In the Beginning

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:15





Do you think about Christmas as a 2000-year-old story? Actually, it started in the beginning. In the beginning, God created Adam. From Adam He created Eve. Adam's DNA, Adam's blood is the beginning of the human race. When Eve was deceived she could have died and God could have created another woman from Adam, but Adam chose to disobey as well. His disobedience brought sin into the whole human race.

When God confronted Adam and Eve about their disobedience, Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the snake. God does not allow sin to go unpunished. He started with Satan who had taken the form of a snake. God made the snake and Eve enemies. He added that her seed would bruise Satan's head and Satan would bruise the heel of her seed. 

WAIT! She can't produce offspring without Adam unless there is a virgin birth. That was God's plan before the world was created. (I Peter 1: 19-21) To show His plan of salvation to Adam and Eve, God sacrificed an innocent animal. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Adam and Eve accepted the bloody coats of skin and God accepted them. 

God knew from the beginning we would sin. From the beginning, He provided a way for His Son to be our sacrifice. Will we like Adam and Eve confess our sin? When we accept God's gift of the sacrifice of His Son, He will accept us too.

Blessings for the New Year,

Gail

The Sweet Story of Christmas

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 NIV

I'll tell this the way it was told to me, though I am sure there are others who would disagree with the story, surely no one will disagree with the message. So grab a candy cane and enjoy this sweet tale of Christmas with the whole family.

In the middle ages, when kings and queens declared and enforced the laws with the sword, a law was made that Christmas would no longer be celebrated. It broke the heart of an old candy maker who loved to see the sweet smiles of children as they enjoyed his sweet Christmas treats. He also loved Christmas traditions and the telling of the story in the churches and homes.  No one was allowed to own or read a Bible except the priests and now that was questionable under the rule of this queen. He wondered how this generation would grow up without the knowledge of Jesus if the laws forbade the telling of the stories.

As the old candy maker locked his doors for the evening and knelt by his counter for prayer, the Lord gave him an idea. It was not illegal to make new kinds of candy and he knew just what kind of new candy he would make.

All night the candy maker tweaked his candy recipes to fit the story of Jesus. As the new day dawned he set out for his shop anxious to get a start on his new candy. He would start with a pure white candy and spice it with peppermint. Then he would layer it with red candy, making a pattern of a wide red stripe and three thin red stripes. As he rolled and twisted the hardening candy, he sliced off lengths of candy and bent them into a crook at the top. The next day would be Christmas and he would be ready to share his Christmas story. 

As families entered his shop the next day with faces long and sad because of the canceled holiday, he offered them a new candy and an old story. "See this crook?" he said. "On a night long ago, shepherds stood on a hillside watching their flock by night. Angels announced the birth of a baby born to a virgin. The baby would be pure and sinless like the white of the candy cane. His father would be God the Father. The baby would be the Son of God and He would give us the Holy Spirit." The old candy maker pointed to the three thin stripes going around the candy cane. "The baby's name was to be called Jesus." The candy maker turned the cane upside down, making the J. "The big red stripe," he said. "is the blood Jesus would shed on Calvary for our sins. Taste the candy now children. The peppermint reminds us of the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus and the spices used to prepare His body for burial when He died upon the cross. His blood covers our sins and offers forgiveness. This, children, is the real story of Christmas, not the toys and candy, but the coming of the Savior of the world as a baby in a manger, not just visited by shepherds but to be our Shepherd, guiding us to eternal life in Christ."

The parents were grateful their children were able to hear the Christmas story that morning and take home a reminder of the true meaning of the season. 

Now as you have received a candy cane, examine it for the three thin stripes, the large stripe, the taste of peppermint and the pure white candy that makes the body of the cane. Turn it to make the J and the shepherd's crook. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Merry Christmas, 

Gail

Christmas Excitement

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Until this year, I always told the entire Christmas story in one sitting. Then I thought about my blog of the Giving the Twelve Days of Nativity. Hmmm. This might be a good idea for the children I teach or the children in our homes. 

Most of my students think Christmas is only about Santa and presents. I can teach Bible stories from a historical perspective, so I decided to do Christmas a little at a time. Here's my plan.

Day 1: Bring out the stable, Mary and Joseph and a few stable animals.  Introduce Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem. Trouble at the Inn (Define Inn). Bedding down in the stable. Demonstrating using dramatic play. Place the pieces in dramatic play. Allow the children to retell only this bit of the story.

