Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas Countdown - Books



7 days left
Books
Growing up every year my Dad would read "Twas the night before Christmas" from my little golden book with the red cover that has a picture of Santa Claus.   I love this book...I still have this book and I read it to my own children each year.   I love the old fashioned pictures....they bring back so many good memories for me.   Books are a big deal to me.  I love to read and I want my children to grow up enjoying books and having a love of reading.   To help promote reading we have a couple of baskets at our house that hold special books.   One basket sits in our family room next to the fireplace and it is called our "library basket".  The kids keep their library books (and movies) in this basket when they are not reading them.   This keeps books available in this room and also helps me keep track of where the books are when it is time to make another visit to the library.    The other basket is kept in our front room on our coffee table.   This basket is our "holiday book basket".   Each holiday I fill it with children's books that deal with that holiday.   At Christmas time this basket is very full.    The children love this tradition and it keeps them interested in reading.  I try to add one new book for each holiday each year. 

One of my most favorite Christmas books is called "The Crippled Lamb" by Max Lucado.   I had never heard the story until I attended a primary Christmas activity back in 1999....when we had been waiting for a full year to be chosen by a Birth Mother.   For part of the activity one of the other leaders read this story to a group of children.    I found so much personal meaning in this story that I couldn't help but cry...and boy did I cry.   I needed to hear that story at that time.....it was a tender mercy!   I purchased a copy for myself and I read it each year to my own children....and I still cry.   If you haven't read it I would encourage you to get a copy and read it to your children....especially if you are like me and you have felt a  little different and left out at times.

What is your favorite Christmas book?

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