Trust

 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.~Romans 8:28

Have you ever wondered how you would make it through life if you lost everything except your family and one special treasure?

The Wonder of Birds

  

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:26,33 KJV

A bluebird clung to the very tip of a greening maple tree. Stretching his neck, he sang a sweet trill as he fanned his blue tail feathers. 

A pee-wee sat on the fence, wagging its tail up and down, seeming to balance, then darted off to dance with a bug before snatching it in mid-air.

A wren darted among the awnings, fussing over nothing, its tail pointing upward until it began the fuss, and then with every sound, its tail flapped down like a paddle. 

Each bird is different from the other, yet all are a part of the bird family. Each doing a job, attracting a mate, building homes, and feeding upon God's provision. Each one fulfilling its purpose, while we seem to wander aimlessly in search of we know not what. The birds are not laying up treasures or seeking out fame, but rather raising up another generation to praise God's name each morning and quietly chirp in thankfulness each night.

Father God, help me trust your loving care for each day and seek your kingdom above all. In Jesus name. Amen

Hey Kids:

Has God shown you a purpose for your life? 

What talents do you have? Are you working to improve those talents for the Lord?

What are you noticing from God's creation? Does the behavior of the animals and plants help you see God's purpose for them? 

This week, try making a chart of the different birds you see returning to or passing through your area. What are you observing?

•  Are they searching for nesting places? What's in their beaks? 
• Are they in flocks, resting and scrounging for food before traveling on? 
• Are they going through courtship rituals? You may see a male cardinal feeding his female.

Keeping records of the migration and feeding habits of birds and other animals in your area is one way of learning to record and read statistics (math skills) or for little ones, it's simply learning to count, add, and record. 

Learning can be fun and interesting. 

Older kids may want to try drawing the birds and researching wing patterns and how they help birds fly. 

For more ideas on homeschooling with the birds, http://wonderfilleddays.com is my go-to resource. 

Blue Willow

 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.~Romans 8:28

Have you ever wondered how you would make it through life if you lost everything except your family and one special treasure?

Trumpet of the Swan

 

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

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

My friend posted a picture this week of a swan walking around Lake Junaluska, NC. Its majestic swagger was evident even in a still photo. I wondered if he was looking for a mate or a place to show her for a nest. 

I follow the Wonderfilled Days blog, and though I no longer teach or homeschool or even have children at home, I love reading her explorations and connections to children's literature. Part of her email this week was about The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. She brought to the reader's attention that at the end of most chapters Sam, posed a question, a thought provoking question. 

    "I don't know of anything in the entire world more wonderful to look at than a nest with eggs in it. An egg because it contains life is the most perfect thing there is. It is beautiful and mysterious. An egg is a finer thing than a tennis ball or a cake of soap. A tennis ball will always be just a tennis ball. A cake of soap will always be just a cake of soap until it gets so small nobody wants it and they throw it away, an egg will someday be a living creature."

~The Trumpet of the Swan

We value so many things, our grandmother's china cabinet, or our dad's '67 Mustang. We value the home run baseball signed by our favorite player and the concert tickets from that special night, but how valuable is a life? Tennis balls, fragrant soap, china, cars, signed balls, and tickets are just stuff, even those with memories attached are still just stuff, but an egg, any egg, is life itself. It will grow and transform into that beautiful cygnet, a bluebird, a salamander, or a platypus. Watching a mother robin tend her nest and seeing the newly hatched chicks is one of my favorite childhood memories. But these are not the only eggs that contain life. 

We may not be able to see a horse's egg or our dog's egg, or even a goat's egg, but they all originate from an egg. Nor can we see the human egg inside the mother's womb, but it is there growing with God forming the little person's every detail. He creates each human with love and a purpose. Whether there is only one child or twenty, whether the child is born into a family or adopted, a child is still created with purpose and loved by God. 

