As A Little Child

Tuesdays are my piano teaching days. I have four students, and I like to call myself the "travelling teacher" because I go to the student's homes to teach them. We have a great schedule worked out that allows me to visit each home for a 45 minute lesson and even get to work on time at 2:45.

In the middle of that busy, ram-the-roads day, I take my lunch to a local park. It is in a pretty secluded spot, and while there are a few others there on lunch break sometimes, it is often a quiet place where I have a half hour to enjoy the peace.

The scenery lately has been beautiful. Situated on a river, the leaves peaked in their full autumn glory and the acorns have fallen thick on the ground. There is park benches and a swing set that always sit empty, squirrels darting back and forth beneath.

But not this day.

I saw his face as his mom parked their car beside mine. He didn't seem to see me, his only purpose was to get out of the car as quickly as he could.

I didn't hear any words exchanged between his mother and himself. She didn't instruct him on what he could and couldn't do. He merely exited the car. No words were needed.

He ran across the grass as fast as his un-coordinated legs would take him. He waved his hands in the air with excitement, then grasped the swing and carefully balanced on the seat. He began to pump his legs and go higher. Gaining full balance and control he again waved his hands in the air, overcome with excitement.

"Whee!!"

A smile on his face, pure joy emanating from his entire being.

And he kept swinging. Back and forth, back and forth...with no signs of growing tired. In fact, he was still there, still overjoyed, when I left for my next lesson.

Watching him brought a smile to my face. The happiness was contagious. I don't know what others around were thinking. Some gave him strange looks...after all, it is a little out of character to see a grown man, nearly 6 feet tall, swinging in a park. It took a second glance to realize the truth: that the grown man we saw had a mind as a little child.

As I watched him, I was reminded of how we look in the eyes of God.

We try to look and act grown up. We're adults, after all, and we bear the weight of the world on our shoulders. We have responsibilities, burdens, appointments and schedules.

But when we come before God, it must be as a little child.

The boy on the swing helped me see what that means.

His life may not be easy. Depending on his comprehension, it may be very difficult and frustrating at times. But none of that was visible. Only pure joy, not worried about what had happened that morning or what might happen later in the day, or week...or lifetime. Just complete trust, faith, and joy that wasn't dependent on his circumstances.

And that is the attitude I want to have.

Not an attitude that ignores responsibility or doesn't "man up" to things that need to be done. But the child-like faith that just trusts God to work things out and have things under control. The child-like faith that is joyful, not based on circumstances, but based on my God who holds all of us in the palm of His hand.

And so to the boy on the swing...thank you.
To the mother waiting patiently in the car...thank you.
And to the Holy Spirit who convicts our hearts and shows us these areas we need to grow...thank you.

I'm looking forward to my next day in the park.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:4

Linked up to: Weekend Wind-Down

Feelings of Inadequacy

Do you see this, friends? This is my name. In print. As a conference workshop speaker.

I'm sitting here at Starbucks finishing up my notes for the workshop, because ohmystars it is this Friday and wow, that came fast. I've only known about it since April, haha. They asked me to do a workshop on blogging for a group of Christian writers, and I'm all like, why me? I think I am the smallest most insignificant blog on the planet, and they want me to speak about it?

The notes came together pretty well - I have a whole board of blogging tips to refer to, plus an amazing network of other bloggers that have helped me along the way. I even have a simple slideshow and handouts and that part is easy. But now I'm to the hard part, the most important parts: the introduction and conclusion, where I desperately want to encourage people that they can do it, show them that it is worth it, and ignite a spark of creativity.

And now I just feel inadequate. 

Because how do you encourage someone to do something you yourself feel that you stumble to do?

I've been blogging for several years, but it is definitely something I've just slowly learned along the way. I guess in my mind, a person that teaches others has to be a professional in their field, right? And I'm no professional. But maybe that is where my thinking is wrong. Maybe I just need to be the best version of me. The version of me that gives God the credit and relies on Him for help, and share what I have learned personally and not worry about being professional.

So I just keep repeating these words from fellow blogger Emily (who is the type of gal that should be doing this workshop!)

So despite my feelings of inadequacy and the feeling that I am not good/smart/famous enough, I'm just going to remember that I have something to offer. I have the Words of Truth, after all, and since when is that not enough?

I really, truly am excited about this opportunity. Really! I can't wait to stretch myself a little and try something new, while meeting fantastic people and being encouraged by the rest of the conference. You can be sure I'll be back next week to share how it went and all I learned! Thanks readers, for being there...for being my readers, because without you fantastic people supporting this blog I wouldn't be here at all.

What events/circumstances are facing you that force you to rely on God?



Linked up with: Hit me With Your Best Shot. The DIY Dreamer, Weekend Wind Down Party

Hello Monday and More Snow! March 17, 2014

It's Monday, time for some hellos! If you're just coming in, Hello Monday posts, started by Lisa Leonard, are where I greet the week with some hellos, and reflect a bit on last week.You are welcome to join me by saying hello to your own day in the comments section or over at Lisa's blog. Lets greet the new week with a smile!

