Windows Of Learning (5) Ships on the Seas

The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. 

Proverbs 30:19

Until recent times ships needed sails, oars, and a rudder to maneuver across bodies of water. Now we use engines but ships still need a rudder. What does the rudder do? Where is it located? These are beginning questions for not just the children but all of us to investigate. 

The captain of a vessel steers the rudder to keep the ship, boat, or vessel of any kind, even airplanes, pointed in the right direction. There are also other factors to help the captain guide the ship. There are no roads to follow on the water so the captain must use God's creation to help him find his way. Many of us know how to use the sun for directions. It rises in the east and sets in the west and with a little knowledge of where the destination is located, we can head in the right direction by using the sun. But what about night travel?

A ship's captain can use the stars to guide the ship at night. Stars rotate in the night and through the seasons but there is a constant in the North Star. It's always going to point north. A captain uses a sextant to measure distance and help guide his ship both day and night. 

Each of us is like a ship. We need to be guided both day and night and across the years. How does God's creation help us with guidance? The Lord created many things in three's.  Think about the sun for a moment. There is the big burning mass, the light, and the heat. This helps us picture the Father, Jesus-the Light, and the Holy Spirit which we cannot see but we certainly can feel his leading. The sun is our guide by day but by night, in the dark? The North Star never changes. It's our guide by night. Jesus is our constant around which everything rotates. When the storms of life come and we just can't see how we will ever make it, know that behind the clouds day and night Jesus is there and when the storm passes He will still be there. The Lord has given us a sextant to help guide us. He has given us His Word, the Bible. 

In leading our children this coming school year, how can we help them investigate ships?

• sink and float activities - how are heavy metal ships with heavy cargo able to float?
• tides
• shipping lanes
• the Bermuda Triangle
• the Titanic

Each investigation can be tailored to the age, ability, and interest of the child. Writing, reading, math, science, and history can all be covered in one project.

One thing may lead to another such as a study of the stars.

• Identify constellations
• history of constellation names
• constellation legends in different cultures
• Design constellations
• Meteors
• star gazing
• Milky Way

How fun to just lay on your back under a clear night sky just watching, relaxing, quietly talking, contemplating the magnificence of all the Lord has made. 

God's Creation teaches us many things about our Creator. We are the ships on life's seas. What/Who is our life revolving around? Where are we getting our direction?

Blessings,

Gail

A Patchwork Country

 Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we                  will be restored. 
        Lamentations 5:21 NKJV 







Quilts --- small colored pieces of cloth stitched together in a pleasing pattern to provide comfort, warmth, and protection against the cold. 

I'd much rather have a quilt than a blanket. You've seen one blanket, you've seen them all. Not so many years ago, women saved their scraps from the family clothes to make winter quilts. Often those scraps held memories of family events or funny stories. My Papa bought a bolt of white cloth so Grandma could make the family Easter clothes, a dress for their little girl, a dress for her, and a Sunday shirt for Papa. Without thinking, Grandma died the whole bolt --- pink!
Yes, Papa wore his new pink shirt with his overalls that Easter of 1925.

A New Day Full of Grace

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. II Peter 3:18 KJV

There it was, the sky peeping blue through the pink of dawning clouds. The sky as old as creation, yet new every morning. A new day full of grace for my family and my community from my Savior. And what is grace? Grace is an undeserved gift. It is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). God’s grace is the sacrifice of His only Son. His desire is that we grow in grace and in knowledge.

As a teacher, I learned about Bloom’s taxonomy. It is a hierarchy of learning. At the bottom is knowledge or remembering. You know, read, study, memorize, but it doesn’t have to be boring when we restate them as searching, discovering, remembering. It’s like a treasure map. Once we are able to recall facts we can comprehend and gain understanding. We can ask questions. Why do we need a Savior? Why did God send His Son? Why are we so loved? When we understand, we can apply that knowledge. First we apply that understanding for our own salvation. Then, we can show love to those who may seem unlovable. Grace toward others is the application of the knowledge of God’s love.

Father, help me to gain knowledge of You through Your word, hiding it in my heart, that I might recall it to give grace to those around me. Lord, those seem like big words. Please, just let me be the hands and feet of Jesus today. Amen

Hey Kids:

The season of love is upon us. Red and pink hearts are everywhere, but what is love?

Love is a gift, most likely an undeserved gift.

The greatest gift is God’s only Son sent to die for our sins, a gift none of us has ever deserved.

If you have repented of your sins and asked for forgiveness,
you understand you have received an undeserved gift. We often call it grace.

There are so many around us who do not know of God’s grace, the gift of His Son.

They feel hopeless and helpless.

We hold their hope.

Jesus commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
Part of reaching others is meeting their needs so they are able to hear the gospel.
We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Make a list of people you know in need. Here’s a start.

