I Peter 5:8

On Friday after Show & Share, my verse helper selected this Bible verse to review as a class. This is definitely one of the favorite memory verses of the year so far! I think it has something to do with being able to make noise while singing it! :-) Because this was right after Show & Share, the girls weren't quite ready to let go of their items yet, so hence why they are holding them in the video!

Although it is a "cute" song, it definitely is a serious reminder!

Is Your Grass Greener?

I have been struggling with the "grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side-of-the-fence" syndrome a lot lately...

It's all about perspective, right? :-)

Ephesians 5:1-4

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

The word "covetousness" basically means that you want something that doesn't belong to you. Something God hasn't given you - "the grass on the other side of the fence" so to speak. However, as a follower of God, covetousness should not be a part of my life. Rather, I should be giving thanks for all that God has blessed me with.

The Lord knows what "pastures" are best for His children after all. But as it is depicted by the above cartoon...we always think the grass is going to be greener on the "other side". However, it's all about perspective...learn to be thankful for what you do have!

Some thoughts to ponder about the "greener grass"...

Meditating on these Verses...

Proverbs 16:3

I love how enthusiastically my kiddos sing the Bible verses we learn each week! They pick up on them so fast, which I am sure has a lot to do with putting them to music. Thanks, Mr. E!! However, I have to smile every time we practice this particular Bible verse. After listening to the song on CD for the first time, one of my kiddos decided to try to sing it, and she did pretty good. After all, there are some rather large, confusing words in some of these Bible verses!

She sang - "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be in Spanish!!"

Now enjoy listening to what she meant to sing..... :-)

Psalm 145:3

Proverbs 3:7

Bible Verse Songs - Take 2

Last week I tried recording my kiddos singing some more Bible verses. Well, as I mentioned before that didn't go so well, so I thought I would give it another try today! Here they all are - complete with yawns, serious (concentrated) facial expressions, and, at times, "less-than-enthusiastic" voices! :-)

Proverbs 1:7

Psalm 118:24

Psalm 124:8

II Peter 3:18

It just cracks me up with how they keep repeating the phrase "but grow in grace..." in the II Peter 3:18 song. I ended up shutting off the camera and telling them the song was over so they would stop singing! Gotta love it! :-)

Singing Bible Verses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4D-XibtcZU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zylWykASN7E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2MvHqAXgwo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4fOkOy7TRc

Change

Why do I cringe whenever I hear that word? Change can be good!

• I just changed my hairstyle = good change
• I recently changed jobs = turning into a good change :)
• I change my clothes every day = ALWAYS a good change!
• Tonight I changed my blog background = good change
• Fall is around the corner = DEFINITELY a good change...CAN'T WAIT!!! Fall is by far my most favorite season of the year...the season of changing leaves :)

Life will always be full of change...some good and some scary. However it is always reassuring to know that...

"For I am the LORD, I change not..." Malachi 3:6a

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

Hebrews 13:8

I'm 9 years old today!

On September 11, 2000, my life was changed forever. I would like to share with you what God has done in my life. Back when I was five or six I remember "praying the prayer" of salvation, but it was just out of fear of Hell. As I grew older, I realized that was not true salvation. I didn't really worry about it though. I trained my mind to think that all was okay, and that such a loving God would never let such a "good girl" like me go to Hell.

When I got in the youth group, it got very hard to convince myself I was all right in God's eyes; deep down inside my heart I knew nothing was right. Salvation messages concerned me even more than they did before, and I got concerned enough to do a Bible study with my Mom. As I went through the Bible study, my heart really wasn't in it. All the things we went over were familiar things I had known for a long time. I certainly had a lot of head knowledge about salvation, but definitely no heart knowledge. I did not see myself as God saw me, which was a filthy, dirty sinner in need of repentance, but a "good girl" who had to search really deep to find anything wrong with her.

After the Bible study was over, my Mom told me whenever I needed to talk, she would be available. As I heard salvation messages, I would get really scared. I would talk to her because I was so afraid the Lord would return and I would not be ready. Message after message went by, but I would just push my nagging thoughts away. I thought I had plenty of time to worry about getting saved.

