Gaining Respect

And the winner of Raising a Young Modern-Day Princess is… Robin Luftig! Congratulations! Robin please email me at gcartee8645@outlook.com with your address.

Our book for this week is With All Due Respect. Don't for get to subscribe to this blog through email (top right corner) for a chance to win this great book for you and your tween/teen!

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

In our fast paced, high tech, multi-leveled communication lives, we can sometimes feel overwhelmed when trying to communicate with our tweens and teens. How can we effectively communicate faith and values? How can our walk reflect the Spirit?  How do we lovingly require respect?

Nina Roesner and Debbie Hitchcock, authors of With All Due Respect, present a 40 day plan to help build a relationship with your tweens/teens. Each day is a short section that includes scripture, a story example, and a “What About You?” section that helps us examine our own motives and expectations. I’ve often heard my pastor say, “When you point a finger, there are four fingers pointing back at yourself.” Each section ends with a prayer. We all need that!

It always takes 2 to Tango. With All Due Respect helps us see that to gain respect, we must also model respect. It takes time, patience, and self-control; all the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22,23).

Hmmm - if this type of communication works with tweens/teens, I wonder if it might also work with adults. Just a thought.

Next week, I won’t be posting. I’ll be taking time out to celebrate our Lord’s birth with my family. I pray you will do the same.

Merry Christmas!

Gail

Hey Kids:

Are you still working on that fruit bowl from last week?

If you worked on the fruit of love, now may be a good time to try joy.

We’re all excited about Christmas, so joy seems like an easy fruit to demonstrate, but in all the excitement it is also easy to lose our joy.

Your parents may need a little more help in keeping the house in order.

Maybe you are needed to watch over a little one while Mom bakes.

Maybe Dad needs help with raking leaves or shoveling snow.

Your parents requirements may not fit into your idea of Christmas joy, but you are needed.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)3 that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4

God made you a promise if you honor your parents.

Parents, our children need your nurturing love.

and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Colossians 3:23

Do You Have a Princess?

And the winner is... Karen Griffin! Karen if you will email your address to gcartee8645@outlook.com I will get your copy of Tsali in the mail. 

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Luke 1:28 

Mary, the mother of Jesus, seemed to be just an ordinary girl, but in God's eyes she was a princess. She demonstrated the qualities of a girl who was highly favored in the eyes of God. 

This week I would like to offer Raising a Young Modern Day Princess by Doreen Hanna and Karen Whiting. Have you noticed that no two children even in the same family have the same personalities? The authors of this book help us understand the differences in our children's personalities and how to tap into those personalities to encourage our own princesses to grow in the Lord.

The book is filled with activities to help our daughters grow in the fruit of the Spirit. It's not just a book for moms.There are ideas and activities for dads to help them build a lasting relationship with their daughters.

I especially like the way the book is designed with short, quick reads for our busy lives and the materials for activities are easily accessible and age appropriate. 

Don't forget to subscribe to this blog by email for your chance to win Raising a Young Modern Day Princess.

Hey Kids:

Do you know the fruits of the Spirit? 

Take a look at Galatians 5:22,23.

Here at Christmas, we often try to show love, joy, and peace by giving to those less fortunate, wishing others Merry Christmas, and singing carols of peace on earth.

But what about the rest of the year? Don't let the Christmas spirit fade with the new year.

Have mom and dad help you cut out a bowl shape. 

Then cut out nine different fruit shapes. 

Write the name of a fruit of the Spirit on each fruit. 

Display your fruit bowl in a prominent place.

Each week choose a fruit and discuss what it means. 

An example might be: How do you show love? 

Write an example of how you showed love on the back of the fruit. 

You could do this every day for the week. Then you would have 7 different ways to show love.

The next week choose a different fruit, discuss, practice and write.

At the end of the nine weeks, think about how this activity has changed your thoughts and actions toward others. 

 Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,  and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5b,6.

We are part of His royal family if we have been washed from our sins.

Blessings, 

Gail

The Season of Giving

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Tis the season of giving and I'd like to give away a book each week this month. Just subscribe to my blog through email for a chance to win. The subscribe by email button is located at the top right of the blogpost.

