Sleep

With a new grand baby in our family, sleep has become a big topic of discussion.  At the top of Becca’s Christmas list was “sleep”.  Grant has now given them some nights of sleeping all night!!!

The night feedings are a great time to memorize scripture and pray.  I think probably one of the main scriptures and prayers I had at that time in my life was Psalm 127:2 . . . He gives His beloved sleep. 😉

Psalm 4:8 (I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe) is a great verse to have  young children memorize if they have a problem sleeping.  Guide them  to memorize any “I will” verses as it helps bring their wills under God’s control.

There are also foods that are supposed to help you sleep.  Here are a few I found in my research: lettuce, bananas, oatmeal, turkey, warm milk, and chamomile tea.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful if you or your child are having trouble with insomnia.

We can trust God to give us the rest we need.

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Happy New Year

As we think of resolutions and goals for the new year, remember to consider what you want to build into your children this year.

Some suggestions are:

thoughtfulness
forgiveness
brotherly love
initiative
mind to work
orderliness
kind speech
redeem the time (use time wisely)
generosity
contentment
gratefulness
obedience

How about focusing on a different quality each month.  Use the word often with a simple meaning.  Point out the trait  in movies you watch or books you read together.  Each month think of activities to reinforce the quality you are emphasizing.  Find a Bible verse that speaks of the trait and memorize it together.  Be creative in making a copy of the verse to put on the fridge.

May you have a year of redeeming the time you have with your children.  Have fun together as you concentrate on consistently and creatively building character into their lives.

Ephes. 5:16 (KJV)
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Ephes. 5:16 (NIV)
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

 

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Keeping Thanks in Thanksgiving: Songs and Psalms

Click on this link somuch-scott to hear a fun, thankful song that the children love.   I couldn’t remember exactly how it went so I called our good friend and minister of music, Scott Eaton, and got him to sing it over the phone.  Start with your hands together and as you sing the song pull them further and further apart until your arms are wide open.  Bring your hands back together in a big clap before the last phrase.

You can sing this next song to  the tune of :”Frere Jacques” also known as “Are You Sleeping?”  Sing it with hands folded in prayer and head bowed:

We are thankful
We are thankful
Yes we are
Yes we are
Thankful for our food
Thankful for our family
Give God thanks
Give God thanks

This would be a good time to memorize Psalm 100 or any psalm of thanks.  If your child can’t read yet, try making a picture for the main words in the psalm to help in memorizing.

Psalm 100:1-5

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness:

Come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,and into his courts with praise:

Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations.

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Keeping Thanks in Thanksgiving: Thank You God List

About the 1st of November, I always put a large piece of paper and tie a pen on the refrigerator with the words, “Thank you God for” at the top.  Family members are encouraged to regularly write down something they are thankful for.  This has been a tradition for many years in our home. We enjoy writing our own and reading what the rest of the family has written.

Writing down your blessings can really change your outlook.  As the old hymn by Johnson Oatman says, “Count your many blessings; name them one by one; and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

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God’s Word to Grandparents

On November 10, 2008 our oldest son, Josh, and his wife, Becca, made us grandparents for the first time.

We are so thankful for Grant William.  He is truly our miracle baby, as you know, if you have been reading Becca’s blog about her walk through infertility for two years.

Now I know that I am inexperienced at being a grandparent, but God’s word has some specific instructions to grandparents that I wanted to share.

Deut. 4:9 (NLT)
“But watch out! Be very careful never to forget what you have seen the Lord do for you. Do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.

Timothy’s grandmother was an example of this to us.  She passed her faith on to her grandson.

2 Tim. 1:5 (NLT)
I know that you sincerely trust the Lord, for you have the faith of your mother, Eunice, and your grandmother, Lois.

Even though our children are grown, God says that we still have work to do concerning our grandchildren.  What a responsibility and a wonderful privilege!!!  What fun we are going to have helping our children teach their children about Jesus!!!!!

Psalm 71:18 (NLT)  Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God, Let me proclaim your power to this new generation your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

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