The November Tea Cozy
Cold November is here – brrrrrrrr! Even though the cold weather confines family to inside activities, I dare say, we do enjoy the change! The dropping temperature invites us to once again turn our hearts toward hearth and home. In the first stanza of a poem entitled “Winter Fancies,” one of my favorite poets, James Witcomb Riley, penned these seasonal sentiments, “WINTER without And warmth within…” Ah, yes, the colder temperature beckons us to slow our pace and reflect upon the many blessings of homelife, and in one of my most treasured books from the 1800’s, The Gospels in the Fields, R. C. Fillingham the Vicor of Hexton writes, “…we must keep within doors, sit by the fireside, talk over old times, read again the remembered page; and we must forego our evening rambles until the mild weather returns—in so many fashions does winter restrain our desires.” Well, it is our desire that as you gather together to read and listen to this November’s Tea Cozy Club installment, that it, too, will become a dearly remembered page.
This month’s audio conversation is with The Tea Ladies, Inc. from Bloomington, Illinois. One day, I found the Tea Ladies, Inc. when I was doing some research on the Internet. After viewing their website, I thought they would make wonderful guests for our club. The Tea Ladies are from my home state of Illinois and I hope my daughters and I can attend one of their programs in the future. Also, as an added bonus this month, I have included my audio workshop and instructions for making your own holiday recipe notebook. Enjoy!
Our November flavor of the month is pumpkin. If you’ve been receiving our tea cozies for some time now, you know how much our family loves to garden. One of the most successful crops we sowed this year was pumpkin. In the last issue of The Girlhood Home Companion, I wrote about the heirloom pumpkin seeds Eric purchased from Burpee. Along with the pie-sized pumpkins we use for baking, he grew enormous pumpkins to decorate with. Whether you plan to take a tea break before Thanksgiving or after, pumpkin, a beloved seasonal flavor, will delight any and all who are invited to converse around your table.
It is an honor to share our family’s all-time favorite pumpkin recipes with you. My younger sister claims that there is no better pumpkin pie recipe than Mother’s. This recipe made its debut in last year’s Girlhood Home Companion holiday issue. If you are new to the Girlhood and didn’t see it there, we have included it again– just for you. We have also included our famous “fall leaves” cookie recipe tutorial. I hope you enjoy making these colorful and tasty cookies as much as we do. They are a childhood favorite at our house.
November’s flower is the Chrysanthemum which represents love. May your cup be filled to overflowing with God’s love as you celebrate the joys of the season. Soon we’ll be planning holiday meals and gathering as families to thank God for His bountiful love and provision and the ultimate joy that comes from being transformed by His Word. I pray He warms your heart within.
Order the November Tea Cozy Club installment here:
Affectionately,
Jill Novak & Family
Tim Farley, Son of “Black Stallion” author Walter Farley, Featured Guest in Remembrance Press Happy Trails Horse Club
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tim Farley, Son of “Black Stallion” author Walter Farley, Featured Guest in Remembrance Press Happy Trails Horse Club
Contact:
Claire E. Novak
Remembrance Press
26306 N. Fairfield Rd.
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
Phone: 847-613-5715
publisher@remembrancepress.com
Lake Zurich, IL – July 15, 2009 – Tim Farley, the son of legendary childrens’ author Walter Farley, is the guest of the month for Remembrance Press’s July edition of the Happy Trails Horse Club, a monthly program for boys and girls. Farley, founder of the Black Stallion Literacy Project and a longtime representative for his father’s Black Stallion Series, joins club host Claire Novak in an audio interview available to members in the club’s PDF newsletter featuring the July breed of the month, the Arabian.
“We’re extremely pleased to have a notable guest like Mr. Farley in just our third month of production,” said Novak. “His family’s work with the Black Stallion has inspired thousands of children around the world and continues to this day with the efforts of the Black Stallion Literacy Project and more.”
Descriptions from the Arabian Horse Association and a profile of the Arabian Nights’ leading Arabian stallion, along with a review of Walter Farley’s classic 1941 novel The Black Stallion and a horse-themed devotional round out the third edition of this fledgling club. Potential subscribers will find more information at www.remembrancepress.com and may sign up for one-month tenures ($4.95) or for a year ($60.00).
