Pedaling Faster

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: I Peter 3:12






My five-year-old grandson Lucas, rode his bike around and around on the paved driveway. Papa watched and smiled as he saw Lucas' skill as a biker growing. Soon he wouldn't need those training wheels. 

We can only guess what goes on in the mind of a five-year-old. Suddenly Lucas turned the bike off the pavement and down the terraced yard toward the garden he pedaled. Faster and faster until he jumped the huge terrace at the top of the garden. It was a Yee-haw moment. Then the crash landing. The bike lay on top of Lucas. I was the first to the scene as I was in the garden. I could see the bone as I lifted the bike. 

Papa gently lifted him and headed for the house. I ran to grab a cold pack to keep the swelling down. We laid Lucas on the couch and placed the cold pack on the arm before he could see the bone. "Gammaw, you gotta fix my arm." There were no tears, only the brave pleas of a little boy in pain. 

The Lord constantly watches over us. He proudly watches us grow in Him. Then we suddenly turn away and fly off into the lures of the world's excitement. Like Lucas, there's always some sort of crash landing. There we lay, praying for God to do something about our brokenness. 

I couldn't fix Lucas' broken arm. All we could do was call his mom and dad to take him to the hospital. The prayers of the surgeon and the family brought success in the surgery and in time, healing to the broken arm. God doesn't immediately heal our brokenness, but he knows how to hear our prayers and bind up our wounds. In time we will be well and hopefully wiser than we were before.

Hey Kids:

Daredevil moments are part of growing up, but considering the consequences is a sign of maturity. 

When we asked Lucas what he did when Papa called out to come back, he answered, "I pedaled faster." We all laughed at his little kid answer. However, it did show there was no remorse for his actions that scared us all half to death! Maybe we should keep a close watch on this little risk-taker. 

Do you have a story about the day you . . . ?
Would you do it again? Why or why not? 

What lessons is the Lord trying to teach you through consequences?

Hey Parents:
Maybe you have some stories to share as well. 
Let your little ones know you weren't/aren't perfect either. 
A good laugh at immature actions could produce better outcomes for our own children.

Following the Recipe

You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, Deuteronomy 30:8-9 NIV

This week we made playdough with our little ones. We were learning skills in measuring and following a recipe. We couldn't just use a 1 cup scoop and not fill it to the top. We couldn't substitute ingredients. We wouldn't put a cup of salt in a cookie recipe. Nor would we put a cup of sugar in a playdough recipe. Things just wouldn't turn out right. We had to follow the recipe "rules" to get a good outcome. 

As adults, we think nothing of following a recipe, but rules are a little trickier. Even as children we tend to be rule breakers. Rules, like recipes, are given to us for our best outcome. God's rules will keep us healthy and happy both physically and mentally even when we are in the midst of life's storms. Where can you find God's recipe for life? David declared he had hidden God's Word in his heart that he might not sin against God (Psalms 119:11). David knew following God would give his life the best outcome. 

Following God's recipe, rules, plan, whatever way you want to phrase it, still applies today. What other "rules" have you found in God's word that you are diligently following?  

Hey Kids:

Got a favorite recipe? Have you messed up a recipe? 
A friend of mine mistakenly put oil of cloves instead of vanilla in a banana pudding and invited the preacher to have some. Wonder if he followed the rule of being truthful? 

Please share your thoughts and recipes with us. We enjoy hearing from you.

Here's my school's no cook playdough recipe.

1 cup of salt
3 cups of flour
2Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup of water
2 tsp of oil
1 Tbsp of food coloring

Mix the dry ingredients and pour into the wet. Stir together then knead. 

Walk and Talk

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

It's back to school! 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 may 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