Devotions in LHFHG

[amethyst rain]

I didn't mean to imply that I think nobody should use this devotional. Christianity is such a diverse group of people. What speaks to one person may or may not speak to another. I wasn't agreeing with what I was reading, so I had dh read through it. He agreed with my points so we stopped using it for OUR family. We have found an alternative. That's one of the wonderful things I've liked about HOD. We can substitute something that works for our family so easily.

[grandsophy]

I was surprised by the format of this book; the limited illustrations and black and white format didn't seem to fit the age group.

I'm only two weeks into this and I've been doing some editing and rephrasing as I read aloud.

On the very first reading (or one of them in the first week) I was startled by the rich man stating he was going to do evil things and buy whiskey. I didn't know whiskey was invented in Bible times! Dh and I had a good laugh over that, especially as he was restocking our adult beverage cabinet that evening.
Though my children listen to a lot of Irish Rovers music, they have not yet asked what whiskey is, so I didn't think it added to the parable.

But this is why I read this sort of thing out loud---so I can edit on the fly.

[Carrie]

Ladies,

I'll just pop-in to share that this devotional was written in the 1950's and harkens back to that time period in its tellings. Ken Taylor wrote Devotions for the Children's Hour, and as the translator of the Living Bible, he has an excellent grasp on the Scriptures. Whether you agree with that Bible translation or not, I point this fact out to share that the author has spent his life steeped in Scripture and its study. This devotion was selected because it does a wonderful job of answering questions children have about the Scripture at this age without talking down to them. It addresses these questions with a Scripture passage and with a 1950's story. We looked at so many contemporary devotionals prior to choosing this one, only to discover that the contemporary stories stray so far from the Scripture that we could not use them.

Before choosing to discard this truly excellent devotional, I would highly recommend that you read it cover to cover prior to making any judgment. I would also recommend that you look at the history lesson that is being taught on each day of LHFHG that the devotion comes up to truly grasp the part the devotion plays in the overall lesson, Scripture memorization, and application for the day. In no way is this devotional intended to be used on its own. So, simply reading through it is taking it out of the context in which it was intended to be used. Next, I would highly encourage you to weigh each devotional chapter as a whole, rather than selecting individual sentences or paragraphs out of context on which to base your judgment. If, after doing those things, you feel this devotional is not suitable for your family then by all means substitute or discontinue its use!

It is amazing to me how quickly we discard a devotional that does not suit our standards (rather than working through it and discussing it), but how many books we likely own and let our kids read on their own with not even close to the same censorship. From our perspective, more of the Scripture and focus on the Scripture is needed, even if discussion is required to use the resource. To our adult ears, with our adult knowledge of God and His Word, we can truly quibble over the wording used within a child's book. But, I would encourage you to give this book a longer try than a month before deciding it has little value. Ultimately, each devotion has a corresponding Scripture that directs you to God's word as the true source for all understanding.

I will close this thread now, as I feel it is taking a turn toward a less amiable discussion in its tone.

Blessings,
Carrie