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. ~Psalms 128:3-5

So much is happening to destroy the lives of our children physically, mentally, and spiritually. The swan builds a nest six feet wide to lay her eggs and protect her cygnets. The cob (male swan) swims close by, guarding her and the young. Like swans, we need strong homes with watchful fathers and mothers who "fuss" over us.  I pray we watch carefully over our children from conception to their flight from our nests. 

Even when we read to our children, be aware. There's a tricky spot near the end of Trumpet of the Swans where the dad sacrifices the freedom of one of his children for his and the mother's freedom. I was shocked as I read this obscure passage near the end. I was shocked to see such great love and parenting end up in a sacrifice of convenience. 

Father, give us a new heart for children and families. Help us guard them against Satan's entanglements and create a home where the wonders of the Lord and His salvation are shared daily. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Hey Kids: 

Have you read The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White? Perhaps you have had it read to you. 

Did you notice the questions Sam thought of each night? 

He wrote them in a journal by his bed and pondered them as he went to sleep each night.

When he wondered about eggs, he also wondered how the bird knew how to build a nest. 

Take some time to go outside and watch as spring brings new life. Watch as the birds and insects, and other animals prepare homes for new life. 

Create a journal for your observations and questions. Add drawings or paste pictures. 

Ask for help finding literature about your questions. Add quotes from the literature or Bible verses that support your observations and questions.

Wonder at the wonderful world God has created for us to enjoy and teach us of His great love. 

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.

What Makes a Rainbow?

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

What beautiful days we have had this week. The winds of March are calming, and April showers have begun. I want to get outside, put my feet in the grass and my hands in the dirt. I want to cherish the blooms in the flower beds. I want to walk among the apple trees and smell the sweet fragrance. We walk among a rainbow every day, often without realizing it. But when those April showers come, and the sun shines through the droplets, we still stop in awe. We point. We take pictures. We ask our friends, "Did you see that rainbow yesterday?" Little children are even more mesmerized. I wanted to share What Makes a Rainbow? by Betty Schwartz and offer some ideas for using it with your youngest children.

A rainbow is God's promise to mankind after the flood that He would never destroy the earth by flood again. We still have horrible floods, but not one that covers the whole earth. Can you imagine how the earth was renewing itself after the flood? Springtime was bursting forth with hope everywhere.  Mrs. Schwartz's book also bursts forth with the colors of spring. At the top of each page is a ribbon with a color of the rainbow. The page is filled with things we see every day with that color. The first page is red, and the page has a red ladybug, strawberries, and a flower with red petals. Each page is the next color of the rainbow with large kid friendly illustration. The last page opens up with a pop-up rainbow with a sun. The mother bunny declares that now Little Rabbit knows what makes a rainbow - rain and sunshine. Though God is not mentioned, you as the parent, have a great opportunity to teach about the flood and God's grace. You also might use some or all of the suggestions below to help your child(ren) understand rainbows and colors.

• On a warm day, spray the water hose while the children run through. Point out the rainbow the water and sunshine create. Name the colors. Move the water and try again. Do the colors always line up the same way? 
• Help young children learn to identify colors by pointing out the things they see around them, both inside and outside, that match the colors in the book and in the rainbow they see in the water.
• Paint a rainbow. Pick up the 3 primary colors (red, yellow, blue), a paint brush, and a paint pad at the dollar store. Use a spray bottle to wet a piece of paper. (A little squirt on the child will bring giggles and get attention for the activity.) Pour the paint in little puddles on a foam plate. Help the child make a red arch at the top of the paper. Then, choose the yellow and make another arch close enough for the yellow to blend into the bottom of the red. Now the blue paint next to the yellow. Help the child see the new colors that the mixing makes. Finally, add red again under the blue. 
• Roy G Biv It's a little hard to see the indigo in the rainbow, but your older children may be able to distinguish it. Oh, R red, O orange, Y yellow, G green, B blue, I indigo, V violet. 
• Make the activities fun and fun of giggles. It shouldn't look like teaching. It's sharing memorable moments with your child. 

