Where is the Line Up

http://wheresthelinetoseejesus.com/

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Some Creative Lettering…

 

Well, Kristyn saw me watching that See The Light: The Gift of Love DVD last night and was BEGGING to do one of the lessons.  We had time today, so we did the creative lettering activity.  The creative lettering lesson is taught by Heidi Shorts and is about 33 minutes long.  We took a while longer because we paused the DVD to keep everyone on the same step.

 

Here’s what our drawings ended up looking like:

 

It doesn’t show up really well in the photo, but inside the letter O is a drawing of a baby representing Baby Jesus.

 

LHarris

 

Kristyn, age 10

Marrissa, age 6

Wyatt, age 5

Rayna, age 3

 

Wyatt and Rayna kinda did their own thing but I was not going to deny them spending time with us, trying to do what we were doing!  They were so proud of their drawings.  Cora did not join us this time; apparently a computer game was more important at the time.  I have no doubt she’ll join us next time.

 

I have received a response from See The Light regarding my review post and they have some addition information that they wanted my readers to know!  Remember my concern about the black light and the extreme colors???  They addressed that concern as well as let me know about a sale!!!

 

I  want you to know that the art lessons on "The Gift of Love" and on the other Bible stories - "Crossmaker" & "God's Runaway" can be done and enjoyed without the eXtreme colored pencils (made by Crayola and sold in art stores, but sold also on our site for convenience) and without the SEE THE LIGHT black light.  You and your readers can also purchase black lights elsewhere, but are often larger and more expensive.  So, we do offer it.  Kids LOVE LOVE LOVE the POP of the black light with the special pencils and/or fluorescent chalk.

ART CLASS doesn't use the black light or the eXtreme pencils or the fluorescent chalk in any of the 36 lessons.  Master artist Pat Knepley does use colored pencils and chalk pastels in some of her later lessons, but not with the black light, etc.

Have a glorious Christmas!!!

JOYfully, because of HIS love,

Pat

 

If you are interested in seeing your children’s reactions to the black light “POP”, it just might be easiest to order these items from See The Light, but if you live in a bigger center, you probably wouldn’t have an issue finding the pencils or a smaller black light.  Thanks, Pat, for that information!  I got thinking, too, a black light could be used for many other things, and a good addition to any homeschool supply closet.

 

And now for the sale information:

 

Between now and December 9th, SEE THE LIGHT is giving 10% off all products + FREE SHIPPING on every order that totals $25.00 or more.  Code to use: MERRY2011

 

SEE THE LIGHT HAS CHRISTMAS FREEBIES FOR YOU

“ANGEL SKY”

A gorgeous, simple to do step-by-step Christmas Chalk Art Lesson

http://www.seethelightshine.com/media/fun_stuff/downloads/Sky Angels.pdf

4 COMPLETE CHRISTMAS LESSONS

Including the actual script from the SEE THE LIGHT DVD “The Gift of Love”

+

Readers Bible Theatre Scripts

“The Three Trees” & “The People Who Missed Christmas”

+

Much more. . .

http://www.seethelightshine.com/the-gift-of-love.html

 

 

I really hope that you will check them out and take advantage of the 10% off and free shipping!

 

Connect with See The Light:

Website: www.SeeTheLightShine.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeeTheLightShineArt

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SeeTheLightArt

Blog: http://www.seethelightshine.com/blog/

 

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of The Gift of Love in exchange for my honest review!

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

The Gift of Love: Christmas Story & Art Lessons

 

See The Light Series: Drawing Children to Him presents The Gift of Love an artful telling of the story of Jesus’ birth.  This DVD offers 143 minutes of content: the story, 3 art lessons (creative lettering, colored pencils and chalk technique) as well as some bonus features!  The narration is very easy to listen to; the artwork is beautiful.  The lessons are easy, step by step, anyone can do it!  Recommended for ages 6 and up (art lessons, the story is for everyone).  As well there are some Christmas “Grab and Go” lessons available on their website – www.SeeTheLightShine.com .