We had a winter camp in January, 2000, and I went thinking that this could be the time, but I ended up leaving because I got sick. Why did I have to leave when I could have gotten saved? Was it too late for me to get saved? During that summer, our Assistant Pastor asked me point blank, "What is the condition of your soul?" I told him I knew I was lost, I truly wanted to get saved, but didn't know what to do. He told me that if I desired to get saved, I should ask God to save me right then. I immediately began to think, "The Lord won't save me right now." I pushed off the opportunity to get saved again! I couldn't fall asleep right away that night because I was trying to figure out why I could not get saved.

A new school year began, and our pastor started off the year preaching a message on salvation every day for two weeks. The messages seemed to be directed right to me. One question that stuck in my head was, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" That Sunday I again heard a message about salvation. The invitation song that followed went like this, "Why do you wait, dear brother? What will you gain by a further delay? Why not, why not, why not come to Him now?" I could not understand what was wrong with me. Why could I not come to Him now?

During the afternoon I decided to try to figure out again why I could not get saved. I got the sheet with all the verses we had gone over in the Bible study, and looked up all the verses I could find about faith and repentance. I thought, "There had to be something I was missing," but all the verses I read said the same thing, you must repent and believe in order to be saved. My Dad saw me reading my Bible, so he thought it was the appropriate time to start playing this song on the piano, "The Savior is waiting to enter your heart, why don't you let Him come in? There is nothing in this world to keep you apart. What is your answer to Him? Time after time He has waited before, and now He is waiting again. To see if you're willing to open the door. Oh, how He wants to come in!"

That night I could not get rid of the conviction like I had been able to other times. The next morning, September 11, 2000, I woke up around 4:30 a.m., and could not go back to sleep. I just tossed and turned, so miserable under the conviction of my sin, and I felt such a pressure to do something. I heard my Dad get up, and I nearly leaped out of bed to go talk to him. "What is wrong with me, Dad?" I asked. "I am so confused about everything. Why can't I figure out what to do?" My Dad showed me the verse in Isaiah 55:8, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." He told me we couldn't figure out salvation because God does not think like we think. All we need to do is trust that He knows what He is doing, and just come to Him. I was still confused, so he gave me a pamphlet. He told me to go back to my room, read it, and really think about it.

I went back and started reading the pamphlet, but it was all the familiar verses I had read the day before. They were all about repentance and faith. I knew my Dad had told me God does not ask you to figure out salvation, but I was still confused. How could I get saved without figuring out what to do? At the end of the pamphlet it said, "Your choice is clear - it is either sin or Christ. What will you do? Receive Christ now into your heart as your Lord and Savior and have eternal life OR Reject Him now and continue on your road to Hell?" I knew I didn't want my sin, and I saw I was a very wicked person who didn't deserve such a wonderful Savior, and I wanted to be His child. Of course, the devil did not want Christ to be my Savior, and he started filling my mind with his deceitful lies. What if I was the only one that Christ did not want to save? Everyone else had this wonderful salvation, but I would never have it.

My parents tried counseling me, but the devil had me around his little finger. No matter what my parents told me about God loving me, I was convinced I would never be able to get saved. I remember my Dad saying, "You are going through a battle, Becky. The devil doesn't want you to get saved, and he and the Lord are fighting for you now. Whatever you do, Becky, do NOT let Satan win!" They prayed with me, and sent me to school.

I went to chapel that morning determined to talk to someone after the message. Our pastor began preaching about knowing the will of God in your life, and I soon began to relax. Maybe I would not have to worry about that annoying conviction since this was a message to those who were saved. Then I heard him say, "It is not God's will that you remain lost." After I had gone through all the doubting that God didn't want to save me, that statement made me realize my thinking was definitely not right. Pastor Hammett had us turn to two passages. The first one was 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that ANY should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Then we turned to 1 Timothy 2:3-4, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." Those verses certainly convinced me that God truly wanted me to be saved, but I still had that question, How?

