Hands Beautiful

 "Then Jesus drew the little children to Him, and blessed them, but He did more than that. It has sunk deep into the memories of the evangelists that in blessing them He laid His hand upon them. . . It was an act of the sweetest and most natural tenderness, the gentle and caressing touch of love. When He laid His hand upon the infant's head, He was laying it upon the mother's heart. Do you think these mothers ever would forget it? Some of them would see that hand again. It would be pierced then, streaming with red blood, and they would say, 'Look! that hand was once laid upon my child.' Behold His hands, then, they are hands of power, but the mothers could tell you that they are hands of tenderness."

Excerpt from "Hands Beautiful," Meditations on the Gospels by George Morrison

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all as we celebrate God's gift of His Son. Remember His purpose in coming. Believe in Him.

A Child's Actions

Post by Welcome Home.

"Even a child is known by his doing; whether his work be pure or whether it be right." Proverbs 20:11 

Another share from a Facebook page. Isn't it wonderful? There is little else that can be said for this photo.

Childhood Glimpses: Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges is one of three examples of children having courage to do right things in the face of wrong which I posted at the Facebook page this morning. For anyone who doesn't know, a daily prayer is posted there each morning as the first post of the day. These prayers are based on the daily devotionals from the Bright Gems book. Day 16 is "Having Courage" and we're in the first month of the sequence, which devotional is about Daniel having courage to do the right thing. So today's prayer, based on that, is asking the Lord to give our children and grandchildren the courage to do right.

I can think of no better example than this child, from a very difficult time in our country. This is a great painting by Norman Rockwell of this courageous little girl, just six years old. 

I found this article written by Ruby many years later, where she was looking back and reflecting on all that had happened during her childhood. Not many of our children will be called upon to do what she was, but we hopefully will teach them, as Ruby's mother did, that they have the power of prayer to help them through in the face of hard things when others wrong us. The Lord can surely help them to do right.

Trusting in God,
Nanna Maxine

Bright Gems Online Special

Speakable Gifts has a special going on of the Bright Gems book. It's being offered here, at Pinterest, and at Facebook. The price is $7.50. This is the best price that's been offered and shipping is free! And besides that, it comes with a free download of the BG Notebook. The link is here.

Keep Those Lips From Slips

Photo:Broderbund

If you lips would keep from slips,

Five things observe with care;

Of whom you speak; To whom you speak,

And how and when and where. ~ Anon

We've been talking a bit about the use of the tongue at our Facebook page and this poem fits right in. And isn't he too cute? Broderbund's title for this photo was "Whoops." :)

Nanna Maxine

Fanny Crosby, a Christian Heroine

(Image: Wikepedia)

Oh what a happy soul am I!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.

How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't;
To weep and sigh because I'm blind
I cannot nor I won't.

Fanny Crosby wrote this poem when she was but eight years old, and what a wonderful example and testimony she is to our children. I encourage you, no implore you, to read Fanny's biography to your children and sing some of her many hymns together. She lived a long and fruitful life, despite her handicap. In fact, I often think her life would not have been so fruitful without it. God knows exactly what He's doing and how to bless His saints. And indeed He did bless us through the life of this woman.

I wish the "Glimpses for Kids" by Christian History Institute were still available but as far as I know, you can no longer get the little church bulletins by that name. If I ever find out they're still available anywhere I'll be sure to pass that info along. But the text for the various biographies from those bulletins, written for children to read, are still available online and Fanny's is here. These excerpts from the bulletins do not include the graphics and puzzles but at least they can be printed out and read. 

Please talk to your kids often about the Christian heroes of the past. Believe me, they need to hear these things. Just turn on your news for five minutes and you'll have no doubt as to why.

Nanna Maxine

A Daughter Is...

 "A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future." ~Author Unknown

Photo by Peter Bacler

It's a Wonderful Life

There is so much I could say about this movie, as most of us could, but the word that comes most to my mind is the word "tradition." For our family, this movie has been a tradition, and while some of its themes are indeed adult, for my children that was never a problem. After all, this is a fantasy story, and what child doesn't appreciate that?

Family values come through loud and clear and when George Bailey goes off the "deep end," what brings him back to the reality of just what it is in life that's important? Yes, his wife and children. 

It's one of those films where you can say many of the lines with the actors, you've seen it so often. It enriches our home as we listen to the sounds while we do our baking, or wrap the gifts, or trim the tree. Well, it's a major part of Christmas around here, that is, the traditional part.

As with everything we do these days of holiday preparation, we just need to make sure that Christ does not get lost in the shuffle. 

But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a little excursion into this little small town and its people. 

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna