Planning Ahead: Presidents’ Day
February 10, 2010
Presidents’ Day, originally known as Washington’s Birthday, falls on the third Monday of February. As the first federal holiday to honor an American citizen, the holiday was celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, February 22. By the mid-1980s, with a push from advertisers, the term “Presidents’ Day” began its public appearance. This day has since expanded the focus of the holiday to honor another President born in February, Abraham Lincoln, and often other Presidents of the United States. Although Lincoln’s birthday, February 12, was never a Federal holiday, approximately a dozen state governments have officially renamed their Washington’s Birthday observances as “President’s Day”, “Washington and Lincoln Day”, or other such designations.
There are many websites to read about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. President Washington is almost universally admired. President Lincoln is viewed from several different perspectives which I won’t go into in this post, but may be worth further study. Below are two sites that interest me and that I will be using on Monday with the kids.
Read about George Washington here.
Read about Abraham Lincoln here.
Now for some activities to help celebrate the day. Dress up like the Presidents of the past with this fun “Powdered Wig“. This looks so easy and fun. We don’t do a lot of crafts in our home but this one has to be done. I just need to run over to the paint store to get the paper painters hats. I think it will be fun for all of us to put on our wigs and read about these two popular Presidents.
If the wig isn’t easy enough, you can fall back on these wonderful coloring pages. I am thankful that I downloaded these last year from the White House Kid’s website. The Obama administration has since removed them from the site. You are free to use and pass them on as long as they are used for personal use and not for profit.
Download a full coloring book of all 41 Presidents:
Download a George Washington coloring page only
Download a Abraham Lincoln coloring page only
Happy Presidents’ Day!!
Original posting February 13th, 2009
Planning Ahead: Valentines Day
February 4, 2010
Here are some ideas to plan a fun day for celebrating the holiday of the heart.
Do something totally different this year; a unit study of the human heart:
Purchase a beef heart at your local butcher. You can discuss the chambers of the heart, and the blood vessels. Compare this heart to a human heart diagram or model. Talk about the differences and likenesses.
Linkage:
History of Valentines Day Videos
Printable Valentine Stationary
Printable Puzzles and Activities
The following is one of my favorite posts from February 2009
The fruit of the Spirit is love. This is the first quality of the Spirit divinely inspired by God. You will find two kinds of love in scripture. Philos love which is a friendly love or the love one has toward a friend or companion. Agape love which is a caring love, the first quality of the Spirit. Agape is a divine capacity to love. Only God is capable of perfect Agape but we should strive to love as He loves us. Agape is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, and it is not proud. 1Corinthians 13:4-8
Agape seeks the highest and best for another. It is not self seeking, thus the ability to be slow to anger. Psalm 145:8. Agape keeps no record of wrongs and does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Praise God for His Agape upon us!
If you want to learn more about Agape love and other qualities of the Spirit, I recommend taking Beth Moore’s study Living Beyond Yourself, Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit.
Happy almost Valentines Day!
Here are some bible verses in the romantic King James version to help you celebrate this holiday of love:
Fill your heart with Gods word
Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. Romans 10:10
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. Mark 12:30
Search me, oh God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. Psalm 139:23
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4
Verses that speak of God’s Love
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3
God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Behold, what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. 1 John 3:1
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10
We love Him, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Martial Arts Spring Break & Bible Camp 2010
January 30, 2010
Church of the Good Shepherd and Gung Fu for Christ
present our Camp for
K-8th Graders 10am-2:30pm Monday-Friday
Camp 1: March 29- April 2 and/or
Camp 2: April 5-9
Our fun will include Bible teaching from Pastor Tim, Gung Fu training from Sifu Steve, archery, pugil stick fighting, airsoft target shooting, star/knife throwing, nunchuck training, games, crafts, and much more!
*All safety equipment provided.
Your tuition will include a Gung Fu t-shirt, training equipment, and snacks.
$80 for your first child, 2nd child 10% off, and each additional family members are 1/2 price.
Please call Lisa @425-512-6225 or the Church of the Good Shepherd @ 425-774-4474 to pre-register with a $15 non-refundable deposit.
Church of the Good Shepherd is located at 2609 Larch Way, Lynnwood, WA 98036
Gung Fu for Christ is really fun and energetic. I highly recommend this camp and the weekly classes as well. Your kids will absolutely love it! If you are interested in signing up for homeschool martial arts classes with Gung Fu for Christ you are welcome to enroll now as well. This is a great way to get your kids moving and in shape while learning self defense. You can find more information and pricing at their blog or at their website GungFuforChrist.com.
Thanksgiving Treats
November 17, 2009
“Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats!” Aren’t they adorable? I wanted to post this because they are absolutely fabulous, easy and so fun! I did make one mistake. I bought icing gel instead of real icing. Thankfully I had some white frosting and food coloring on hand so that the buckle would show up. I will also make the melted chocolate smoother on the marshmallow. So here is what you need:
- Chocolate Striped Shortbread Cookies
- Melting Chocolates
- Marshmallows
- Tube of Yellow Decorating Icing
Turn the cookies upside down and after dipping the marshmallow in chocolate place it in the center of the cookie. Then pipe the buckles on each one. Once the chocolate sets it will be stuck to the cookie. It is so delicious! The kids love them and so do we. Enjoy! And may God bless you and your family as we approach this Thanksgiving!
Idea from Family Fun magazine
Here is a version with peanut butter cups
Teaching Our Kids to Minister to Others
November 16, 2009
It is important that we teach our children to serve others with love. And that we teach ourselves as well. It builds character and helps conform us to the image of Jesus. There are many ways to do this. The first thing to do is start with the Bible.
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matt 5:16
Just recently we finished a project in our homeschool group where we put together bags for our car to be able to hand out to the homeless. You know when you are at that street corner and you would like to reach out to that hurting person but don’t know how or what you can do? So we put together zip lock bags containing a New Testament Bible, new socks, pen, paper, stamped envelope, water bottle, snack, and a rain poncho. We will keep them in the car and easy to reach for those times when the opportunity presents itself.
There are many programs that you can find to help minister to others. Here is a list that might help you find a ministry that is a good fit for you and your children.
Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child This is a great organization that you can participate in all year around. This year you can donate boxes between November 16-23rd at a local drop off. If it is any other time of year you can send them directly to Samaritans Purse. They have a system that even allows you to follow your box so that you will be able to know where your box went and a little information about it.
Angel Tree – Angel Tree is a ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families with the love of Christ. It seeks to transform the lives of these families and to reconcile them to their Heavenly Father and each other.
Volunteer Match- Enter your zip code to find places that you can volunteer near you. Volunteer at soup kitchens, food banks, nursing homes and shelters. Or just contact the locations you know of directly and ask if there is a way to help out.
World Vision Gift Ministry- Do a fundraiser or have your children save their money and buy an animal for a family in a third world country. For instance give a goat. Goats nourish hungry children and families with healthy milk, cheese, and yogurt. Goats also give a much-needed income boost by providing offspring and extra dairy products for sale at the market.
World Vision Sponsor- As a child sponsor, you are connected with one special child who will know your name, write to you and feel your tender love and prayers. Your monthly sponsorship gift will provide a child with things such as clean water, nutritious food, health care, educational opportunities and spiritual nurture.
World Relief Refugees- Volunteer to sponsor a refugee or refugee family.
Donate clothing, toys or food to your local charities or drives. Put together homeless help bags for your car.
Milk and Cookies Party
September 6, 2009
I just threw a super sweet birthday party for my 3 year old. I thought I would share the details of throwing this type of party here.
The Invitation: Take a photo of your child with a glass of milk and a cookie. Using your favorite photo program, add a speech bubble inviting them to join your child for milk and cookies. Have the photos printed. Get some mailing labels and print the details of the party on them and stick them to the backs of the photos. Mail them in a festive envelope and address in crayon if it’s for a young child’s birthday. Here is my invitation:
The Cookie Jars: Line your cookie jars with scrap booking papers, ribbons and stickers. It is also a good idea to line them with wax paper so that the butter of the cookies doesn’t ruin the paper. Depending on the amount of cookies you make and how large your jars are you can crumble up wax paper at the bottom so that the jars appear FULL of cookies. These were my jars:
The Milk: Milk, chocolate, strawberry or even vanilla milk. Check with your local dairy farm and see if they sell milk in jugs such as the dairy in the link below. You could also score through second hand stores and find mini milk jugs to serve the milk in. Here is how I decided to serve the milk:
The Cookies: Choose your family favorites or just be creative. I thought a great combination was homemade oreos, snickerdoodles and oatmeal chocolate chip. See below for links to recipes. Here are the cookies I served:
The Decorations: Simple balloons and curly ribbon is all that you really need. I have several plastic and vinyl table cloths from the dollar store. These work great for kids parties and to line a table for activities that are messy such as glue or play dough. If you happen to have vintage milk jugs, crates, and or containers you could really do it up.
The Favors: Cookie cutters with the guests first initial or just a cute cutter in cello bags with curly ribbon; Empty bags to take cookies home for later; or you could make a special cookie for them to take home, a great one would be these Play Dough Cookies on a stick wrapped in a cello bag.
The Activity: Homemade play dough with an assortment of cookie cutters; or actually decorate a plain cookie to take home.
Cookie Recipes:
The chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are the recipe on the Toll House bag. I use the regular chocolate chip cookie recipe with these modifications: melt butter to liquid in the microwave and set out to cool for a bit; add one cup of one minute oats. I then refrigerated the dough for a couple hours and made the balls of dough and froze them. I then baked them from frozen. They turn out thick and delicious every time.
I hope you have a “Milk & Cookies” party! It is super sweet & simple!
Passion Narratives
April 6, 2009
Jesus before Caiaphas
Good Friday, also called Holy Friday or Great Friday, is the Friday preceding Easter Sunday. It commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus at Calvary.
In the morning, the whole assembly brings Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, under charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making himself a king (Luke 23:1-2). Pilate authorizes the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus according to their own Law and execute sentencing, however the Jewish leaders reply that they are not allowed by the Romans to carry out a sentence of death (John 18:31).
Pilate questions Jesus, and tells the assembly that there is no basis for sentencing. Upon learning that Jesus is from Galilee, Pilate refers the case to the ruler of Galilee, King Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Herod questions Jesus but receives no answer; Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate tells the assembly that neither he nor Herod have found guilt in Jesus; Pilate resolves to have Jesus whipped and released (Luke 23:3-16).
It was a custom during the feast of Passover for the Romans to release one prisoner as requested by the Jews. Pilate asks the crowd who they would like to be released. Under the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asks for Barabbas, who had been imprisoned for committing murder during an insurrection. Pilate asks what they would have him do with Jesus, and they demand, “Crucify him” (Mark 15:6-14). Pilate’s wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day; she forewarns Pilate to “have nothing to do with this righteous man” (Matthew 27:19).
Pilate has Jesus flogged, then brings him out to the crowd to release him. The chief priests inform Pilate of a new charge, demanding Jesus be sentenced to death “because he claimed to be God’s son.” This possibility filled Pilate with fear, and he brought Jesus back inside the palace and demanded to know from where he came (John 19:1-9).
Coming before the crowd one last time, Pilate declares Jesus innocent, washing his own hands in water to show he has no part in this condemnation. Nevertheless, Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified in order to forestall a riot (Matthew 27:24-26). The sentence written is “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Jesus carries his cross to the site of execution, called the place of the Skull, or “Golgotha” in Hebrew and “Calvary” in Latin. There he is crucified along with two criminals (John 19:17-22).
Jesus agonizes on the cross for three hours while the sun is darkened. With a loud cry, Jesus gives up his spirit. There is an earthquake, tombs break open, and the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom. The centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion declares, “Truly this was God’s Son!” (Matthew 27:45-54)
Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and secret follower of Jesus, who had not consented to his condemnation, goes to Pilate to request the body of Jesus (Luke 23:50-52). Pilate asks confirmation from the centurion whether Jesus is dead (Mark 15:44). A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water to flow out (John 19:34), and the centurian informs Pilate that Jesus is dead (Mark 15:45).
Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus, wraps it in a clean linen shroud, and places it in his own new tomb that had been carved in the rock (Matthew 27:59-60) in a garden near the site of crucifixion. Another secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus (John 3:1) also came bringing 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes, and places them in the linen with the body of Jesus, according to Jewish burial customs (John 19:39-40). They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb (Matthew 27:60). Then they returned home and rested, because at sunset began the Sabbath (Luke 23:54-56).