 

I haven’t yet shown this DVD to my children.  I hope to do a couple of the lessons with the kids during the month of December, but I wanted to get the word out there about this great product and tool before Christmas, just in case my readers might be interested in purchasing this as a gift or simply as a tool for your own educating / education.

 

 

Not being an artist or even highly interested in such things – I am NOT crafty at all – I have only one complaint… (but it really could just be my lack of education in this area).  In this DVD specifically (they have a whole series of art classes that are GREAT too!!!) the lessons require / recommend some special colored pencils and a black light (both available on their website).  Now, maybe you could get these items at Michaels or another art store.  I don’t know if I can get these things elsewhere, or if I need to buy them from See The Light.  Needless to say, at this point, we do not have these intense pencil crayons or a black light.  These tools do not really prevent the artist from doing the work and creating something marvellous.  It is simply a bonus feature of the artwork itself.  In my opinion.

 

One day I’ll tell you (and show you what we create) from this DVD and from Art Class Volume 1.  (We’ve looked at the first of four lessons and it was about collecting our supplies.  We have most of them.) 

 

OOOOHHHHH, and I’m so excited… In going to find the link for Art Class Volume 1 I discovered an online subscription offer where you don’t have to buy the DVDs, but you can just take the classes online!!!! It’s cheaper and there is less clutter.  And anyone that knows me, knows that I’m trying to get rid of clutter!

 

This just keeps getting better and better.  They take PayPal.  We don’t have a credit card (well, we kinda do now… Canada Post has pre-paid Visas now), but up until this month we didn’t have a credit card and PayPal was my only choice for shopping online!  I LUV that See The Light has PayPal!!!

 

Can you tell I like this product yet?  So go try it out!  You’ll be glad you did.  Maybe I’ll become that artist I once dreamed of being yet!

 

Connect with See The Light:

Website: www.SeeTheLightShine.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeeTheLightShineArt

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SeeTheLightArt

Blog: http://www.seethelightshine.com/blog/

 

The website is a GREAT resource!  A great place to visit!

 

Disclaimer:  I received (from See The Light) a copy of the two DVDs mentioned in this blog post, in exchange for my honest review!

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Thinking On Scripture… Deuteronomy 12

Deuteronomy 12 (ESV)

Verses 1-4

These are the statutes and rules that you shall be careful to do in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers has given you to posses, all the days that you live on the earth.  You shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.  You shall tear down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim with fire.  You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place.  You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way.

Verse 8-9

You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes, for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you.

Verses 29-32

When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘how did these nations serve their gods? – that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.  Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do.  You shall not add to it or take away from it.

My Thoughts

Verses 1-4 … You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way … Sounds like God has a very specific way he wants us to worship him.

Verses 8 and 9 … everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes … sounds a lot like society today.  “What works for you, works for you.  What works for me, works for me.”

Verses 29-32 … do not inquire about their gods … You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way …  Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do … You shall not add to it or take away from it.

I know I’m going to hear a couple of arguments:

1. But that’s the OLD TESTAMENT.  My simple response to you is: IS it the BIBLE or is it not?  IS the BIBLE true, God’s Word, or just a story book?
2. God was only speaking to them, in their culture; it doesn’t apply to me.  So who is God talking to?  His people?  I think so.  If I consider myself one of God’s chosen people, His daughter, one of His bride, wouldn’t those verses apply to me as well?

We are not careful to do ALL that the LORD has commanded us to do.  We are sloppy messy Christians doing whatever we please.  I am guilty.  I do not worship my God in the way He has commanded that we worship him.

We are the CREATED.  He is the CREATOR.  Does that not give him the right to make the rules?  To tell us how he wants to be honored?  WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE??? You really think we have the right to tell God how we are going to worship him?  No, we don’t.  We are called to OBEDIENCE!  What an arrogant people we have become!?!? I am sickened… I am in agony… My heart HURTS that I have hurt my God, my Savior!

So where do I go from here?  How do I change?  What changes need to be made?

