No Cape Required: Devotional for Every Day Super Heroes

Do you feel like Super-mom without her cape? Or, perhaps you relate more to Wonder Woman, reveling thoughtlessly in what you think is your own accomplishments. I received this book as a kindle e-book to review as part of the Book Look program for bloggers, which used to be called BookSneeze. All that was asked of me in exchange was to write an honest review, which is as follows:

No Cape Required  by Kristen Parrish is a really easy-to-read fun devotional that uses well-known Super Heroes to brings us back to earth and gain perspective of where we can find our strength to make it through day-to-day life - Especially on the days when we feel quite a bit less than "Super!"

The book uses short, daily, devotions to point out characteristics of Super Heroes and how each relate to shining the light of Christ in our own lives. It presents 52 ways to unleash your inner "hero" by pointing out.

The author addresses 52 character traits and popular super heroes that come also from movies and books. Here are just a handful of some of my favorites:

• Justice, using Super Man
• Friendship, using Dr. Spock and Star Trek
• Hope in Others, Belle from Beauty and the Beast
• Charity, Robin Hood
• Repentance, from Narnia character
• Quiet Service, Alfred from Batman
• Kindness, Melanie from Gone with the Wind
• Bravery, from Dorothy of Wizard of Oz
• Encouragement, from Woody of Toy Story
• Honesty, from Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry
• Responsibility, from Spider Man
• Leadership, from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• Thankfulness, from George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life

There are 52 characters, which makes it easy to cover one each week of the year.

Each short devotion covers a meaningful scripture, a description about the Super Hero, a prayer and a call to action. The Call to action might include something like thanking someone or finding something to be grateful about. Regardless of the action, they each stir up a real-life connection to the easy-to-read devotion for that week.

I really enjoy that some of the descriptions included historically accurate renditions of how some of these stories came about.

Day 3 Advent Jesse Tree - Rainbow Over Noah's Ark

Today is Day 3 of the Advent Calendar Jesse Tree devotions. The symbol, or ornament, for Day 3 is that of a rainbow over an ark as in Noah's Ark. The scriptures are Genesis 5-9 where you find the story account of Noah and the Ark. It is a lengthy passage, so you can read the story of Noah's Ark from a Children's Bible if you prefer for small children.

The scripture in regard to the promised covenant represented in the rainbow - Joshua 23:14 - "And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one thing has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you; all have come to pass for you, not one of them has failed."; and

The New Testament scripture: Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The Jesse Tree ties together the Old and New Testament readings by explaining the result of sin is death. Mankind had become so evil that God was about to destroy them (death). There was one man, however, who was faithful - Noah! Because of his righteousness and faithfulness, God provided a way for this man to be saved from the destruction that was about to take place. He instructed Noah how to build an ark (a big boat) that would save him, his family & animals from the destructive waters that would flood the earth. God, then sent a rainbow to signify His promise to never destroy the entire earth again with a flood. There have been floods since the time of Noah's Ark, but none have covered and destroyed the entire earth such as this one did. God has been true to his promise (rainbow).

In the Old Testament, the ark was what literally saved Noah's life. In the New Testament, that same kind of salvation comes from the Messiah, Jesus in a spiritual form.

Activity: A lot of fun can be done with Noah's Ark. Veggie Tales has a fun DVD out called Minnesota Cuke: In Search of Noah's Umbrella. Another interesting study can begin with reading about a real-life sized (almost) Noah's Ark that was built by a man in the Netherlands. If you have long colorful ribbons, dance around waving your ribbons in praise, forming arches of colorful ribbon rainbows.

The ornament for the Jesse Tree - the symbol of a rainbow over an Ark could be made with clay as you did with the ornament of the earth. This would involve many beautiful colors and the forming of a rainbow, then use brown clay to form the shape of an ark. Or, you could cut out pieces of felt in the shape of an ark and bend colorful pipe cleaners or ribbon in the shape of a rainbow over top. Another fun idea is to purchase wooden cutouts of Noah's Ark. Paint it, decorate it & then add the colorful ribbons on top as a tree hangar.