Mentor Texts

 

One of my favorite children's authors, Annette Whipple, has a blog called Wilder Companion.com. In one of her recent posts, she writes about how she became a writer. Hint: she had no idea or desire to write a book. She was a teacher. I know from personal experience teaching is more than a full-time job. But as usual, God has His own plans. Our hearts and plans always need to be intune to His. 

In Annette's blogpost I learned how she got the desire to write The Little House Companion from reading  Roar! The Christian Family Guide to the Chronicles of Narnia. She helps us understand the steps she took to make her book the best it could be for both children and adults. Roar! was her mentor text. She outlined her book following the examples she found in Roar! The Lord may never give us the desire to write a book or maybe He will, but we need a mentor text for our lives. 

Mrs. Whipple's book is filled with photos, explanations, activities, and family discussions she calls Family Talk. I think the best mentor text for our lives is probably lying on a shelf or table nearby. God's word may not have photos but think of the pictures created by descriptions.

Word Pictures -

• The Parable of the Lost Sheep - Luke 15:3-5 
• The Parable of the Sower - Matthew 13 This chapter is filled with many parables. 

Explanations - 

• "You have heard it said" - Matthew 5:17-48

Activities - 

• Whatever your hand finds to do - Ecclesiastes 9:10

Family Discussions - 

• Talk with your family about the things of God throughout the day - Deuteronomy 6:6-8

Heavenly Father, help us use Your word as our mentor text for life. Help us draw upon it for direction in our own lives and instill it into the hearts and minds of our children. In Jesus's name. Amen.

   

Bird Watching

      

Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. ~Psalms 128:1-3

This morning I watched as a father chickadee brought food to the mother sitting on their nest. The bird feeder was right beside the birdhouse, but he chose to fly farther off for the needs of his spouse. Back and forth, back and forth he flew while other birds flocked to the feeder. Once in a while, he went to the suet basket to take a bit of fat. She watched for him, barely poking her head out of the small hole that led to their nest. No birds or squirrels seemed to notice the mother or the nest, though they were all around it trying to get the easy food.

I wondered why the father chickadee didn't take advantage of the feeder full of sunflower seeds. Was he bringing in sweet morsels of healthier tidbits for his spouse? Was he bringing water? Was he risking flying farther off to keep other birds and animals from discovering their nesting spot? The farther he ventured, the more he endangered himself by hawks and cats and other predatory animals, but the closer he stayed perhaps the more he endangered his family.

The Lord had a purpose in creating all that He did. We will probably never discover all the reasons for creation, but I love watching all that happens out my window and in my yard. I can learn so much by just observing. How precious to see the father bird care for his spouse and babies. The mother bird, hiding, yet watching for her spouse to return, warmed my heart with the love even animals seem to have for their family. I could make other analogies to the family, but families today are in such disarray that I felt the Lord say, "Watch how even nature teaches us to put our families first."

Forget that the culture tells us that we need to take care of number one. There are more important people than just me. Jesus put us before Himself. He gave His life for us. Are our selfish desires putting our families at risk? Are we the cause of others destroying the homes we have created for our children, the homes we promised, committed before God, to keep until death do us part? Jesus committed to dying for us before the world was ever created. Revelations 13:8 says, "slain from the foundation of the world."

Father God, help me put my spouse and our children above our own personal desires. Help me create a safe home, a peaceful home, a home where we demonstrate a willing sacrifice through love. In Jesus name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

What's your favorite backyard animal?
This may be a good week to take a notebook and/or a sketch book out to observe just how that animal interacts with his/her family and the other animals in the environment.

Here's a few things to think about.

Does this animal have a mate? If not how is it attempting to attract a mate? (You won't believe the antics mocking birds go through trying to impress a female!)

Where does a mated pair construct a nest or bed or home?
(You may have to do a little research or just searching your yard to figure that one out.)

How do they protect their home and why?

Who are their enemies?

How do they provide their family with food and water?

When, if ever, are the young left alone or unprotected?

How do they train the young?

You might ask your parents for help in understanding how you can apply this to your own family?
What scriptures does God give us about taking care of our families?

Nature Speaks

 

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. ~John 3:8

A Bird, came down the Walk -He did not know I saw  – a nursery rhyme from my childhood. I thought of it the other day when I read an April nature study calendar from the homeschool site Wonder-Filled Days. The site offers a nature calendar for each month with ideas for children to explore learning outside. I love teaching anything and everything in conjunction with nature.

Another of Emily Dickinson's poems says The North Wind doth blow and we shall have snow. Our Aprils tend to be about as windy as March so that too is another spring occurrence that sometimes does bring a few flakes of snow. The day that stood out to me most said, “How many ways can you see the wind?” Just looking out the window I can see the wind moving the trees. When I go out my noticings become ever increasing.