Hello St. Patrick's day! Do you celebrate?

Hello work. I love my part-time job, and the people I see each week!

Hello Facebook. I'm thankful it allows me to connect with my family and friends from afar!

Hello cute brother. They sent me this picture today of his first professional hair cut. Could he be any cuter?

Hello mid-March. Hard to believe when it looks like this outside:

Hello wet feet. 

Hello warm house. 

Hello church. Yesterday's messages were so important and practical! Here is a quote from last night's message:

Hello new projects for So Sew Organized. Can't wait to share them soon!

Hello sales. I'm excited about what is coming in for Ruth and Alan. 

Hello 2 more weeks of March. We have a ways to go to meet our goal, can you help us?

Hello Monday, hello blog readers! What are you saying hello to today?

Why Guatemalan Scholarships??

Last week I announced an exciting new step for So Sew Organized...we are partnering with Team Guatemala to provide scholarships for two hard-working Guatemalan teens.

Since I made the announcement, it has been so fun to see some orders trickle in and know that each time a portion of that sale is going towards these scholarships. As I craft each item, I think about how this will benefit Alan and Ruth and am prompted to pray for them. It is such a blessing to know that we can be involved in making a difference in these two young people's lives!

You might have questions like, "why these two teens?" "How are they really using my money?" "What kind of school do they attend?"

Glad you asked. :)

Ruth attends Proximos Pasos, a Christian school for girls. The Vision of Proximos Pasos (Next Steps Girls School) is to offer a Christ-centered educational experience to girls who are denied that opportunity by the public schools in Santa Maria de Jesus. Their approach to education is Biblically based and covers the areas of academics, physical, emotional and spiritual health, family involvement and occupational training. Located in Santa Maria de Jesus, an indigenous village of 25,000, this school offers a Christian education to 125 girls from 1st to 6th grade. Classes includes sewing, cooking, English, and Bible .

 Alan attends a co-ed school called Vida y Esperanza (School of Life and Hope). There is a strong emphasis on the Bible and sharing the Gospel through words and actions with the students and their families in Santa Lucia Milpas Altas. The school began in 1999 with 16 students and 3 teachers. They now have 20 teachers and full time staff and 320 students in grades kindergarten through 9th grade. Their long term goal is to facilitate positive change in Guatemala though education and to discipline students.

My aunt, who organizes missions trips with Team Guatemala, writes this:

"I have had the privilege of working with Ruth and Alan in their classrooms, getting to know their teachers, and visiting their homes, their siblings and families. They are both good students and very thankful for the opportunity to attend school. Not all the children are as faithful. Ruth and Alan are very dear to my heart and I miss them. Your contribution helps show them and their families the Love of God. I have seen first hand how this program has spiritually transformed children and families in Guatemala."

It is estimated that 657,233 children do not attend elementary school in Guatemala, corresponding to 26% of the total population between 7 and 14 years old. Seems like a lot, doesn't it? Our minds doubt and we tend to wonder, "With all of that poverty and lack of education, what are we really accomplishing with just two scholarships? Are we even making a difference?"

And I'm reminded of this story...

A man was walking along a deserted beach at sunset. As he walked he could see a young boy in the distance, as he drew nearer he noticed that the boy kept bending down, picking something up and throwing it into the water.
Time and again he kept hurling things into the ocean. 

As the man approached even closer, he was able to see that the boy was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time he was throwing them back into the water. 

The man asked the boy what he was doing, the boy replied,"I am throwing these washed up starfish back into the ocean, or else they will die through lack of oxygen. 

"But", said the man, "You can't possibly save them all, there are thousands on this beach, and this must be happening on hundreds of beaches along the coast. You can't possibly make a difference."

The boy looked down, frowning for a moment; then bent down to pick up another starfish, smiling as he threw it back into the sea. He replied,

"I made a huge difference to that one!" 

via

Friends, for this month, Guatemala is our beach, and Ruth and Alan are our starfish. We might not be able to change the lives of all 657,233 un-schooled children, but together we can make a huge difference in the lives of these two. Won't you be a part?

You can join us by...

1. Making a purchase from So Sew Organized
2. Sharing this opportunity with your friends via social media and word of mouth
3. Praying for these children and the funds needed for their schooling.

I can't wait to see more orders come in to help us reach our goal of one month's schooling for each of these children. If you have any questions about these children, their culture, or their schooling, feel free to ask and I'll see about getting some answers. Thanks for being part of this special, life-changing project!

So Sew Organized + Guatelmala + YOU!!!

I have a very exciting opportunity to share with my readers today!

"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 19:14

I would like to give you an opportunity to do just that, bring children to Jesus. Will you read on and find out what you can do to help?

