Saturday, November 22, 2014

Thankfulness devotional dat 2

1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

“His love endures FOREVER” Do you know what endures means?

It means it lasts, it doesn’t end and there’s no stopping it. Can you imagine a love like that? God loves us and it NEVER ends! That’s pretty amazing to think of isn’t it? At this time of year, Thanksgiving, we all take time to be thankful for the things we have been given. Many people though, forget to give the glory to God! This verse tells us we are to praise God for the things we are thankful for! We can thank Him through prayer and also through helping others! Do you have plenty of toys in your room and are thankful for them? Give some to kids in need? Have more than enough food in your kitchen? Donate some to your local food pantry.

Teens/Adults- What are some things you are thankful for? Thank God for them now and also pray how you can use some of those things to reach out to others around you. Whether it’s by donating food, clothing or other items to someone in need or doing something bigger like organizing a fundraiser to bless a family in need. Make your list of gratitude and then brainstorm some things you can do to share with others.

KIDS- Think about what you are thankful to God for. Make a toilet paper roll turkey! You will need: Toilet paper roll, markers, scissors, construction, paper googly eyes (optional)

Directions: Draw several feathers on different colors of construction paper Cut them out and write one thing you are thankful for on each. Glue to the back of the toilet paper roll Glue eyes on the front and cut out an orange beak to glue on. Use it as a centerpiece this Thanksgiving!

Example: 

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Thanksgiving Devotional Day 1



Thanksgiving is only a week away! My good friend Erin from My Crazy Blessed and Honored Life,  and I have teamed up to bring you a weekmof family devotiomals im preparation for thanksgiving.  Here is day 1.

1 Corinthians 1:4-5
I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way–in all your speaking and in all your knowledge
Paul gives us a great example in these two verses! He prays and gives thanks for his fellow believers! Who are you thankful for? Do you pray for them daily? It’s so easy to get busy and forget to be thankful for those around us! Especially church family whom we only see once or twice a week. They are there to encourage us and help us grow and learn as Christians.
The second verse in this passage talks about God enriching us in knowledge and speaking. How do we gain this? First is by accepting Jesus as our savior, second is by reading His word daily and interacting with other believers.

Teens/Adults-  Here’s some things for you to do to remember to be thankful for those around you! Make a list of ten people whom you are thankful for. Pray for them now and thank God for them. Then pray for them each day this week! You may also want to send one or more of them a little note of encouragement saying that you are thankful for them! You never know how much that little act of kindness could brighten someones day.

KIDS- Think of some people you are thankful for. Pray for them with your parents today and through the week. Draw a picture, make a card or call them on the phone to let them know you are thankful for them!

Craft- If you need something to help you remember your list try making this fun craft. You will need: craft foam or card stock, markers and scissors. Directions: 
1. Trace your hands onto the paper or foam with heels overlapping.
 2. Cut them out but don’t cut the hands apart!
 3. On the middle write (or have a parent write) “People I’m thankful for” 
4. On each finger write the name of one person.
 5. Keep in your Bible or hang on the fridge as a reminder to thank God for each of them this week.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Educents $10 free for new members!

Have you checked out Educents? If not, now is the time! New customers are being offered $10 for joining through this link! Take a look then let me know what your favorite finds are on sale now!
http://www.educents.com/signup-bonus.html

Monday, November 17, 2014

Christmas Gifts that Get Kids Reading


Are you ready to get some Christmas shopping done? I know as December nears, we are all thinking about getting gifts bought and marked off the list early! Today I have a list of ideas for you to get kids reading this Christmas and beyond!
Activity Books 
Activity books are so much fun! They give children something fun to do while learning about a variety of topics. Here's a few of my favorites!


1. Aliens Sticker Book 
2. Fairies Activity Pack
3 Dinosaur Quiz Cards
4. 365 Science Activities
5. Baby's Very First Big Play Book
My toddler LOVES this book! We borrowed it from a friend for a few days and it had so many fun things to look under, feel and sounds to listen to. This is on her Christmas list!
6. Little Boys' Activity Book 
7. Learning Pallette
8. Baby's Very First Flash Cards: Animals







Shine a Light Books 
These are SO much fun! I used them with our homeschool co-op and the kids all loved it. They ranged from 3 to 10 years old! Here's a quick video to check them out.

