Hedgehog Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 (edited) We've been a bit erratic with a daily Bible Time over the summer, and I'd really like to get back to it. But I didn't have much in the way of ideas anyway, so I'd love to hear what you do. I feel we should have some kind of Bible focussed activity/reading or something first thing in the morning (before or after breakfast, I'm not too fussed) that the children and I can do together. It doesn't have to take a long time. Bring on the ideas! :lurk5: Edited September 1, 2010 by Hedgehog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edithcrawley Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I try to read a chapter from the OT, a chapter from either Psalms or Proverbs, and a chapter from the NT each day. I write down any verses that have special meaning to me, and write what is going through my mind at the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 We've done a bunch of different things over the years, from formal Bible studies to verses set to music. When my son was younger, I had several Bible story books that had accompanying CD ROM's or audio CD's he could listen to on his own. We've read through various children's Bibles, too. This year, I have him starting out the year reading through a series of missionary biographies. I also own a number of devotionals that are geared toward families or children, specifically. I've read through those on a daily basis in past. These usually include a brief story that is illustrative of the Bible verse given for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted September 1, 2010 Author Share Posted September 1, 2010 I try to read a chapter from the OT, a chapter from either Psalms or Proverbs, and a chapter from the NT each day. I write down any verses that have special meaning to me, and write what is going through my mind at the time Do you do this with your dc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We do our Bible time before anything else. I have told my son it's the most important part of our day, which is why we do it first. I also found that when we do it first, it actually gets done. ;) I try to do a good chunk of things to show it's importance to us, so we usually spend at least 30 minutes to 1 hour on it. Here is what we currently do: Read 1 chapter from the OT One chapter from Psalms One from Proverbs (we rotate through Proverbs - so when we finish, we start it up again) and one chapter from the NT Then we listen to or read from Keys for Kids (it changes each day) After that I usually read a chapter from a book. Right now we are reading through Prudence and the Millers. Then we do some type of devotional study. We just finished up a study from here: http://ontabletsofhumanhearts.blogspot.com/ But we are getting ready to work on the Squire and the Scroll lapbook materials I made, which you can see at my website: http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/printables/bible/squire_and_scroll.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Right now I'm doing: 1 or more chapters (depending on how much time I have) of OT. 1 chapter out of "Women of the Bible" book, which is excellent. Whatever needs to be done for CBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest" and Paul Brand's books.... We read the Bible and have scripture memory through church/Awanas and as a family....so sometimes we will use books written by those we admire and do a bit of a comparison of life lessons and biblical truths...we've learned so much from Corrie Ten Boom, Chambers, C.S. Lewis that just augment our Bible time.. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leighp Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 In the morning we read a page from our yearly devotional book. For school, we have a Bible curriculum we are following. At night we either listen to a Bible Story from our ipod or read a page from one of our many Bible story books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittingmomof3 Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We've been a bit erratic with a daily Bible Time over the summer, and I'd really like to get back to it. But I didn't have much in the way of ideas anyway, so I'd love to hear what you do. I feel we should have some kind of Bible focussed activity/reading or something first thing in the morning (before or after breakfast, I'm not too fussed) that the children and I can do together. It doesn't have to take a long time. Bring on the ideas! :lurk5: I'll share what we do even though it isn't first thing in the morning. Every evening we have a discussion as a family over dinner. DH considers a daily Bible text with us which is followed by a written commentary. We then read one story from a book of bible stories for children. Finally, we read one chapter from the Bible. Our children are memorizing their Bible books and so they take turns each night choosing a book and chapter and they practice finding it in the Bible before DH reads aloud. This has worked really well for our family. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We do something called SOAP. Scripture Observation Application Prayer We read a scripture and summarize (the children 8, 10 have a notebook for this) Make observations about the scripture (talk about it) Apply to our lives Pray about the application/observation. (ask for more enlightmentment or help with the issue discovered or just thanks!) I felt it best to start at the beginning and as we go we are memorizing the books of the Bible as well. Lara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 Thanks so much for all the ideas - greatly appreciated. Keep them coming! :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Last year we did an OT survey using Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament. This year we are reading through the NT together. We do it first thing in the morning along with memory work, and then we do church history. It is going well with our Medieval Studies. We are reading Monks and Mystics right now. My high schooler does this on his own using The Church in History. Then they all have some kind of Bible Study or Personal Development book that is age appropriate They do this on their own. For example, my high schooler is reading A Young Man After God's Own Heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We just started reading from the book Sword Fighting and the bible verses it leads us to. Thats about it...except for random discussions that take place at random times. God moments! Highly recommend the book...very user friendly!!! http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Fighting-Karyn-Henley/dp/0842334653 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edithcrawley Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Do you do this with your dc? I don't have any kids yet (I'm only 21), but I've used it in Sunday School classes before for the children (normally 2nd or 3rd graders), and they seem to really like it. Some of their families would tell me that they modified it for home use by splitting the readings up (one at breakfast, one at dinner, and one before bed). The parents would discuss the readings with the kids and explain anything they had questions about. Some of the kids would write a sentence or two about what they thought about the readings or what they learned from the discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooblink Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We do Scripture memory, using a system that, I think, came from one of the Charlotte Mason websites. Over the summer we read daily following a daily, chronological study Bible. We simply read it and discuss. In about a week we start Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF) and will be completing a 30 week study of Isaiah. I'm a Children's Leader for their school program...my boys will be doing the study with me. (If you're unfamiliar with BSF, it's a 7 year - actually, now 8 as they just added Isaiah - 30+ week/year, program.