Day 2: Bring out the shepherds, sheep, hillside, and angels. Retell the beginning of the story, then add the birth and shepherds' visit (Define manger). Add these pieces to dramatic play. 

Day 3 or in a few days: Bring out the wise men and camels and a small box to make a house (Matthew 2:11). Retell the story while I play with the pieces. Include their visit to Herod (I didn't have castle blocks but that would have been a great addition) and the reason they did not return. Add the pieces to dramatic play. 

In the telling of the story, I included that we give presents because the wise men gave presents to the baby Jesus. Sometimes adults who doubt the story of the wise men, ask me what happened to the presents. Many of my children have unemployed parents. I include that when Mary and Joseph and Jesus got to Egypt, Joseph had no job. Selling the expensive gifts that a child could not play with would have provided them with the money they needed to survive until they could return to their home. 

Every day children chose to play with the nativity set in dramatic play. They scattered out the pieces, built oasis and shepherd fields, and brought visitors to the baby. There was lots of excitement and learning about the true story of Christmas without Santa that I hope they never forget. 

Hey Kids: 

Do you have a nativity set that small children can play with? 

Can you help teach little ones about Christmas? 

What can you share about the true meaning of Christmas?

Truth Hidden Among the Trappings

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isaiah 11:1

This weekend is the kick-off of the Christmas season here in the States. There's a frenzy of shopping and decorating. 

Putting up the tree is often a family time filled with traditions - Baby's First Ornament, hand-made ornaments, and great grandma's Victorian ornaments. 

Nostalgia fills the air as we settle down in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate and gaze at the sparkling tree. But WAIT! Did we miss the point? What have we instilled in our traditions that show our families the true meaning of Christmas? 

Instilling the true meaning shouldn't sound like some sort of lesson. It needs to be a natural mention of how the items and colors remind you of Jesus and His love for us. Maybe the Hey Kids section will spark some ideas.

Hey Kids 

  There are various meanings associated with Christmas. What meanings?

•  Red - The color of blood. 
• Gold - The wisemen brought Jesus gold and frankincense and myrrh. 
• Blue - The color of royalty. Jesus is King of Kings. 
• White - The color of purity. Jesus was without sin. 
• Wisemen followed a star. 
• Angels announced His birth. 
• Ribbons held the breastplate to the ephod on the robe of the high priest. 
• Bells were sown around the hem of the priest's robe so all could hear him as he performed his priestly duties. Jesus is our High Priest.
• The tree is made of wood. Christ shed His blood on a cross made of wood. 
• The evergreen needles tell us that Jesus gives us eternal life. 
• The trunk and the branches lead us back to our scripture: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 
• We display our Christmas trees where all can see their beauty. So should Jesus be displayed in our lives that all can see His beauty. 
• We want to receive the gifts. May all the world come to Jesus this Christmas and receive His gift of salvation. 

May there be Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. 

 What else?

What intentional things are you doing to put Christ in your Christmas? 

You don't have to do anything more, only think about the reason you are 

• making cookies
• the places you are decorating
• the reasons for the decorations you are using

Do you need to research why we use a particular item? 

Is there anything that surprises you? 

Please share your Christmas blessings with us.

Blessings,

Gail

Giving The Twelve Days of Nativity

Have you started any new traditions with your family this year? My daughter in law and her family celebrate what they call The Twelve Days of Nativity. Her grandmother left a wish to share the gospel through the nativity secretly. Each year they are trying to fulfill that wish. They bought 2 nativity sets. One is for an elderly widower in our church. The other is for a family not currently in church. Each day a piece of the nativity set and corresponding scripture is secretly left at the home of the family being gifted. I thought it was such a wonderful idea that I would share it with you. 

You may begin any time during December. If you begin early, the family will have the complete nativity set to enjoy and remind them of the true meaning of Christmas during the days leading up to Christmas.  If your family and friends celebrate the coming of the wise men in January, you may want to time the gifting so that the shepherds come on Christmas and the wise men come later. A third option may be to finish the gifting on Christmas Eve. 

You should be able to copy and print the scriptures from this post or paste them into a document that you can save from year to year. 

Day 1 - With this first passage send the empty stable.

Luke 2

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

Day 2 - Send Joseph.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

Day 3 - Send Mary.

