CONTENTS
FOREWORD – Jennifer Rees Larcombe
PREFACE
POEM - THE WONDER
CHAPTER 1 LET'S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING
Life before birth • A godly example • Thanksgiving and Dedication • Planning the route • Can he change a nappy? • Are we communicating? • Home – the major influence • Here, there and everywhere • Indoctrination? • All of grace
CHAPTER 2 MEET THE FAMILY
Peter – a true Cornishman • Little Susan – the delicate one • Torch – vision for people with sight loss • Lois – our first new life • Naomi – a brief life • Nathan – full of life • Twenty-six years on
CHAPTER 3 FAMILY NIGHT
Home early from work • Silence that phone! • No gate-crashers • Ban the box • Favourite foods • Basic ingredients • Where shall we eat? • Praise Him on the trumpet • Tell me a story • What's in the box?
CHAPTER 4 THE PAST – AN ANCHOR FOR THE PRESENT
What did I do when I was little? • Grandparents • Wedding anniversaries • Raiding the memory bank • When the past is painful • Linking with the Old Testament • Passover • Day of Atonement • Festival of Booths • Creation Days • Read any good books lately?
CHAPTER 5 LOVED AND VALUED
Communicating our love • Words are powerful • Negative words • Positive words • Family song • Getting involved in your child's world • Before and after school • Equality • Handling success and failure
CHAPTER 6 COMPASSIONATE HEARTS
Seeds of compassion • Summer holiday projects • Entering another's world • Serving the church family • God's worldwide family • Off to India
CHAPTER 7 THE FOUR SEASONS
SPRING I am loved • Pancakes galore • Forty days and forty nights • Mums and dads • Easter
SUMMER J-O-Y banner • A proverb a day • Nehemiah's wall • Wilderness wanderings • Games • Music on the move • Birthdays
AUTUMN Harvest time • Trick or treat? • Remember, remembered
WINTER Countdown to Christmas • Giving – with love • Father Christmas? • Carol singing • Thank you cards • Spot the card game • Who sent that card? • Christmas or no Christmas? • Auld Lang Syne
CHAPTER 8 OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
Simple prayer patterns • Everything to God in prayer • Praying together • Family Prayer Calendar • Lent prayer project • Thank You for my tea • Dedicating possessions • When God says 'No' • A-C-T-S • Praying for your enemies
CHAPTER 9 WHO'S IN CHARGE?
Family Night mobile • Independence chart • The journey to full independence • Watching the scales tip • Money, money, money • Debt • Gambling • Cheerful givers
CHAPTER 10 HOT POTATOES
Discipline • Smacking • Self control • Television • Computer • Sunday • Holiday Church
CHAPTER 11 MATTERS OF DEATH AND NEW LIFE
DEATH Naomi • Death is a fact of life • Honesty • Memories
NEW LIFE What must I do to be saved? • Is it real? • Believer's baptism
CHAPTER 12 GOOD NEWS FOR ALL!
Good news for discouraged parents • Good news for the lonely • Good news for new Christians • Good news for single parents • Good news for those on the fringe • And finally...
POSTSCRIPT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and RESOURCES
Susan Richards