This week I'm offering my children's book, Tsali: Hero of the Eastern Band Cherokee. It will make a great Christmas gift for any child who is beginning to learn about Native American History. Many Cherokee were dying as they walked the Trail of Tears from the east to Oklahoma. Tsali and his sons made the decision to sacrifice their lives so the Cherokee hiding in the mountains could remain in their homeland. This sacrifice would end the Trail of Tears for the Cherokee. 

Tsali may not sound like Christmas literature, but this story can be used as an object lesson. Just as Tsali and his sons gave their lives to keep their people from traveling the Trail of Tears, so God have His Son, Jesus, as the sacrifice for us so we don't have to follow the path to hell. Through Jesus Christ we can have the promise of the forgiveness of sin and an eternal home with Him. 

Hey Kids: 

True heroes are those willing to sacrifice their lives for others. 

Can you think of 3 heroes? 

They may be people you know personally or historical figures. 

What makes them heroes?

We'd love to hear about your heroes. Please leave us a note in the comments section. 

The Tree of Christmas

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

Hey Kids and Parents

Have you seen the EETCHY worm in your classroom? It’s made of colored beads and it helps kids organize their thoughts to tell a story. I want to use an EETCHY worm today to help us tell about a Christmas tree.

• The first bead of the worm is green to remind us what group we are talking about.

Our group is Christmas Tree

• The second bead is blue to ask us what does it do.A Christmas Tree represents the various meanings associated with Christmas.
• The second bead is yellow with an eye on it. This asks us what does it look like.

A Christmas Tree looks like a tree covered with red, gold, blue and white balls, stars, angels, ribbons, and bells.

• The next bead is brown to ask what is it made of. A Christmas tree is made of wood.
• The next bead is pink to ask what are its parts. A Christmas tree has a trunk, branches, and evergreen needles.
• Then there is a white bead to ask where is it? A Christmas tree is placed inside or outside of a home where everyone can see its beauty.
• The last bead is orange and asks what else do you know. By now most of us have a pretty good picture of a Christmas tree in our minds and our answer to the question what else do you know may be, “That’s all.” Or that there are presents under the tree. But that’s not all!

Let’s go back and examine what we said about the tree. 

• The blue said is represents the various meanings associated with Christmas. What meanings?
•  In the yellow we answered red balls
•  Red is the color of blood. 
• Gold balls. The wisemen brought Jesus gold and frankincense and myrrh. 
• Blue balls are the color of royalty. Jesus is King of Kings. 
• White balls are the color of purity. Jesus was without sin. 
• Wisemen followed a star. 
• Angels announced His birth. 
• Ribbons held the breastplate to ephod on the robe of the high priest. 
• Bells were sown around the hem of his robe so all could here him as he preformed 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 come to the tree and 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. 

The last orange bead asks us "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

A Tree of Thanksgiving

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Psalms 26:7

Is your tree up? As I left school on Monday, I saw someone had pulled out the decorations. A huge tree with a few sparse balls was already going up in the lobby. Ughhh, yes, I knew there were only a few weeks left until Christmas break and we had Art Night this week, but really? Did we really have to skip Thanksgiving? 

As we entered the building Tuesday morning, a spectacular tree greeted us with fall leaves, pumpkins, and scarecrows. A Tree of Thanksgiving, what a wonderful idea! We delighted in the tree all week as it reminded us to be thankful for all God has given us. It's given us time to teach the children about the Pilgrim's desire to freely worship, their struggles coming to and living in a new land. It reminded us to teach about Squanto, a man God prepared to help the Pilgrims survive. It reminded us of the freedom we have to live and worship because of the sacrifices of others.

I am thankful for so many things this year and I'm thankful for an assistant principal who created our Thanksgiving tree!

Blessings,

Gail

Hey Kids:

Did you know Squanto spoke English? How did that happen?

Did you know the support of the main mast of the Mayflower broke in a storm? How did they repair it? 

Let's not rush Christmas. How can you show reminders of your gratitude?

You can make a simple tree of thanksgiving with a few green sticky notes and colored pens.

