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.]

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This lesson will never grow old or be out of date.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.

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.

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

Christmas Cards

“May your Christmas be filled with Joy & Gratitude because of all that Christ has given you.”

I have fond memories of those precious days when my family, by all standards a poor one, could buy Christmas cards "dirt" cheap and mail them for only a few pennies. We sent out and received so many that the postman would come twice a day during that final week before Christmas. I remember as a child having cards on all the doors, across the walls, on furniture, wherever we could find. We needed little to make us happy as children. I wish the same could be true of the children today.

Teaching children to be happy with the small things of life will be one of those "treasures" you can give them that will reap bountifully in their adult life. 

Lovingly,

Nanna Maxine

Too Busy

"Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night." ~ Anon

 

Artist: Jessie Wilcox Smith

Sweet Little Nurses

"Nursing is all about touching lives, and lives touching yours along the way." ~ author unknown 

 I just created a new album at the Facebook page by this title and also started a new board at Pinterest entitled "Little Nurses." Guess my inspiration this time was pretty much personal, as my daughter is graduating from nursing school next week and I wanted to give her some quotes for inspiration. And what better pictures to go along with the quotes than little ones pretending to be nurses or interacting with them. There are so many pictures out there, especially vintage ones! And you know how I am about vintage. 

God's blessings to all who stop by here. Life is so busy; that same daughter is getting married Labor Day weekend and Facebook and Pinterest do get my attention first, so sometimes I forget about this little blog. But I don't want to let it die. Not yet. 

Hope all is well with those who still love blogging-- keep up the good work wherever you are letting your voice be heard. May God use it. 

Lovingly, Maxine

Show Hope

This very nice picture and verse is from a wonderful page on Facebook which HCG follows. This organization, like we do, has a heart for adoption and the many children who have need of homes. I would encourage anyone who has any interest in this area to not only follow the Facebook page, but do whatever may be in their power to support it and help it. The best way any child in need of a home can be helped is, of course, by finding a forever family. But there are many other ways to help even if you're not able to provide that way. And we all know we can always provide prayer support. Go visit the page here when you have a chance. Warning: the page is overrun with adorable children!

How Manifold Are Your Works O Lord

"O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures." Psalm 104:24

Amen. May our children learn and know the truth of these words and worship the One who created all these things.

Blessings,
Nanna Maxine

Prayers for Each Day

Tuesday Ironing Day 
"Dear Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have collected though the years so that I may see the beauty in others."

I found the sweetest little prayers in a search for something else and liked them so much that I'm pairing them up with cute pictures at the Facebook page. Here we have one of the prayers and one of the pictures. I would think it's a good idea for our children to know how to iron. I would hope that is a "skill" that would still come in handy for girls AND boys.
But even more, I would hope to see the young people I love to indeed get rid of unhealthy and ungodly prejudices.

Much love,
Nanna Maxine

Do What is Right

And one of the things important to remember is that it's always right to help the poor and needy. World Vision can help you to do that. And thank you, Dr. King, for many wise and true words which you have left behind for us all.

Baby in the Cradle

During this season of so much attention on this baby in the manger, let's not forget this wonderful quote.  Teach them, starting even when they're in the cradle, the truths of the Babe who was born a King. Teach them of their need for Him.

No Joke

 (Image source here)

Have you ever read any of those cute little prayers from children? This one is priceless:

Little boy's prayer: "Dear God, Please take care of my mommy and daddy and sister and grandma and grandpa. And please, God, take care of Yourself, or else we're all sunk!"

This was a "joke" on one of those perpetual calendars I used to have, but these childish words are no joke. They are good sound theology. Without the Lord God Almighty, this whole universe is done. We're all sunk. But God is perfectly capable of taking care of Himself along with the rest of us.

Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. I Chronicles 29:11

He Cares For You

Of all the truths we can teach our children, this is far at the top. In the day and age we find ourselves, with the level of evil all around us, and so much more, teach them to cast their cares upon Jesus please.

Romans 8:28 Quilt

Inspired by a Keys for Kids devotional for June 1, 2015, I really liked the image of a quilt to illustrate this biblical truth. In the past I always have explained it to children with a jigsaw puzzle, but I like the quilt image just as much.

Nanna Maxine

For Better or Worse in Friendship

"A person is made better or worse by his friends." ~ Beautiful Girlhood, Karen Andreola

So true. A reason to be so careful in choosing friends. Oh what a lesson for our young people to learn.


Painting by George Elgar Hicks

Love Me

I hope each of us will remember this Swedish Proverb. It can be applied in so many ways, but particularly to our own children, and children in general. I know some folks personally who are having to apply this in some very difficult circumstances.

Something to Remember

I'm continuing to collect quotes from "Leave it to Beaver" as time allows for me to watch episodes. Some of them are gems, as you well know, and many are funny. Here's another one. They're pretty popular at the Facebook page, which isn't surprising.