Secrets of the Apple Tree
Secrets of the Seashore
Secrets of the Rainforest



Chapter Books 
Even if your kids aren't up to reading a chapter book on their own, it's a great time to read aloud to them! From "Hey Jack!" and "Billie B." for beginners to the "Pheonix Files" and "Conspiracy 365" for teens and even adults. These books are sure to get your kids reading!


Ages 4-7
Ages 7-9
Ages 9-11
Ages 12+




a Rafflecopter givea! way

Click here to find the other gift guides as part of the Christmas Blessings Giveaway! 


Monday, November 10, 2014

6 Days of Creation + MORE!



This topic has been cropping up more and more and I feel like it's important to say it. The Bible tells the story of creation in Genesis 1. Many people have decided to twist the word "day" to fit popular science's view of the age of the Earth. They say,

 "The Bible doesn't mean a day, God's day may have been millions of years!"

That got me thinking, was Noah's flood really millions and millions of years then? The Bible says it rained for forty days and nights. Was Jesus in the wilderness for millions of years before Satan tempted Him?

The Bible is to be taken quite literally, not just in the creation but EVERY word in it! We cannot pick and choose what to believe from the Bible and try to twist the things we don't agree with to mean something else!

If we try and twist the days of creation into millions of years the entire Bible makes no sense at all!  I went looking for more information from Answers in Genesis and read this great article about the literal days of creation. Dr, Mortenson made some good points. Moses and the others who wrote the Bible were not scientists, they didn't have the technology we have today. They spoke, read and wrote Hebrew which had to be written in a very clear manner for them to understand. He also explains the Hebrew word for day used in the Bible.

"Everywhere else in the Old Testament, when the Hebrew word for “day” (םיוֹ, yom) appears with “evening” or “morning” or is modified by a number (e.g., “sixth day” or “five days”), it always means a 24-hour day."
If you have heard these statements about the creation not being literal days or the world being millions of years old I encourage you to do your own research! Read your Bible first and remember God doesn't lie, His word is truth and we can't pick parts to believe and leave the rest. Once you've done that head over to Answers in Genesis do get some of your specific questions answered!

Kids love dinosaurs, they love hearing Bible stories and learning about God's creation. If we don't equip them with the truth and teach them what the Bible says about the world we live in they will hear false things at school, on TV or in books that don't line up with the Bible. We have to teach them how it all fits together, how science does in fact align with the Bible and THEN our children can learn about dinosaurs, nature and our world with the same outlook God intended us to have.


Want more resources for learning to see the world God's way, grow in your faith and teach your children? Check out the Ultimate Christian Living Bundle. Today is the LAST day to get it! Take a look below and don't miss out.



Monday, November 3, 2014

Multi-Age Homeschooling Without Going Crazy



This year has been, well I guess every year of homeschooling is a learning experience. This year it has been figuring out how to deal with kindergarten, first grade and fifth plus a toddler in the mix who no longer takes a morning nap (isn't 14months too young for that?) Many days I felt like I was going crazy trying to get all of them done even though My Father's World kindergarten is fairly quick and easy. I asked around, saw the color coded charts people used to teach their families and tried making up my own schedule.

Even after all of that I still felt frazzled, unorganized and just frustrated! Finally I figured out what I needed to do and it worked! Instead of trying to do math with one then the next and the next then going onto another subject and switching between the three of them I thought I'd try and just sit down with one child and get through ALL of their work before moving onto the next. The first day it was SO nice! We were done fairly earl in the day and I didn't feel like I was losing m mind.

Here are my tips for schooling multiple levels.

1.Combine when possible
Many curriculum are made for just this! Using things for Bible, Science and History that can work for a variety of grade levels helps a LOT when trying to fit it all in. Think of the one room school house style. One classroom for all the grades and letting kiddos work together on crafts and projects makes it so much more fun!




2. Experiment with Your Schedule
It may take a while to figure out what works for you. Do you like having a set schedule? Try that and see how it works for you. If it's making your more stressed out than it is being helpful you may want to try  more relaxed schedule. For me, it was having a set start time then working with one child at a time while the others played. You may be able to work with more than one at a time without going crazy and if that works for you go for it! Experiment and find what works

3. Expect Interruptions

At least in my house, with a toddler, there's always something happening! Toys being dumped, her stepping on the kids workbooks as they are trying to write, the dog barking or a fussy toddler who wants attention! SO many things can get in the way when trying to get through the school day, learning to expect them and go with the flow really helps you keep your cool (even though picking up the pile of cards for the fifth time may not be fun lol).


Now, Mama, it's your turn to share! How do you teach several kiddos without going crazy?
09 10