Jigsaw Puzzles

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

Isn’t that ever an important truth to teach our children? So many things in life, when taken alone, will never give us real insight into what God’s big plan is for us. His ways are right and good, though very often we're not able to see that rightness and goodness at a particular time. Some of those “things” are difficult and painful. Some bring joy and gladness. But if we are to trust this beloved passage of Scripture and embrace it, we have to believe it in the dark times as well as when the sun is shining.

Sometimes children go through darkness; life isn’t always bright and carefree for youngsters. There are times when sickness comes, either in their own bodies, or in that of someone dear to them. If you think hard enough, you'll even think of some children you know who are right now going through tough times.  Actually, there are often valleys which children have to go through, more than we may think, if it hasn’t touched our own kids’ lives yet.

I have a suggestion: use jigsaw puzzles as a means to teach this truth. How about finding one where the completed picture is one which will be pleasing to them, a picture of something they enjoy or like. Work on the puzzle together, pointing out that some of the pieces have colors which are not very attractive when taken alone. But then you can tell them how those particularly “unattractive” or darkly colored pieces are each a necessary part of the total. In fact, the finished work would be lacking without them.

My oldest granddaughters both like doing jigsaw puzzles and I LOVE doing them with them.The older one has done a few really complex ones all by herself. Both girls are delighted when they get one all finished and so are the rest of us.  I sure do hope they continue to enjoy doing these puzzles and that their parents will take every opportunity to help this activity teach them Romans 8:28. Hopefully, I can have some input too. Perhaps this will be an incentive for you to make use of this important tool for teaching many spiritual truths.

Lovingly,
Maxine, a/k/a Nanna 

Never Forget Free Pages

These notebooking pages are free today. Go here for more information.

Important in the Life of a Child

“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.” ~ Forest E. Witcraft

I stumbled upon this quote one day, knowing little of this man other than that he was a scholar, teacher, and scout leader. But what wisdom are in these words. They are particularly relevant to parents and teachers, but they should be remembered by all of us. Even after we’ve raised our own children and retired from our occupations, we can still make a difference in the life of a child. From our homes, if we can scrape up a few dollars a month to sponsor one in another country, or even talk a bit to the neighborhood children, who knows what good we can do for the future of not just our own country, but the world? After all, that future is in the hands of today’s children.


And you know that the most good you can do is to help point them to Jesus, who is the only hope for the future everywhere. We can point our children and grandchildren to Him; we can point our students to Him; we can speak of Him to the children out on the streets after we befriend them; and we can support Christian organizations that are serving Him by ministering to the needy little ones.

I need to be more diligent in being “important in the life of a child” in the ways that matter most. Do you?

Lovingly,

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

The Roots of a Family Tree

"The roots of a family tree begin with the love of two hearts." (source not known)

I just posted this photo and quote at the HCG Facebook page because after seeing this quote, it reiterated for me how important this truth is. As we think about the spiritual and moral growth of children, I daresay we can feel fairly confident that this best happens in the confines of a loving and caring marriage of the dad and mom. And the hope of a child having a good family tree, a subject we touched on not long ago, starts with good marriage. Now that's a precious truth indeed.

Praying all dads and moms will nurture their married relationship first and give it their top priority. It was ordained by God you know.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

Follow God's Plan of Training

XIII. Train them remembering continually how God trains His children.

"Now God the Father is ever training the members of this family for their everlasting abode with Him in heaven. . .Reader, if you would train your children wisely, mark well how God the Father trains His. He doeth all things well; the plan which He adopts must be right.

"See, then, how many things there are which God withholds from His children. Few could be found, I suspect, among them who have not had desires which He has never been pleased to fulfill. . .

"See, too, how often God leads His people by ways which seem dark and mysterious to our eyes. . .

"See, also, how often God chastens His people with trial and affliction. He sends them crosses and disappointments. . .

"I ask you to lay to heart the lesson which God's dealings with His people is meant to teach you. Fear not to withhold from your child anything you think will do him harm, whatever his own wishes may be. This is God's plan.

"Hesitate not to lay on him commands, of which he may not at present see the wisdom, and to guide him in ways which may not now seem reasonable to his mind. This is God's plan.

"Shrink not from chastising and correcting him whenever you see his soul's health requires it, however painful it may be to your feelings; and remember medicines for the mind must not be rejected because they are bitter. This is God's plan.

"And be not afraid, above all, that such a plan of training will make your child unhappy. I warn you against this delusion. Depend on it, there is no surer road to unhappiness than always having your own way. . . To be indulged perpetually is the way to become selfish; and selfish people and spoiled children, believe me, are seldom happy."

~ From The Duties of Parents, J. C. Ryle (See our first post in this series)

[If we believe God loves His children, isn't He the best example for us? In this section there's a lot of food for thought along the same lines which of late have been brought out in quotes at the Facebook page.  This theme of not giving children all their wants and desires is almost as important as the one of not withholding correction. You'll be further impacted when you read the portions I left out. ~ mr]

 

Happy Labor Day

(Image from Snoopy on Facebook)

Hope you have a great Labor Day! Thankful for all the hard workers who helped make our country prosperous.

C. S. Lewis, a Christian Hero

There are some things you may or may not know about Clive Staples Lewis, a/k/a "Jack" by his family and friends, a/k/a C. S. Lewis by the world at large. Did you know he lost both his mother and his wife from cancer? Did you know that as a result of his mother's death when he was still a boy, he became an atheist? Did you know he became good friends with J.R.R. Tolkein, author of The Lord of the Rings? Did you know he died on November 22, 1963, the same day President John Kennedy was assassinated? These and other details of Mr. Lewis' earthly journey would probably be of interest to your children!

And, of course, the most interesting part of his journey to tell them would be that which took him from atheism in his youth to salvation in his maturity, the man who continues to bless Christianity through his writings. This man, who as a young boy said there couldn't be a God when his mom died, has left a legacy of brilliance in such writings as The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and, of course, the Chronicles of Narnia.

What might the children in our lives learn from Mr. Lewis? Perhaps you'll agree with me that it would be quite worthwhile to delve into his life a little with them. I have in my possession little publications dated in 2005. They're called "Glimpses for Kids" ; they were colorful little worship bulletins put out by Christian History Institute. I'm not sure if they're still being published, but it would be worth looking into. The one about Mr. Lewis is Issue #27 and it's great. At the moment, I'm looking at a "Narnia Criss-Cross" puzzle on the back. Actually, all of these bulletins are really informative for kids, all giving interesting facts about Christian heroes from our past nicely laid out for young folks. I wanted to pass that on to you, but in the meantime in this cyber age, I have a link to Church History for Kids at christianity.com which has an excerpt from that bulletin.

I'm really thankful for God's gift to us of people like this man and many others. While Lewis was by no means perfect, there is much to be gleaned from reading about him. I don't know anyone who's read the above book, but from the reviews it seems it's for young readers, and that the author doesn't tamper with his Christian faith. So you might want to look into that too.

Please enrich your children's minds by telling them about these people who accomplished much for our Christian faith. You can't go wrong.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

The Defiance of the Dragonfly

 

O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions--Psalm 104:24

The above creature is a dragonfly. If you were to study the intricate and sophisticated system that is built into its design, you would agree with the video I saw a few years ago. This creature, and many others, defy evolution. The earth is full of them. The earthworm, the elephant, the beaver, the giraffe, the woodpecker, the hippo, the lowly sparrow, and on and on--they are all incredible. Their structures are just remarkable. And how could they live for one minute without all of the components being fully functional at the same time? How did these intricate designs come to be? By chance? Random process? Naah!!! You have to come up with something better than that! I choose to believe the only logical explanation. 

Back in 2007 I posted about this at my devotional blog. At that time, my oldest  granddaughter was learning the first question to the children's catechism. Who made you? it asks. I'm very thankful that she learned the only rational answer: God. What else could it be? Next she learned the second question: What else did God make? And the answer to that one is also the only reasonable one: God made all things. May she embrace this fully in her life is my prayer. 

 So, folks, I present to you the dragonfly. I suggest you and your kids read up on him and the way he is designed. He defies evolution. 

[Now I can't remember the name of that video and who made it, but if I find out I'll include it here as a postscript. For now, I did look up and find this series of videos here but I don't know much about them.]

Apparently we watched the same series, but it was Number III rather than the above link. I would imagine they're all good. The link to Number III is here then.

Young Shoulders

If you haven't figured it out by now, let me tell you that I love quotes. Always have and because of that, I have quite a library of them. The one liners that pack in a wealth of truth are priceless. So are the one liners that set us to thinking, like the one posted here yesterday.

Above is another goody. Basically, the truth certainly is that we can't expect adult thinking and behavior from children. That should and of necessity will come slowly over a long period of time. So your children are just that; they are young. Don't expect them to think and act like they are grown people.

This is what I like to see: Young heads upon old shoulders. In the right time and place, maybe more of us need to get down on their level and enjoy the kids in our lives. There are times when it would do us a world of good to be like children and not just have fun with them, but view the world with the awe and wonder they often do.

Have fun.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

The Ancestors to Come

"When I grow up, I want to be an ancestor." ~ Unknown

When I first saw this quote last week, its implications hit like a ton of bricks. Oh my. If you're a parent, grandparent, Sunday school teacher, or in some other ministry to children (even as an aunt, uncle, or friend), do you feel the "weight" of this quote? Actually, who said it is apparently not known. I guess we can suppose it was intended to be cute or clever; that's not for certain. But from my viewpoint, it's one of the most powerful statements ever about the importance of the younger generation.

You see, this is a statement any child could make. They could make it now in the twenty-first century, and they could have made it years ago in the first century. Not only could they say they want to be an ancestor when they grow up, but if God spares them, in all likelihood they will be one. And what does that say to us who are involved in their lives at the present? What responsibilities for the future does this lay on our shoulders as to what kind of "ancestor" any given child will be?