Heavenly Father, help us enjoy sharing your creation with our children. Help us show them what a wonderful God you are. Help us make memories with our children that will last a lifetime. In Jesus's name. Amen

Blessed is the Nation

 

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. ~Psalms 33:12

I love history, especially American history. Perhaps it's because I can "put my hands on it." I can visit the places, taste the food, and see the reenactments. Sometimes I get to participate in the reenactments. Being able to do all these things makes history real. It helps me remember. 

This year my home state of South Carolina is celebrating its 250th anniversary. Planning a vacation with all the celebrations should be simple. Yeah, right. There's always too much to choose from. As I planned, I could also see what types of literature lend themselves to exploring my state's history.

In the Hello U.S.A series, I found celebrations for each month in different parts of the state. January was the Cowpens Battleground. There's always a reenactment there; though it's not in the book, there's another reenactment at Walnut Grove Plantation in the fall. In May, Beaufort celebrates with a Gullah Festival. Have you ever heard someone speak Gullah? And in August, Georgetown moves further into SC history with the Blue and Gray Festival.

Food is always an important part of any state's history. I love cooking in an open hearth or over a campfire. One of the books also features Benne cookies brought to SC from Africa. I noticed there is a Peach Festival and a Chitlin Strut. Not sure I want to try chitlins but why not be adventurous?

Kate Salley Palmer is a SC author who wrote Frances Marion and the Legend of the Swamp Fox. This unique picture book for ages 8-12 takes readers into the swamps of SC with Frances Marion. There's a state park by that name located in Huger, SC. That will be a great place to hike but I better take the insect repellent.

Then there's Ford the Pacholet by Richard C. Meehan, Jr. It's a novel for ages 10-18. You won't find the name Pacholet on any map but you will find Pacolet. Pacolet is a river and a mill town in the Upstate. The book features adventure, romance, and the Catawba tribe during the Revolutionary War.

Now it's time to go explore. Were plantation houses first built as log cabins? Are there battlefields in my county or neighboring counties? What would a soldier have to know to forage for food during the war or his family at home? Is there a good place to find arrowheads? (Try looking in freshly turned fields along old trails and wagon roads. The Blackstock is a notable road in my area. It goes from the mountains to the sea.) I wonder what songs were sung around campfires? What are brush arbors and who led the revivals? Where are the old cemeteries located with Revolutionary and Civil War veterans?

There's so much to do and so much to see. What if I could time travel? Since I'm doing project-based learning perhaps I could write a piece pretending I traveled to Cowpens during the battle. I'd probably have to dig a little deeper to learn more of life in the 1700s.

I just ran across information on a famous pirate who was hanged in Charlestown in the 1700's! Ah but wait. We have a nation blessed by God for a purpose. The purpose of spreading the gospel, to love our neighbors whether they live near or across the ocean. To tell the next generation what God has done for us. If you've been taught history correctly, you know the Pilgrims came here for freedom to worship. We are His inheritance because He gave us a place to proclaim His salvation. 

When we vacation this year, dig a little deeper and see God's purpose in the history you see all around you.

Heavenly Father, help us not forget that we are blessed when You are our God. Just like Israel in the Old Testament, when we turn away only trouble will follow. You, Lord, chose this place for your people. Help me be ever mindful of Your goodness. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Perhaps you've visited many historical places and eaten the foods cooked over the fires. Perhaps you've seen muskets fired and smelled the powder. But what about the historical significance of the Bible?

Easter is fast approaching. Often churches produce Passion Plays to help people of today know what Jesus would have seen and felt in first-century Jerusalem. We see reenactments of the crucifixion. Reenactments make the history so much more real. 

There are places across the nation that give us visuals into Biblical history.

• The Creation Museum and The Ark Encounter (Northern, KY)
• Field of the Woods (Murphy, NC)
• The Book of Daniel or other Bible stories performed (Gatlinburg, TN and Lancaster, PA)

Perhaps your parents would like to add Biblical history visits to this year's vacation.

