Apples, Anyone?

Currently, there's not much selling going on over at the website, but folks still go visit for the articles, so we'll just leave things be for now. There is a sense where you might say we've gone out of business, but the PayPal buttons remain for those items which are still available if anyone wants them. But as for the articles, this particular one still remains as one of the most popular, and one of my personal favorites from the long ago newsletter.

Thought it was a good time to remind folks of it, in case anyone stops by. I love this season of making apple cake, apple crisp, and apple pie. I would imagine you do too, and really, apples are quite healthy in more ways than you may think. Eating a fresh apple is one of the best things your children can do for their overall health. 

Happy cooking as we approach Thanksgiving. What goes better with this wonderful holiday than an apple pie?

Blessings,

Nanna Maxine

How to Miss a Childhood

I just ran across this interesting article but the use of phones with our children around, and it's VERY convicting. So I highly encourage people, particularly moms, to read it. It's well worth the time you take to ponder over this and pray about it. It can be applied in other ways too, and the bottom line is giving our kids the attention they need. Go here to the "Hands Free Mama" blog for this article.

Breanna's Friend

First, I want you to read this nice story to your children to help them to think about children with disabilities. Then, by linking you to this kids' blog at "Joni and Friends," I hope if you haven't been aware of it before, you will be now and will from time to time go to it with your own kids. It would be nice for them to see some of these short, sweet posts and hopefully find real situations to pray about. Maybe it will encourage them to want to reach out in some way someday. The article is here.

A Case for Childhood Devotions

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:14-15 (NKJV)

You are doing many things right. You have prayer with your children at bedtime. You take them to church and Sunday School. You have family worship, teaching and exhorting these precious ones whom you hold as a trust from Almighty God. If you are homeschooling parents, you have Bible class and you guide them in Scripture memorization. But I have a couple of questions which I believe are crucial: Do your children have personal devotions? Do they start at a young age, that is, as soon as they are able to read on their own?

If your answers to these questions are no, consider making it a priority in your family to begin this practice now. As important as a daily time with the Lord may be to you, view it as being just as essential in the lives of your children. "Why?" you ask. "I don't know if they're even converted!" That may be so, but it's my contention that whether they are saved or not is not the issue. The real issue is what will save them if they are not? And what will nurture them if they are? You know the answer, of course. It's basic to our faith and implicit in all our training. God's Word brings salvation and it is that very Word that brings growth. It's necessary at seed time and at harvest time. It's necessary for the adult and for the child.

From their newborn days, you nurture your children with their needed food. And when you do, you see your little bean sprouts becoming firm, sturdy plants. You and I know, however, that the needed food for their souls is the law of the Lord, which is perfect and "sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." (Psalm 19:10) So it is that God, in 1 Peter 2:2, tells His people "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby." Indeed, as we see over and again in Psalm 119 and elsewhere in Scripture, it is the means to their cleansing and the path to their heart. It's a requirement for all that we are trying to accomplish with them.

"That may be so," you say, "but isn't it enough that they hear the Word in church and Bible class and family devotions?" As I implied earlier, that's good and right if you're doing these things. Praise God. I pray that He'll provide more and more parents like you. But listen to my case just a little longer while I give you three specific reasons why I believe it's needful that your children have time in the Word that is personal and that they have it daily:

First, a relationship with God is personal. It's one on one. Sure, it's important that a family worship together, study God's Word together, and pray together. But eventually, each individual in the family has to meet God face to face. Someday, your children will have to answer to their Creator on a personal basis. They will need to come to grips with who Jesus is and what this means to each of them, specially. We all agree that your children need to be taught and given loving guidance, but we also know that there will be a day of reckoning which will take place solely between Susie or Joey and God. Personal devotions accentuate this fact, and the more often they take place, the better.

Second, one of our important duties, especially if we're homeschooling, is to help our children learn to read. It's one of the important areas of our parenting. Most of us have this view, as we know how vital this skill is to their futures. Soon after the attainment of some measure of ability, we encourage them in it. We give them good books, interesting books, to spur them on. It delights us when we see one of our little ones curled up in a corner reading something that has captured them. The point here is, as we encourage these private times with books, certainly we don't want to leave out the Bible! In fact, you probably already know that many great people in history who taught themselves to read, accomplished this by using the Word of God as their primary source. If you want to further advance their aptitude in this crucial area of life, then a daily time set aside in the Word, with added prayer, would surely be beneficial.