As if he had read my mind, the pastor looked right at me and asked, "Becky, if I asked you to come up here what would you do? All I could think to say was, "Come up there." Then to everyone he said, "That is all God asks is that we come to Him." I don't remember anything else from the message except that I was determined to remain seated after the message, and ask to talk with someone. As I clung to my seat I began wondering, "What if God won't save me?"

My friend, Kristin, came to talk to me. I told her how much I truly desired to get saved, yet how worried I was that God would not save me. She turned to John 3:18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." She told me that I had to ask God to save me, believing that He would. If I did not truly believe He would save me, I was really guilty of unbelief.

When she said that to me, it was like a "light bulb" turned on, and I knew what I had to do. She asked me if I wanted to pray or just leave, and I told her if I left again I probably would not have another chance. Right then and there I surrendered my life to the Lord, I repented of my sins, and believed that God would save me.

After I prayed, Kristin quoted Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." I knew I had done exactly that, and at that very moment a tremendous peace flooded my soul. I knew for the first time I was God's child, and was on my way to Heaven. It was definitely not something I had done on my own. My "good works" had not gained a relationship with God; it was only God's amazing grace that could save a wretch like me.

Reach for the Clouds!

In my 2's and 3's Sunday School class, I like to have "role call" time where I call a child's name, and they will raise their hand calling, "Here!"

However, you know how it is...one child starts something, and they all have to follow. One of the first weeks I started doing "role call", one child decided to cover their eyes when I called their name instead of raising their hand. Apparently at this age, they think that because they can't see me, I can't see them...haha!

After awhile it got to the point where every.single.child was covering their eyes instead of raising their hand. A child would then yank on their friend's arm to get them to raise their hand, and seeing how I didn't want to really encourage arm pulling, I knew I had to come up with a Plan B.

About a month or so ago, I finally came up with Plan B. Instead of telling the children to raise their hand when I called their name, I would tell them to "Reach for the clouds!!" This seemed to inspire them to raise not only one, but BOTH hands, stretching up as far as their short, little arms could reach! Since then, to provide some variety, we have also reached for the stars, birds, trees and last week it was even "Reach for the cats and dogs!" (apparently they were either climbing a tree or flying in the sky...never did figure that one out!)

Anywho...there is a point to all this :)

This morning in my devotions, I read this verse:

"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds." - Psalm 36:5

Immediately, this made me think of my Sunday School kiddos holding up their short little arms, straining themselves in the futile effort of reaching for the clouds. They may groan, moan, and strain all they want, but they will never truly succeed in reaching the clouds.

However, my Lord is SO faithful and SO merciful that we can't even dream of reaching the heights to where His faithfulness and mercy can take us.

I also read this verse this morning:

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" - Romans 11:33

So many times I find myself limiting my Savior. I stretch my arms up as high as I can reach in a futile attempt to "reach for the clouds", and think that is as far as the Lord can reach as well. However, His judgments and ways are unsearchable and past finding out! His faithfulness reaches unto the clouds. How dare I think that God can't handle any situation that arises in my life?! He is GOD! He has made this entire universe, and there are NO limits as to where He can go, and what He can do! All He asks of me is that I stop trying to accomplish things on my own (like reaching for the clouds!), and ask for His help and strength. His grace is sufficient for me, for His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

Who Am I?

Because I teach 2's and 3's Sunday School, I haven't been able to hear the adults' Sunday School lessons for quite some time now. This summer our Assistant Pastor is preaching a series on victory over sin. I have heard so much about how these lessons have been beneficial for so many people that I decided that I just had to hear them! Tonight Andy was able to copy the audio messages to my computer. The first one I listened to tonight was entitled "Who Am I?" It was basically about how people deal with identity crisises in their life because they depend on other things for their identity (such as a husband/wife, job, financial position etc). In reality, it is making those things an idol in their life. As Christians, our identity needs to be found in Christ, and not on earthly things/people that will eventually just vanish away.

