. This is apparently what quite a few families do. 

God bless and do spread the word.

Nanna Maxine

Girlhood

Artist: George Dunlop Leslie

I got this lovely painting from a friend's Facebook page and thought I'd post it here for its beauty but also as we look at these three young ladies in different stages of girlhood, I thought it a nice reminder of the treasure of girlhood and how important it is that we rear our young ladies in the ways of God. A nice helpful resource for this is still at our website. Beautiful Girlhood is a book that is tried and true, so if you don't have a copy for the girls in your life, I'd encourage you to get it. The companion to  it is available as well.

Thanks to "Miss Magnolia's Favorites" on Facebook for sharing with us this lovely photo.

Things are busy in our household of late so I've been cutting back on posts, but hopefully will pick up again eventually.

Nanna Maxine

Lucy Stories

I just recommended Elizabeth Prentiss' Lucy Stories over at the Facebook page and I'd like to do the same here in case someone happens by and sees this. You can read an excerpt from Lucy's Six Teachers at the Prentiss blog here. It will give you an understanding of the special little touch this nineteenth century writer had with children. She wrote quite a few stories for the young. So, if you're interested and get a chance, her books are available at a variety of places.

Never Forget Free Pages

These notebooking pages are free today. Go here for more information.

Leading Little Ones to God Review and Giveaway.

So many copies of this book have passed through our hands in this family, I couldn't tell you how many. During the period of time when we were doing foster care of newborns, we would send a copy along with them, whether they went to an adoption home or with their birth families. We've given it to new parents time and again. But most of all, we've used it in our home with our two daughters.

All I can say is, this book is a gem. It's a gem of the most valuable kind. What can be more precious than a book that so thoroughly, sweetly, and simply points children to the God of the universe and to His Son who gave Himself for sinful people? What treasure is more priceless than one which can rescue sinners from the fire, even the very youngest ones? There are many good Bible story books out there I'm sure, but my guess is that you would be hard pressed to find one which can explain doctrine better than this one. I mean doctrine for "little ones" as the title implies.

This Protestant work was written by Marian M. Schoolland and published in 1962. It is written in a devotional manner in a way that can speak to the heart of the very young child. It is a classic in every sense of the word. It's perfect for family devotions with all ages gathered around. There are fourteen major sections, and each of them is divided into subsections, or chapters, each a perfect length for a family worship time. After the devotion for each chapter, there are discussion questions, a memory verse, a suggested Bible reading (which we would usually do first), words from a hymn, and a prayer. It's non-denominational, but thoroughly Biblical and evangelical.

One thing I've always appreciated about this book is how Mrs. Schoolland uses italics to help in the reading. They were always a help to me with respect to having the emphases on certain words in a way that is pleasing for children. One of my favorite chapters is "We Must Be Born Again." I love how she explains the new birth to these young ears. After starting out telling the children what a happy day it was for their parents when they were born, she says "But did you ever think that you must be born again? Jesus said so." Then she goes on to explain this wonderful truth lovingly and simply, but with good sound doctrine.

I don't hesitate to recommend this book to every and any family with children. I can't even give an age limit for it; I still enjoy reading it myself. For now, I'm going to make sure one family has one because we're giving away a copy in our second big giveaway. And then we're adding a $25 gift certificate for Grace and Truth Books so this same family can purchase even more God-glorifying books for their home. Enter now below and may God bless.

(Only can open this to USA continental entrants. )

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Book Reviews

Here's a good place to get recommendations on good books for your children: Christian Children's Book Review. Bookmark the site and visit often to see what new items they're reviewing.

Bright Gems

Don't forget that every other month we post an excerpt from our Bright Gems for His Crown book. We just posted a new one for May and June if you'd like to go read it. It will give you an idea of what we're trying to accomplish in this book.

Click on the tab labeled "Gems" to read what we cover in the 19th set of devotionals on the topic
"Doing Your Best."

Heroes for Young Readers

I don't know much about these books, but you may want to check them out. I ran across this lady's Facebook page and thought it was interesting. So I'm passing the link along. The title of this series of books is "Heroes for Young Readers." You know how we are about teaching children about Christian heroes, so I'm hoping these are a good resource. I can't say I can recommend them, because I've never actually seen them or talked to anyone who has, but it may be worth checking into yourself.


Facebook page here.

Maxine

UPDATE:
I just found this video on their Facebook page. It's the writer talking about using pictures with children, and she's holding up one of the books so that you can get a better look than the image I posted.

Verses and Hymns for the Very Young

Our Children's cassette is now at a very low price while we seek the Lord's guidance as to how to get it in CD form in an affordable way. Pray for us, please. Meanwhile, if you have a cassette player or know someone else who does whose children would benefit, I encourage you to take advantage of the offer.

Most of the very young (little guys and gals) who hear it, love singing the songs and reciting the verses. I doubt if yours will be an exception. My older daughter was 17 and my younger was 5 when we recorded this, and the children of our dear friends who helped out were 10, 8, 6, and 4. They are all now young adults and all living for the Lord by His grace and mercy. (Well, Daniel the youngest is now 17 so almost a young adult.) You have GOT to hear four year old Daniel recite "All we like sheep have gone astray.") Kids love hearing other kids, so that's a bonus and the 17 year old voice helps hold everything together.

I will always love this recording, especially the memories it brings. Now my grandchildren are enjoying it and we want to have these voices around for the children of ages to come. So again, I ask that you pray for us that we can soon find a way to have it in CD form so more families can enjoy it.

More information is at our website and you can order it there.

God's blessings,

Maxine

Childhood Devotions

How important is it to instill in our children a love for the Word of God? How important is it that they grow into adulthood having firmly established that the precious Word is a vital part of their lives? We at Speakable Gifts believe this is indeed a top priority in the raising of our children and we further believe that establishing a daily time for devotions is a primary means that can be used by God to accomplish this. If you would read my article entitled "A Case for Daily Devotions in Childhood" you'll understand better how we feel about this.

Also, we're excited to tell you that for a limited time, in honor of Cyber Monday which we missed, our child's devotional book Bright Gems for His Crown will be selling for only $8.50. That's a savings of $3.00 off our regular price!! And not only THAT, but for a short time only there will be free shipping on all retail orders, no minimum order amount. Now is that generous of us or not??

Please let this be known if you would, especially the offer on the devotional book. Perhaps it would be a nice gift to give to some of the children who are dear to you, while at the same time having spiritual implications for their future.

Many blessings,
Maxine

Theology Matters

Hopefully you'll agree that it's important to teach theology to even our youngest children. For the very young, I would recommend Leading Little Ones to God by Marian Schoolland. To me, it's the best book out there for teaching biblical truths that even the very youngest can understand. Also, I've written a couple of books that should be helpful. Bright Gems for His Crown focuses on character issues while weaving in just enough Bible doctrine to help you to teach them yourself while they go through the book on their own or as a study with you, the parent. We recently released The Romans Treasury, which is a study for teen girls in the book of Romans, and as we all know, when you study Romans, you're studying theology.


Regards, Maxine