How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. for Your Kids by Rachael Carman

How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. for Your Kids by Rachael Carman
Apologia Press Publishing
Cost- $13.00
Sample Chapter
Table of Contents


Rachael Carman’s book “How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. For Your Kids” from Apologia Press publishing came to me at “Such a time as this.” I think that very often we busy homeschool mommas get caught up in yes, no, what do you think you’re doing, dishes, laundry, what on earth is for dinner and how many more books can I buy and will they fit on the bookshelves I have, that we often forget that our time is very short with our children. I mean, we have three children who are three and under and our only wish is that a time will come soon when they can all get themselves dressed or buckled in their carseats and then we blink and they are sixteen and we wish for those days back again. If only we would have known back then, but we couldn’t see the forest for the trees and time flies when measured by growing babies. We think, “ I am always going to be…”, but too soon, we find our roles changing and we’re really not ready for it and if we have not captured our children’s hearts, we may not like the place we find ourselves to be.

Rachael Carman's book, How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. for Your Kids is an easy reading power packed book for raising children. It gets right to the HEART of the matter and often made me stop and think, OUCH....I walked away from this book with many things I really need to re-evaluate and implement in my home so that my children know my HEART is for them.
Using the acronym, HEART, this book is broken down into these segments
H: Have a Heart for the things of God
E: Enrich your marriage
A: Accept your kids
R: Release them to God
T: Teach them the truth

H:
I thought I would share a point or so (may be more in certain sections because of where I am in my life) that was something I felt I needed to notice...these may be direct quotes or paraphrases of what the author said
Having a HEART for our kids starts with OUR example of worshipping and obeying our Lord God. We cannot expect our children to exhibit Christ-like behavior if we are graceless and disobedient.

Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of Christ, to watch and to learn from Him.

E:
When we get down on our knees together, at the foot of the throne of grace, that is where bonding occurs.
There is a revealing of your soul that we share, a point of vulnerability and humility that brings us closer.

A:
Our children were created to bring glory to God. Instead of resisting their bends- their original wiring- I needed to honor the way God wired them. I needed to pray for Him to reveal His plan and purpose for their lives so I could raise them in the way they should go.

R:
This seems easy until the time comes to release your children into His care, for the fulfillment of His purpose, His plan and His will. In the end, it comes down to a trust issue. Not as to whether or not your trust your children. Do you trust the Lord with your children? (BIG OUCH HERE!)

T:
Rachael gives 6 facts about truth that I thought were helpful and I won't take time to share that here, but I mention it so that you can be sure to check it out.
I loved what she shared about Christians reaching a point where she thought we could just take it easy and coast into heaven, but she realized, "There's no coasting this side of heaven."

One point I gleaned from this chapter is that we can live truth by allowing it to set us free from worry, panic, exhaustion and despair. I think we all (and often) need this reminder.

This is a sweet book, that I would heartily recommend. Points in this book have made me sit up and take notice. I want to have a HEART for my children and I want to have their hearts!
Enjoy!



Please check out what my crew mates had to say about this item here

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation. All the opinions expressed are my own.

Sufficiency of Scripture

I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing praises to You before the gods.
I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.
On the day I called, You answered me;
You made me bold with strength in my soul.

All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, O LORD,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
And they will sing of the ways of the LORD,
For great is the glory of the LORD.
For though the LORD is exalted,
Yet He regards the lowly,
But the haughty He knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalm 138

Sufficiency of Scripture

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

Sufficiency of Scripture

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-25

Karl Hujus

Just read part of Karl's story at A Place Called Simplicity and it is truly an amazing story...thought you might want an update/want to read about God's GREAT power!

http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2011/08/our-holy-ground-part-1.html

and this song is for Karl...we're praying for you! Don't forget to pause my player...down at the bottom of the page!



Blessings!
C~

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Now you all KNOW one of MY favorite things...and guess how happy I was to find this recipe in Serendipity Sundaes...this is a recipe book from one of the owners of the famous Serendipity restaurants in New York...which in my opinion cannot be anything compared to the Farrell's restaurants from my childhood...but apparently this is a wonderful place to go as well...
So here is one recipe from that book...we have also tried the hot fudge sauce and caramel sauce which were OH SO YUMMY!!!! We have enjoyed (so far) everything we have made from this book...

Ribbons of Peanut Butter
Combine 1/2 cup peanut butter with 2 T sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted.
PLace a 12" square of parchment paper on a clean work surface (we used a silpat on a cookie sheet) Spread the Peanut Butter thinly to about a 9 inch square. Place another piece of parchment on top and freeze.
Five minutes before chocolate ice cream is done churning, peel ribbons of peanut butter off the parchment and gently feed into the ice cream maker. The peanut butter softened VERY quickly and we were only able to get about half of it into the maker.

Chocolate Ice Cream- makes one GENEROUS quart
2 cups milk
2 cups light cream
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
9 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine milk and cream in a large heavy bottomed saucepan and heat until warm over low heat.
Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a heat safe bowl of an electric mixer and beat until thick and pale yellow...3-5 minutes. Set aside.
When milk is warm, add chocolate.
Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is beginning to simmer. Set aside.
Add 1/4 of the warm chocolate milk to the egg yolk mixture and whisk until blended.
Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the remaining milk mixture and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon- 5-10 minutes...(be careful not to overheat as the eggs can curdle. Small lumps will quickly develop, and the correct consistency will be ruined. If testing with a candy thermometer, do not heat past 170 degrees.)
Remove from heat.
(My step) Strain through a colander to remove any bits of egg that cooked
Pour the "batter" into a clean heat safe bowl and cool to room temperature
Whisk the vanilla into the batter, cover and refrigerate overnight...I know...hardest part, right here!
Freeze the "batter" in ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. Store in freezer...

Now, we have not tried ours yet...we are trying to get a few different kinds made and then have a party...but how can chocolate and peanut butter NOT be good? I hope you enjoy this!

Love,
C~

Sufficiency of Scripture

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6