• A kid at school who needs a friend.
• Elderly in the neighborhood or at nursing homes.

What can you do?

• Sit with the lonely kid at lunch.
• Make Valentines for nursing homes or hospitals.
• Weed a garden or plant flowers.
• Take a covered dish to someone who’s sick.

Acts of kindness open doors for the presentation of the gospel.
Be sure to enlist the help of your parents.
Remember, God gave them to you to help you grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord.

Grow in Grace

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. II Peter 3:18

Did the groundhog see his shadow in your area? Just to make sure we got an accurate assessment, my kids pretended to be groundhogs. We ran outside in our shirt sleeves to look for shadows. At first it seemed we would not see it, but as we started in from the cold, the sun came out and splashed shadows everywhere across the playground. We all gave a shout because here in SC we love the news of more snow. 

This week, I want to share Groundhog Day in Amazing Grace Acres, by Kristi Butler and illustrated by my friend Samantha Bell, published by Guardian Angel Publishing,Inc. Gracie the groundhog has been chosen to predict the weather this year. Her brother, Grover, is jealous. He tries to find a way to trick Gracie and steal the show for himself. Groundhog Day in Amazing Grace Acres not only explains the traditions of Groundhog Day but also addresses issues children as well as adults face each day - jealousy, anger, repentance, and forgiveness. 

Around here, we're looking forward to six more weeks of winter. Think I'll hunker down with the groundhogs a few more weeks. 

Hey Kids:

What's the groundhog's prediction for your area? 

Groundhog Day is half-way through winter. This year spring officially begins March 20. Is the bad weather almost over? 

Here's some ways to have fun checking the accuracy of your area groundhog.

• Mark the calendar with a warm sun or a cold snowflake or a blustery wind.
• Keep a journal, noting the highs and lows for each day.
• Note the day you begin to see flowers push up through the winter mud. Draw them on your calendar or in your journal.
• Make a graph of the cod days and the warm days. Cold could be blue and warm could be yellow.

What can we do with the information? 

• Count the days of cold weather.
• Now count the days of warm weather.
• Which one has the most?
• Add the days together.
• Now you can make a fraction    Cold Days/Total        Warm Days/Total
• Divide the Total into the Cold Days and then divide the Total into the Warm Days. Now you have a percentage. 
• What percent of the days were cold? Warm?

Can the groundhog really predict the weather? What's your conclusion?
I'd love to hear how your charting and journaling is progressing. 

Please check back in six weeks with your complete findings and I'll share mine as well.

Blessings,

Gail

Snowflakes

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalms 139:14 KJV

My niece, out playing in the snow with her sons, took close-up pictures of the snow on their hats. She obviously has a great camera to take such detailed pictures. Amazing that man can make a camera like that. Oh, I just said, “Man made a camera.” But what about snowflakes? Are they complicated? Simply put they are snow crystals that enlarge and change shape as water vapor changes into ice without going through the liquid state. I wonder if frozen fog would actually be snow formed on the trees.

Amazing that God can make a person who is so much more detailed in every respect. The explanation of the making of a person is so much more complicated than that of a snow crystal. Scientist still aren’t sure why  snow crystals grow with six sides and form symmetrically.  Explaining exactly how a person is formed is still a mystery too that scientist can only observe. That’s why this month is Sanctity of Life month. A time to stop and reflect on how precious each life is whether young, old, middle aged or at the moment of conception. All life is precious and purposeful. Whether a person is a great statesman, a mom, or a mechanic, they each serve a great purpose. Using the talents God has given us to serve Him is even a greater purpose. God has given each of us something precious and holy, life itself. May we use our lives for His glory this year and always.

Hey Kids:

Would you like to learn more about snowflakes? Maybe even make a snowflake? Here's a great site.

Please let us know what you've learned about snowflakes. 

Maybe you'd like to share something wonderful you've learned about yourself as God's marvelous creation. 

Never forget you are precious in God's sight.

Blessings, 

Gail

Hide and Seek

Pray without ceasing. I Thessalonians 5:17

I want to welcome Jetta Allen as my guest blogger this week. 

Jetta lives in North Carolina where she writes stories for children and devotionals for adults. She and her husband Jim are retired. They often ask their children if the grandchildren can come out to play. Jetta's experiences have shown her how prayer can change a situation. Today, she relates one of those experiences with a snake. Personally, I think snakes are always a good reason to pray. 

On Saturday, nine-year-old Ethan watched his mom shine a flashlight in the kitchen cabinets and under the sink. He peeled his orange and licked juice off his fingers. “Mom, why don't you call Miss Jen and pray about it, like the Bible says?” 

Beth Adams nodded. “You're right. What was I thinking?” She called her friend and explained. 