Previous guests of the Happy Trails Horse Club include Lew Sterrett of Miracle Mountain Ranch with his American Quarter Horse “Spark,” and Diane Purcelli of Shooting Star Ranch with her American Mustang “Nevada Joe,” the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association’s Official Horse Ambassador.
Novak, host of the Happy Trails Horse Club, has melded her love for human interest journalism and the equine breed into a successful Turf writing career. Her award-winning work appears in The Blood-Horse Magazine, on ESPN.com, with the Associated Press and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, and in Keeneland Magazine, among others. She is also a registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).
Remembrance Press is a Christian publishing company with a heart for family relationships and the power of the written word that has been providing resources designed to encourage Christian and family living since 1998. In addition to the flagship publication The Girlhood Home Companion, Remembrance Press offers a wide range of items for all ages including print, audio, and ebooks, instructional CDs and DVDs, and membership clubs.
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Oh Where, Oh Where, is My Girlhood Home Companion?
Oh, where, oh, where, has my Girlhood gone?
Oh, where, oh, where could it be?
With it’s charm and grace
And it’s beautiful face (just love that cover)
Oh where, oh where, can it be?
If you are a subscriber to The Girlhood Home Companion and still haven’t received your Spring issue and are wondering where it is…let me explain.
Due to technical difficulty with a small portion of our mailing list, some people received two or three issues with other people names on them. If you still haven’t received your Girlhood magazine, email us at ericnovak@dls.net and we will mail it out immediately. If you are one of the customers who received a few extra copies, feel free to give them to family or friends. Spread The Girlhood Home Companion around.
This little error was a real blessing. We were able to talk with many of our dear subscribers personally and find out what The Girlhood Home Companion means to them. Here is just one of the lovely comments we received.
Dear Mrs. Novak,
Thank you so much for spending the time to talk with me today. I will be praying that your mailing mix up will quickly and economically be resolved. God is good, and He will bless your efforts. The blessing that your magazine shares to young women is a true ministry and brings Glory to God. It was so much fun to be able to talk to you in person and gain first hand knowledge about your family ministry, how it is put together, and its inspiration!
Raising girls in this culture is not easy, and I often feel like a fish swimming up stream against the flow of feminism and self-centered humanistic world view… Your publication certainly celebrates all of the attributes of a Proverbs 31 woman… and, I find such wisdom and nurture for my soul. It is such a blessing to have such a beautiful resource filled with interesting stories, inspiring activities and Godly wisdom to share with my 10 year old daughter… it truly gives a sense of community to our lives as we walk this path of purpose filled girlhood together.
Thank you for putting your life effort into this publication. It is well worth the effort and is appreciated!
Love in Christ,
Dyana C.
The magazine arrived and it is wonderful!!!! My daughter spent all afternoon reading it cover to cover…then we had to head to the craft store so she buy supplies to make a needle pouch : ) We love Emily Rose! And Breezy’s illustrations are amazing!
Thank you! Thank you!
Susan S.
We hope the Spring issue of The Girlhood Home Companion is a blessing to you. Order your copy today!
Jill
The Girlhood Home Companion Goes to “Tea”
Welcome Mothers and Daughters,
It’s good to be back to blogging again. I’ve pretty much been on a break ever since we started The Girlhood Home Companion back up in December of 2006. I’ve wanted to reach out and touch our Girlhood audience in a more personal way for a long time, but laying out The Girlhood Home Companion has taken up most of my time. The more issues we do, however, the more organized we become in the production department. When we decided to redo our website, I asked my son Eric to include a blog. Now I’ll be able to keep you updated on Remembrance Press happenings, including when the new issue of The Girlhood is ready to ship.
The Spring 2009 issue of The Girlhood Home Companion went to “tea” today (that’s what we say when it goes to the printers). It will be about ten business days before I see it on my doorstep. Hopefully, we will begin to mail it around the 27th of April. This issue is so lovely (that’s our theme: Make It Lovely!) and I pray that it will be a real blessing to you and your daughters.
The passage of scripture we concentrated on for this issue is found in Philippians 4:8:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Every time I finish an issue, I marvel at how the Lord weaves the artwork and articles together to reflect the theme we are studying. Well, this issue is no exception. It’s very lovely to look at and hold, but more importantly it’s lovely for your spirit. I can’t wait until you receive your copy.
If you have any questions about your order contact us at: publisher@remembrancepress.com
In Christ,
Jill Novak
Becoming God’s Naturalist – Make a Nature Specimen Library
by Jill Novak
Spring, summer and fall are the time of year to stock up on plant and insect specimens for your home nature library. Nothing is more useful to an artist than a reference library full of specimens. Whether you preserve your specimens from life or use digital photography stored on the computer, stock your library now!
When I attended commercial art school we were taught to keep an artist’s reference file for anything we might want to draw in the future. Those files were filled with pictures of animals, people, and plant life taken mostly from the pages of National Geographic magazines. On one hand the files were invaluable if you needed an example of something for an illustration that you were currently working on such as a monarch butterfly on milkweed; on the other hand they were limited to the photographer’s style or the angle of his shot.
Other than figure drawing class and an occasional still-life, I don’t remember being encouraged to draw from real specimens. I found still-life drawings extremely uninspiring. And still-life is just what the name implies – still! I have found that drawing from life is much more captivating because you can observe a specimen in greater detail and draw it from any angle you choose.
How can you make your own specimen library? Well, it’s not hard at all. Let’s start with insects. Buy your children some butterfly nets and let them go exploring. It won’t be long before you have a fine bug collection. They don’t have to worry about pinning and labeling their insects unless they want to. Their drawings can be labeled and stored in notebooks. Pinning and labeling can limit your children’s ability to draw their specimens from different angles. Instead, get a large tackle box and store your bugs in it loosely. They can draw from their collection anytime they are inclined – even in the dead of winter. Preserve specimens in a jar with a cotton ball saturated in nail polish remover. When the bug has expired, place it in a slot and store it for later reference.
What about animals? Do you have a cat that loves leaving you “presents” on the doorstep? Some of most treasured bird specimens have been the result of a “cat-n-mouse” game. What about preserving dead animals that you find on the side of the road? Sound kind of crazy? Taxidermists have been doing it for years!
I love the story of children’s book illustrator Tasha Tudor thawing out specimens so she could pose them in different positions, and refreezing them to use again later. The collection in our garage freezer includes mice, moles, different kinds of birds, a baby weasel and many other interesting animals.
Keep a medium-sized aquarium on hand for drawing any live specimens you find. Release them after you’re done. In the last two weeks, we’ve used an aquarium to study six baby barn swallows, a large painted turtle, and a flying squirrel just to name a few. You never know what the Lord is going to provide for your nature study so be prepared!
Some plant matter can be preserved by air drying. I have several ball jars that line the top of an old library card catalog in my hallway. They contain samples from last year’s nature walks; thistles, bird’s nests, goldenrod, and milkweed pods are just a few of our “priceless” drawing treasures. Old printer’s trays can be filled with pine cones, maple tree seeds, insects, etc. Give your tray a prominent spot in your house and tell the kids to fill it up with specimens. Children are inspired to draw more spontaneously when specimens are readily available.
And of course, let your young naturalists loose in the backyard with a digital camera. Nothing can compare with the quality and instant reward of a child who takes his own pictures for reference. I regularly let Elizabeth, age 10, and Anna, age 6, take pictures of whatever they find of interest outside. Besides getting instant results, children can enlarge their photos and draw from them as they sit in front of the computer. If they can’t see a particular detail, they can click on the picture and enlarge it. Digital cameras are simply invaluable when it comes to catching a specimen for your collection!
Order The Nature Journaling and Gift of Family Writing Bundle here:
http://remembrancepressbookstore.com/collections/becoming-gods-naturalist
Basic Supply List for Nature Journaling
by Jill Novak
I was asked what supplies we use for nature journaling (I’m glad you asked!). Below is our basic supply list. I also have a workshop entitled Becoming God’s Naturalist which explores creative and practical ways to get the most out of nature study and nature journaling. It is available in a two CD set along with The Gift of Family Writing. You can find these resources in our bookstore:
http://remembrancepressbookstore.com/collections/becoming-gods-naturalist
http://remembrancepressbookstore.com/collections/the-gift-of-family-writing
Our Basic Supply List for Nature Journaling
Paper – For finished drawings we use individual pieces of 110 lb. cover stock fastened to clip boards (available at Wal-Mart). The completed drawing or painting is stored in a binder inside plastic sleeves. That way the children don’t have to worry about ruining previous drawings.
Sketchbooks – My children love having their own sketchbooks. Right now they’re crazy about large formats. Buy a couple of different sizes. You can never have enough sketchbooks! Just about any brand of sketchbook will do. Look for Beinfang or Cannon.
Watercolor paper – You don’t have to buy watercolor paper for beginners, but if you do, try a watercolor block. The paper is already stretched so you don’t have to worry about it buckling. I like to work on Strathmore Watercolor paper cold press. It is available in different sizes (the 9 x12 is nice). We also paint on 110 lb. cover stock. It holds up pretty well as long as your brush isn’t excessively wet.
Pencils – Our favorite all-purpose pencil is Faber Castle. You can find them in most art stores. Buy soft art pencils B, 2B, 4B, 6B and aqua or water soluble art pencils. Let the kids experiment with the different textures. They’ll tell you which ones they like the best.
Artist pens – by Faber Castell. These pens are great for noodeling, doodeling, and sketching. My kids love these pens and told me to put them on the list.
Watercolor pencils – Derwent available at Michael’s, Hobby Lobby or Ebay.
Erasers – We use plastic erasers by Staedtler which are available from Wal-Mart in packages of three. Plastic erasers remove pencil marks without hurting the paper. Kneaded erasers work well for picking up tone.
Paints – I like Prang 12 count paints for children (little kids can use Crayola). They offer a wide palette to mix from and are relatively inexpensive. I also purchased a set of Grumbacher watercolors for myself. These are not necessary if you are just starting out, but you can get them on sale at Michaels for $2.00 a tube. Some children, like my Elizabeth – now age 15, loves tube paints.
Try not to let age be a limiting factor when it comes to art supplies (my mother let me paint with oils when I was 10).
Brushes – Purchase fine quality brushes of different widths and shapes for watercolor. Inferior brushes will ruin your efforts to control the paint. If you’re watching your budget, purchase a couple of sets of packaged brushes from Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby. They may have to be replaced periodically but they are much better than the brushes that come in paint boxes.
Just as every child can write from what he knows, every child can draw from what he sees. Children who rarely pick up a pencil on their own can learn to express themselves creatively if they are exposed to the right environment – one that’s filled with the beauty of God’s Creation, the work of inspired artists, and the tools of the trade.
Becoming God’s Naturalist
I remember the first time that I nature journaled with my children. It wasn’t hard to convince them to come outside and draw. A balmy summer morning beckoned us to abandon our regular indoor routine. Elizabeth, age 6, headed up to the garden and picked a few ripe strawberries. Eric, age 11, found a tiny Monarch caterpillar on a milkweed leaf in the field. Claire, age 15, snapped off some purple coneflowers from the flowerbed next to the house. We spread blankets on the ground and opened our sketchbooks. The three older children, heads bent and eyes fixed, immediately began to draw. Anna, age 3, ran and tumbled in the grass before plopping down on a blanket next to me. I picked up a strawberry leaf and looked intently at the serrated edges. Timidly, I applied pencil strokes to the paper. I hadn’t drawn on a regular basis since art school. Drawing felt foreign. I wondered how the children were feeling as they drew from nature for the first time.
As the sun warmed our shoulders, I wasn’t aware that my children’s education had just been enriched beyond anything I could ask or think. Nature journaling is the course of study the Lord has used to make my children more aware of His abundant Creation and the ability He has given each one of them to capture it on paper.
A Method of Drawing Instruction
One day, Elizabeth, who usually drew out of her imagination drew my sewing machine which was sitting on the table in front of her. I was dumbfounded. Was drawing from life a step I had missed with the older children? Even though I had grown up in a creative home where drawing was encouraged, I didn’t know what method to use to teach my children how to draw. What could I use that would keep my children – all of them – captivated and wanting to draw for a lifetime?
As I browsed the parent-teacher section of my local library I found a book by Catherine Levison entitled, A Charlotte Mason Companion. Charlotte Mason, a late nineteenth-century educational reformer from England, based her philosophy on the Latin word for education, educa , which means “to feed and nourish.” Understanding the natural affinity that children have for nature and desire to learn of it first hand, she recommended that every child keep a nature journal.
Could teaching art really be so simple? Was drawing from nature the very thing that would inspire all of my children to want to draw? In the months that followed, the answer to that question was a resounding “Yes!” God’s awe-inspiring Creation was right outside our window the whole time! How could I have been so blind! Children love nature—they love to hold it, draw it, and let it go.
It’s been amazing to hear Anna (age three) say, “Bring that in the house, Mom, so we can draw it!” She has spontaneously drawn spiders, leaves, and sunflowers. Elizabeth (age seven) is enthralled with nature and loves to draw from it anytime. She loves collecting insects and making herbarium (plant) collections. It has been gratifying to see Eric (age 11) become a more confident artist as he trains his eye by drawing from life. And Claire (age 15) didn’t know that she could draw anything other than horses until we started drawing from nature. All of us have become sensitized to plant, animal, and insect life for the purpose of recording it in our journals.
The Skill of Observation
Learning how to draw is a process, and yet it’s rarely viewed as such. People often think you “have the gift” or you don’t. The truth is that everyone has the ability to put marks on a paper, but they must be willing to take the time to observe and practice. There is a vast difference between looking at something and really seeing it. Seeing takes time.
The definition of the word observation is “the act of observing or taking notice; the act of seeing or of fixing the mind on anything.” In order to observe something, we have to look at it for a sustained period of time. That’s hard for some of us to do because we have to make a choice to sit still. Do you really have to sit alongside your children and draw in a nature journal? No, you don’t have to, but you get to!
In the book Plain and Simple, Sue Bender says one of the most important things that she learned from living with the Amish is that they only think about one thing at a time. When they are sewing they don’t think about gardening, and when they are gardening they don’t think about washing dishes or preparing dinner. They only think about the task at hand, and everything is given equal importance and value. That’s what it’s like whenever you sit and draw in your nature journal. Life comes to a screeching halt, because it takes your full concentration to really “see” what you are looking at. It’s so relaxing to fix your eyes on a specimen and try to recreate it on paper. When you teach your children the quiet art of sitting and sketching from nature, you teach them to see what others miss―a God who loves, color, variety, and design. There are many valuable lessons to learn in the pages of your nature journals!
Drawing Development
When children are young, five to eight years old, they draw symbols to represent objects. They may decide that a green triangle represents a pine tree. Yes, they know what a pine tree smells like; they’ve been pricked by one at the Christmas tree lot. They know a pine tree is not a green triangle, but when it comes to drawing it on paper—well…it’s easiest to draw a green triangle. This stage of art development is called the symbolism stage. A child is happy to draw out of his imagination, using the same symbols repeatedly to represent everyday objects.
Around the age of nine or ten, however, children become visually aware of the world around them. They want their drawings to look realistic. During this phase they can become overly critical of their work if they can’t make their drawing look “just right” in terms of detail and proportion. This is the stage where many children stop drawing. That’s why nature journaling is such a powerful tool for helping children see the way an artist sees. It requires them to develop the observational skills needed to move out of the symbolic stage to drawing realistically.