 I would like to introduce you to two special children:

Guatemala is located in Central America just below Mexico. It is estimated that 657,233 children do not attend elementary school in Guatemala, corresponding to 26% of the total population between 7 and 14 years old.

Like many of Guatemala's children, Alan (age 13) and Ruth (age 15) do not have the financial means to attend school on their own. Through fundraisers done by Team Guatemala and the generous support of Christians Ruth and Alan have been able to get a Christian education for several years. At each of their respective schools they learn about Jesus and His plan of salvation, as well as English, music, sewing, physical education, Bible, missions, computer skills, woodworking, and more. I will be sharing more about their particular schools in an upcoming post.

Team Guatemala is doing a fundrasier throughout the month of March to raise the amount needed for these two scholarships. That is where you come in!

My Aunt, who organizes missions trips with Team Guatemala, writes this:

Dear Friends, Because I am not taking a team to Guatemala in 2014 I don't have the usual funds for our sponsored children, Ruth and Alan. That is why I am asking for your help to cover the costs of their scholarships for the current school year, which in Guatemala is from January through October.  

I have had the privilege of working with Ruth and Alan in their classrooms, getting to know their teachers and visiting their homes, siblings, and families. They are both good students and very thankful for the opportunity to attend school. Not all the children are as faithful. Ruth and Alan are very dear to my heart and I miss them. 

Your contribution helps show them and their families the Love of God. I have seen first hand how this program has spiritually transformed children and families in Guatemala.

Throughout the month of March, So Sew Organized will be donating a portion of each sale towards Alan and Ruth's education. I am so excited to be a part of this and be able to send a small piece of So Sew Organized all the way to Guatemala!

The cost of these scholarships is very minimal compared to the normal here in the States. My goal is to be able to cover a month's schooling for each of these children. Will you help us achieve our goal? Here are some things you can do:

1. Make a purchase from So Sew Organized. This would be a great time to stock up on gifts. All of So Sew Organized's items make great wedding gifts! To put it in perspective, the profit of 6 Medium Totes from my shop would cause us to meet our goal. I know we can do it!
2. Share this opportunity with others. You can share this blog post, the graphics on this page, or share our Facebook and Twitter statuses. 
3. Pray for this fundraiser, how you might help, and most of all for Ruth and Alan. I'll keep you updated throughout the month!

Thank you so much, friends. I am beyond excited to see what God will do through you this month!

"And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

Matthew 10:42

My Current Devotional Plan

While we are still close to the beginning of a new year {its still January, so it counts, right?} I wanted to share a bit of my plan for my personal Bible reading schedule this year.

Some people stick to the same devotional plan year after year. Nothing wrong with that, but I am not one of those people. I don't want to get caught in a rut of doing something just because it is what I've always done. I like trying new things and sometimes pushing myself to do better than I have in the past.

In the past few years, I've read through the Bible in a year, then did a year of concentrated study on a few particular topics, and then last year read through the Bible twice in one year. That was particularly stretching, but I feel it gave me a great look at the Bible as a whole. I think it will be a while before I attempt it again, however. :)

To start this year off, I'm following a daily reading guide in a quarterly called Feature. This edition is a few years old, but the Bible does not change, so it doesn't really matter. This particular book has a passage to read and a short summary that explains it. So far I'm enjoying it, the writers really have a way of making some pointed, convicting summaries.

I'm using this simple chart to keep track of my progress.

I simply colour in every day that I complete my reading. You can see that I've missed a couple days...I'll be honest! While my goal is to complete this reading every day, the Christian life isn't lived keeping a score card. I want to have that daily communion with the Lord to have fellowship with him, not to make a check mark on this chart. Does that make sense?

This chart will be an eye opener because as the years go on I'll be able to see how many days I really do miss. It is easy to think, "I just missed this one day, its not a big deal." But really seeing how many "one days" I have will show how they all add up! I'm going to work on having the rest of this chart filled in completely by the end of the year.

Besides this reading, I'm also reading a chapter of the book of Proverbs each day, and going through a study book with a group of ladies from church.

I enjoy sharing my current study habits with my blog readers to help keep me focused and accountable, but also to encourage you to have a daily devotional time of your own! Share your current habit with us in the comments. Do you have a devotional time each day? If so, what is your current reading plan? If you don't, what is keeping you from achieving that goal? If I can be of help to you in this area in any way, don't hesitate to contact me privately.


Linked to the Weekend Wind-Down Party

When Blessing Others Becomes Hard

I’ll be honest – I wasn’t planning to be single. But there I was, single, with four years of college behind me, and totally clueless as to what the future held. The last thing on my mind was being a blessing to others, until a wise teacher encouraged me, “Pour yourself into others. It will help take your mind off yourself.”

That piece of advice helped me in ways I didn’t realize at the time. To read more of the story and my thoughts on how to bless others when life becomes hard, click here.

