A Devotional for My Little Guy

My "little guy" really isn't so little anymore.   He's seven, and growing up in so many ways.   

He watches everything his eleven year old sister does, and wants to many things in school just like her.   Bible study time is no different.  

He watches her doing an independent Bible study, and has been asking me to do the same.   He's read through My First Devotional (from Tommy Nelson) last year and loved his special time each evening.  

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Choose Wisely

Today's post is written by a dear, dear friend of mine.  She has graduated two children from her homeschool and has two more on the way!  I first met Denise at a homeschool literature fair, and then God placed her in my path again at our homeschool co-op.  Denise is a tender spirit whose gifts are that of mercy and encouragement.   I KNOW you will enjoy her post today.

Choose Wisely: Teaching our children to choose a life of faith

By Denise Leak

“You must choose, but choose wisely. For as the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you.”

(Indiana Jones, The Last Crusade)

How do we teach our children to choose wisely?  In a predominantly secular, faithless, selfish world where self-sufficiency and ‘follow your heart’ mentalities reign, teaching our children to choose wisely seems to be a daunting task.  However, we know that this is our most important calling and we must teach our children to know truth, seek wisdom and choose wisely the path of life.

 

Devotion time this morning and I am with our two boys reading about obedience. From Character Sketches, Volume 1, we read about the Wood Duck.  

I am deeply moved by the spiritual lessons from this study in nature.  

God’s design for life.

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The Gift of Godly Play

I've written before about the excellent Sunday School curriculum our little Lutheran church uses.  Godly Play is a very Montessori-like approach to teaching Sunday School.  My children love it, and I love teaching it and watching the way Bible stories reside in our children's hearts after repeated and intentional exposure.  

A dear friend of mine at church is solely responsible for implementing this program, obtaining the resources, and advocating for Godly Play instruction.  It is/was probably the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT Bible training resource in my children's lives.  

Godly Play instruction in our church continues through the third grade.

{ To see a Godly Play story being told, visit Living Montessori Now, where there are lots of pictures and also videos.  It is a beautiful thing to watch.  It is also something that can be used in your homeschool! }

Our story last Sunday was Jesus and The Twelve... such an interesting explanation of the 12 Apostles and the story surrounding each of them.  The painting of The Last Supper forms the backdrop of the story, and each Apostle is described by his shield.  My favorite is John, who was supposed to drink poisoned wine, but a serpent drank it instead and saved his life.  Or, there is Matthew, the tax collector, whose shield has three bags of money on it.  

I never cease to be amazed at the quiet WONDER the children have as you tell the story... each story of the Apostles so intriguing and tragic.... all but one of Jesus' Apostles was killed for their belief and support of him.  In a class of K-3 students this point was not lost, believe me.  

The children then heard The Great Commission, from Matthew 28:

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

The children took outlines of different continents and painted, colored, or whatever their little hearts desired.  We also talked about ways we could help spread the Good News.

What have you been using for telling Bible stories in your home or at your church?