Grandfather God

 A six year old boy named Aaron described God: "He's old. It's been a long time since he was a kid!"

His seven year old sister, Aubrey, offered a more specific portrait of God when she added, "He's like seventy or seventy-two. He's like everybody's grandpa in the whole world." Then she added thoughtfully, "except he's not our grandpa, he's our Father."

(Borrowed from Josh McDowell's Youth Devotions, copyright Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, 1997)

I found this very intriguing and it really got me to thinking. Somehow this little girl saw a distinction between God as a grandpa and as a father. And the thing is, she's correct, at least with respect to how we usually view what a grandfather does and what a father does. This particular devotion is entitled "Grandfather God" and it's for the date October 12th. As pointed out there, God isn't just a grandpa figure who gives us things and pats us on the head. He's not like our grandparents who usually don't discipline or punish us. God sees and knows our sin and He DOES discipline us for it.

But I would add, as our heavenly Father, He also provides for us and cares for our every need. We can be thankful for these things and we can hope and pray that earthly fathers who are raising their children would do likewise. We can hope they'll be like their heavenly Father as they raise their children. At least we can hope this for those Christian dads we know in our lives.

[This is a repeat of a former post.]

For This Child I Prayed

Did you, like Hannah, pray for your children? She made promises to God about the son she desired. What kind of promises have you made? Were they promises to be sure that the children would be educated, and well dressed, and excellent in music or sports? Or, like Hannah, have you made promises to give this child back to Him?

This lovely Bible Verse Print can be purchased here.

Lovingly, 
Nanna Maxine

An Apple a Day

So I opened a new album at the Facebook page in which I hope to put pictures of children with apples. There is no real purpose or message from this album except that I like apples and children and often they are pictured together. So I thought I'd just stop by here at the blog and say that, since this blog is being sorely neglected! A blessed day to anyone who reads this. :)

Lovingly,
Nanna Maxine

Try, Try Again

This lesson will never grow old or be out of date. The generations of the past needed to heed it and the generations of today and tomorrow as well.

Families at Worship

The other day I came across quite a few pictures at Pinterest of various paintings of families at church services together and I decided to add these to a few others I already had on the art board to open a new board called "Families at Worship." What a beautiful sight to see whole families together worshiping our great God and King! The new board is here if anyone is interested in visiting it.

Lovingly,

Nanna Maxine

Bright Gems Offer

Bright Gems for His Crown book

The Bright Gems book is once again priced down for the summer with free shipping as well. While our little home business is in fact winding down and will eventually be no more, we will still be offering this book, the one product which has generated the most interest through the years. Teaching children the love of Jesus and how to live in a way that pleases Him is timeless, so hopefully this book will be as well. It still seems many folk use it for family devotions with their various aged children and while this was not the original intent, it's surely fine with me! If you see this post and know anyone who may be interested, please pass this information on. Thanks! (Click on the picture caption above to go to the product page.)

Lovingly,
Nanna Maxine

Romp and Pray

"With my children I always aim for flexibility. I think a mother, especially, ought to learn to enter into the gayer moods of her children at the very moment when her own heart is sad. And it may be as religious an act for her to romp with them at one time as to pray with them at another." ~ Katy, from Stepping Heavenward

Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau

God Has No Grandchildren

Please teach your children they need new hearts if they are to go to heaven. Whether or not they are born to Christian parents, it's important for them to know THEY must repent and believe.

A young Girl's Natural Refuge

"A Mother's Reassurance" by Jessie Wilcox Smith

 “A young girl's mother is her natural refuge in every perplexity.” ~ From Stepping Heavenward

This is so often true. Not always, but so often it is, and when it is so, what a blessing for the young girl.

We Are His Hands

Amen! May we teach our children the truths of the gospel and then help them to understand that those who belong to Jesus are to be used of Him in this world.

Truth: A Royal Crown of Beauty

"Truth beautifies the one who lives by it. It sits like a royal crown upon the head of all who possess it. Nothings so beautifies the face as a noble heart and clear conscience." ~ From Beautiful Girlhood, Karen Andreola

Checkers, Finally

Finally, I have gotten to play checkers with my two oldest granddaughters and I had forgotten what a fun game it can be. What a nice, pleasant break from the electronic world and a walk down memory lane to days gone by. And the thing is--I hear they love it and play often together at home. I gave the middle girl one of those gift boxes with one hundred games in it for Christmas, and from what I hear, checkers is the one they play the most. In fact, I think it's the only one! Well, maybe eventually they'll venture out and explore some of the others in that box. Now, don't take this as a criticism of electronic games. I think they are quite fine (I play one of them myself), but it's not a good idea to have children hooked on them exclusively. Good old fashioned board games and good old fashioned outdoor games are a must in any child's life, in my humble opinion. And I am sure many others would agree.

Lovingly,
Nanna Maxine