Bring Him to Jesus

I just can’t make him listen. I’ve tried everything - asking, pleading, bribery, threats - nothing works. He is rolling around on the floor, not listening to the teacher (yours truly) and distracting all the other kids.

He’s not my child; in fact, I’ve never met him before. I am just here to teach a kids class. I was looking forward to a fun week of VBS, but I wasn’t expecting this. I just wanted them to learn about God, have fun, and hide God’s word in their little hearts. But no one can learn anything, much less even hear what I am saying. Am I a failure?

Well, the fact is that it is not all about me, but I’ll get to that part in a minute. What do you do when you feel powerless and helpless, knowing you very well could fail?


Bring the problem to Jesus.


That is it. It is that simple. It almost seems too simple, right?

Jesus says, “Bring him unto Me.”


But they all seem passive, not caring whether they learn about God or not.


Bring them unto Me.


But I can’t make them listen, and nothing I say seems to be penetrating.


Bring them unto Me.


But they won’t participate or interact with any of my (perfectly planned) songs or games.


Bring them unto Me.


But their friends are laughing,
And the parents aren’t much help, either.
And they are too embarrassed to do what is right…
I’m not even sure they know what is right.

Bring them unto Me.


It really is that simple because it is what Jesus told us to do in Mark chapter 9. A man from the crowd had brought his son, who was demon-possessed to the disciples, but the disciples could not cast out his demon.

The disciples, bless their hearts; I see myself in them so often. They tried to do what they could for this boy, but they were powerless in and of themselves. They failed. Miserably. In front of a multitude.

In a way, that is just how I feel when I am in front of a class of little people. Their parents have brought them to me, have trusted them with me, expecting me to heal their sin sickness, or at least give them something that will benefit them. {I’ll let you imagine the correlations between the demon possessed son and some of my little charges! ;) }

But I fail. I feel powerless. I am powerless, and I know it. But what to do?

{Jesus} answereth him, and saith, “Bring him unto me.”
Vs. 19

It is redundant...but it is the only answer. In myself, I am powerless. I lack faith.

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
Vs.23

All things.

“And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

Vs. 24

That needs to be me.

Help thou mine unbelief.

I don’t see how any good is going to come out of this situation. I can’t see how they will learn anything or grow up to be Godly servants of yours, or anything. I am so unbelieving...but help thou mine unbelief.

Jesus went on to say that this kind - the kind that is unbelievable - can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Prayer - that is the channel by which we can bring our problems to Christ. It can and will bring about unbelievable things!

Whether the problem be a disobedient child, a looming bill, a serious illness, or even just a sad and heavy heart, we can take it to Jesus! I’m so thankful that the all-knowing, all-wise God knows the answer to all of life’s problems!

So next time you stand to face that class of young souls, waiting to hear your words -

Don’t give them your words. Simply bring them to Jesus.



Linking up with: Womanhood With Purpose

Family Camp 2013

Last week were with blessed to be able to go to Family Camp! It was a nice relaxing 4 days away from everything that is normal and daily in our routine. I didn't even get online during that time!

The speaker for the week was Dr. Carl Herbster, a former pastor who has such a heart for people. His sermons were so applicable to the lives of everyone present, it was a honor to sit under his teaching and preaching! If you are aware of the trial that has gone on in this family's life - losing a daughter-in-law to cancer just a couple months ago - you would rejoice to see what the Lord is doing in and through this family. Several of his messages were born out of that grief and pain, which applies at some point and time to every believer. It is so true that we sorrow not as those which have no hope!

There were lots of other activities that went on during the four days of camp, including lots and lots of free time. I tried to spend a lot of it with this little man...

He is at such a fun age now, with a growing vocabulary and just generally fun outlook on everything. Here he was stacking the blocks and then saying "cheese" for me to take his picture.

After a while the cutest little girl on the planet came to play with him.

I mean seriously, would you just look at those beautiful curls? I think I just picked out Judah's future wife. Consider yourself betrothed, boy.

Friday afternoon the staff put on a family carnival. It had lots of activities perfect for the kids. I participated by following them around and taking pictures. :)

Giant Jenga anyone?

Pillow fights...

There was a dunk tank about a dozen or more other small booths full of fun things! The kids had a blast trying to fill up their cards with "mastered" activities. Two of my siblings won for the most activities in their age group!

Judah upped the "coolness" factor...

For being in a new place with new faces and a totally disrupted schedule, he did a good job. There were meltdowns, but he had fun. One night during a late game of family Scattergories, I kept him occupied by snapping self-portraits and then showing them to him. He loves the camera and saying "cheese."

I think a week or a few days of away time is so vital, especially when it is coupled with solid, Biblical preaching. It was such a great environment to recharge spiritually and be reminded that you aren't the only Christian on the planet! Especially living in a remote area of the Maritimes, things can sometimes get lonely, and these times are so, so needed. I'm thankful for this opportunity and hope we can do it again next year!

