• Can I Take Those Words Back?

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    A kid activity that teaches about how our words impact others.

    We have been working through two devotional books with the girls lately.  One of them goes through the Bible in a year and the other one is more of an hands on activity with a lesson called Object Talks for Any Day by Verna L. Kokmeyer.  The kids like both of them, however, we only do the Object Talks devotional on days when we have a little more time because they require preparation, an activity, lesson, and conversation about the lesson taught.

    This particular lesson was about our words and watching what we say to others. This was a great lesson for the beginning of the school year as well as a great reminder for all of us (both kids and parents) that our words have an impact on those around us.

    Objects:  A plate and tube of toothpaste.

    Applicable Bible Verse:  “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” – Psalm 19:14 (ESV)

    Activity:

    1. Ask for a volunteer.
    2. Have the volunteer squeeze all the toothpaste out of the tube onto the plate.
    3. Ask for another volunteer.
    4. Have them try and put all the toothpaste from the plate back into the toothpaste tube.

    Lesson to Talk About:  Like the toothpaste our words can come out pretty quickly and easily, however, once our words are out we cannot take them back.  We have all said something to someone and instantly or later realized it probably wasn’t the best thing to say.  Our words can have a powerful impact on those around us.  They can make people laugh, cry, hurt others feelings, and much more.  Plus when we speak poorly to or about others it makes us look bad as well.  It is important that we allow our thoughts and words to be good, encouraging, wholesome, and kind to those we encounter.  What we fill our hearts and minds with will often come out our mouth and reveal what we are truly thinking.  Much like the impossible task of getting toothpaste back into the tube we cannot take back the words we say to others.  The toothpaste in this example was contained to the plate, however, our words can make a big mess and cause hurt to others for a very long time.

    We all could spend a little more time focusing our hearts, minds, and thoughts on good things.  Life is short and we want to spend our time being an encouragement and blessing to those around us.  May we seek God’s wisdom regarding our thoughts and our speech.

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    We used a sample of Tom’s of Maine toothpaste I received in the mail for this activity. A sample size is big enough to get the point across!

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    Brina squeezing out all the toothpaste onto the plate!  Like the toothpaste, it’s amazing how quickly our words can come out of our mouths.

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    The toothpaste is out!

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    Karlie attempting the impossible task of putting all the toothpaste back into the tube!  Once our words our spoken we cannot take them back.

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    She tried a lot of different ways to get the toothpaste back into the tube – fingers, toothpaste cap, toothpick, and more yet it was a messy and impossible to get it all of the toothpaste back into the tube.  The girls like these type of devotional lessons because they are interactive, have a creative and visual way to teach the lesson, and they tend to be more memorable for them.  All of us could probably use a reminder regarding our words and the impact they have on others.

     

  • Heart Reflections: Conversation Starters

    There has been so much that has happened over the course of the week its hard to know how to sift through all that is going on and use those moments, sometimes even times of heartaches to start some tough conversations with our kids.  Conversations about life and yes, death too.  While it is my preference to focus on the happy and fun moments sometimes God allows something that brings tears to mold my heart as well as the hearts of my kids.

    How we handle those conversations can be key to reaching the very heart of our children.  As they deal with the death of a precious pet, loved one, or something else they will want to know answers and find peace amidst the heartache.  While circumstances (like in our case the death of a family pet) will prompt conversations it’s never easy answering the questions when your child’s heartbroken.

    Another great way to start some good conversations with your children is through devotionals.  One of  the best parts about reading through a variety of devotional books with them is that it really seems to initiate some good conversations.  Some of the conversations can extend over several days too.

    I pray that Jake and I will seek God’s wisdom so that we know what and how to explain God’s goodness even in the sad moments as well as taking opportunities to share truth during those happy times.  May we always cherish the times we have with the ones we love even more.

  • Getting My Attention

    Do you ever have those wild stressful days?  Recently I had one of those days when I had a lot going on and the girls were trying to help but they were slowing down the process.  Since we had to get going soon I told them to relax quietly together so I could finish up the last few items then we could leave.  It was one of those rushed days that are more stressful than usual and I had over committed myself.

    After completing the necessary tasks I went to find the girls,  they had been quiet the past fifteen minutes so I was interested in finding out what had captivated their attention.  My heart about burst when I went into the dining room.  They were standing at the table taking turns reading The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm together.  As I stood there listening to them share story after story and point out the pictures on the pages I was so happy that they were  sharing this time together.  It was amazing how much they remembered from going through the book with them even though it was several devotional books ago.

    However, at the same time I was convicted because it was a fast paced day and I hadn’t taken the time that morning to do my devotions.  God used my sweet girls to grab my attention and gently remind me of the importance of having quiet time each day.  How I chose to live my life has a ripple effect on my family and the people around me.  I am thankful for these quiet reminders.  I trust that God will continue to do a work in my life.

    We do devotions with the girls in the evenings before bed (most nights).  They always look forward to reading together.  Typically,  Jake will read them a chapter from a book we are going through together then I will do the devotional book with them.  If time is tight we just do the devotional book.  During the Holidays we were staying up too late so we would just pray with them before tucking them into bed at night.  We are excited to get back into the routine and see all the neat things that they will learn this year.

  • Book: “My Good Night Devotions” by Susan Lingo

    We purchased “My Good Night Devotions” by Susan Lingo at Goodwill for $0.25 after reading through a couple stories, our copy has a couple markings in it but otherwise in great condition.  It has 45 devotional stories for kids.    The girls LOVE it!  Each lesson has a short scripture verse, a story, thinking time (with a 1 to 3 questions), prayer and sleeping time game or activity for them to go to bed thinking about.  Brina and Karlie’s favorite character is “Night Light” a little firefly that is hidden in each picture and throughout the devotional.  If you are looking for a neat devotional that shows how God’s Word works in everyday situations for your young kids check out this book.

  • Book: “Speaking Mom-ese” by Lisa Whelchel

    This book was given to me after I had the girls, Speaking Mom-ese by Lisa Whelchel.  The first few months after the girls were born were a blur after having 12 weeks of bed rest, followed by an early delivery, complications, and time in the NICU.  It was encouraging to have a devotional from a Mom’s perspective even though a lot of the stories were regarding older kids.   The devotionals were short, sweet, and hit home during those exhausting months.  Since then I have gone through the book again and different devotionals touched my heart this time around.