Those family devotions

My childhood memories include our nightly devotions. Every evening without exception, my father would read us a chapter from the Word of God and when I was old enough (about the age of twelve), the baton was passed on to me – intended to achieve the further benefit I'm sure of increasing my reading ability. Just a reading of Joshua 13 meant mastering everything from the Geshurites, Ashdodites, Ashkelonites and Maacahathites to cities like Beth Baal Meon, Kirjathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar, Beth Peor and Beth Jeshimoth giving me plenty of practice. I remember distinctly how my sister and I would burst as I began to read us through the Song of Solomon. I would have to go into the adjoining kitchen and project my voice from there because the mere catch of each other's faces would send our young adolescent voices into uproarious laughter. In dutiful fashion, I transferred this custom to our home after marrying and the birth of our first three beautiful children. It brought back f...