Patterns and Promises in Creation

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 KJV

 Fractals— never heard of them until this fall. Fractal is a comparatively new term coined in 1975 by Benoit Mandelbrot. It's from Latin meaning broken or fractured. We've always seen fractals, we just didn't use that term. God used fractals in Creation.

The Way of a Ship

 

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 recently, 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 not just for children but for 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 at night and throughout 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 threes.  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. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for your creation and the way You teach us about yourself. Thank you for giving us your guidance and direction through your word. Teach us to allow our lives to revolve around Jesus as He guides us through life's troubled seas. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

The Way of an Eagle

 

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 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 30:18,19

Have you taken children camping? The wide-open spaces are fascinating. This week we saw our grandchildren marvel at the rocks, the trees, the shapes of the clouds, the tiny schools of trout in the stream, and a "hawk" that landed late in the evening in a tree across the way.  Actually, I spotted it first and called the children, ages 8 and 4. Its wing spread must have been close to 3 feet. I felt like we were stepping into our own version of  Owl Moon. Since our grands had never been owling, silence was not part of their hunting technique. The bird flew off again. This time they saw the massive bird in flight. 

Slowly, quietly, we walked up under his new landing space, a large branch in an oak. I whispered, Let's observe the bird." We noticed the orange on his beak and talons. We saw a brown head, wings, and sparse tailfeathers of black, gray, and white. We saw it was not an owl but some sort of "hawk". He swooped down into some Virginia Creeper vines and then back up and away. We couldn't see if he took his prey. 

Back at the campsite, the eight-year-old drew the bird and then correctly painted the various parts. The four-year-old drew the bird several times as if making sketches for further reference. 

The next morning Papa called them to see the "owl". He had watched as a huge bird flew across the drive and landed in the tree above our camper. It seemed the "owl," "hawk" or whatever was back, sitting and watching, before swooping down again and away.  

What did the children learn? Observation skills, bird habits, vocabulary - talons and prey, combining shapes to make a recognizable picture, and probably lots more if I looked at the state standards for their age levels. 

What more could they learn? Bird identification, the lifecycle for this species, food chain, and prey. Older children might investigate flight, create models, and transfer their knowledge to build a mode of air transportation. History of flight.  Protection of endangered species. Speaking of endangered species -

What did we learn? Yes, we learned the bird we observed was a Golden Eagle, once endangered but now on the comeback. 

Our scripture says the man doesn't know the way of an eagle in the air. Neither did the Wright Brothers or DaVinci, but their observations and experiments have brought us into the space age. The Lord expects us to observe and wonder and research all that He has made to give us a better life and to give Him glory. 

Heavenly Father, help us not lose the marvel of a child in observing your Creation but to use it for the furtherance of your kingdom. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Windows of Learning (1)

 

But ask the animals, and they will teach you,

    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

8 

or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,

    or let the fish in the sea inform you.

9 

Which of all these does not know

    that the hand of the Lord has done this?

Job 12:7-9 (NIV)

I wonder what this boy is thinking. He's mesmerized by God's creation just outside his window. Can you see him in your mind looking back to see if anyone is watching? Then slipping through the window to discover something. Something really cool, forgetting all about the school lessons on his desk that need to be finished before supper. 

Why do we make learning so difficult? Watch, no, observe a child observing a bug, squatting down, focused, momentarily reaching out to touch it. Maybe just with a stick. Maybe prodding it with a finger or a toe. But the child is learning, discovering what God has created to show us about Himself. Will the child learn more from the books and papers on his desk? Can he learn the same material from the things he's discovering outside his window? I truly think he can and this is why. From Genesis chapters 1 and 2 we can observe these things. 

• God created the universe.
• God is in control of the universe.
• God created the universe to tell us about Himself.
• God wants us to learn about His creation.
• God wants us to have dominion over creation--that does not mean controlling but working with creation for our betterment and the creation. 