How to plan a Noah's Ark VBS for 4s and 5s

For the past two years, I’ve taught the 4s and 5s class during our week-long Vacation Bible School. It is a lot of fun, and a lot of work! We don’t purchase curriculum for this event, it is up to me to provide the material for my class. The little kids do almost everything independently from the big kids, so that is roughly two hours of time I have to fill up.

Sound a little scary? It really isn’t bad...but like I said, it is a lot of work!

Today I am going to share how I put materials and resources together to make my “curriculum” for the week, as well as my online sources and how I plan the week out. {Warning, its a novel!} Hopefully this will be a help to someone else faced with this situation in the future!

This was our nursery-turned-classroom...excuse the lovely "ark"

This week our VBS theme was Noah’s ark...a pretty simple theme, great for the 4s and 5s! All of my kids this year were unchurched, so that made it challenging...I started to realize about the second night in that they pretty much had no concept of God, the Bible, etc. That made it a bit more interesting!

When planning for the week, I find the first thing to do is plan a rough schedule for each night. Mine looked like this:

Monday

--Washroom --
Take attendance - put stickers on chart

Sing theme song

Explain rules + prizes

Song  - deep & wide, fishers of men

Lesson

Snack

Song - the joy of the Lord

Extra info - dinos

Learn verse - Genesis 6:8

Song - theme song, fishers of men

How to draw a dino

Announcements - tomorrow is colour a rainbow night, say verse

Candy, quiet seat prize

It is a vague schedule that probably doesn’t make much sense to you, but it is a starting point! Then, I just have to prepare each aspect of the night. This includes planning the lessons, making song and verse posters, making an attendance chart, etc.

We started each night in a general assembly with the other kids for about 15 minutes. Once we were dismissed to our class, we always stopped by the washroom first thing! I don’t want any have-to-go moments in the middle of a lesson, and with this preventative step that doesn't usually happen.

Once down in our classroom, they got stickers on the attendance chart for attendance, bringing a Bible, bringing a visitor, and saying their verse.

This was the attendance chart.

Our theme song this year was “Wide, Wide as the Ocean.” We also sang, “Fishers of Men,” “Deep + Wide,” and “The Joy of the Lord.” Most of those are action songs, so I don’t make a poster for them. My hands need to be free to teach the motions, and besides, these kids can’t read anyway! I only had a poster for “The Joy of the Lord,” and that was actually left over from last year. This song is a hit with kids, one girl requested the “happy” song in the middle of the week. :)

My rules for any kids class of any age are always the following:

Sit up
Look up
Zip up

That pretty much covers everything and keeps it simple to remember!

A landing place for everything I might need throughout the week.

For the lesson time, I always open my Bible and read one or two verses straight from the text. Do they understand it? Not much. But I want them to know that I’m not making this stuff up, it comes straight from God’s word. Then with this age group, I proceed to tell the story in my own words.

My lessons each night were quite short - I just broke up the story of Noah into 5 parts - but they are little! I heard once that kids have an attention span about as long as their age. So my overall attention span was 4 minutes! My lessons weren’t that short….but I did try to keep things moving.

I typed out a general outline of what I wanted to say, and made sure I was very familiar with the text and story. I tried to give them specific things to remember, certain things I emphasized and asked them over and over throughout the week. With the Noah story I tried to emphasize that sin caused the flood, and sin has consequences in our lives, too. One girl told me she never did anything to make her parents sad. She’ll learn! =)

This year I tried something new and brought in some “extra info” each night. I figured the story of Noah was a good time to plant seeds in their minds that would contradict with the evolution they will be taught once they start school. I obviously kept it super simple - we didn’t actually talk about evolution or anything - but I gave them some info about different things from Noah’s day or the effects of the flood.

During the week we talked about Dinosaurs, Sharks and large fish, and fossils. I also was prepared to talk about the Grand Canyon, but we ran out of time. (plus I am not sure these Canadian kids would have even known what that was!) They especially loved the Dinos and Sharks. I gained most of my info from the Answers in Genesis website, including the How to Draw a Dino we did as an activity on Monday. I did the drawing with the narration first, and then let them try it. I printed off little veggies and leaves (from Microsoft Office Clip Art - what would we do without it?) and they glued those in the thought bubble to show what the dino’s ate. It was a fun activity that taught them a little bit of truth about Dinos!

I already talked about how I taught verses throughout the week, but here are all the specific verses we used:

Genesis 6:8 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (this was the theme verse, and all of my kids learned this one!)

Genesis 7:5 “And Noah did...all that the LORD commanded him.”

Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah...prepared an ark…”

Hebrews 11:6a “Without faith, it is impossible to please him…”

Nehemiah 8:10b “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Each night I gave out a coloring sheet with their verse printed on it so they could review it at home. I used coloring sheets from here and wrote the verses on myself.