Jennifer's laughter rippled through the phone. “Oh, I'm sorry, Beth! I've never laughed at a prayer request,” Jennifer said. 

“I know. It's the strangest request ever, but we've looked all over since we got home yesterday,” Mrs. Adams said. “I'm desperate. I don't want to spend another night wondering where it's hiding. With Jason gone for the sixth-grade weekend trip, it's up to the rest of us.”

 Jennifer snickered and Mrs. Adams waited for her friend to settle down. What were a few more minutes, anyway? Jason's pet snake escaped over twenty-four hours ago. “Yesterday afternoon, Ethan went to refill its water. That's when we realized Fang was missing. He escaped from the old aquarium Jason used as a snake home,” Mrs. Adams said. “I'm thankful he's completely harmless, but still . . .
At bedtime, I handed Ethan a bath towel with instructions. He rolled his eyes, but took it. I stuffed another one against the bottom of Tim's and my door. I did not want to discover Fang coiled up by my shoes.” Mrs. Adams peered under the sink again while Jennifer giggled. “This morning, Tim went to work, but Ethan and I looked in Jason's room again. We're still snakeless.”

“Whew, what a problem. Ok, no more laughing. Ready to pray?” Jennifer asked. 

“Yes, thanks to Ethan. He suggested it. I was so busy searching, I forgot to ask God for help. God cares about every problem, I know. Even pet snakes.” 

Ethan headed outside while the two friends prayed. They asked God to reveal Fang's hiding place. “Thanks, Jennifer. I'll update you later,” Mrs. Adams said.

She headed upstairs to look once more in Jason's room. There sat Fang on the desk, swaying like a small cobra. “Lord, that was a fast answer. Thank you. Now it's my turn,” Mrs. Adams whispered. On school books, by the snake lay Jason's big work gloves. Mrs. Adams eased a hand into one and grabbed the snake. Fang resisted. “Oh, great,” she mumbled. She pulled harder. He was stronger than he looked. At last, he gave up and whipped his body around the glove and her arm. Mrs. Adams shuddered. “Okay, Fang, let's get you back home.” She banged on the window. When Ethan looked up, Mrs. Adams held up the snake. The back door slammed and footsteps trotted up the stairs. 

“Wow, you found him!” Ethan grinned and leaned close to the snake. “Hi, Fang.” 

“The Lord uncovered him, so I had to do my part. Run find that old scrap of plywood. And Ethan—hurry. I'm not crazy about holding him.” After easing the snake into the aquarium, Mrs. Adams and Ethan covered it with plywood and stacked heavy books on top. 

Later that afternoon, Mrs. Adams peeked in the aquarium. “Fang, we forgot to leave you air holes. We can't have you smothering.” She called Mr. Adams at work and explained the problem. 

When he got home from work, he and Ethan built an escape-proof lid from a window screen. “This snake's home is really fancy now.” Mr. Adams gathered his tools. “Jason will be surprised tomorrow.” 

“I still don't like snakes, but this little guy is okay.” Mrs. Adams looked at Fang curled against the aquarium's glass wall. “He obeyed his Creator and came out of hiding.” 

“When a problem seems too small to pray about, let's remember Fang,” Mr. Adams said.

Hey Kids:

What experiences have you had that reminded you that prayer is always the answer?

Try writing out your experience. 

Don't forget to use your five senses in describing your story. 

Mrs. Allen and I look forward to reading your prayer experiences. 

Blessings,

Gail

The Light

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: 

he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12

The icicles hanging from sheds and barns and houses brought opportunities to see prisms of light against snow covered ground. The light shining through made everything a little brighter. The rainbows called attention to the light though they were made up of all the colors.

Our lives are like those multi-faceted icicles. Each moment of each day gives us an opportunity  to let the Light of Jesus shine through us. Our days may move from one activity to another. We may organize our days with multi-colored highlighters. Just as there is no black in a rainbow, there should be no moments of darkness in our lives; no anger, no hate, no backbiting. 

The sparkle in the icicle prisms sometimes causes a blinding twinkle, so our lives should be so full of the Light that it overwhelms the darkness around us.

Lord, this year, may I be Your light in a dark world. 

Hey Kids:

Jesus is the Light of the world. 

In the cold clear days of winter, look for ways to see the sun's light reflected in creation.

Take a moment to examine an icicle.

When you hold it in your hand, no light escapes. It's surrounded by darkness. 

The heat from your hand will cause the icicle to melt away. 

When we allow the darkness of the world to surround us in sadness and hate and anger, we have a more difficult time letting Christ's light shine through us. 

The darkness of the world will melt away our joy. 

This year, be the light in our dark world.

Blessings for a Happy New Year,

Gail