And third, having a set time of day for meeting with God in His Word helps build character. It's one more responsibility for them. It's a "promise" they need to fulfill every day. They will learn that they must be dependable and keep this "appointment" with the One who sees and hears all that they do. No one else can keep it for them. It's their duty and obligation to the Lord. You might also say that it helps them to learn a habit which will hopefully be with them all of their lives. Best of all, it's a habit which we can hope will lead them to God.

One more thing: While I am encouraging personal, even private, devotions for your youngsters, I am by no means negating the need for parental involvement. This is not only needful, but crucial. At some point after they've finished the day's devotions, talk to them about it. Ask what they learned in their time with God. Find out if they have any questions and provide any input that you think is necessary. They certainly will require your help. They only need to spend ten to fifteen minutes for their quiet time. For younger children, the time could be even less. It needn't be but two or three verses at first. When my girls were young, I "assigned" their verses by writing the dates and the assignments in a notebook for the one and on index cards for the other, with a question or two for them to answer on each passage. It takes a little time on your part, but it's worth it. Also, you might want to get your hands on a good children's devotional book to have around for times when doing it yourself would be too cumbersome.

Perhaps your children already have daily quiet times with Jesus. I hope so. But if not, consider prioritizing this addition to their lives for the reasons given. Maybe it's then and there that seeds will be planted in fertile soil. Maybe it's then and there that cultivation will take place. Maybe it's then and there that a harvest will come. Even if not, it is well worth the effort.

Lovingly, Nanna Maxine

(Note: This is an article found at the website. You can find more articles here.)

Apples, Anyone?

The article at the website about apples has always been one of my favorites. I guess it's because I like almost anything made with apples and also because they are indeed good for you. So now that we're right smack in the middle of the season when this great fruit is plentiful and economical, why not take a look at this article and the links it contains? Enjoy! Oh, it's here.


Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

Kids and Patriotism

It's that time of year again. Between Memorial Day and Independence Day many Americans get a little bit more of a touch of patriotism than at other times, except maybe September 11th. But are we really patriotic deep down within? And what exactly does that mean anyway? And the big question I have here is what do we teach our children about this? Are we biblical and patriotic at the same time? We had an article in our former newsletter back in 2008, but I think what it says is timeless, whether we're having an election or not. Please read it and perhaps there's something in it that you can use in your household and with your kids. Go here to read.

Gardening With The Kids

Some links for you about gardening with your kids. We highly recommend it! The article at our website should be a real help.

Happy spring! Trust us, it's here.

Gardening With Kids

In one of our 2008 newsletters, we had a delightful article on gardening with children, and somehow, to our dismay, the article was deleted. However, we still have the links which we had shared in that article and thought we'd give you a link to the page, as many folks are thinking about this topic now that we're coming out of the throes of quite a difficult winter.

Someone wrote us last week to say they had benefited from the article and also to send us a great link on herb gardening. So go now to our "Gardening With Kids" page and take advantage of the various links offered there.

By the way, above is a picture of my granddaughter who made a pretty good attempt at gardening that same year at the ripe old age of two!

Blessings,
Maxine

Childhood Devotions

How important is it to instill in our children a love for the Word of God? How important is it that they grow into adulthood having firmly established that the precious Word is a vital part of their lives? We at Speakable Gifts believe this is indeed a top priority in the raising of our children and we further believe that establishing a daily time for devotions is a primary means that can be used by God to accomplish this. If you would read my article entitled "A Case for Daily Devotions in Childhood" you'll understand better how we feel about this.

Also, we're excited to tell you that for a limited time, in honor of Cyber Monday which we missed, our child's devotional book Bright Gems for His Crown will be selling for only $8.50. That's a savings of $3.00 off our regular price!! And not only THAT, but for a short time only there will be free shipping on all retail orders, no minimum order amount. Now is that generous of us or not??

Please let this be known if you would, especially the offer on the devotional book. Perhaps it would be a nice gift to give to some of the children who are dear to you, while at the same time having spiritual implications for their future.

Many blessings,
Maxine

Children & Patriotism

This time of year two years ago, I wrote an article for our newsletter on the topic of instilling patriotism in children. It's now archived on our site and I thought I'd link to it here in case any of you would like to read it.

A blessed fourth of July weekend to all. Stay safe and healthy. Please enjoy your Independence Day, but remember that more importantly, it's the Lord's Day.

God bless, Maxine