I like to give out lots of candy during the week. When I ask review questions, I give a small piece of candy (tootsie rolls are perfect) for each attempted answer. Plus I sometimes just randomly reward good behavior throughout the night. This helps to keep them alert to what they should be doing! At the end of the night, each child gets a piece of candy for each sticker he has on his chart that night. And one gets picked each night for a quiet seat...that person gets to take a handful of candy from my bucket!

I have found the best way to handle all the rewards is to start the night by giving each child a paper bag with their name on it. Candy goes directly into the bag when it is received, they are not allowed to hold it, play with it, or eat it! If necessary, I don’t even give them the bag, but set it all aside until the end. I haven’t had any issues with this method!

I have also tried to do other small incentives each night. One night they could bring in a stuffed animal to show the class, one night they were supposed to wear clothing with an animal on it, etc. However, this age group rarely remembers to do any of that. So I’m thinking next year I’ll skip that...it might be perfect for older kids, however!

At the end of the week, I give out a larger prize for the child with the most stickers on the chart, the one who said the most verses, and the one who brought the most visitors. Again, these kids didn’t really seem to understand that they could be working towards those prizes; however they did enjoy getting them. That is why I think giving the small candy rewards is important for this age. It is an instant reward, they understand what they are being rewarded for. They don’t seem to understand that all those good things add up throughout the week. This too would depend on the age!

The prizes sat there tempting them all week! Whenever I allow them to go look at the prize table, I make them put their hands behind their back. No touching the prizes until Friday night!

Well, this has been an extremely long post...if you’re still reading, kudos to you! I think I’ve covered all the basics, but there are a lot more details to consider. If you have any questions or would like more explanations about anything, just leave a comment or shoot me an email, I’d love to help you out!

I’d also love for you to share tips or suggestions for working with the younger age groups. I’m sure some of you have been doing it longer than I have and have more wisdom to share! Please do, I’m looking forward to learning from you!

Scripture Memory for Little Ones

We are in the middle of an exciting week of VBS here at Calvary Baptist Church! I plan to share a detail post at some point with my game plan for the week, as well as some helpful links. But for now, I just had to let you in on one exciting and extremely necessary aspect of our class.

Helping these little ones hide God’s Word in their hearts.

My class so far this week has consisted of three 4-year-olds, and one that is age five. And yes, they are learning verses! You might ask, “Isn’t that a bit young?” but it isn’t! I have heard children younger than that recite memory verses in their own broken way. Fours and Fives are definitely capable of committing God’s words to memory!

I’m not talking lengthy passages, or even multiple verses per night. We’ve been focusing on one verse, or even just part of a verse, each night. Two of my kids came back Tuesday night and recited Monday’s verse. I can’t tell you how that thrilled me!

I know there are hard words in the King James English. I know that these kids don’t completely understand all I am teaching them. As far as I know, all four of these kids are unchurched, and sometimes when I speak about God they look at me like they don’t know Who I’m referring to.

But they are getting scripture, snippets of truth lodged in their little brains. God has promised that His Word will not return void!! 

Our theme for the week is Noah {did you see my “ark”??} so several of our verses directly mention his name. That has been easy for them to remember. We’ve used verses such as…

Genesis 7:5 “And Noah did...all that the LORD commanded him.”

Genesis 6:8 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah...prepared an ark…”


I have found that the old wipe-a-word-off method is tried and true. I write the verse on a chalkboard, and we repeat it...and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. :) I make sure to point to each word as we say it. These kids can not read, but they can still associate words with their placement on the board, or even by the first letter. It is not hard now for them to recognize the name “Noah” or “Genesis.”

In the course of repetition I draw attention to other key words as well. I explained “commanded” and we repeated that long word by itself. I explained “grace.” And of course we talked about “Lord.”

And then I start erasing words. Just those main ones, mostly. Only 4 or 5 words, and each time we repeat the verse again. And before the night is over they know it!

Each night I send home a colouring sheet for them to finish at home with that night’s verse printed clearly on it. I reinforce that they need to have their parents help them memorize the verse at home, so they can say it to me the next night. They take it very, very seriously. And so far they’ve been doing it!

And yes, they also get rewarded! =)

It thrills me to no end that these precious little souls are grasping something...and that I have the privilege of giving them the gospel for the very first time. I pray that they will have many more opportunities to hear God’s Word in the future!

I’d love to know...what is your desire for your little ones in the area of memorization? How early would you start? Any other tips or tricks you can share?


Linked up with: Womanhood with Purpose, Classy Clutter

No Goals, but Many Gifts!

I'm in Maine this week, before going to Oregon for about 10 days. So exciting! I'm thrilled to be taking a little time "off," visiting family, and taking a cross country trip. I just love traveling!

Oh, and when I got to Maine, look what was greeting me...