Enjoy the Process
One of the hardest concepts to teach older children about journaling, whether writing or drawing, is that the process is more important that the product. For writing, the process is “thinking.” For drawing, the process is “seeing.” We live in a product-oriented society. We want quick, measurable results—that’s how we know we’re a success. However, you can’t expect a perfect drawing every time you nature journal, especially if you’ve never drawn realistically before. Drawing from life is a process that can only be developed over time―through practice.
If your children become dissatisfied with the product of their efforts, encourage them to slow down, relax, take their time, and draw the object with as many details as possible. If your child is patient and persistent in journaling on a regular basis, year in and year out, he will grow in artistic ability.
When I was at a used book sale at our library last fall, I noticed a woman buying quite a few art books. We started talking and I found out that she was a professor at the Art Institute of Chicago. I told her about how I had attended the American Academy of Art many years ago, that I was now homeschooling my children, and how we nature journaled together on a regular basis. We talked some more about art and her childhood experiences in that area. Then she said the most profound thing to me. “You know,” she said, “Your kids will never have to go to the Art Institute if you work with them the way you are. All I am is a disciplinarian!”At first I was stunned, but I knew what she said was true. She gave her students assignments to make them produce. My children produce because they love what they’re drawing, especially when I draw with them.
Nature journaling is a wonderful opportunity for the parent to model the process of creative expression so that the child will wholeheartedly embrace it. If a child is willing to take a risk and put his pencil to paper (because we have assigned it), then we too can take a risk as his teacher and draw with him. You don’t have to be an advanced artist to nature journal with your children. You will learn more about the process of drawing as you practice. Be encouraged that your family members will grow in artistic expression as you draw God’s creation, together.
To view the products in our nature journaling category visit our store here:
Preserve Your Spiritual Legacy
By Jill Novak
One day when I was reading my Bible, the Lord led me to find the Hebrew word Revach which means “to breathe freely, to revive, to have ample room, to be extended, to be refreshed.” It also means “deliverance and liberation from distress.” Over the last ten years the Lord has shown me that this word speaks figuratively of the pages of our journals. We are refreshed and renewed as we slow down to record our life stories. We are revived as we remember the hand of the Lord in our lives. There is ample room to express what’s on our hearts to Him. Our journal pages become a testimony of deliverance and answered prayers. We have liberation from distress as we see how God faithfully uses our trials, past and present, to conform us to the image of Christ. Often, we’re too busy trying to cope with everyday struggles and minor irritations to see the connections that God makes with us—the answers to our prayers.
A spiritual journal is a practical way of recording the good part of life; sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His still, small voice. 1 Kings 19:7 (NASB) says: “And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him [Elijah], and said, ‘Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you…’ Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rock in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’”
Do you ever wonder what you’re doing here? I know I do! Sometimes the journey is too great. There are times of intense struggle when we feel our hearts will break in two, and we have no strength to take another step. It’s at times like these that nothing but the voice of God will do. A prayer journal is a place to hear God’s voice as you record your spiritual journey. Journaling gives you hindsight and vision, showing you where you have been, what you are doing here, and where you are going. A daily record of the Bible verses that you study, your struggles, your prayers, and the answers to your prayers will all be a legacy to your children of your relationship with the living God. Father, You are the Living Word. Help us to draw near to you in the pages of our journals and lead us to Revach.
“This morning I made the last entry in the journal that I’ve been keeping for over a year. It was a bitter sweet feeling to close those pages, but I eagerly anticipate starting another journal. What dialog will fill the new pages? The tears flowed freely this morning as I fought to quiet my heart, as I sought a connection with my Father. Finally, the words came rushing from His heart to mine, and from my heart to His. I am thankful for His faithfulness. He never turns a deaf ear.
Upon the White – By Jill Novak
I thank you Lord for this new day To write upon the white,
Words committed to the lines Broken and contrite.
In the morning when all is still My prayer shall rise to Thee,
Praises from a longing heart Thy hidden face to see.
In the morning when all is still My words shall then take flight,
Into Your presence – upward, rise Expectant, giving sight.
I thank you Lord for words of life To write upon the white,
Words committed to the lines, broken and contrite.