These will not be fast changes.  The things that will change will come, only with baby steps.  The changes to come, in my life, and in the life of my family will come as we learn more, as we dig into God’s Word, as we allow Him to direct our paths, on this new and different, deeper level.

 

If you LOVE me, you will OBEY my commandments … Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.  (John 14:15, 21-24, ESV)

 

The words of Jesus, are the words of God.  The words of God are the whole Bible.  To show my love for my God, I need to obey … like a child.  A child is eager to please, eager to obey, to show their love… Is my relationship such as that – Am I eager to please, to obey my Heavenly Father?

 

These thoughts were sparked in part by: Truth or Tradition- Should Christians Celebrate Christmas and Easter? a podcast by Jim Staley.

 

Continuing to dig, learn and grow.  I hope you will join me.

 

Still diggin',

Favorite Holiday

The holiday I am most looking forward to this year is Christmas.  It seems each year as the children get older and understand better and the excitement builds each fall, I like Christmas more and more.  We are slowly developing our own traditions and carrying on a few from when Jason and I were children.

We open one gift on Christmas Eve.  We make a gingerbread train or house at some point during the holidays.  We have a big dinner together at the table.  I don’t know who will be there from year to year.  In 2009 we were just our own family.  In 2010 my brother came.  There are a few books that I am collecting that we will read each year in December as well.

Jason tries to book off the 23,2 4, 25 and 26 from work, so that he can be here to participate in things with the children.  It doesn’t always work, but for the most part he has been able to be home those days.  This is something that is important to him and to me.

In the coming years I would like the children to participate in our Christmas Eve service by either singing or reciting Scripture or poetry.  I have this dream of all the children saying at least a line or two of a poem.  Jason wants it to be optional for all but I want it to be a requirement.  We’ll see how it goes in the coming year.  Another thing I would like to add to our Christmas season is having people over to visit, play games, eat goodies.

As part of the Christmas season (most of December) we attend a number of parties.  These are important to me and so our babysitting costs in December are a little higher than normal.  We have the Fireman’s Ball (in October, I guess, so that’s not Christmas, but mentioned as important just the same), Fire Dept.'s children’s Christmas party followed that evening by the adult party, J’s work Christmas party, Christmas Eve service, and our church’s New Year’s Eve party.

Christmas is a long way away at this point in the year, but it is the holiday I look forward to the most!


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

What IS Christmas about?

What a great song!!!!

http://wheresthelinetoseejesus.com/

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Body After Baby Quick Post

Just a quick post to say that I'm failing miserably.  I'm not drinking enough water.  I'm eating too many sweets.  I'm not exercising.  I claim the following song:



Once the new year hits, I'll be on the ball.  I know I'm getting a Wii and Wii Fit and board for Christmas!

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Remembering Christmas Past

I haven't put much pressure on this Christmas.  We are only doing what works for each day, making a tentative plan for each day / week.  I don't feel rushed or cramped; Christmas is a lot of fun this year.  I can't wait to see their faces on Christmas morning.  We are counting sleeps!  I could just cry!  I'm so so excited.

It has been almost 7 years coming for me to be this excited about Christmas again.  Seven years is a long time to be bummed about Christmas, especially when you remember loving it so much as a child.  My brothers and I would literally wait, watching the clocks Christmas Eve night, waiting for 6AM so we could wake our parents.

I remember the Christmas I got earrings.  I didn't have my ears pierced, so I was very confused; on the tree was a second gift - a certificate for the piercing!  That was one of my greatest Christmas's; I was 13, I think.  Mom got her ears done that year too!

I remember racing around the "big pillows" to Spike Jones "All I want for Christmas!"  and dog piling with my brothers when the music stopped.  We looked forward to doing that all year long and would very rarely pull out the tape in the middle of the year, just to give it a go.  It was never the same as being in that Christmas excitement.

I remember helping with Christmas dinner.  I loved setting the table with special plates and silverware and cloth napkins.  I remember candles and gingerbread houses.  I remember friends and lots of baking.  Chocolate.  I remember snowmobiling with our church friends.  I remember curling bonspiels.  I remember toothbrushes in our stockings and Christmas candies and oranges.