At each meal, you and your family can write one thing on a sticky note for which you are thankful. 

Place the notes in the shape of a tree on a prominent wall or window. 

Watch the tree grow and take shape this week as you and your family express your  gratitude of all God has given you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Supermoon

photo by pixabay

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

Psalms 148:3

November 13, 2016, the supermoon, not seen this close since 1948 and not to be seen again this close until 2034. Sure there are regular supermoons but not as close as these. But just exactly what is the moon? It has no light of its own, but merely a reflection of the sun. Its light is seen in phases and sometimes not at all. So what does that have to do with us? 

We as Christians are to be a reflection of Jesus Christ. He is the Light that should shine through us. Sometimes we do a better job of letting our lights shine that at others. Sometimes it seems our lights are almost out. Satan has always tried to destroy God's people. Persecution through the ages has put a damper on our lights. Our lax attitudes also dim our lights. 

There is nothing in creation that doesn't have a purpose of praise. Creation is also filled with examples of study for us to know how to be better reflections of our Lord.  

As the supermoon praises God in the heavens, close, very close to us this weekend, may we also purpose to praise Him by drawing up close to Him, purposing to reflect His light in a super way.

Hey Kids:

November is a great month for sky watching. The supermoon this weekend is just a beginning. November is always a great month to view star showers. 

So grab your binoculars, star maps and a warm jacket and head outside for the show. 

How can the things you see in the night skies help you be a better reflection of Jesus? 

Start putting those ideas into practice by leaving us a comment in the section below. 

Blessings,

Gail

Love One Another

 

picture by pixaby

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, 

and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

I Thessalonians 3:12

I was thinking earlier this week, I wished I knew where I could get some persimmons to make jam. 

On Friday, a sweet mom, who speaks no English, brought me a bag of Japanese persimmons. I think she grew them since she had so many. I saw the worried look on her face as she handed me the bag, a look of wondering if I would like her gift. Though, "Thank you" was all she could understand, she saw the excitement on my face. 

Her face changed from worried to a big smile. "You like?" she asked.

"Yes, yes, thank you!" I jabbered about making jam, which I knew she didn't understand, but it was the joy in my voice that made her happy. 

Though we could not speak each other's language, we could show love on our faces and the tones of our voices. 

Our expressions will open and close doors. 

May our smiles open doors of friendship and love this week. 

Hey Kids:

You may have neighbors or kids at school who do not speak your language.

How can you show them love this week?

Here's a few starters.

• Use your hands to invite others to play a game as you say, "Come on!" "Let's play ..."
• Notice something they have done. Then enthusiastically congratulate them. "Yay, you won?" or "That's beautiful!"
• Invite them to share a snack and be willing to try a snack they may want to share.

What other ideas do you have? Please share your ideas and successes in our comment section.

Love,

Gail

Winning the Race

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:   

II Timothy 4:7

Last week on our trip to see the leaves we went to the Pumpkin Festival in Franklin, NC. Children and adults brought pumpkins of all sizes and shapes to run a course set up down a looooonnngg hill. Folks lined the streets to see whose pumpkin would win the race. 

Never having seen a pumpkin race before, our guess was the largest pumpkins would go the farthest because the weight would carry them farther. 

It was amazing to see how the pumpkins went to one side or the other. Some jumped ditches and platforms only to get back on course and keep rolling. Others crashed and splattered almost before they got started. And who won? The very smallest ones, who could keep on or get back on the narrow mid-section of the road. 

We all laughed and cheered as literally hundreds of pumpkins rolled down a hill. In the middle of all the fun, it occurred to me how we are so much like the pumpkins. We start out running well for the Lord. We go to church and add in Sunday School. The kids want to go to their activities on Wednesday night. We start a daily devotion time with the family, and a personal Bible Study. We're doing pretty good. Then something knocks us off track. It can be anything, a work-shift change, sickness, even vacation and we all tend to jump the track. Often times we get back on course in a few days or weeks as things settle down. Then sometimes we veer way off, only to find ourselves bogged down in a ditch.

