We’ve passed the solstice, so you can really say it’s summer now. Unless you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, then…welcome to winter. Whatever season you’re in, here’s a few pieces of encouragement for you.

Around the Web

Turn Around the “Worst Day Ever”

A bad attitude was a big no-no when I was growing up. This piece ha some great suggestions for helping kids turn the attitude around.

“Mo-om… This is the WORST. DAY. EVER.” It happens to all of us. Here are our best tips on how to turn around the “worst day ever”!
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Read-Aloud Recommendations from Ken Priebe

Our friend Ken Priebe, author of the Gnomes of the Cheese Forest, has a running album of kids book recommendations with some fantastic gems in there.

If you read out loud to kids in any way, shape or form, I suggest adding these books to your library.
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4 Ways to Be a Grace-Focused Parent

Grace can be hard–especially when we’re tired, or haven’t had a break from our families in a bit.

In 1915, Charlie Chaplin was more than just a movie star—he was a bona fide national craze. To capitalize on that, vaudeville houses started hosting Charlie Chaplin Look-Alike contests. Well, America’s “Little Tramp” wasn’t one to be left out of the fun, so he anonymously entered his look-alike contest in San Francisco that year. And lost. In fact, the real Mr. Chaplin didn’t even make finals.
I think, when it comes to parenting, sometimes I’m like those near-sighted judges at the San Francisco Chaplin contest.
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My Attention Is My Prayer

Chris Yokel gives some thoughts on the practice of attentiveness.

These days, I tend to find myself bemoaning my own easy distractedness. I took a little bit of a social media fast in the opening weeks of the year, and I resolved at the end of that experience to be more measured in my use of social media, but let’s be honest: I fell pretty quickly back into old habits. I guess it’s at least good that I’m aware of my backslide? Gotta start somewhere.
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Around the Warren

Daddy Hook

Helena Sorensen explores the question of fathers and the picture we have of God.

Someone asked me recently why the Bible always presents God in masculine form. She wondered why God, who is spirit, didn’t appear to mankind as a mother. It’s a fair question, and a good one, though I had no good answer for her. Mainly, I ached for the suffering she’d endured and how it had damaged her understanding of God the Father. But if it is true that God is every moment being revealed in story and nature and Scripture and song and billions of faces crafted in God’s image, what is so important about God appearing to us as a Father? Why did Jesus say, instead of “My Mother and I are one,” “My Father and I are one”?
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Review: The Green Ember, by S. D. Smith

Aaron Johnson gives a detailed review of one of our favorite books (but we’re probably biased).

The opinion we form of any book is greatly determined by the expectations we bring to it. This is apparent from the hundreds of online reviews I’ve read of The Green Ember. In this review, I’ll share how I discovered the book and how my expectations were set. I’ll share the strengths of the story that have made me a fan, the four most common criticisms and concerns, and what I think you can expect if you family chooses to dive into the story of The Green Ember.
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Something to Do with Your Kids

Need a party for the neighborhood? Host a cookie decorating party for all your friends.

Something to Watch

It’s likely that I’ve shared this video before, but if I did, it was years ago–because I was just reminded of it, and it’s been years since I saw it the first time. This is “The Baseball Bat Song” by the Sons of Bheho.

Thanks for reading. We’re on your side.