Contest Winner!

Announcing the winner of the Story Warren Poetry Illustration extravaganza!

We asked kids to illustrate a funny poem by Rebecca Reynolds called

It Was Most Likely The Beginning of the End of the World. (Incidentally, Rebecca cowrote a wonderful album with multi-Grammy-award-winning artist Ron Block and it launches in August.)All the pictures were lovely, interesting, and top shelf! Keep drawing, kids. We decided the prize would go to Kiera, age 10, from sunny South Africa! Well done, Kiera! Thanks to everyone who entered and keep a weather-eye out for the next illustration opportunity. It may be soonish.

Around the Web:

The Joy of a Thousand Balloons

Sandra McCracken writes at Art House America about genuine loss through the lens of a recent experience with her son.

With the shuffle of the side door closing and everybody moving into the front yard toward the house, the bright orange balloon made a sneaky escape out of his hands and ascended with gusto up into the open blue sky above our street.My boy screamed out with fierce sadness, looking helplessly upward, trying to tell me to get it back for him.

It’s beautiful and true. Read more.

Why Christians Should Read More Fiction

Paul Anderson has a post at Relevant about Christians and fiction. This is an article that made my heart sing.

But guys, what about fiction?! What about Faulkner? Melville! Does the name Steinbeck ring any bells?!” I cry, as the crowd trickles away, whispering about the guy with crazy eyes and a copy of East of Eden in his hand. One bold soul hands me Calvin’s Institutes and is on his way.

Read more — and then get the follow-up at Paul’s site.

Five Dangers to Avoid In Parenting

Williiam Boekestein chimes in at Ligonier with some scriptural, grounded advice about things to avoid as parents.

God commands parents to raise their children with godly nurture, being careful not to frustrate them. Inestimable damage is done by parents who provoke their children, and cause them to become discouraged.

I really needed that. Read more.

The Phrase that Enslaves Moms

Lindsey Carlson has a great post about moms and the phrase, “Just wait.” I think I’ve used that phrase on my own wife. Ouch.

Swollen and pregnant, I waddled toward the other moms gathering under a shaded pavilion. Noticing my apparent look of weary exasperation, a mom with much older kids approached me and jokingly asked how I was doing. I rambled off a list of the morning’s mishaps, noting my weariness. That’s when it happened—she breathed the one phrase that enslaves moms in any season: “Just wait.”

Capturing the Heart of a Child

Go watch these two short video clips from Sally Lloyd-Jones talking about C.S. Lewis. Gold!

Around the Warren:

Make Something

S.D. Smith finishes up (for now) his series inspired by playing with building blocks with his kids. It’s a beautiful exercise you can try.

You tell him that it’s good, and you invite the compliments of other children.“Very creative.”
“You’ve made something very nice here.”

Then you knock all the blocks off the table and you point at the empty space where the blocks were. “Make something again,” you say (with a smile).

Be More Human

New dad Zach Franzen writes and illustrates the need for more humanity.

Be More Human

Julie Silander helps reframe the boredom problem.

As I was reflecting on how grateful I am for this delight-filled season, my not-so-little, blue-eyed baby boy entered the scene. It was 9am. He paused, then unapologetically proclaimed, “I’m bored.”