Jelly Beans….Easter’s Witnessing Tool
Our church is conducting a city-wide blitz to invite everyone in our community to church for our Easter services. Our minister has a passion for lost souls. He wants everyone in our area to hear the gospel so that through faith in Jesus Christ, we will spend our eternity in heaven. His sermon Sunday discussed the book of the life where the names of all believers will be recorded. ( Luke 10: 20; Rev. 20: 14b, 15)
Names…..What am I doing to share the gospel with my neighbors? with my co-workers? with the strangers I meet in the check-out line at the grocery store? I know that I have neighbors that don’t attend a church….What am I doing? I feel the Holy Spirit convicting me to share the gospel with others….to get out of my own routine and intentionally share the Good News!
Last year, my children and I had a blast assembling and distributing small, cellophane bags of jelly beans with a “Jelly Bean” prayer attached.
The Jelly Bean Prayer (more…)
St. Patrick…..Worthy of Celebrating!
Patrick was born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387. In his sixteenth year, Patrick was carried off into captivity by Irish marauders where for six years he tended his master’s flocks. He relates in his “Confessio” that during his captivity while tending the flocks he prayed many times in the day:
“the love of God”, he added, “and His fear increased in me more and more, and the faith grew in me and the spirit was roused, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers , and in the night nearly the same, so that whilst in the woods and on the mountain, even before the dawn, I was roused to prayer and felt no hurt from it, whether there was snow or ice or rain; nor was there any slothfulness in me, such as I see now, because the spirit was then fervent within me.”
After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation-an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. He returned where he devoted his life to teaching the Irish people about Christianity. He is credited with beginning over 300 churches and schools. Clearly, Patrick is a Joseph-like example of a man sold into slavery who later impacted the world.
St. Patrick’s Day Ideas (more…)
Lunchbox Ideas….Conquer Morning Madness
“Everybody get up! We’ve overslept!!” Our family looked like the family on the movie Home Alone where everyone overslept before a family trip. In our case, we had alarm clock issues before going to school. We made it to school in record time (without being late), largely because of some techniques that our family has developed in handling “morning madness”.
We pack lunchboxes almost every day. For our family, this solution is not only economical, but is also a healthier meal option. As a working mom (more…)
Texting….Generational Glue
“What’s up?” often appears on my cell phone screen. Two words that have become cherished as a communication link in our family. My oldest sons have been deemed “old enough” to have a cell phone. They actually taught me to text several months ago and I love it. I find that this link allows me to keep up with their day….the outcome of a hard test, the news at school (during break of course), etc. Texting is also helpful in organizing our family plans after school as we coordinate extracurricular activities.
The most surprising result of entering the “texting world” (more…)
Chicken Wild Rice Casserole…The Perfect Meal on Wheels!
“Of course, I’d love to bring a meal.”……..This statement comes out of a southern woman’s mouth as quickly as “Bless your heart!” We bring meals for every occasion…..birth of a child, sickness, funerals, moving into a new home, beginning a new job….the list is limitless. Even if you don’t like to cook, develop one or two recipes as your “meal on wheels” when an occasion arises.
I have found that Chicken Wild Rice Casserole is my favorite “to go” recipe. (more…)
Science Fair Projects…..Should This Be Illegal?
Every new year begins a flurry of activity in my kitchen….not delightful new recipes cooking on the stove, but project boards, photographs and experiment materials. As an educator, I should be thrilled to have the projects covering our home, but I haven’t quite been able to get there…..Should science projects be illegal? I am a proponent of the educational process, but I don’t like projects being sent home that require intense parental guidance. If a student is assigned a project, then the student should be able to fulfill the requirements with a reasonable amount of additional assistance.
Regardless, I don’t think my view will be the new trend in education. I’d like to dig in my educational toolbox and share sources (more…)
Homemade Hot Chocolate……the Recipe for Winter Fellowship
Snow doesn’t often come to Alabama so “snow preparation” includes making sure that we have all of the ingredients for Leigh’s Hot Chocolate recipe. The first time I made this, snow fell on Alabama. We lived on a street filled with children. I made pots of this delicious winter treat and served it on my porch to neighbors chilled by the outdoor games…..We still talk about this special time and the memories that we made that day. Enjoy the winter wonderland and the fellowship!
Leigh’s Hot Chocolate (more…)
By God’s Grace…..Our Wounds Will Heal
“You idiot!” rang through the corridor of our church just as I rounded the corner of the pre-school hallway to quieten playful children. Dismay filled my soul since the voice of the culprit was my own sweet son! I hurried down the hallway (planning the discipline for the innappropriate behavior in my head) to find a group of children huddled around my little one. The gash on his forehead seemed to scream……stitches and ER! (more…)
Families For Him Is A Christian Family Ministry…
“Families For Him”
Doesn’t it sound like a website for the “perfect” family? Nothing could be further from the truth! As I write this, I am looking at a home in total disarray from a wonderful sleepover to celebrate my oldest son’s 13th birthday.
We had a fabulous time making milkshakes with our dinner and “omelets in a bag” with our breakfast. The focus was on one of my four children and on building relationships with his peers…
Jesus wants that same relationship with all of us. He isn’t interested in perfection. He wants us to seek Him with a personal day-to-day relationship.
