(National Geographic, November 2009, Monica Szczupider/Solent)
I chose to include photos of animals in my children’s books to help little ones understand that all of God’s creatures experience feelings of fear and loneliness, grief and sadness, joy and love. If anyone ever doubted the emotional capacity of animals, take a look at the poignant photograph (above). It shows a family of normally-lively chimpanzees lined up along the fence in silence to pay their last respects to Dorothy, an elderly chimpanzee, as she is laid to rest.
Or consider these two painful images, depicting Gana, a mother gorilla, who cannot accept the fact that her child has died. She mourned for weeks, cradling her child and refusing to allow Germany zookeepers to take the body from her.
Two more examples were caught on video by those who study elephants.
And of course, my favorite of all, Christian the Lion.
There are countless examples of animal emotions – yet scientist continue to debate whether or not humans are the only living creatures who have souls. Now go hug a furry friend!
Since my last two posts about Halloween, I’ve received quite a few emails — many expressing their own family’s fun plans for the holiday, and a few asking how in the world a Christian writer can support the “pagan” traditions of Halloween.
I’ll respond with photos because I don’t see any evil children here, do you? These kids don’t even know what the word “pagan” means, much less are they out to scar any souls.
I certainly don’t claim to be the voice of Christians — not by any means — but I will say that I think anything we can do to foster creativity and imagination is a good thing. If Halloween gives kids a reason to pretend and have fun, then I’m all for it. Trick-or-Treat in our neighborhood is a fabulous, family-friendly event that we look forward to each year.
I always appreciate hearing from you. It is tricky sometimes, however, to respond to all the emails. I’d love to see your comments posted on the blog — and then you can converse with each other about all your fabulous thoughts, ideas, and opinions.
More than 36 million Americans will help their children dress in costume and go door-to-door for candy on Halloween night. But this exciting holiday presents many sights and sounds that may scare young children who have difficulty determining the difference between what’s real and what’s pretend – especially when they encounter monsters and beasts roaming their neighborhood in the dark. By explaining Halloween traditions in advance, you can make the experience more of a treat for your young child.
What’s behind that Mask? Place a mask on one of your child’s favorite stuffed animals. Put it on and take it off multiple times, discussing how “silly” the animal looks. You may want to help the animal take on a different character by changing his “voice” when he wears the mask. Then remove the mask and say something like, “Oh, silly dog is pretending to be a cat!” You can also make it into a game, by hiding some stuffed animals behind you, and then trying a mask on one of them to see if your child can guess which one it is. Take turns trying the mask on you and your child and pretending to become different characters.
Scared of the Dark? Spend time outside in the dark. Look at the stars and the moon and discuss the difference between night and day. Identify sounds from vehicles, animals, and other noise-makers that may be out of sight. Experiment with flashlights and light sticks.
The Element of Surprise! Learn to laugh when met with the unexpected. Take turns hiding behind something and jumping out to yell “Boo!” Play with an old-fashioned jack-in-the-box. Play hide and seek. Dangling Demons? Decorate your house together with age-appropriate pumpkins, spiders, and friendly ghosts. Take a walk around the neighborhood and play “I spy” as you spot other decorations.
Practice Trick-or-Treating. Let your child answer the door as you ring the doorbell and say “trick-or-treat!” Take turns with your little one, allowing the host to place a treat in the trick-or-treater’s bag, and teaching your child to say, “Thank you!”
Whether you celebrate the fantasy of Halloween with traditional trick-or-treating or choose to attend a school or church carnival instead, these tips will help prepare your little one for a not-so-frightful night.
Just a few happies to share with your little ones this Halloween. After all, every kid loves a good joke!
What do ghosts serve for dessert? I – scream (ice cream)! Why didn’t the skeleton cross the road? He had no guts! Why do witches fly on a broom? So they don’t get tangled in the vacuum’s cords! What do you call a fat Jack-o-Lantern? A Plumpkin! What do birds sing on Halloween? Twick or Tweet!
The 2009 American Music Award nominees were announced this month, and I admit I wasn’t surprised at all to see Taylor Swift take the lead with a whopping six nods! Swift’s nominations include Artist of the Year; Favorite Country Album (for Fearless); Favorite Female Pop or Rock Artist; and Favorite Female Country Artist – no small feat for a teen country artist.
Before you go knockin’ her off as another flashy trend that will quickly fade, I encourage you to consider what makes her stand out from the crowd. First, she writes her own songs. Second, she plays guitar (some piano) while singing the notes like a songbird — as if she finds true pleasure in every single beat. Third, she isn’t some bitter, parent hating, provocative dressing, attention seeking unhappy child of a dysfunctional family — at least she doesn’t sell herself as one. She actually comes across as a grateful, talented young woman who has worked hard to achieve her dreams. Fourth, she puts on an incredible, power-packed concert from start to finish.