Lately, I feel like I have been going through a bit of an "identity crisis." For two years now, I have been identifying myself as 'Becky, the Kindergarten teacher.' Obviously, two years is not really a long time in the grand scheme of things, but I guess I found security in that description of myself - a Kindergarten teacher - that is who I am - that's ME!!! However, for the next year or so, that is not who I am. My "title" is changing. I guess I could refer to myself as Becky, the Accountant, but officially, I am NOT an accountant. I am just doing an accounting job! But then again, I am still helping out at the school, so I will still technically be a teacher. Yet, at my one job, I will not only be doing accounting, but also secretarial work. Sooooo then....who am I??? I am not sure at the moment! Right now I am "in training" for these new jobs, and so I am not technically anything! Or am I? This slight "identity crisis" I am going through is just showing me that indeed, I must be depending on my job to be my "identity", instead of letting my identity be in Christ.

Tonight as I was pondering this whole thing after I was done listening to this particular SS lesson, I thought of something that was preached on at camp. I had gotten the audio messages from all the services, so I listened to the first part of one of the messages again.

The preacher said something to this effect, "The Lord wants to develop good Godly Christians. He doesn't want you to be a good accountant; He wants you to be a good Christian who can do accounting. He doesn't want you to be a good teacher; He wants you to be a good Christian who can teach."

Now, do you think it is just a "coincidence" that the preacher chose THOSE particular jobs as his examples? Of all the jobs he could have picked, he chose the two jobs that apply to me!

My identity needs to be found in Christ. It doesn't matter what job/position I may have, or what task I may be completing - if my focus is on pleasing the Lord and finding my security in my never-changing God, I never need go through "identity crisises" in my life!

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.

Colossians 3:23

Because I am learning so many new things this summer, and find my brain being quite stretched at times, when I read this verse this morning, I found it quite comforting!!

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

Isaiah 40:28

Faith Book

Recently I subscribed to Proverbs 31 Ministries' Daily Devotions. Some of the devotionals are geared more towards mothers/wives, but there have definitely been many that are just the sort of encouragement I need for a particular day. I found today's devotion to be quite convicting and I thought I would share it.

*Please Note: The author used other versions of the Bible, so I changed them all to KJV. That is the only thing I altered in her article.*

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"And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God." Nehemiah 9:3

A new addiction slipped into my life recently - Facebook. Internet social networking slid in quietly and unobtrusively. Each day I found myself reading and posting a bit more. I learned how to create my visual bookshelf, so my "friends" could check out what I was reading. I linked my blog. My time seeped into Facebook like grains of sand slide through the hourglass.

My addiction soon took a turn for the worst. I began to put off my personal quiet time with God until after I had Facebooked. Sadly, scripture seemed boring next to my friends' postings. Strangely, the mundane posts intrigued me. I had fallen under the spell of social networking.

Then one day, I dragged myself away from my laptop. I had Bible study that night and needed to finish my lesson. The lesson pointed us to the book of Nehemiah. I read, "And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God." (Nehemiah 9:3)

Yikes! They read God's Word for a quarter of the day, then spent another quarter of the day in confession and worshiping? These words haunted me the rest of the afternoon. When was the last time I spent that much time with God? How much time did I spend on the Internet? I felt a deep conviction about my Facebook addiction.

I determined that day to read my Bible, my FaithBook, before I turned on my computer each day. I would network with God, before networking with my friends. When I made this decision, I saw scripture jump back to life. God's Word spoke to me with a freshness that seemed as if He had just posted it Himself.

The addiction stopped. Oh, I still enjoy Facebook and other social networks, but I have learned to keep them in proper perspective. Psalm 119:59-60 sums up my new intent: "I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments."

Will you join me in the commitment to spending time in God's Word before time spent on Facebook?

Dear Lord, I recognize that I spend too much time on the computer. Forgive my inattention to Your Word. Help me each day to place You first in my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:

Today, take notice of how much time you spend on the computer for personal enjoyment. Decide to make your quiet time with God a priority. Read Psalm 119 and then ponder the benefits of time spent in God's Word.

Reflections:

Do I put off my quiet time with God in lieu of "social networking?"

Am I willing to commit more time to reading the Bible?

How can I begin to keep my life in a healthy balance?

Power Verses:

Exodus 24:7, "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.'"

Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Joshua 1:8, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

Written by: Susanne Scheppmann

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Although it was geared mainly towards being addicted to Facebook, it could also apply to reading and/or writing blogs! So if you haven't read your Bible yet today and spent some quiet time with God, get off your computer right now and get to it!