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I love, love, love the book Teaching Hearts, Training Minds by Starr Meade. Based on the shorter catechism, if that's important to you. It is just the right amount of foundational doctrine and discussion to start our day. We're going to do it again this year, as a matter of fact! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaillardia Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We sing a hymn (without piano usually), have a prayer then read a scripture from any of the standard works, yes, we use the Bible. Like another pp stated, application of the scripture, what it means to you or something to ponder over; plans for the day, we're done. Usually less than 15 minutes. In the evening we have family prayer and scripture (reading at least one chapter). We allow ourselves to miss once a week due to schedule conflicts, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyFL Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Monday - Thurs we pray then do a lesson per day from Bible Study Guide for All Ages Friday a chapter from a book - currently Who You Are When No One's Looking http://www.amazon.com/Who-You-When-Ones-Looking/dp/0877849455 Evenings we usually use a devotional found online (CBN has quite a few) and then the kids pray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We are reading through the Psalms this year. There are 150, but some are long, so I divided the longer chapters so that we read something all 180 days of school. We talk about the verses, what they mean, and how we can use them to help us pray our own prayers. Our pastor did a teaching for the adults on "Praying the Psalms". We also have prayer time together. We still have devotions at night with dh. We are reading a family devotional book together and pray together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PygmyShrew Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 (edited) We use Catherine Vos' book "A Child's Story Bible" (nice hardback book/keepsake-worthy). I saw your kids' ages and I'd be PERFECT for them. It's available on amazon for around $20.00. Mine ASK to be read to out of it DAILY and NIGHTLY. I've sampled SEVERAL Bible Story books and it's fabulously written/engaging/theologically and biblically accurate. It came highly recommended and I see why. It explains things in terms they can easily understand. I promise you'll be SOOOOOOO glad you got it. Each reading selection is of a perfect length also. We read it before bed as it's the last thing I want in their little minds to think on before bed. They ASK for it during the day, but it's rarely a daytime book. I also purchased John MacArthur's (paperback/affordable) Daily Bible which is set up for you to go through/read entire bible in a calendar year. It has four reading selections daily. This keeps me "on track." I generally read 2 sections first thing in AM at schooltime, then read another section at lunch and read the last section after supper/before they get ready for bed. It has a few notes also (if I need them). Oh....and if we forget a section during the day, we make sure we read it before the Child's Story Bible at nighttime. Best Wishes! Edited September 2, 2010 by PygmyShrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in AZ Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We just started reading from the book Sword Fighting and the bible verses it leads us to. Thats about it...except for random discussions that take place at random times. God moments! Highly recommend the book...very user friendly!!! http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Fighting-Karyn-Henley/dp/0842334653 We love Sword Fighting too! Here are some other things we use to study the Bible too. We haven't been doing much of the stick figuring through the Bible, but both of my kids really enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Goldwater Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Read 1 chapter of Bible (today we just finished I Sam.) Discussion Pray aloud together Each child, DW & I recite a memory verse (we have committed dozens to memory) Sing 2-3 songs. This all happens during breakfast or just after. Times that we have skipped now feel all wrong, like not brushing your teeth. It's become a good habit for us. What is hilarious, is that the dog barks loudly while we sing, usually in time with the music!!! While I'm praying, I can hear the dog quietly growling, anticipating the singing! I guess we're in a well worn rut! But happy to be there. I've added evening reading aloud with the older 3, some sort of appropriate Christian book...we completed The Hiding Place (Corie Tenboom), almost now done with Mere Christianity, next will be Pilgrims' Progress. On my list is The Heavenly Man and Through the Gates of Splendor as well. This does not happen every evening, sometimes due to sports practice or other 'aloud' reading DW is working on...so it can take a month or two to complete a book this way. Finally, I'm planning to add a more comprehensive Bible study when the weather gets lousy, for late afternoon / evenings, twice a week, for about 1 hour, for our older 3 girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadiegirl Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We try to tie in with our Bible read some various devotionals and books that I have found along the years: The Victor Journey Through the Bible Who's who and Where's Where in the Bible? International Children's Bible Field Guide 500 questions and Answers from the Bible Sheep Tales This year, I am having them read Do Hard Things....they are not crazy about it...sort of slow. I haven't found one this year that I am crazy about for upper middle school/high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 For our family devotions at night, we only use the Bible. We read a chapter each night and discuss it with the kids. A commentary or reading from a Life Applications Bible would help if you are having trouble with the meaning of the chapter. Maybe a Bible Backgrounds book. But to me, more important than a devotional book with stories, is just becoming intimately familiar with scripture. In the mornings, the girls have a selection to read from the Bible, and they keep a prayer journal. We've also been trying to work our way through Remembering God's Awesome Acts by Susan Mortimer, but we just aren't feeling it..lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 One of our favorite devotional resources right now is a free online service that emails once a week a full weeks worth of devos that are well written, lead to lots of discussion, includes scripture, and seems to be something we can all realte to in our home despite age differences. www.myfamilydevos.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 The One Year Bible Lots of options, inexpensive and very versatile. You can read it daily in one year or stretch it out. The daily reading sections are: Old Testament New Testament Psalms Proverbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We are reading through Luther's Small Catechism (the kids' version with pictures). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 Some great ideas here. I'm off to ponder them/google them/see if they're available on amazon! :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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