I wasn’t always such an avid Swift fan, but I became convinced of her extraordinary talent when our family traveled to Little Rock recently to treat our 11-year old daughter to her very first concert. Emily adores Taylor Swift, and we all prefer her music to that of many other teen bands; but I had no idea how much we would all enjoy the concert. Now, I’m the first to say that Swift certainly deserves the 6 AMA nominations, and we’ll all be rooting for her to take home the goods on November 22.
But the best thing about seeing Swift perform live with my daughter was the message that Emily took home. Swift said everything a girl that age needs to hear — all without preaching.
Boys? “They shouldn’t do mean things.”
Popularity? “When you’re an adult, if you have anything unique about you, you’re lucky!”
Loneliness? “I guess it doesn’t matter that I didn’t have any friends in Jr. High, when I get to play to a sold out crowd in Little Rock tonight!”
The list goes on and on. The show was honestly (and surprisingly) the best concert I’ve ever seen…and I’ve seen a lot. I’m just an old, frumpy mom, and even I came out of the arena feeling a surge of Girl Power! When I asked Emily what she learned from the concert, she summed it up best: “I can be anything I want to be, and I shouldn’t let boys be mean to me.”
Thanks Taylor! We can’t wait to see your next tour!
Congrats Amy L.! Your name was chosen from a pool of more than 60 entries for a free copy of Once-a-Month Cooking Family Favorites by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg.
Amy — please email me your mailing address and last name, and I’ll ship your new cookbook to you this weekend. (juliepcantrell@bellsouth.net)
It’s never too early to read with your children. They can even have their own book club. Spend the first ten minutes of your regular play group reading aloud to the kids in an interactive, fun, storytime type setting. Then let them play.
For fun activities to go along with the books, God is with Me through the Day/Night, click on the Moms and Teachers header above.
You’ll find even more ideas to help children overcome fear and develop strong family bonds in the segments titled No Fear and Family Fun.
October is also Church Library Month
Spend a morning exploring your church library. You’ll be surprised how many children’s books, films, and craft activities many churches have available for check-out.
Be sure to look for God is with Me through the Day and God is with Me through the Night in your church library.
Last week I received my copy of a must-have kitchen toolkit, Once-a-Month Cooking by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. If you liked the original version, you’ll really enjoy this new Family Favorites edition.
I know there are plenty of talented folks who really LOVE to cook - culinary gurus who think it actually helps them de-stress to slice onions with one hand and whack a black iron pot around in the other, all while the kids climb the walls. But if you’re like me, cooking on a daily basis feels more like a stressful chore than a relaxing, enjoyable treat. Especially when my kitchen is filled with whirling dirvishes and homework havoc. I often have less than thirty minutes to prepare dinner, and the smoke alarm almost always goes off when I cook.
But — and this is a big one — I believe very much in the importance of sitting together as a family around the table during mealtime, and I want to offer my family something a tad bit better than mystery fish sticks and Kraft Mac-n-Cheese (even though both of my kids would probably choose that as their favorite meal of all time!).
With Once-a-Month Cooking, I have everything I need to feed my family a month’s worth of nutritious meals – all with only one day of real work. I don’t know about you, but I like the sound of that.
If you think it’s too good to be true, I admit — I also wondered if it would be too much trouble to spend a whole day in the kitchen, not to mention the prepwork and enormous grocery trip involved. Thankfully, Lagerborg and Wilson have painstakingly included every single step of the process in the book, including menus, nutritional analyses, and shopping lists — right down to the number and size of freezer bags needed for each meal. What is usually the most stressful part of cooking (deciding WHAT to cook and managing to complete a recipe without bumming missing ingredients from the neighbors), has already been taken care of for me. All I really have to do is follow the instructions. Even I can do that!
I also really like that this new edition includes a two-week option (a nice baby step for someone like me who is new to the whole bulk freezing method). Plus, they’ve added a gourmet section (my personal preference) and a full menu for those on a gluten-free diet.
Want to know more? Visit once-a-monthcooking.com for a free one-week cooking cycle—which will give you all the information you need for a trial run. You can also network with other bloggers and frugalistas on facebook. Simply search for “Once-a-month Cooking.”
Don’t forget, I’ve got a copy of the book to share. To register for the cookbook giveaway, leave your comment here or email me (juliepcantrell@bellsouth.net). 22 people have already entered, and the winner will be announced on Friday, October 16.
BIG thanks to all you MOPS out there. Zondervan sold every single copy of God is with Me through the Day and God is with Me through the Night during the big MOPS convention last week in Nashville. I was thrilled to hear the happy news, and I’m so excited that these little stories are being shared by so many more families across the nation. Thank you!
If you’ve been following my blog, you already know I appreciate the simple things in life. Today, I stumbled across a site for women who share my point of view. The Simple Woman\’s Daybook.
I’ve posted my list from the site, and I encourage you to post yours here as well. Share your thoughts, so that we can all focus on the simple pleasures in life.
Outside my window… 13 happy children riding bikes and playing football. Plus Ellie, our Golden Retriever, whose birthday is TODAY!