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

Day 4 - Send the baby Jesus in the manger. 

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Day 5 - Send sheep.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Day 6 - Send an angel(s).

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Day 7 - Send 1 shepherd.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Day 8 - Send another shepherd.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Day 9 Send first wise man.

Matthew 2

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Day 10 - Send the second wise man.

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Day 11 -  Send the third wise man. 

7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

Day 12 - Send representations of the three gifts. 

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

If your nativity sets contain camels or donkeys, you may want to send them on Day 9 and end with the third wise man especially if the wise men are already carrying their gifts. 

My daughter in law is having a great deal of fun hearing her friend try to figure out who is sending the gifts and why. 

Blessings at this and every Christmas,

A special thank you to the family of

 Agnes Chapman (November 30, 1937- December 4, 2014)

for sharing her Christmas wish with us. 

Gail Cartee

Hide and Seek in Plain Sight

But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

Have you ever played hide and seek in the dark? It can be a lot of fun until you run over a birdbath or a lawn chair or whatever and go stumbling and tumbling into the hedges and ponds. We know we are looking for someone but we can’t see the obstacles in our path if we play in the dark.

We all live our lives in the dark spiritually until we understand who we are seeking. We look for things to satisfy us. We look for people we think will satisfy us. We look for jobs that pay lots of money in hopes of finding the price that will satisfy. Hopefully, we realize that who we are looking for is actually God, who has been waiting for us all along.

Deuteronomy tells us that if we start right now and seek the Lord, we will find him. We must seek him with all our hearts and with all our souls. He is not hiding, but he is waiting in plain sight. We can’t let the things of this world or family or friends keep us from seeking God. We must put first things first. Matthew tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto us. What things? All the things we put before God, the obstacles that keep us from finding the God our hearts desire.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near; Isaiah 55:6

What obstacles stand in your way? From right now seek the Lord.

Hey Kids:
How many times have you played Hide and Seek?
Each time we play it's fun and full of giggles.

Seeking God is never-ending, though it's not a game. It's a lifelong endeavor.
The more we learn about the Lord the more fun, the more joy we find in the Lord.

How can we go about seeking the Lord on a daily basis?
I know you've already answered," read the Bible." But I'm thinking there are other things that you encounter every day that help you find the Lord.

When you try a new science experiment, are you amazed how God made that piece of science work?

When you lie on your back and look up at the stars, are you amazed at the patterns God put in the sky? Do you wonder how people navigate with the stars?

When you see a newborn baby, are you amazed at how a child is formed so perfectly? Do you wonder what plan the Lord has in store for that child?

Are you seeking the Lord's plan for your life? Seek the Lord. He'll always amaze you.

Blessings,

Gail

Prayers with Actions

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13 KJV

We always say, "Thank a vet. Pray for our veterans." But do we accompany those thanks and prayers with actions?

Several years ago, a teacher in our district asked his students to make Christmas cards for veterans in a VA hospital. I believe it was his dad who was willing to take the cards to the hospital. Over the years, this one small request turned into the whole school making cards. Now the entire district sends thousands of cards each year to veterans who otherwise may not receive any other Christmas wishes. There are even opportunities for parents to sign cards at school events. Some of the cards go to veterans' hospitals nearby. One of our veterans makes an annual trip to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC to deliver cards. 

Men and women in veterans hospitals may be far away from family and friends and find themselves alone during the holiday season. Cards from students and their families can mean a lot. Jesus said if we have done it unto the least of these our brethren, we have done it unto Him.

Parents, you may want to investigate the address of a veterans' hospital or visit one if you live nearby. Other ideas may be to send cards to someone who is currently serving overseas who won't be able to be with family this year. Your Sunday School class, scouts, home school association or other groups may want to join in the mission. 

Thank you to all who serve and who have served.

Gail

Hey Kids

Making cards are fun and easy. 

Fold a piece of copy paper in half.

Open the card and write your message before you decorate.
Close the card. Draw a large triangle on the front of the card. 

Put a small amount of glue in the triangle. 

Crumple small scraps of green tissue paper and place on the glue to make a 3D Christmas tree design. 

Stick colored foil stars to the tissue paper tree. 

Change it up any way your artist inclinations lead you.

You may not know who gets your card, but Jesus sees and is thankful you were willing to bring the message of Christmas to someone.