There is my little sermon for today.

And all God's people said, "Amen!"

Believe me, I am preaching to myself!! :)

Abiding in Christ

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."

John 15:4

What did Jesus mean by that?

He meant, "Find the meaning of life in Me. Find your value and confidence in Me. Find your purpose and direction in Me. Find the source for all spiritual achievement in Me. Find the strength to live each moment in Me. Find the wisdom to navigate the many turns of life in Me. Find forgiveness from all your sins in Me. Find the satisfaction of boundless joy in Me. Find the most glorious peace in Me. Find the most perfect love and acceptance in Me. Find the most satisfying life for all eternity in Me."

Excerpt from When God Writes Your Life Story

~by Eric & Leslie Ludy

Bulletin Board Burdens, Blunders, and Blessings

Over the past two days, Rachel F. and I have been working on bulletin boards around the church/school. Either there had been nothing up on the board for awhile, or what had been up was getting kinda old. Decorating these five boards had been added to my "summer job list" so I decided that this week was the perfect week to "get-er-done!" Thankfully, Rachel was quick to offer her help seeing it was originally her suggestion that they should be re-decorated (which they definitely needed to be!!).

So between yesterday and today....

• - We spent lots of time just figuring out what should be put on the boards.
• - We then had to find the right pictures on the computer (Google images anyone?!).
• - We dealt with uncooperative printers.
• - We spent lots of time selecting the correct font, and then printing it out only to discover we didn't really like the font.
• - We cut out the pictures.
• - We eventually realized that some of our pictures were too small/big so we had to spend time resizing, printing and cutting again.
• - We used some cut-out letters but then we had to figure out which letters we needed for which verse (thanks, Chanel, for all your help with this!).
• - We had to measure out the bulletin board paper.
• - Of course, we needed to take a break and walk to Dunkin Donuts for iced coffees, and then walk back in the pouring rain!
• - Did I mention the fact that we had to deal with uncooperative printers?
• - We said "Of course!" and "This printer hates me!" at least 10,000 times.
• - Because the pictures were printed larger, they were stretched out on multiple pages so we had to spend time putting the pictures together like puzzle pieces.
• - We had to then glue the pictures on the boards.
• - We had to glue the letters on the boards which required a lot of centering (this is where my "perfectionist" tendencies REALLY began to show!).
• - The list could go on and on and on!
  

We had some stressful moments, but altogether it was a fun two days working on bulletin boards. We definitely learned that NEXT time (if there is indeed a next time!) we will DEFINITELY be more organized and have a plan ready, pictures figured out, and so hopefully five bulletin boards won't take us 12 hours like these did!!!

Oh well...it was a memory!

So here are the 5 boards. We tried to center the bulletin board themes around our VBS theme this year which is Operation: Sword and Shield.

This one is the verse from Ephesians where we are supposed to take the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Many, many thanks goes to Jen who made our fiery darts for us!!!

This is the verse, of course, about the word of God being quick, powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Again, much thanks goes to Jen for making the "starburst" and for giving us the idea in the first place to highlight the fact that the Bible is powerful - which is more on a child's level!

I look at this next board and the main thing I remember is me "overseeing" Rachel glue on the letters and telling her whether they were crooked and spaced right...aaaah, yes..this is where my "perfectionism" really showed. If I learned anything from this experience it is that you can't be a perfectionist when it comes to bulletin boards!!! However, this board turned out nice with the red fabric draped over it for the "border".

I really like how this next one turned out. Simple, yes, but the colors - gold and blue - have that "regal" look and I like how the verse, pictures and blue fabric go together.

(*Commercial Break* If you ever need gold paper - see me! - There is a TON of gold paper in our art closet!!! *Commercial Break over*)

This was our last board, and by this time our brains were fried, and we really didn't feel like doing bulletin boards anymore. However, I think it still turned out pretty good. Rachel had the inspired idea to add the silvery paper behind the shield which really added to it. And of course, the draping red fabric helps too!