The Gift of Family Writing Bundle consists of the following products:
The Gift of Family Writing Book and Audio Workshop by Jill Novak – The Gift of Family Writing is a result of what I’ve discovered over the last ten years from teaching my four children (pre-school through high school) to journal their life stories. Just like your children, they are so unique, with different learning styles and temperaments. But I have learned that all children – not just the naturally gifted ones – can confidently express themselves if they are taught to value their life experiences and write from what they know. For parents and children. Book on CD with instructional audio workshop on CD.
Letters to my Children CD Workshop by Jill Novak – We blog, instant message, and email our friends and associates on a regular basis, but sadly our own children get lost in the mix. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. See how to keep hearts connected by writing meaningful letters and spontaneous notes to your children. Jill Novak shares inspiring and practical tips for establishing a letter writing ministry that will strengthen your family relationships and become a testimony for generations to come. Learn how the written word has the power to change hearts, transform lives and give vision. Create a legacy of love for your children and grandchildren, one letter at a time with Letters to My Children –A Legacy of Love for all Generations. – 2 hours
Forget Me Not Faith CD Workshop by Jill Novak – God is writing “His” story every day, and its right at the end of your fingertips. This workshop will inspire you to record your family’s spiritual journey with purpose and clarity. Reflections, observations, prayers, testimonies, tributes, poetry, and letters can all be preserved in a Book of Remembrance (Malachi 3:16) that will strengthen your faith and make an eternal impact for generations to come.
To order your bundle click here
Start a Letter-Writing Ministry to Your Children Today!
By Jill Novak
Like you, I try to nurture my children’s hearts everyday, but the truth is that the busyness of life and countless outside distractions keep me from preserving words that bring life, direction, and vision–unless I write a letter. Letter writing bridges the gap between the words I long to express, and the words my children and grandchildren will remember the rest of their lives.
A Legacy for All Generations
There are as many reasons to write a letters as there are people to receive them. Still, a practice so commonplace in previous centuries has become a lost art to our generation. Many parents are rediscovering the truth in the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword!” and have committed to writing letters to their children on a regular basis. Whether you are writing about a moment you’ve shared, saying thank you, or giving your child a vision for the future, letter writing is vital for nurturing relationships.
The Inspiration for Writing to My Children
I know that my mother liked to dabble with words. I have a few of her precious attempts at poetry and prose, but the writing that I hold dear to my heart are the two letters that she penned to me over her whole lifetime. It hardly seems possible that I lived with her for 22 years and only have two letters to show for it.
Her poetry gives me glimpses into her heart, her love of family and nature – things we share in common – but her letters give me a sense of belonging and purpose. Her words, though few, are well chosen and give me the vision to write letters to my children on a regular basis.
Two Letters from my Mother
Dear Jill,
It’s about 4 a.m. Christmas morning and as I lie here thinking of all of you I want to cry for the joy God has put in my heart for our family. I’ve always prayed He would do special things with each one of you. I prayed for your salvation when I really didn’t know Him so well. Can you imagine what He has in store for all of you now that we really know Him? Know Him like we never knew Him before! May the power of God which transcends all understanding be yours forever and may the Holy Spirit hover over all of you, and protect you every hour of every day.
In the Love of Christ Jesus,
MomDear Jill,
I want you to know how much I appreciate you thoughtfulness. Everything you do and say is very much appreciated by me, but I don’t always have the chance to put in words what I feel. In loving Claire, you might have some idea how I as a mother have felt for you. That doesn’t change because you are a woman, it just becomes a mature caring at this point and seeing your relationship with Claire tells me that the love my mother had for me has come through to be seen in your love for Claire. Love is what it is all about isn’t it? God love your little family, and may the Holy Spirit abound richly in each one of you.
Love,
Mom
Little did my mother know the impact that these two letters would have in my life and the lives of her grandchildren. She left a legacy of love and a memorial to her relationship with the Lord. You can do the same. Letter witting is one of the most effective ways to minister to the heart of your child and give him a vision for his life.