Jesus Cares

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalms 56:8 NLT

We’ve seen so many tragedies on the news and on the internet this year - hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and tornadoes, shootings, and bus related accidents. Some have lost their lives, others their homes and communities. Lately, things are hitting close to home for us. One of my friends has a child desperately ill. A child in our school lost his mother. No matter the storm, Jesus sees them all. He cares and “bottles our tears”, records them. Does that seem hard to imagine? We record things that are important to us. We tell the best and the worst in our private diaries. Our tears stain those recordings. Jesus also sees and feels our deepest sorrows.

I recently finished reading Blue, part of the Baker Mountain Series by Joyce Moyer Hostetter. Blue is mid grade historical fiction set in Hickory, NC during WWII. Ann Fay, a thirteen-year-old girl faces similar tragedies and joys just as we do. Her dad is drafted and is sent to fight the Germans. Her four-year-old brother contracts polio. After carrying the weight of the family while mom is away at the hospital with brother, Ann Fay also succumbs to the virus.

Hostettler’s books deal with war, illness, death, loss, race relations, and bullying. She deals with each situation realistically; the fear, the ignorance, and the hateful side, but also with faith, neighbor helping neighbor, church involvement, strangers with words of encouragement.  All those things help get us through the hard times and as Ann Fay would say “make us tough as hickory.”

Hey Kids:

Is one or both of your parents deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan?

Does someone you know have cancer or some other devastating disease?

Have you lost a classmate or family member?

Have you prayed about the situation, written about it, shed tears on the pages?

Maybe it’s time. Jesus the Great Comforter stands ready to catch your tears for His bottle, knowing and remembering your sorrow.

Blessings,

Gail

Read a Good Book Lately?

Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. 
           Judges 13:8

God told Manoah he would have a son. Manoah wanted to know how to teach his son. Seemingly there was nothing special about his upbringing. He was raised during hard times. He had to hide just to thresh the grain for his family. But, Manoah's son was Gideon who delivered the children of Israel with 300 men. Manoah taught his son to believe and trust God. 

Last week we discussed how to help our children read good literature, literature that demonstrated Christian values. Teaching our children to recognize Christian values is more than just reading a story. We must also teach them to analyze. 

How did the story begin?
Did the story begin with a problem or was it just an ordinary day that ended up in a storm? 

What was the problem?
What happened to cause a problem? Was the main character in the wrong place at the wrong time or did the main character create the problem? 

How was the problem fixed? 
Something needed to happen to bring the story to an end. Was the problem fixed by the main character or did something or someone have to intervene? 

What was your favorite part? 
Figuring out our favorite part is the beginning of recognizing the value of a story. Often the favorite part is how the main character "fixed" the problem. How did the main character change or grow to be able to "fix" the problem? This may be the key to teaching our children the value of a story.

What books have you identified as demonstrating Christian values?

Hey Kids:
Did you find some good books this week?
Here's a partial list of the books I like.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle -a salvation story - the caterpillar eats the wrong thing and though he tries to turn over a new leaf, he still must die to his old way of life to gain a new life with a new body.
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle - be aware of who you hang out with - every animal invited the spider to come and play, then left except a fly who kept hanging around. He eventually was eaten by the company he kept.
Beauty and the Beast - a servant's heart story - our kindness can make a difference in so many lives
Little Red Riding Hood - listen to your parents - a story of Satan who walks about seeking whom he may devour
Elephant and Piggy by Mo Willems - a variety of stories about two friends who face common or funny situations but manage to do the right thing to resolve the issue
The Grinch by Dr. Seuss - Christmas is not about gifts but about the Gift
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss - a sanctity of life story
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder - stories of family life centered around family values
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - a fantasy genre that depicts the war between good and evil
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry - Historical fiction about a ten-year-old girl whose family hides a Jewish friend to protect her from the Nazis. A story about doing the right thing even in the face of grave danger.

Happy Reading!

Gail

Your children's literature

Dear Parents,

Have you read your children's literature lately? I recently had a conversation with a lady who is helping raise her seven-year-old niece. She was horrified with the language in children's books promoted in public schools. So what's up?

Children enjoy books that use less than polite words for bottom and bodily functions, words many Christians don't allow their children to use. Publishers and authors want to sell books so they use language that will get a giggle. Children will read a whole series if they get that giggle factor. Teachers just want children to read. 