So I hope the Scriptural messages behind these bulletin boards will leap out to both children and adults alike! When you really stop to meditate on them, they are soooo powerful filled with so many promises and guidance for the Christian!

Common Caterpillars?

After seatwork time was over this morning, my kiddos were playing over at the table and I was doing some stuff at my desk. I just happened to look over at the butterfly pavilion, and I saw movement in one of the cocoons. I grabbed my camera and shouted, "Quick, everyone, come over to the butterflies!!" I was sooooooo happy that we were able to actually witness one of the butterflies coming out of its cocoon!! That made my day :D

You probably noticed that there was an argument regarding the amount of butterflies left to come out of cocoons :) It is rather tricky because the butterflies basically slip out without really damaging the shape of the cocoon too much. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether or not there is still a butterfly inside! It soon turned into a math lesson...I keep discovering that every moment in Kindergarten is a teachable moment!

Joshua peering at our new butterfly as it crawls up the wall of the pavilion.

One of our pretty butterflies spreading its wings.

Note: The red liquid is not blood but actually something called "meconium", which is made up of the leftover coloring and tissues from the wing formation.

When the first butterfly emerged, I put a paper towel inside that had been saturated with sugar water. Yesterday I was able to get some pink carnations to also add to the floor of the pavilion. I have been sprinkling sugar water on them for the butterflies.

Today during rest time, we watched a movie called Hermie - A Common Caterpillar. It is a story done by Max Lucado. It's about two caterpillars - Hermie and Wormie (featuring the voices of Tim Conway & Don Knotts...gotta love that!). They are wondering why God - their close friend and Creator - chose to make them so common. After all, every other creature they encounter boasts something bold or beautiful that makes it special and unique. Hermie and Wormie do all sorts of stunts to try to be just like the other creatures, but they come up short every time. They keep asking God why He has made them so common and ordinary. God's reply is always, "I am not finished with you yet." Hermie especially gets frustrated with this answer. However, when Hermie finally decides to be content with who he is and how God has made him, that is when a change starts to take place. Of course, in the end Hermie is transformed into a beautiful butterfly and he understands what God had meant when He said, "I am not finished with you yet." Its a cute story filled with lots of humor, but the simple truth you can glean from the story is that God loves you just the way you are and that you are indeed truly special! God is not finished with you yet!

It's amazing how much the whole butterfly process correlates with Biblical truths. Two verses that came to mind today were...

II Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Serving by Loving

Paul intreats us: "Stand fast...in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Gal. 5:1)

Our freedom from bondage to sin can be illustrated this way. It is as if a woman had a male employer; she is paid for her work in weekly wages, and under the rules of her employer, whom she has tried to please, but toward whom her service had been one of obligation only. Finally, however, the employer falls in love with her, and she becomes his bride and shares all his fortunes. At once the whole spirit of her service has changed. She may perhaps continue to do the same things that she did before, but she does them now from a different motive. The old sense of duty is lost in the new sense of love. The cold word "employer" is transformed into the loving word "husband."

"And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi (my husband); and shalt call me no more Baali (my Lord)" (Hos. 2:16)

But imagine this bride beginning after a while to look back on her low estate and to be so overwhelmed by the retrospect as to feel unworthy of union with her husband, and consequently to lose the inward sense of this union. Who can doubt that very soon the old sense of working for wages would drive out the new sense of working for love, and in spirit the old name, "my employer," would take the place of the new name, "my husband"?

We exclaim at the folly of such a course. But isn't this just what happens to many Christians?

-Hannah Whitall Smith

Easter Verses

For the past couple of weeks, my kiddos and I have been working on I Corinthians 15:3-4, calling them our Easter verses. Today as they were coloring their Easter card, I put on the Mr. E CD which plays that Scripture song. They wanted to hear it over and over again, so I decided to just put it on "repeat". However, after at least 20 times of hearing the song repeat over and again, I just had to turn it off! :) My kiddos enjoyed singing along with it though!

I Corinthians 15:3-4

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

The Ants Go Marching...

I love spring! I still consider fall my favorite season, but there is something about spring that I just love. I guess after being cooped up all winter, having to bundle up each day, dealing with elementary recess in a small, enclosed, NOISY environment, I am just sooooooo ready for spring! There is such a refreshing smell in the breezy air. I wish I could just stay outside all day! Plants, tree blossoms, and flowers start to grow and make the world such a pretty place to live. However, its not even technically spring yet, and I am already seeing something negative about this upcoming season....bugs!

School was over. I had done a bit of decorating in the classroom, and was reluctantly closing the window as I was about to head out the door. Before I had closed the window, I had placed one of my teacher tote bags on my desk. When I picked the bag up, I noticed 3 little ants scurrying around on my desk. I quickly grabbed a tissue and put the little creatures out of their misery. I found it quite strange that there were ants on my desk, but I wasn't going to spend much time thinking about it...until I noticed a few ants crawling around on the outside of my teacher bag. Then all the memories came flashing back....

Last year, I had an ant problem in my classroom. Every day there would be ants crawling around in my lunch bag (Gross!). It took me a few days to realize that putting stuff on the floor next to my desk was not such a good idea! Funny thing was, during this time, I had an ant farm in the classroom. I was trying everything to get these big, ugly black ants to dig tunnels in their ant farm. I mean, that was the whole purpose of me buying them, so the kids could see the ant tunnels! However, they were not cooperating. So not only was I dealing with big, stubborn, black ants in my ant farm, but I was also dealing with little tiny brown ants all over the floor and file cabinet. Thankfully, after a few sprays with ant killer, the problem was over. (The ants in the ant farm eventually did make some pitiful looking tunnels...had they not I would have been tempted to spray them as well!)

So all this came flashing back today when I realized I indeed had the ant problem again. Funny thing was, I had just gotten done telling my friend last night that I didn't seem to have the ant problem this year. Grrrrr...they must have heard me, the little buggers!

I got down on the floor to see how many ants were crawling about. There was a whole host of them...ick! So I got my handy, dandy ant spray killer, and showed no mercy as I sprayed all around the area. Needless to say, the fresh aroma of spring was no longer in the classroom. :(

Today, I had a bunch of stuff to bring in to school, so I actually brought in 2 teacher tote bags. Of all days to do such a thing! I tried killing as many ants as I could find that were crawling around the bags, but I knew there had to be ants INSIDE the bags yet, and I really didn't want to deal with them at the moment. So I held the bags at an arm's length and took them out to the van. All the way home, I was literally smooshing ants the entire time.

When we got home, I took the bags out to the porch and dumped out the contents. Let's just say, I needed to do some spring cleaning in the one bag anyway! There were a bunch of ants having a picnic with some leftover snack crumbs at the bottom of the bag. I was literally feeling grossed out by this point, and was itchy all over. I really didn't want to use up a whole box of tissues on these creatures who just kept appearing out of no where. So, I decided to get out our little vacuum cleaner with a handy-dandy long hose, and suck those babies up! That seemed to do the trick, though I did see a few others after I had supposedly sucked them all up. Yikes, those little ants were determined little creatures!!! They just refused to die....arrrggg! Usually, I try to put myself in these little creatures' "shoes" and think about how frightened they must be to see this huge tissue or long hose coming down upon them with no thoughts of escape. Also, clips from the movie "A Bug's Life" start to haunt me as well. But today, I was not "feeling the love" at all.

However, it did remind me of the verse in Proverbs 6:6 ~ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

If we were as determined and as perseverant as these little creatures, I wonder how much more we could accomplish in our lives?!

I must admit that although thoughts of pity for the ants didn't really cross my mind during this process, the overwhelming thought of - This is how tiny and insignificant we are compared to God - stuck with me. God could just "smoosh" us at any moment, but He chooses not to because He loves us so much!

So I guess I learned something from my "ant adventure" today. Everything happens for a reason, you know! :D

Our Favorite Bible Verse Songs

This morning I let each child pick out one of their favorite Bible verses to sing while I recorded it on my camera. My kiddos LOVE watching videos of themselves on my camera! :D Every time I watched it throughout the day so I could edit some things, they would come bouncing over to my desk so they could see themselves and giggle. :)

The Bibles verses they picked are some of my favorites too! Great promises from God, aren't they?