Last week, my daughter Elizabeth came to talk to me when I was working on the revised edition of The Gift of Family Writing. She glanced at the monitor and saw the two letters that my mother wrote to me. As she snuggled into my lap, I began to read them to her. I didn’t realize until that moment that she hadn’t heard of these letters before, so I explained that they were the only letters that my mother wrote to me over her lifetime. “Well, I hope you write lots of letters to me,” she said. Her comment challenged me once again to make it a priority to write to my children on a regular basis.
The Gift of Family Writing is filled with examples that will inspire and equip you to begin a letter writing ministry to your family today. Learn about the many different types of letters that you can write to your children.
Dear Jill,
My Daughter turned eighteen last week. What a milestone! I wanted to do something special for her, so I wrote her a letter. I wrote about many of the memories I have of her life and then I wrote some verses of Scripture based on the theme of “fearing the Lord”. On the envelope on put stickers that were symbols of things from her life.
That same week one of her friends was having a “princess” party. She secretly wrote to each girl’s father and asked them to write a letter to his daughter to be read at the party. Writing is difficult for my husband. He agonized over this letter. However, the final result was beautiful! He wrote of memories he had of her and inside things that only she and he shared. What a cherished gift.
Now I plan to write letters to each of my family for the holiday season (we celebrate Hanukkah). Thank you so much for the inspiration.
Thank you,
Jennifer White
Be Inspired by Jennifer’s Letter in
The Gift of Family Writing
Record Your Life Stories as They Happen!
Just think of all the experiences you and your children have shared together: everyday moments, special times, or life lessons tailor-made by God—irreplaceable stories that you thought you would never forget. Yet life rushes by like a reel of film on a movie projector, thousands of unique experiences in a blur. Precious few will be remembered unless they are viewed in slow motion. Family writing slows the motion.
Like the genealogies of the Bible, words beget words and stories beget stories. Before you know it, you’re recording the ordinary moments of your day, and something extraordinary happens—you and your children become writers! The gift of words and the means of expressing them flow from the heart of God to all of your children. When you teach them to capture their thoughts, feelings, and perceptions on paper, you enable them to remember; and in remembering your family members are bonded to each other and the Lord in a more profound way.
Families are constantly changing. Children grow up and leave childish things behind. As time goes by, the memory of your home life with them fades. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. Your family’s life stories and unique spiritual heritage can be preserved through The Gift of Family Writing.
Remembering the Past
Every family has at least one member who can remember—as if it were yesterday—events that happened in the family when he or she was a child. My husband Robert (the only boy among three sisters) is the storyteller in his family. Most of his accounts are about the family farm and fishing trips in Canada. Our children were raised on these stories and value them as part of their heritage. When our family moved to a farm in 1999, new “farm stories” began to take shape. I recorded them in a journal, knowing we would forget these experiences if I didn’t write them down. My husband’s love of storytelling had rubbed off on me.
Gradually I was drawn to read books about recording your life stories and writing from the heart. Geared toward adults, these books focused on writing memoirs or life stories for your children and grandchildren. As I read, a thought arose in my mind: Why aren’t we recording our children’s life stories as they happen? We’re with them all the time. What wouldn’t any of us give to read—in our own words—the accounts of people, places, or things that mattered to us when we were young? How much easier it would be for our children to write their life stories now, while they’re still fresh on their minds!
I began to really listen to my children. I was amazed to hear how many words they used to describe their experiences, and surprised at how naturally they expressed themselves. The younger ones only needed me to write their stories down. A bond formed that wasn’t there before; I was hearing the hearts of my children through the words of their experience.
Recording Your Life Stories
You may not have thought about recording your life stories together as a family. I know I hadn’t. I’m amazed that it never occurred to me to have my two oldest children narrate their daily experiences to me when they were younger. I didn’t realize that we could write about all the wonderful things we’ve done together as a family or that I could preserve my spiritual walk so my children and grandchildren would know the awesome God we serve. One thing I’ve learned, though, it’s never too late to journal your life stories. As long as you live and breathe there will be plenty of experiences to preserve on paper.
Order the Gift of Family Writing here: http://remembrancepressbookstore.com/collections/the-gift-of-family-writing