It’s July 1, which if you’re in Canada is a pretty big deal, and it’s Fourth of July weekend—which if you’re in the US is a pretty big deal. So if you’re in another part of the world where it’s not a holiday weekend, well, join in. We like our summer holidays over here.
Around the Web
Breathe: Thy Kingdom Come
Cheryl Mullis explores the life-giving oxygen of the Lord’s Prayer.
- Today was one of those picture-perfect days. Blue skies. White fluffy clouds. Bright sun. What a welcome change after several days of rain! The colorful flowers, gentle breeze, and vibrant sunshine filled my heart with gladness. It wasn’t long, though, before my gaze zoomed in on the weeds that had grown during the recent rainy days. In a moment, my grateful heart turned to a grumbling heart.
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Harry Potter Turns 25
David Mathis shows us what he discovered reading Harry Potter to his sons.
- I almost missed Harry Potter.
When the first book released on June 26, 1997 — now a quarter century ago — I was sixteen years old and consumed with American Legion baseball. That summer revolved around nine-inning games, at least three times each week, in full catcher’s gear, in the South Carolina heat and humidity. At the time, I had very little interest in reading anything, much less made-up stories about wizards and magic. Besides, I was about to be a junior in high school, and I fancied myself far too old for a book about 11-year-olds.
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Summer Books & Activities
Sally Lloyd-Jones gives us a list of books and activities.
- Summer is all about adventure, and we can always go on adventures inside books. We’ve compiled our Top Summer Book Picks and suggested an activity to go along with each one.
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Wonderfull: Ancient Psalms Ever New by Marty Machowski
Megan at Redeemed Reader reviews a guide to the Psalms.
- Wonderfull is a guide to the Psalms that introduces young people to modeling their devotional life after that of the Psalmist.
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Around the Warren
Dear Daughter: On Outrage and its Remedy
Alyssa Ramsey writes a message to her daughter.
- Dear Daughter,
I’m writing to you because I know you’ve been listening. I know it by all the questions you ask. You’ve heard your dad and me talking about presidential candidates, and refugees, and a silverback gorilla.
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Explorers, Observers, and Artists
A.C.S. Bird challenges us to get outside and explore.
- Summer days can provide families with welcome relief from school routines and responsibilities. They can also stretch out like the trackless sea before the weary and overstimulated parent. Nature observation provides an economical, accessible change of pace. Highly flexible, it can expand to fill an empty afternoon or contract to fit into a spare fifteen minutes.
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Tell Your Story
Millie Sweeny reminds us of the power of our story.
- I recently finished Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri, and it is already one of my favorite books of the year. In the style of a true Persian story teller, he cycles back and repeats himself often, giving refrains and themes to the patchwork of stories he weaves together. That’s what he calls it, lamenting: “A patchwork memory is the shame of the refugee.” But Nayeri’s family tales are rich and complex, compelling and beautiful. It is apparent he takes pride and joy in knowing and telling his family history, in imagining and describing the many colorful characters of his heritage.
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The Big Wide Welcome | Trillia Newbell
Théa Rosenberg reviews a picture book
- If you’ve ever spent time on a playground, you know “Can I play, too?” is a loaded question. Some days, it’s met with warmth and welcome—and other days with, “Nope! There’s no room in our game.” My daughter came home from school a few weeks ago, feeling the sting of a game that’s “only for three people” when she wanted to make a fourth.
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Something to Do with Your Kids
It’s the Fourth of July weekend and what would I be doing if I didn’t send you a list of family activities to do to celebrate the holiday?
Something to Watch
Ben Shive’s “Fourth of July” is a gorgeous song—and this setting to a video of fireworks is just right.
Thanks for reading. We’re on your side.
–The Story Warren Team
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
- The Warren & The World Vol 11, Issue 30 - September 16, 2023
- The Warren & The World Vol 11, Issue 29 - September 2, 2023
- The Warren & The World Vol 11, Issue 28 - August 19, 2023
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