I am thinking… that I need to pack for our trip tomorrow -Little Rock, here we come!
I am thankful for… family and friends.
From the kitchen… Birthday cake & ice cream from Ellie’s birthday party this afternoon, plus leftover cucumber salsa and chocolate Torte from my Wine between the Lines book club gathering last night at Carol’s house (who is one of the most talented chef’s you’ll ever meet — her leftovers are being enjoyed as I type!). And…leftover shrimp etoufee is simmering on the stove. Today – I’m all about leftovers!
I am wearing… Jeans and white shirt. My jacket, socks, and shoes were kicked off as soon as I got in from a conference today. They’re still on the floor and sofa…right where I left them (sigh).
I am creating… A blog entry. A non-fiction book about our farm. A second novel. Another children’s book. A home my family wants to come back to. An open door for friends.
I am going… to backpack in the Smokies with my family in two weeks.
I am reading… The Samurai’s Garden; Mary; Julie & Julia; and Billy Ray’s Farm (just to name a few).
I am praying… for peace. Just imagine…if everyone was kind all the time – all the world’s problems would be solved.
I am hearing… a report about a hostage situation that took place today in our small town. Very sad. I offer a prayer for those families as well. I also hear kids laughing, my daughter humming, our neighbor’s dogs barking, and our parakeet chirping – which makes me even more grateful, knowing that at any second those sounds could change to police sirens and helicopter propellers. You just never know. I say another prayer.
I am hoping…I never again lose someone I love.
On my mind…All the things I need to do before we leave town tomorrow morning.
Around the house… Friends. Pets. Books. A never-ending To-Do List.
One of my favorite things… is a house full of joy.
Plans for the weekend…We’re taking our children to their very first concert – Taylor Swift! Weekend trip to Little Rock!
God is with Me through the Day and God is with Me through the Night
If there’s one thing I want everyone to know – it’s that they’re loved and that they’re never alone. If these books share that message with even one child a day, then I am very blessed.
What Readers are Saying
"It looks like the animals posed for the photos!"
"My kids LOVE these books. We read them over and over again."
"This is the first book my son has ever read by himself."
"My daughter calls them the Dog Book and the Deer Book. She carries them everywhere. We already need a new set, these are so loved."
"A great message -- for young and old alike!"
Read more on the Reviews page.
What School Groups and Mothers Groups are Saying
"We absolutely loved having 'Miss Julie' come for a visit and read her books to all of the kindergarten students. They enjoyed hearing about Julie’s own animals and then seeing the wonderful photos of the animals in each of her books. The photos so perfectly match the encouraging and sweet words of Julie’s books. Julie’s own soft and gentle voice and her wonderful way of relating to young children kept the children’s complete attention for the thirty-plus minutes she visited with the classes. The children talked about 'Miss Julie' long after her visit to our library and her books have been continuously checked out of the library. We can hardly wait for 'Miss Julie' to write a new book and perhaps visit us again!" -- Susan Melsheimer, Parkview Baptist School Librarian
"Our preschool children really enjoyed having Julie read to them. The teachers at our facility were very impressed by Julie's interaction with the children while reading her books. Great job!" -- Lisa Buckner, Trinity Baptist Church Preschool
"Thank you, Julie! You were delightful!" -- Barbara Zeigler, Curriculum Specialist, Parkview Baptist Preschool
Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss, Molly Bang, Else Holmelund Minarik, Margaret Wise Brown, Crockett Johnson, Don Freeman, Laura Numeroff & Felicia Bond, Judy Schachner, Janell Cannon, Nick Sharratt, Judith Viorst, Lynne Cherry, Patty Lovell, Doreen Cronin
Denise Fleming, Jan Brett, Leo Lionni, Steve Jenkins & Robin Page, David Kirk, Maurice Sendak, Don and Audrey Wood, Arnold Lobel, Mercer Mayer
Graeme Base, Sarah Perry, Jane Yolen & Mark Teague, A.A. Milne, Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark, Beverly Cleary, Stan and Jan Berenstain, Jean Craighead George, Judy Blume, Kate DiCamillo, E.B. White, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Shel Silverstein, Jeff Kinney
Musicians I Adore
Neko Case, Norah Jones, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, The Dixie Chicks, Rob Thomas, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, KT Tunstall, Anna Nalick, Lori McKenna, Jenny Lewis, Nina Nastasia, Cowboy Junkies, Mazzy Star, Haley Bonar, The Sundays, Iron and Wine, Maria Taylor, Calexico, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Patty Griffin, Billie Holliday, Feist, Allison Kraus, The Waifs, Cat Power, Deb Talan, Brandi Carlile, Chris Pureka, Gillian Welch, and now that my Oxford friends introduced me to them - Wilco, The Kudzu Kings, and Blue Mountain.
Just a few happies to share with your little ones this Halloween. After all, every kid loves a good joke!
Congrats Amy L.! Your name was chosen from a pool of more than 60 entries for a free copy of Once-a-Month Cooking Family Favorites by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg.