Until this year, Christmas has just kinda happened around us.  This year we are active participants in activities and gift giving. (Birthdays have been the same way.) Until this year, I haven't wanted to make our own traditions.  Thankfully we've been able to carry over some things from our childhood and that's made Christmas special for the kids.

Everyone gets the excitement and the fun this year (except for Matty).  Rayna was so young last year that it was just confusion to her.  This year will be different.  Next year will be even better!

I know Christmas is about celebrating Jesus' birth.  I don't forget that and we tell our kids that.  No one believes in Santa here; we just like to pretend.

The grief counselor at the UofA hospital in 2004 was right.  Things don't come really normal until around the 7 year mark.


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

And another. Just for fun!

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Merry Christmas! Just some fun.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

What the Donkey Saw

What The Donkey Saw by   U.A. Fanthorpe

No room in the inn, of course,
And not that much in the stable
What with the shepherds, Magi, Mary,
Joseph, the heavenly host –
Not to mention the baby
Using our manger as a cot.
You couldn’t have squeezed another cherub in
For love or money.
Still, in spite of the overcrowding,
I did my best to make them feel wanted.
I could see the baby and I
Would be going places together.


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

The last two weeks in One Year To An Organized Life

Week Three of December is a good time to volunteer with local organizations and charities. Volunteering / giving back is a great way to bless others and in so doing you will also feel blessed. I am very pleased to see this included in Regina Leeds book! We were richly blessed by our community and our church this Christmas season. Next year our church is in charge of organizing the Christmas Baskets given to families in need in the community. We will be volunteering with our church members next year. This year we went through our cupboards and put things we were never going to use in the food bank box at the local grocery store.

Week Four is the big celebration! And dealing with the "aftermath". Regina Leeds reminds us to take care of ourselves so that we don't end up in bed with a cold or flu. The week after Christmas is a great time to start thinking about the New Year as well.

Do you have resolutions? Will this be the year you stick to them? Or do you simply want to strive to do better this coming year than you did in the last? That's one of my goals. A couple of friends of mine are going to be joining me in FlyLady's Babysteps. We've already started by trying to get our sinks shiny each night before we go to bed. I've had some success.

Thank you so very much, Regina, for a wonderfully put together book. I am amazed with myself, that I stuck to this the whole year through. I started a little late (in February, I believe) but since then I think I only missed a month! For me, that's an accomplishment in itself. Now, is my house perfect? Far from it! Is it better than it was in February 2009? You bet! I still have a long way to go, but I'm well on my way! And with a new baby coming, I have even more incentive to get my family and me organized and in a routine.


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Happy Birthday, Jesus

¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

⁵To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

¹⁸And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. (Luke 2:1-20, King James Version)



Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Photo Wednesday

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

December Weeks One and Two in One Year To An Organized Life

December is a wonderful month in this house. We love Christmas and we don't get to stressed over things around her. That being said, this is still a busy month for us too.

The new habit for the month of December is to practice all the habits from the rest of the year. There is enough stuff going on that we don't need to add another item to our to do lists.

Week one in the book is all about the plan - budgeting, journalling, creating and maintaining a calendar, planning a party, sending out cards, making a gift list. Once we have all these things in place, the purchasing and executing are so much easier. I especially appreciated the directions and pointers for making a pretty and useful gift list.

Week two is getting the home ready (decorated) and getting items purchased. If we get this done in week two, we can better enjoy the rest of the season.


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

PS. I received word that One Year To An Organized Financial Life is on its way to me, for my review!!! I can't wait!!!! Watch for posts each month on this new book by Regina Leeds.

Just A Little Christmas Fun

We sang this song as children in a school Christmas production. So fun!


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Thinking about Christmas

It's only 112 days away!

Here's a link I've been lookin' at this evening. http://organizedchristmas.com/

Here's our guideline as far as our purchases / giving for the kids. I read it somewhere and I'd give credit if I could find it.

Something to wear,
Something to read,
Something that's wanted,
Something s/he needed.

Just thinking out loud.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,