Borrowed from a past blog post on Accredo Christian
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Book List for Easter
March 30, 2009
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The Tale of Three Trees
By Angela Elwell Hunt / David C. Cook Featuring the wonderful illustrations of Tim Jonke, this best-selling children’s book tells the Easter story from a new and unusual point of view. Three trees on a mountain dream of what they wanted to become when they grew up. One wants to be a treasure chest, another an ocean-going boat, and the third a signpost to God. Their wishes come true in a way they never expected. Children will be deeply touched as they understand, perhaps for the first time, the significance of Christ’s life and his atoning sacrifice on the cross. Recommended for ages 4 and up. |
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The Legend of the Easter Egg, Picture BookBy Lori Walburg / ZonderkidzIn The Legend of the Easter Egg, young Thomas learns the deeper meaning behind Easter eggs and the Easter story itself.One April morning, a boy and his older sister go outside to gather eggs. “Let’s pretend we’re hunting Easter eggs!” Lucy says. “What are Easter eggs?” Thomas wonders. Later, when Lucy falls sick, Thomas goes to stay with John and Mary Sonneman at their candy store. But all the candy he could desire does not cure Thomas’s aching heart. Only when Mary Sonneman shares with him the story of Easter does he understand the hope he has–and what he can do about his sister’s illness.Featuring the beloved setting and characters from the best-selling Legend of the Candy Cane, this moving story takes us deeper into the mystery of Christianity. Dramatic illustrations by James Bernardin underscore the chilling fear of separation and death–and the dazzling joy of reunion and new life. Recommended for ages 4 to 8. |
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The Parable of the Lily, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Parable Series #2By Liz Curtis Higgs / Tommy NelsonWhen Maggie, the farmer’s daughter, receives a mysterious gift, she’s disappointed to find it’s only some dirt and a lifeless bulb. But after tossing it out, she discovers that what was dead has come to life as a beautiful Easter lily! Kids will cherish the 10th anniversary edition of Higgs’s beloved story of love, giving, and forgiving. Recommended for ages 3 to 7. |
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My First Story of Easter
By Tim Dowley / Moody Publishers Looking for a traditional rendition of Easter story to read to your 4- to 7-year-olds? Tim Dowley’s My First Story of Easter retells the biblical account in simple terms, complete with bright, cheery illustrations that are sure to put a smile on the face of the reader. This Easter, give the children in your life the best gift of all–a story that explains the reason for the season–not the Easter bunny and colored eggs, but rather Christ crucified and resurrected! Recommended for ages 4 to 7. |
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The Very First Easter, Softcover
By Paul L. Maier / Concordia Publishing House This book offers a historically accurate description of the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection through Scripture and beautiful artwork.Ten-year-old Christopher wants to know the story behind the story and learns important details about this miraculous event that help him understand the season’s celebration. He also discovers his own special link to the very first Easter. The award-winning team of Paul L. Maier and Francisco Ordaz work together again to bring children a vivid picture of Jesus’ last days on Earth. The Very First Easter makes a wonderful gift children, families, and friends. Recommended for ages 9 to 12. |
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Easter Bunny, Are You for Real? Picture Book
By Harold Myra / Thomas Nelson What does the Easter Bunny have to do with Easter? Images of the Easter Bunny and egg hunts often seem to overshadow the real meaning of this important Christian holiday. Hopping to the rescue is Easter Bunny, Are You For Real? Through an entertaining story and fun illustrations, children will learn the history behind the holiday, and see beyond the cuddly commercialism to the true celebration of our risen Christ! Recommended for ages 3 to 8. |
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Gung Fu for Christ and Spring Break Bible Camp
March 26, 2009
My first 40 digits are enrolled in Gung Fu for Christ at The Church of the Good Shepherd and they just love it. They are offering a spring break camp Monday through Friday for 4 1/2 hours each day. What a wonderful opportunity for your kids to check them out while having a great time. This is such a great deal! The camp will include a Gung Fu t-shirt, snacks and lunch on Friday. Your kids will have the opportunity to see if they would enjoy martial arts in a Godly environment with lots of different games, activities and Bible teaching. Here is their invitation to you:
Church of the Good Shepherd and Gung Fu For Christ present:.
Martial Arts and Bible Camp for K-8th graders
April 6th-10th, 2009, Mon-Fri
10am—2:30pm
Church of the Good Shepherd
2609 Larch Way
Lynnwood, WA 98036Gung Fu t-shirt, training equipment, and snacks included!
Our fun will include Heroes of the Bible teaching with Pastor Tim, Gung Fu training with Sifu Steve, crafts, rc car racing, throwing stars, games, archery, and much more!
$60 each for first two siblings and $40 for each additional family member.
*Scholarships available
Please contact the church @ 425-774-4474 for more info
Please bring a lunch each day, but we will serve lunch on Friday!
This is an open invitation to any homeschool family or students who may be interested.
Happy St. Patricks Day
March 17, 2009
Did you know that in Irish tradition the Shamrock or Three Leaf Clover represents the Holy Trinity: one leaf for the Father, one leaf for the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. When a Shamrock is found with a fourth leaf , it represents God’s Grace!
“You tell us that there are three gods and yet one,” the puzzled Irish said when St. Patrick was preaching the gospel to them in the 5th century AD. “How can that be?” The saint bent down and plucked a shamrock. “Do you not see,” he said, “how in this wildflower three leaves are united on one stalk, and will you not then believe that there are indeed three persons and yet one God?”
Four Leaf Clover Poem
I know a place where the sun is like gold,
And the cherry blooms burst with snow,
And down underneath is the loveliest nook,
Where the four-leaf clovers grow.
One leaf is for HOPE, and one is for FAITH,
And one is for LOVE, you know,
And GOD put another in for LUCK –
If you search, you will find where they grow.
But you must have HOPE, and you must have FAITH,
You must LOVE and be strong — and so –
If you work, if you wait, you will find the place
Where the four-leaf clovers grow.
~Ella Higginson