That little fellow who was observing the bug will likely tell on himself when he comes to supper full of questions about the things he observed. Mom, Dad, or siblings don't have to give him the answers. All that is needed is to point him in the right direction to find those answers with age-appropriate texts, (fiction and/or non-fiction), technology, a visit to a nature center, etc. In the meantime, what will he do? He'll likely collect that bug and draw a picture of it. When he reads about it he may use the text as a mentor text to write about his find. He may measure the length of his captor, count its legs, and observe its wings. He may figure out what it eats. All the while making notes so he can remember this especially cool bug. 

Has he learned anything important? Sure! Check out the standards for education in your state. SC standards can be found here: https://ed.sc.gov/instruction/standards-learning/ Check any grade level, including high school biology, and you will find he has met many of the standards with just this one bug. Check the English, Math, and Writing Standards as well. Maybe the bug has even played a role in history by immigrating to your area from some other part of the world during a particular event. He has integrated learning in all subjects with just one little bug. He has learned things he will never forget, including the memories he made with his parents, siblings, and friends. He won't dump this info as soon as the test is over. Oh, what test? 

If you included the Creation story in your discussions, you have implanted the Word of God in his knowledge, or perhaps the bug is a locust and there are also other Bible stories to go along with his studies.  Education is just outside your window or perhaps in your kitchen or garage or tool shed and it's never boring if we allow God's creation to lead the way. 

Heavenly Father, help us let Your Creation lead the way in teaching our children even the most complicated subjects because You are the ultimate Teacher. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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

The Stranger

 

 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ~Deuteronomy 6:6,7 (NIV)

Some of my favorite books are illustrated with photographs. Nature is my favorite subject. Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick do a great job of capturing nature and children in both story and photography.  Sharing books with our children is a great opportunity for prime time and to teach lessons in easy almost unexpected ways.  

Stranger in the Woods was my first introduction to Sams and Stoick's books.The animals discover a stranger in their woods one morning. When did he come? How did he get there? Two children built the snowman to provide for the animals in the cold snow of winter. The animals are afraid. Who would approach the stranger first? Would the others follow? 

At first a few animals followed the chickadee to the stranger. They found food from the snowman's head to his toes. Their joy in finding food encouraged others to follow. They were filled and went away thankful for the stranger.

How had the stranger provided the food for the animals? From his red hat and outstretched arms. Even his nose was edible. Food at the base also provided for those willing to dig deeper. The children know the snowman will melt as the weather warms but they plan to provide for the animals until then. 

So how can we use this story to help our children understand more about the way we can recognize the Lord in our everyday lives? 

Jesus is the visible part of the trinity sent as our "stranger". He came to give himself for us with outstretched arms and a crown of thorns. He is the very breath of Life, the bread of Life and the Water of Life for all who will come to HIm.  

One of the children asked how long they would feed the animals. The other replied with visions of springtime when the earth would be renewed. Jesus promises us a time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth. A place where there will be no more tears. Until then He will provide for us. 

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. ~Isaiah 65:10 (NIV)

Heavenly Father, thank you for providing salvation for us and supplying our every need. Thank you for your promise of eternal life in the new heaven and new earth. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

What stories have you read that you can relate to a Bible story? Some are easier to do than others. Other stories by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick would be good starters. Fairy Tales and poems are also easy to work with. Give it a try and let us know what you discover this week.

M Is For Manger

 

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

So many things compete for our children's attention. Sometimes we need to be purposeful even in the things we intend for enjoyment. There is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying time spent teaching our children. I recently ordered M is for Manger by Crystal Bowman and Teri McKinley. My grandchildren came to help decorate the tree and set up the nativity scene on the coffee table. Our youngest loves to pretend with figurines so she moved the people and animals around several times until she was satisfied she had them placed just right. Then the girls settled down to read. They chose M is for Manger. The oldest is nine. She read it alone. The little one "read" the pictures. Then I sat down to read the book to her. She made it all the way to V is for Village until she got sleepy. Then she jumped up and ran over to the tree to check on the decorations so she could stay awake! Even children are purposeful in their actions. 