I shared this on my 1,000 Gifts picture series on Facebook, but I can't resist sharing it here too!

My Grammie told me I could pick some and put them in my room, and boy do they smell lovely! I just adore lilacs, they are my favourite flower, and now when they are just opening up they smell so sweet.

I had an interesting, blessed, hectic weekend. Sounds interesting, right?! I'd love to briefly share it with you, because God did some exciting things!

We were supposed to leave for Moncton, NB on Friday. Supposed to. I woke up Friday morning, preparing to leave, when I was informed we wouldn't be going anywhere...half my family had come down with the flu!!

There was a time when that type of news would have really disappointed me and really messed up my day. But I've learned to have a bit of a different perspective, knowing that God is in control of all of these unforseen events!

So, instead of getting bent out of shape about it...I went shopping. Therapy, right? :) I had a nice relaxing day, just in a different location then I had intended.

I was able to get to New Brunswick the next day, and got to take part in some evangelistic meetings with some friends and mentors of mine. I had a great time. It has been a while since I've been able to attend meetings like this, and it was so nice to just sit and soak in that spiritually encouraging atmosphere! And to listen to someone else play the piano...what a treat! :)

Although I didn't know any of the church people, there were some very exciting spiritual decisions made, including some salvation decisions. That always makes for an exciting day! It is so excited to see our God work!

So that is the update on my weekend...I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks being fun and exciting as well! I'm not setting goals this week, just taking the time to enjoy family and get ready for our trip on Saturday. Fun, fun times! =)

What exciting things are you doing this week? Are you setting goals?

On Getting Old{er} and Glorifying God

Sometimes I feel that I’m getting so old that the evil in this world is just going to eventually smother me.

I know, that made absolutely no sense. But it seemed like the best way to put it.

I guess it is a combination of the two things that can get me down if I dwell on it. For starters, I am beginning to feel very old. I have a birthday coming up, a sort of mile-stone birthday...and for the first time in my life, I wish it wasn’t coming. I wish I didn’t have to get any older. I wish I could stall time and finish things I have yet to do.

I’m really overreacting. When you find out how old I’m going to be, you’ll laugh out loud. I am not old, and I know that. But I’m older than I ever have been before, and I guess the seriousness of the fact that I can’t go back and change past events is really sinking in.

Maybe that is a sign of maturity?? Ha!

And then the evil in this world. Ya’ll, it is depressing. As time goes on, sin seems more prevalent than ever...and often it hurts. I mean, how do you react when 6-9 year old kids ask prayer for the family of a girl that committed suicide? These are just young children, already having to face the reality of suicide. It seems like that shouldn't be so!!

And last night, I had a similar conversation with that same group of young kids about the Boston events. It was enough to break my heart.

“I heard there was people running and they had bombs in the finish line.”

“Who would put bombs there?”

“I heard that one girl lost a limb….what is a limb??”

And finally, one 7 year-old gal summed it up:

“Those people who put those bombs there must not know about God.”

How do you even begin to try to explain something so horrific to these young children? What happened to the innocency they are supposed to have?

I’ll admit, when the news of the Boston events first started to come over my Facebook newsfeed {yep, that is where I get the latest} I just wanted to close my computer and pretend I didn’t know about it. I was just so tired of dealing with this sin-cursed world, enough is enough already!!

My bottom-line feeling in all these above situations is “come quickly, Lord!” Oh, it seems if we could but just get to heaven - like, yesterday - and not have to deal with earth any longer! Could anything be sweeter?

But I have to stop myself, and think...why do I desire heaven? To get away from earth? To live in a perfect place with no more sin? To not have to face my own sin and deal with myself each day?

Is my desire simply to walk streets of gold, or see loved ones waiting there? Am I looking for my mansion, home, and crown?

Or do I desire to worship and glorify God?

Yes, all those other things are wonderful benefits that we will have in heaven, and I don’t think it is wrong to look forward to them. But really, when we get there, I think all of that will pale in comparison to one thing: worship.

It is what we were created for - to glorify Him.

Once we are in heaven, glorifying God will be our supreme desire. We will take our crowns and cast them at His feet...not keeping any of the glory for ourselves. Worshiping Him will consume our every moment.

And then the thought...why not now?

Yes, the earth is wicked and vile and filthy. Yes, I am aging and time is going on and there is nothing I can do about it. But I’m not in heaven yet...I am here. Now. This moment. And I can worship God and glorify Him with this.

Can I choose to take today and use it to glorify God? Can I take all my imperfections, failures, and weaknesses and use them anyway? Can I take the mundane and call it worship?

I can...if I choose. If I see each moment as God’s, not as just another mark of a sin-cursed world. He has a plan far bigger than any I could imagine or hope for. Why not trust Him with it?

Wouldn't you agree?



My heart goes out to those suffering from the events of Boston. I am in no way diminishing that pain and suffering. I know several who had friend’s/relatives/neighbors at the marathon, and I pray your family is safe. Feel free to share your story below!

