Raising Kids to Follow Christ

 

 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: ~ Psalms 78:6-7

Children have always been my passion. I taught 4K for most of my 30 years of teaching. I look for information and books to stretch my ability to help children learn, to learn the three Rs and to learn about Christ. My friend, Lee Ann Mancini, has written  Raising Kids to Follow Christ.  I wish it had been written when I was raising my children. The chapters are conversational. I felt like Lee Ann was sitting there encouraging me as a young parent. Encouraging is the right word here. She isn't high-minded or judgmental but rather takes us through useful information every parent can use.  She incorporates scripture with each recommendation, so it's not her that speaks, but God's Word. Each chapter builds on the previous with good instruction beginning with building a spiritual foundation for our children and taking that instruction through the years. 

I really like the way each chapter is broken down into small bites. As a busy parent, I needed small bites of information I could ponder while changing a diaper or fixing a meal. These are meaty small bites such as Praying Over Our Children (even while they are still in the womb), The Ten Commandments (memorizing them by living them out before our children), and Tell the Next Generation (instilling allegiance to God like we show allegiance to our sports teams - go all out). 

Some of the chapters address character development and building a strong Christian foundation. She offers practical methods for connecting children to Jesus and cultivating trust in God. One of my favorite chapters is Helping Shape a Godly Worldview. To me that was always a hard concept but Mrs. Mancini breaks it down so it's a natural process of everyday life. 

I often hear people say "Kids are mean." Lee Ann has a chapter that helps us instill virtues in our children. She helps parents realize virtues are caught, not taught. There's also a chapter on the fruits of the Spirit. Every chapter is built on the idea that we must demonstrate not tell our children how to live godly lives.

At the end of the book is chapter by chapter questions. I love this because I can reflect on what I've read and if I have a question about how she recommends handling something I can easily find the chapter. 

Mrs. Mancini's conclusion is "Raising kids to be followers of Christ is all about the salvation of our children." We want to know that one day we will sit down in heaven and our children will be sitting across the table from us. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us writers who point us to the ultimate instruction book, Your Word. Thank you, that you've given them the gift to break down the scripture in such a way as to increase our understanding. Father, help us follow through with the concepts in Your Word to raise our children to be followers of Christ so that we may spend eternity together in heaven. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen. 

Hey Kids:

Do you have a devotional time with your parents?

Are you asking questions? 

Are you expressing your thoughts about your family life, church life, and school life? 

Can others see Jesus in you? 

As you ponder these questions, what do you notice you are doing right? What are one or two things you could work on? You may want to place a sticky note somewhere obvious to you as a reminder of the great things you're doing and the work yet to be accomplished. 

Easter Eggs

 

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, ~Matthew 28:5-7

Let's see, it's Easter 1960. Grandma and Mama have sewn our Easter outfits. Mama and I have purchased our hats and gloves. Everything is ironed and laid out for Sunday morning. Only the Easter baskets are left to prepare. 

Mama brought out the vinegar and dye tablets, a coffee cup (not a mug) for each tablet, a spoon and an old towel. Leftover baskets with fresh plastic or paper grass were placed on the table beside the towel. The Easter bunny didn't leave our baskets. We helped dye the eggs in the stinky colored vinegar. We were excited to balance the hardboiled eggs on our spoons and dip them in the cups. Sometimes there was a wax pencil to draw designs before we dyed the eggs. The dyed eggs were gently lifted from the cups and placed on the towel to dry. Then we decorated our own baskets with eggs and candy wrapped in colored foils. But never were we told anything about how eggs were related to Easter. 

When my own children were small, we often visited my grandma, who was nearing 90 at the time. The discussion came up about dying eggs with my babies. Somehow, we worked around to the subject of how eggs have anything to do with Easter. I had no idea, and she was shocked. 

"Why, the shell represents the tomb!" surprised no one had taught me that. "There's unseen life inside an egg. When it's ready, the chick will burst forth like the resurrection." 

Well, that made perfect sense. Why hadn't I even thought of that? Of course, our hard boiled eggs had no life left in them, but a fresh egg certainly could, especially the farm eggs Grandma was used to gathering. 

There are several ideas as to the origins of colored eggs and spring celebrations. We too can derive some meaning for today's children. So what can we say about Easter eggs? 

• Fresh eggs encapsulate life with the appearance of death, just as the tomb, in death, held the answer to eternal life in Jesus.
• Eggs need 3 weeks to hatch. Jesus lay in the grave 3 days before he was resurrected.
• The hatchling uses its beak to crack the shell and come out. Jesus used his voice to call Lazarus from the tomb.  A great earthquake and angels announced Jesus's resurrection.  One day, His voice will call us from the grave as well.  
• Easter eggs are dyed or painted in a variety of colors. Jesus died for everyone of every color. 
• We hunt for eggs hidden all around. Jesus goes wherever people are found to bring salvation to anyone who will believe on Him.
• We gather the eggs in a basket. Jesus will gather us and take us one day to our heavenly home. Until then, we gather in our churches to worship the One who has overcome death and the grave.

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ~Romans 10:9

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins. Thank you for sending reminders all around us that you are the giver of life eternal through Jesus.  Help us remember to tell our children that you are the Creator God and that everything and everyone has a purpose in worshipping you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Hey Kids: 

Easter egg hunts are usually for the little kids but you can play a part as well. 

• Help little ones learn to dye eggs. Search out natural dyes, and use brown eggs instead of white. 
• As you dye the eggs, relate the Easter story to younger children who may not yet know or understand.
• Relate to the little ones how the shell is like a tomb, and a baby chick grows inside the shell when left for the hen to keep warm.
• Let the little ones know Jesus loves all the children of the world.  Sing "Jesus Loves the Little Children." 
• When we hunt for eggs, we are like Jesus, who looks for people who love Him and want to belong to Him. 
• We put our eggs in our baskets. When we gather in our churches to worship, we are gathered together like eggs in a basket, every color and every nation. 

R is for Risen

 

 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 

~Matthew 28:6

I love alphabet books. They often offer so much information on a subject, but usually the information is a mishmash of things so the author can get the information to match the alphabet. Not so with author Crystal Bowman's new book, R is for Risen. The book is written with rhythm and rhyme that will keep the little one's attention. 

Mrs. Bowman's new book is centered around the week's events leading up to the crucifixion and on through the resurrection with instructions for the future. It begins with A is for Arrived. Jesus arrived with his disciples to celebrate the Passover. B is for Branches. This page is about the palm branches laid in the street and the announcement of the King's arrival. Each page is sweetly illustrated to attract young children. Each letter represents the next event in the holy week. 

The ending of the book helps children understand that N is for Nails is not the end of the story. Mrs. Bowman takes us through T is for Tomb and U is for Understanding. The disciples needed to understand what had happened with the resurrection. Last of all Z is for A and Z because Jesus is the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Each page has scripture to support the story. Several versions are used to make the understanding as simple as possible. 

Ways we can use this book with our children:

• Help children understand the events of Holy Week
• Use of the alphabet to help remember those events.
• Sing "Jesus Loves Me"
• Memorize John 3:16
• Older children may research why Jesus chose a donkey instead of a horse.
• Take a trip to a farm that has donkeys. What do you notice about the donkey's coat? (the shape of the cross)
• What other "letters" are often used for beginning and ending? 

Heavenly Father, help us show our children your plan to bring us salvation. Help us know how to implant the events into their hearts and minds so your plan will never depart from them. In Jesus's name. Amen.