My grandchildren and I found the pictures to be inviting. The words are easy for young readers and listeners and carry the message in rhyme well. There is also a scripture on each page to connect the story. As I read the book I tried to think how I could use it to make a lasting memory of scripture since so much of Christmas now revolves around the secular.

One of the ways I thought to use the book is to make it an advent story, reading one page of the story each day and then creating something from the page to hang on the tree.  Pinterest is full of Advent crafts for those of us who need a little help. The first page is A is for Angel. A child with the help of an adult could easily make an angel. B is for Believe. It may be a little harder to capture in an advent picture but maybe something like praying hands or something meaningful for your family could be a symbol for believe.

Each day the child(ren) could review the story using the ornaments before reading and adding to the story. After Christmas, box up the ornaments for next year. It's likely the children will enjoy pulling them out and remembering their Christmas advent crafts, adding new ones, and recounting the story for others. 

Another idea is to use the book with a child-friendly nativity set like my granddaughter rearranged for half an hour. Rehearsing stories in a hands-on way is always a great way to imprint a learning experience. 

In whatever way you choose to teach your children about Christmas, I highly recommend M is for Manger as part of your Christmas experiences. 

Christmas blessings,

Gail

Disappearing Words

 

In the backmatter of The Keeper of Wild Words Brooke Smith says she was inspired by an article that said the Oxford Junior Dictionary removed over 100 natural words because they felt the words no longer held relevance. They replace them with words like Chatroom, Analog, MP3 Player, Database, and Vandalism. 

What wild words did they replace? What are wild words? 

Some of the words no longer of relevance were:

• wren
• violets
• poppies
• blackberries
• acorn
• minnows
• beaver
• brook

Why were these words no longer relevant? Perhaps because children are rarely taken on walks or allowed to explore the Creation, to ask questions, to research the natural world. Most of their life is centered around technology. 

Words disappear if we don't share them when we talk.

If we don't write them in our stories.

If we don't read them in our books, 

If we don't use words, they can be forgotten. 

And if they are forgotten...

they disappear. 

~Brooke Smith

(emphasis mine)

In Deuteronomy 6:7 the Lord commands us to teach his word to our children. How? 

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them

diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.  ~Deutoronomy 6:6-9 ESV (emphasis mine)

Are we guilty of replacing God's word with other words? Are we teaching technology over the Word? What about sports words? Do our children know more about TV and movie characters than the real men and women, boys and girls whose true stories fill the pages of scripture? 

Maybe our answer to these questions is, "We take our children to church. Shouldn't they know?"  I know adults who have been in church all their lives but cannot retell a Bible story other than Christmas and Easter. Ask your children to retell the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors or the story of David and Goliath. 

As parents we are the keepers of God's words. The grandmother in The Keeper of Wild Words took her granddaughter for a walk and showed her the wild things that were being forgotten. With all the political correctness in today's world, it's not just the wild words that are being forgotten. It's God's word that is being forgotten. 

Father God, thank you that your word is settled in heaven and will never disappear. But we know it may be forgotten. Help us show this generation your word, your truth as we talk about it, read it, write it, and use it in our daily lives. 

In Christ Jesus name,

Amen

Hey Kids:

What is your favorite Bible story? How can you share it with others? Here's a few ideas.

• Retell the story to a friend, sibling, or perhaps a grandparent. 
• Draw a picture of the story.
• Write the story from the perspective of one of the characters.
• Read a story you are not familiar with.
• Apply the story to your life.

Do you know these real people with real stories to share? 

• Daniel
• Esther
• Moses
• David
• Noah

Share your favorites with us and others. 

Blessings,

Gail

Windows of Learning (2)

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40

Let's suppose you and your family were at the beach. You saw a large fish, maybe a dolphin,. Maybe a whale. Your children were curious about the type of fish. Maybe they knew the story of Jonah and the whale and were wondering if the fish they saw could swallow a person. Could it swallow them?