But is it all the teachers' fault? 

Most children are not homeschooled nor do they attend Christian schools. Is it not our job as parents to monitor the literature our children are subject to and promote literature that has positive examples and Christian values? 

Where do we start? 

We can take our children to the library and read to them and with them. Start early, really early, like at birth. We can evaluate what we read. We can let our children know how we feel about a book and how it does or doesn't match our values. I love Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. I don't know her faith but her book promotes positive family relationships and a dad who is worthy of imitation. I'd put her picture book at the top of a list of best books for young children.

Let's start a list of great reads to share with our children. Post the book, author and a little blurb about the positive values the book demonstrates. I'd like the books to be those that can be found in any library or classroom. Books about God and Jesus are great but they're not likely to find their way into your child's public classroom. We need to be like Paul on Mars Hill. 

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. Acts17:23. 

We can help our children find a way to use the secular world to show their classmates Jesus. Isn't it all about demonstrating Jesus, not just telling about Jesus that will make a difference?

Love and blessings,

Hey Kids:

What do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

Why? Now that is the question. 

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen is one of my favorite books. Why? Because it's about snow and hunting and being with Dad. The child loves and respects his dad. They have a great relationship. I think this book shows me without telling me to honor my parents and appreciate God's creation. 

Do you have a favorite book that shows Christian values? Be sure to let your parents know so they can add your book to the list I've asked them to share. 

Love and blessings,

Gail

Pumpkin Time

... Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Esther 4:14

The world celebrates with witches and ghosts and worse if there is such a thing. We either join in or try to change the tone to something less evil (let's call it like it is). But is there a way to be in this world and help our children not be of this world? If you homeschool, the answer is yes, but if, like most people, your child attends a public school, it becomes ever more difficult to be separate from the world. I teach in a public school because God has opened that door of witness for me. The fall is a difficult time of year for Christian teachers and students because we are bombarded with Halloween. Though jack-o-lanterns have a less than perfect history, they are one thing I can use to create a positive situation. I center my unit on fall farm with pumpkins as the highlighted crop. Of course, Old MacDonald gets his place with the animals as well. We get to learn about the night, moon phases, constellations, and nocturnal animals. You know, bats and owls. All of these things, pumpkins, animals, bats, owls, moon, even chilly weather are all part of God's creation and need teaching in a positive way. In my classroom, The Five Little Pumpkins don't say "there are witches in the air". I take the liberty to change the words to "there's a chill in the air". See, it goes right along with fall, not ghouls. 

The day the school celebrates Halloween, we carve a pumpkin. We measure the height and the circumference before we slice into it. When the pumpkin is opened, my pre-K class does all the yucky faces about the "guts". So. I allow each child to reach in and take out the yucky stuff. They then have to count the seeds. The students choose the shapes we will use to carve the face but we discuss the smile; scary, sad, happy, funny. Here is where we discuss that the pumpkin is like us. Is there yucky stuff in us? Does it make us happy or sad? Are we sometimes angry? How do our feelings affect others? If we take the yucky stuff out and replace it with good things, how do we feel? Do we smile or frown? Are we happy or sad? 

Our conclusion is that when we take out the yucky stuff inside of us, then we smile. Our pumpkin gets a smile as well. We add a candle to our jack-o-lantern because just like us when the yucky stuff is out, our lights shine in our eyes and in our smile. Scholastic has a version of This Little Light of Mine that works well in my secular situation. It shows a girl who helps, takes turns, and shares. Isn't this the way Christians first begin to show others that Jesus has taken out our yucky stuff and replaced it with His Light? Do not our actions speak far louder than our words? 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Hey Kids:

If you carved a pumpkin, I doubt you hid it under a bushel. You probably set it out on the porch or by a haystack or scarecrow. You probably lit a candle for all your neighbors to see. Do you think your neighbors smiled when they saw your pumpkin all lit up? 

Think about ways you can demonstrate Jesus' light. Can you be a helper at school and home and at play with your friends? Can you take turns with your siblings and friends? Can you share your toys with others? You may want to keep a journal of drawings and/or writings of how you felt and how others felt when you let your light shine. 

If I sneaked a peek at your journal, I would probably see a lot of happy faces and stories. Would you allow us the privilege to see a few ways you lighted your world by posting a picture or story?

Blessings,

Gail