The ditches are full of Christians who have gone off course. Some will return, others will never be back in the race. I remember a little song we used to sing as kids, "Oh be careful little feet where you go..." You probably sang it too. 

Stay the course, finish well,

Blessings,

Gail

 

I know the text needs to wrap around the videos, but this lady just hasn't quite got all that yet, so bear with me please. 

Hey Kids:

This season has lots of pumpkins and apples to enjoy.

What activities are you planning? 

Can you use these activities to share God's love and plan with others?

Here are a few ideas that might get your creative juices flowing.

Carve a pumpkin - Think of how the yucky stuff has to come out before the light can go in to shine through a face that you chose. You have  to choose to let Jesus change your life, forgiving and removing your sins and letting His light shine through the new you. 

Can you think of some ways to witness through apple bobbing?  or making candy apples?

Are there pumpkin cookies or apple pies in your future? 

Give some thought as to how the fruits have to change to make them enjoyable.

How has Jesus changed your life to make it purposeful and enjoyable?

I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Unto the Hillls

Psalms 121:1-3 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

This weekend we spent time enjoying God's glorious creation in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The leaves were just beginning to change until the chill of last night brought colors to view this morning. I intended to write about the trip and the things it meant to me, but before I got home there was news of the loss of a family member. I needed to tend to family first, so I thought I would just share pictures with you this week and hope you might vicariously enjoy relaxing in the mountains, finding strength and hope in God when you lift your eyes to the Creator of all things good and beautiful. 

Blessings for your week,

Gail

Hidden Treasures

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15 

Amazing what a little investment will produce! Last spring I found purple sweet potato slips at the farmers' market. They were three dollars for twelve plants. 

I brought them home, dug a trench, placed the slips, watered them and that was pretty much all I did. The vines spread everywhere. By the time the bush beans were finished the sweet potatoes were taking over their spot. They were climbing into the rose trellis and creeping into the squash vines. Finally, in September, they began to bloom pretty purple and white morning glory type blooms. 

Yesterday was my only free Saturday left in October to harvest the potatoes. Wow, was I surprised! Under the first hill were huge potatoes that more than paid for the investment. As I dug the hills, I was rewarded with lots more. I wonder how many more I would have found if the ground had been softer or if I had taken the tiller to the area and turned the soil with the turn plow. 

Digging all these potatoes got me to thinking, as it always does. Just a little effort in God's word will turn up some "hidden treasures" if we only invest a few minutes of our time. 

I was saved as a teenager. From that time I began to invest a few minutes each day in reading my Bible. I would only read one chapter each day when I came in from school before I started my homework. 

I started with the New Testament and in the next 5 years, I read the New Testament 4 times and the Old Testament 3 times. There were some dry years I didn't read, but for pretty much all my life, a chapter a day has been my reading plan. 

Though I have read the Bible many times, each time turns up something new and interesting that I missed before. I often wonder why I never saw that before. God gives us what we need when we need it and if we are willing to invest a little time and do a little digging. 

Hey Kids:

My grandkids love digging root crops! It's like finding hidden treasure. 

Carrots, sweet potatoes, and other root crops also hold hidden treasures for our health. The carotenoids in these vegetables help keep our vision strong. 

God's word has it's hidden treasures as well. It will take a little digging to find them, but it will improve out spiritual vision.  Reading is like eating. Eating the best foods makes us strong. Reading the Bible makes us spiritually strong. 

Digging root crops won't do us any good unless we eat the vegetables.

Reading the Bible won't do us any good unless we think about and then do whatever it says.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22

Sharing God's word is like sharing your garden crops. It helps everyone, good food and good fellowship. This week, find a friend who will be a spiritual treasure hunter with you.

Blessings,

Gail

An Autumn Rainbow

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. Psalms 134:2

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has over 9 million visitors each year. I think all 9 million of us must choose the same weekend to visit. The views are amazing and no picture can ever capture the feeling of actually being there. The sound of the last cicada trying to whir, the crickets in the leafy sides, the caw of the crows, all added to the peace and drama of the real scene. Yes, there are oodles of people, but for the most part, quiet people releasing the things of this world and absorbing the beauty of God's creation. 

