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.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Psalm 136:1

Try, Try Again

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again;

'Tis a lesson you should heed, try, try again;

Then your courage should appear,

For if you will persevere,

You will conquer, never fear, try try again.

~ T.H. Palmer

Helping First World Children

Image borrowed from World Vision Facebook

May I remind you once again of a way you can help your children think outside of themselves and curb the whining spirit and selfishness so often found in first world families? If you can at all make the sacrifice and find some "extra" funds somewhere, perhaps you as a family can sponsor a child. You can not only give to a needy one somewhere else, but teach your own young ones about the living conditions there, pray diligently for that sponsored child, even put up pictures to help those in your house remember the plight of someone else, and also remind them without lecturing that they have much to be thankful for. Sponsoring through World Vision or some other worthwhile Christian agency is a great option to achieve all these things. But most importantly you'll be fulfilling the Lord's commands found throughout Scripture not to forget the poor and needy. More information can be found here.

Lovingly,
Nanna Maxine

Jesus Loves Me!

A cute little girl singing the song children loves best. What can be better than that?

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

The Soul of a Child

The soul of a child is the loveliest flower

That grows in the garden of God.

It climbs from weakness to knowledge and power,

To the sky from the clay and the clod.

To beauty and sweetness it grows under care,

Neglected 'tis ragged and wild,

It's a plant that is tender and wondrously rare,

The sweet wistful soul of a child.

Be tender, O gardener, and give it its share,

Of moisture, of warmth, and of light,

And let it not lack for painstaking care

To protect it from frost and the blight.

A glad day shall come when its bloom shall unfold,

It will seem that an angel has smiled.

Reflecting a beauty and sweetness untold

In the sensitive soul of a child.

~ Author Unknown

Savior Like a Shepherd

Give Me Oil In My Lamp

He's Got the Whole World

Just a reminder!

Standing in the Need of Prayer

This is perfect for today, especially in light of the happenings in Oklahoma.

The Busy Little Bee

How doth the little busy bee

Improve each shining hour;

And gather honey all the day,

From every opening flower!

How skillfully she builds her cell,

How neat she spreads the wax!

And labors hard to store it well

With the sweet food she makes.

In works of labor or of skill,

I would be busy too;

For Satan finds some mischief still,

For idle hands to do.

In books, or work, or healthful play,

Let my first years be passed;

That I may give for every day

Some good account at last.

~ From "Little Susy's Little Servants"

by Elizabeth Prentiss

"This Is My Father's World"

Very precious. And what I really like is that it's in China. God bless her.

O How I Love Jesus

Such wonderful words for your family to learn together, especially the kids. Enjoy and turn up.

East or West

East or West,

Home is best.

~ Henry Bohn

Isn't that the truth? And all the more when God is ever present there. May these be the sentiments of you and your children.

There is a Green Hill Far Away

 

There is a green hill far away,
Outside a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell,
What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.

He died that we might be forgiv’n,
He died to make us good,
That we might go at last to Heav’n,
Saved by His precious blood.

There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven and let us in.

O dearly, dearly has He loved,
And we must love Him, too,
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.

~ Cecil Frances Alexander

This song is a wonderful one to teach children on this Good Friday, but then again, to teach them at any day of the year. It was written by Cecil Frances Alexander, and she was a lover of children. Christian Heroes come in many forms and here we have another one. Read more about Mrs. Alexander here.

 
 

I Come to the Garden Alone

I honestly can't think of too many better things these young people could be doing with their time. Lovely harmony.

Sunbeams and Sunshine

King words are like sunbeams

That sparkle as they fall;

And loving smiles are sunshine,

A light of joy to all.

~ Anon.

Jesus Loves Me

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to him belong,

They are weak but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

~ Anna B. Warner

Could we all say a hearty thank you to Anna Warner for this wonderful hymn? And her sister too. Miss Warner's sister Susan also was a writer and this text was a part of a novel they wrote together called Say and Seal. The book was a very good seller in their day (in the nineteenth century). Actually the words of this hymn were a poem which one of the characters in the story spoke as comfort to a dying child. They're wonderful words and how blessed these two sisters would be if they knew the impact they would have down through the years. If you'd like to be blessed, read about the lives of Anna and her sister Susan. You will be struck by the richness of lives such as theirs. 

Stories abound about this hymn. You'd be surprised at the number of adults for whom it remained a favorite, such as Francis Schaeffer. The most enthusiastic singing would come at our church's nursing home ministry when this song was sung. As Mr. Schaeffer has said, while people need intellectual answers to their questions, they also need a direct message to their heart. "Jesus Loves Me" does that. It speaks directly to the hearts of young people, but also to us of all ages.

I firmly believe, as did the Warner sisters no doubt, that what we learn as children is best learned. While salvation is from God, and cannot be passed on by us, the truths that lead to a person's conversion can be firmly implanted in childhood and who knows when and how God will use them.

So teach your children these truths. Teach them that the love of Jesus is the best love there is.

Lovingly, Maxine a/k/a Nanna