Dearest ones who read these words, I hope this impacts you, as it does me, regarding the effect our dealings with the young ones in our midst will have on the future of our family, the Church, our country, and so on. Whatever effect our forebears have had on us, and I contend that has been significant, that very well could be the level of effect today's generation will have on those to come. And our impact as adults in their lives should never be taken lightly.

You realize this is no small matter. You read the news. You see what's happening in our society and in the world. I pray we can have some future effect as a stumbling block and/or a blessing. May it be that might come about by us making a difference for good in the lives of the ancestors who are to come.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

Lady Jane Grey, a Christian Heroine

Have your children ever heard of Lady Jane Grey? Do they know anything about her? Do they know that this young girl, at the age of fifteen became queen for nine days? But more important than that, I wonder how many of our children today know that this young girl was later beheaded for her Christian faith. She was just sixteen.

I would encourage you to tell your children stories like this. It can't be stressed how important this is in the day we're living. It's so important that our kids have a happy childhood and that they have things to enjoy. It's good for them to have their times of play and enjoyable activities. But please, dear ones, don't allow them to go without knowing about people like Lady Jane. And there are many others who courageously faced death for what they believed about Jesus. May our daughters especially learn about young ladies such as this, as they see a much different kind of "heroine" dangled before their eyes by the entertainment world.

We don't know what lies ahead. We don't know what the next generation will face. Please prayerfully prepare them for whatever might come. This is a burden of my heart and I pray you'll take it as just that, and not a rebuke. For the love of Christ. For the love of His kingdom. And for the love of your children.

You can read her story and many others here.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

Withhold Not Correction

XII. Train them with a constant fear of over-indulgence.

"Spoiling is a very expressive word, and sadly full of meaning. Now it is the shortest way to spoil children to let them have their own way,--to allow them to do wrong and not to punish them for it. Believe me, you must not do it, whatever pain it may cost you unless you wish to ruin your children's souls...

"Fathers and mothers, I tell you plainly, if you never punish your children when they are in fault, you are doing them a grievous wrong. I warn you, this is the rock on which the saints of God, in ever age, have only too frequently made shipwreck...

"You must not give way to every wish and caprice of your child's mind, however much you may love him. You must not let him suppose his will is to be everything, and that he has only to desire a thing and it will be done. Do not, I pray you, make your children idols, lest God should take them away, and break your idol, just to convince you of your folly...

"Learn to say 'No' to your children. Show them you are able to refuse whatever you think is not fit for them. Show them you are ready to punish disobedience, and that when you speak of punishment, you are not only ready to threaten, but also to perform...

"Reader, if there be any point which deserves your attention, believe me, it is this one. It is one that will give you trouble, I know. But if you do not take trouble with your children when they are young, they will give you trouble when they are old. Choose which you prefer."

~ From The Duties of Parents, J. C. Ryle (See our first post in this series) 


[Obviously, I have left out many points from this section. I encourage you dear parents to read them. Read the Scriptures on correction that Mr. Ryle lays out before us; read the woes of Eli and David he sets before us as warnings. Read his many words about taking our tenderness and affection for our children too far. In my opinion, this is the most important section in the book and as he said, it's the area of parenting that all too many have "made shipwreck. And may God help us all. ~ mr]

Feeding the Lambs at VBS

We're having VBS at our church this week and the theme is "Walking With God." There is a different person each day who the children are studying for this theme. Monday was Enoch, Tuesday was Noah, today was Moses, tomorrow will be Hezekiah, and then it all wraps up with Jesus. Just wanted to show you the memory verses. We have feet and footprints all over the church at various places! And lots of decorated flip-flops!!

As we minister to these children from the neighborhood and nearby towns, I think of a quote I recently read by George Morrison:

". . . And then this ever-deepening impression is crowned when Christ is risen from the dead. "Simon, Son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" "Yea, Lord"; then, "Feed my lambs." Then twice over Simon was bidden feed the sheep. That repetition has the note of urgency. But it is not the sheep that are first mentioned, mark you. First of all is "Feed my lambs." Still in the forefront of the love of Jesus, unchanged by Calvary and by the grave, still deep within His heart, there are the children. My brother and sister, there are many voices that say to us today, "Amuse the children." But this is the glory of the love of Christ that its command is "Feed the children." 

~ From Meditations on the Gospels (this on Matthew 18:2: "And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them." )

May it be so, Lord.

Romp and Pray

"The Shell" byWilliam Adolphe Bouguereau, 1871

 "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 by Elizabeth Prentiss

Tell it To Even a Little Child

I just pinned this on Pinterest and posted on Facebook. I think it's such a powerful quote. It's from Mr. Morrison's book Meditations on the Gospels. This was an excerpt from his section on Matthew 18: 2. Something for us all to remember.