In autumn the true beauty of a leaf shines forth. All the green of spring and summer cover up the real color of a leaf as it tries to create the food necessary to maintain the life of the tree. Green is the color of chlorophyll. As a leaf finishes its job, the chlorophyll no longer controls the leaf and the true color is the beauty we see in fall. 

I got to thinking, people are a lot like leaves. We put on a front while we date or at our jobs or wherever we think it will benefit our lifestyles, but our true colors will eventually shine through. Most of the pictures were taken as we caught our breath on our way up Clingman's Dome. As we rested again at the base of the tower, a young father came up and addressed my husband who was wearing a Christian t-shirt. The father said, " I like your shirt. You must know the Lord." My husband and I affirmed his assumption. "We are to lift His name on high. We're high!" the father said as we shook hands and began our assent up the tower. 

We often feel alone in our walk with the Lord, but when, like the leaves, we let our true colors show, we find there are lots of others around us who want to join us in lifting the name of the Lord on high. The cool autumn air, the quiet of the forest, and the meeting of a brother and his family, felt really good after a long hard week of work. 

Friday night as we sat out on our balcony, a falling star graced the sky. 

Great and marvelous are Your works,

Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints! 

Revelations 15:3b NKJV

May you find rest in His marvelous works this week. 

Gail

Hey Kids!

Have you tried nature art?

As the leaves change, have you noticed what a rainbow of color you can find?

My kids began picking up leaves on the playground and arranging them by color. It was not my idea, but kids in play came up with an amazing piece of nature art. They chose:

• Maples for red
• Poplar for yellow
• Sassafras for orange
• Pine for green
• Blue spruce for blue
• Maple again for purple

What types of trees are showing their colors in your neighborhood? 

I wish I had taken a picture of the leaf rainbow my kids made.

Perhaps you could share a picture of your nature art.

What are your thoughts of God's amazing creation? Perhaps you would like to  share those with your pictures.

Teaching Diligently

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 6:7

School has begun and my wonderful and concerned parents say, "I can't get him to be still and learn." School just "ain't"  what it used to be - for the better!!

Several years ago, in celebration of Johnny Appleseed's birthday, our class planted two apple trees on the hill behind the playground. We've enjoyed a few spring blossoms, but this year we finally have fall apples.

So, how did we learn without sitting still this week?

• singing apple songs
• picking apples
• tasting a variety of apples

Yes, I read non-fiction books to them, but they didn't find books all that interesting before we visited our apple trees and not before 

• making our housekeeping area into an apple stand 
• learning to use a cash register
• dividing apples into little bags and cups
• making the science center into a place to weigh apples with heavy blocks
• pouring and measuring cider
• making price tags
• passing out pennies to buy apples and cider 
• inviting others to come to the apple stand
• dressing up like Johnny Appleseed 
• making playdough apples
• using an apple peeler
• cooking real applesauce
• smelling cinnamon
• eating our own cooking

Then after we'd finally exhausted our week, children began to sit, or rather kneel to investigate the pictures and words they had already experienced.

All of this to say, sitting with your child for daily family devotions is a wonderful thing, but unless we give them experiences throughout the day, not much meaningful learning will come from even the best devotions.

The Bible tells us to talk to our families while we walk, sit and when you get up. It's an experiential day of seeing God in all we think, and say, and DO!

What better time of the year than the cool fall days to get out and walk and talk and experience the mighty works of God?

What experiences have you had this week?

Hey Kids:

Have you climbed a tree this week? What could you see?

Have you thought about Zacchaeus? He finally got high enough to see above the crowd. Remember who he saw? Luke 19:2-9

Did you meet an old turtle crossing the road? Did you get a chance to examine his shell? Turtle shell patterns can be amazing. Could it be because God cared enough to make each one special? Psalms 139:13-15

Have a skipped a rock across a pond or splashed a really big one in the stream? God told Joshua to pick up rocks out of the river. Do you know what he did with them? Joshua 4

Discovering God's plan in His creation my help you discover God's plan for you!

Here's a few books you might want to meander through when you begin to experience God's wonderful creation.

  

Blessings,

Gail