My Scripture Memory Tips

I shared yesterday some of my background in memorizing Scripture, how I fell off the bandwagon after college, and some of my crazy thought process that brought me back around. Read all that here. It is really more interesting than I just made it sound.

Today, I’d like to share how I make Scripture memory a daily habit - and the trial and error that led me to this system.

I’ll start right out by spilling the beans - I use 3x5 note cards. And every Bible School student shudders…

3x5 note cards have the tendency to give me hives, but I found it was the easiest way. That must be why they were so encouraged in college. :) I did my best to avoid them...but couldn’t. They really make the system work.

After trying a few different combinations, I decided that 3 verses a week is an attainable goal for me right now. That number may be different for you. Don’t be discouraged if you choose to just memorize one...a little progress is better than no progress at all!

Every Monday morning I write out my three verses for the week on note cards. I keep the stack I’m currently working on with my other Bible study materials.

I pin up one of the cards on the white board over my sewing desk. That way I can review it during down time - like while waiting for a bobbin to wind.

As you can see, I jot down a lot of other things there, too...it is super handy! Just a little hard on the eyes...

I have found it easiest to be reviewing one chapter at a time. So this week I am working on memorizing Philippians 3: 7-9, but each day I also review the other verses I’ve learned in chapter 3. This helps keep everything cohesive...I know not only each verse but the order they go in as well.

When I finish a chapter, I take a couple week to just review all the chapters I’ve memorized so far. This is so important. If I don’t review it, I’ll lose it. Simple as that. Review is so necessary!

Another thing to note:

I was so surprised how much easier it is to memorize a whole chapter as opposed to a bunch of separate, out-of-context verses. Memorizing a whole chapter is so cohesive...it is like instead of remembering a whole bunch of random words, I can remember an entire thought. Also, memorizing in this way sheds a lot of light on that particular passage. Verses that before didn’t make sense, now start to come together as I chew on them in context. Funny thing about that, right? It is like I am memorizing and meditating all in one whack.

So there is a handful of my memorizing tips, and what I have found works best for me right now. I am sure I've missed some things, and you probably have some great ideas, too, right? So tell us about them...what helps you memorize a bit easier? Do you have a love/hate relationship with 3x5 cards? Any review tips you can share?

On Memorization and My Failing Memory

I read somewhere that at the age of 30, your mind begins to slow down. You are unable to remember as much as you could in your younger years, and a normal aging process begins to take place.

When I read that, I panicked.

And then I thought, ‘how much can I cram in before I turn 30?’ :)

This was just one reason why I began intentionally memorizing scripture several months ago.

But for you to fully understand where I was coming from, you have to know some of my scripture memory history…

I grew up always attending kid’s programs in our local church. Always there was verse memorization required, which seemed to come pretty easy for me.

Because really, after a few years, many of the verses were the same. I am thankful for that repetition, as it drilled those verses into my head even further. But at the same time it gave my little inflated ego the idea that I “knew them all.”

I didn’t have the whole Bible memorized, but I felt like I had the key verses down pat - and surely that was good enough.

Fast-forward to college. I attended a small Bible school, which again required lots of verse memorization.

Only this time it wasn’t so easy.

Oh yes, I still got to pull out my old stand-bys every so often, but there were many, many verses required that I did not know already. Hard verses. Verses I didn’t fully understand. Tongue-twisting verses, sometimes.

And I struggled.

I could do ok with the verses..but remembering all those references? Forget it! Have a few dozen verses with references and punctuation memorized for an exam? It seemed impossible.

I did alright. I passed, anyway. :) Slowly the verses became easier, as I developed a system for memorizing and retaining them - at least long enough to get them on a test paper.

And when I graduated, it pretty much stopped.

I knew verse memorization was important. But I had done so much of it over the years...really, hadn’t I performed my “reasonable service” already? I was daily reading and studying the word, but memorization was gone.

And then the teens. Those beautiful, Christ-like teens.

They came up here from North Carolina to help with our VBS last summer. And as a motivation, they were promised help with their financial needs for the trip if they memorized the entire book of James.

Shut the front door. The whole book of James??

And they did it too. One gal did it not even thinking she was able to come...and it paid off. The whole book of James...I just couldn’t wrap my mind around that!

And I thought, “If they can do it, I can too!”

And that was the day I began memorizing Philippians. The entire book.

It has been slow going. I didn’t start out with much of a plan, so some days and weeks it still got pushed to the back burner. Now I have a better system going and really feel that I am making some progress!

I’ll be back tomorrow to share what my system is, in hopes that it will help you develop your own habit. In the meantime, I’d love to hear - what is your view on memorizing scripture? Have you done it in the past? Do you have a “served my time” mentality, or do you still make memorization a part of your worship to God in the present? I'd love to hear what works or doesn't work for you!