• Leaves blowing across the yard
• Children’s kites in the sky
• Clouds moving, changing shapes
• Clothes on the line
• Children blowing dandelions

Now a verse comes to mind, John 3:8, Jesus telling Nicodemus that “the wind bloweth where it listeth.” Jesus alludes to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit goes where it wants. We can’t see it but we can see the things it does. Scripture also tells us to teach our children all day, every day about the Lord (Deut. 6:7). Oh, the joy, outside every day, regardless of the weather, noticing, talking, and exploring together. Oh, the things they will learn, the things we will learn.

It occurs to me that a nature calendar might not be a bad idea for me as a writer, a teacher, and as a "journaler". Journaling from a nature calendar and a nature walk daily, regardless of the weather, noticing, exploring, sketching, writing, and doodling just might kick my life up a notch, especially if I end with an applicable verse of scripture that the Holy Spirit has brought my way.

What do you think? Want to go for a walk?

Father, help me be mindful of You as I enjoy Your creation. In the midst of my hurried life, help me slow down and let your Holy Spirit speak to me that I might not miss the blessings You have ever put before me. In Praise of You, Lord Jesus, Creator of the Universe. Amen. 

Related

Star of Bethlehem

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. ~Matthew 24:14

My flower beds desparetly need weeding. The worst offender in the bed is a tiny white flower that grows from a bulb. Before the flower blooms the bulb grows about the size of a spring onion. Along the sides of the original bulb are tiny baby bulbs that will also enlarge and create more flowers. Sounds wonderful. I won't have to buy bulbs for these pretty white flowers ever again. Oh but wait! That means they will spread. The garden will be filled with Star of Bethlehem in a few short years. Any time I try to pull out a large bulb all the little ones fall off into the soil scattering the flower farther and farther where they will grow and reproduce even more flowers. They will spread into the grass if I accidentally drop a tiny bulb outside the bed. Even if I sift the soil I will miss some of the tiniest bulbs that again will grow and reproduce. I began to despise these pretty flowers with such a unique name. That's when it hit me. 

Since the world began Satan has tried to weed out the word of God, His Son and yes, even God himself. Satan thought one bite of the fruit would finish off God's intention but the blood of an innocent animal and the acceptance of the sacrifice was only the beginning. Cain killed Abel. Satan again thought he had won. But God provided Seth. On and on throughout scripture Satan attempts to make man thinks he can weed God out of his life. God always has a person who is willing to follow Him and His plan, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, Daniel, and Cyrus. Then God sent His Son only to have Herod try to kill him by killing all the little boys under two years old. But the Star of Bethlehem won again. All through Jesus's life Satan tried one way and then another to destroy Him. The Jews tried throwing him off a cliff and stoning Him. They tried to discredit him so no one would follow. Then the Romans and the Jews crucified him. Ahh, Satan thought he had won until the third day. Then Jesus was resurrected. 

All through history Satan has tried to destroy God's people with persecutions and murder. But God is never left without a witness. Though searched out, sifted, and destroyed, there has always been and always will be a pocket of people scattered far and near that hold dear to God's word and His Son.

Heavenly Father, strengthen Your people to face whatever comes. Whether we are uprooted, sifted, or scattered help us be true to You and the faith You have planted in our hearts. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Preparing for Easter

 

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

Easter 1960- Grandma and Mama sewed our Easter outfits. Mama purchased hats and gloves for herself and me. 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 for each tablet, a spoon, and an old towel. Leftover baskets with fresh plastic grass were placed on the table beside the towel. The Easter bunny didn't leave our baskets. We helped dye the eggs in stinky-colored vinegar. Excitedly we balanced the hardboiled eggs on our spoons and dipped them in the cups. The dye kit contained a wax pencil to draw designs before we dyed the eggs. Gently we lifted the eggs from the cups and placed them on the towel to dry. Then we decorated our baskets with eggs and candy wrapped in colored foils. But never were we told anything about how eggs were related to Easter. 

Easter 1983-  My small children and I often visited my grandma, who was nearing 90. A discussion came up about dying eggs with my babies. Somehow we worked around to the subject of what eggs have 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 3 days in the grave before his resurrection.
• The hatchling uses his 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 any who will believe on Him.
• We gather the eggs in a basket. Jesus will gather us one day and take us 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 me that you are the giver of life eternal through Jesus.  Help me remember to tell the children that You are the Creator God and that everything and everyone is created with a purpose. May my heart and life be filled with worship this Easter season.  In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen.