I have been less than organized in having daily lessons with Joshua on Bible.  At one time I had bought a Bible "curriculum" and we tried to drudge through it.  It was geared towards early elementary grades and had Bible stories, suggested songs to sing, verses to memorize, and questions to answer.  I felt so mechanical in these lessons and we didn't make it 1/4 through the book.  I think I may have it up on a shelf somewhere.  It might be useful if I ever teach a Kindergarten-aged Bible class at church.

After shelving that book, I waited around and researched a little in hopes of finding the "perfect" Bible study guide or devotional book for me and Joshua to do together.  And I waited and waited, all the while Joshua was getting no real study of Bible at home.  We were doing some teaching of Bible when it came to disciplining or in daily conversations about God and behavior.  And while this is very good and much in-line with our admonishment in Deutoronomy to "train up a child," I felt that we weren't doing enough of getting into the Word of God and learning from it every day.

Then it hit me last week that I should just get the Bible out and start reading with Joshua every day.  Last week we started in Matthew, chapter one.  Joshua read straight from his OWN Bible which is in the NIrV (New International readers Version).  I really like this Bible because he can read it with little to no help from me (names of places and a word here or there has been the only issues). 

Today we were reading into chapter four and learning about how after Jesus was baptized and then sent into the desert and tempted by the devil, he went out into the world preaching to the people.  We learned about turning from the darkness and walking toward the light.

"What does it mean to turn from the darkness, Joshua?" I asked after he'd read the passage.

"It means turning from our sins," Joshua replied.

"And when we turn to the light, what is Jesus talking about here," I inquired further.

"It means that we turn to God and follow Jesus," Joshua immediately responded.

BINGO, I say in my head with a huge smile on my face.  And with that, we have had our daily Bible study and we moved easily into the other lessons of the day with a good solid foundation of hearing the Word of God and holding it fast inside our hearts.  This is what "studying the Bible" is going to mean for us for awhile.  And I think it is working out beautifully!  I look forward to these precious moments together every single day!!!