Newsy Things

We had a wonderful day on Thursday spending time with my Grandma and some friends. We really do not celebrate Christmas because of it's pagan origins, but we do enjoy spending time with family.
It turned out to be a beautiful day with the sun shining and the snow sparkling like diamonds. My Dad took this picture in the morning, I love it!

Yesterday, my Mom, brother and I went cross-country skiing down our gravel, now snow covered road. We had a blast. The temperature had risen to hover around the freezing point, making lighter jackets the garments of choice. Since the temps have been around zero and below for some time, this warmer spell feels pretty nice.

Tomorrow Lord willing I will be heading out to stay with a family who just had a baby (remember Jesaias?) and need help with their two other children. I will be gone for a week or more, depending on how things go. So, I will probably not be posting at all next week, (unless I can get to a computer, which is unlikely).

I am so thankful for this opportunity to serve the Lord and to obtain some more experience with small children. What a blessing! Children are so precious and are gifts from God, it is very sobering to think of how easily they can be influenced. Oh, that I might point them to Christ! Their minds are like sponges and they learn so quickly, things that will stay with them the rest of their lives. What a responsibility is given to anyone who is around small children. Yes, the Father and Mother have the most responsibility, but those who are around them are also responsible before God how they act and talk.

I remember when my brother and I were very young, my Mother would march with us around and around the house reading a chapter of the Bible over and over again. Soon we began to repeat after her and within a couple of weeks we knew the whole chapter. In this way we memorized (chapters) Proverbs 1-8 and Psalms 1-9 . My dear Mother was instilling within us the word of God at that tender age where memorization comes easily. Small children love to repeat things over and over and memorize things so quickly, why not have them memorize the Bible? I still remember how fun those times were and the scripture has helped me so much and though I cannot now recite verbatim because I did not keep it up, yet it is "in there" and the principles are there. I am so thankful for that!
My mother would all throughout the day point us to the Creator, she would show us flowers and exclaim how beautifully God had made them and lead us to thank Him for what He has done. At home and every where we went, we heard the praises of God. Everything was in the context of 'Look what God made and how it works, isn't He wonderful? Let us thank Him!' I praise God that my formative years were spent learning about my Lord Jesus. There is nothing better to teach a child! My family claimed the verse: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
And do you know what? God IS Faithful! When we put Him first and learned about Him first, He added all the other academic and social skills needed.
Remember:

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." (Proverbs 3:5-8)

Let us keep on seeking the Lord. Difficulties come and things get in the way, but who and what is most important?

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." (Matthew 6:19-22)

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth..." (Colossians 3:1-5)

Have a blessed week and New Year!