As you enjoy your extended weekend, don’t forget to let your children know why it is happening.
Presidents’ Day is intended to honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln whose birthdays are both in February. Their birthdays were observed separately until 1971 when Congress decided the two would be combined into one national holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February.
This is a great time to teach your children about the godly character of these two men. God tells us to remember how He dealt with our ancestors: 1 Cor. 10:1 Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea.
Tell them about the truthfulness of George Washington even as a young boy in the story of the cherry tree. Here is a site that tells the story and has printable coloring pictures:
George Washington, sometime before the age of 16, transcribed “Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior In Company and Conversation.” These are good rules to teach your children. This site depicts them in cartoons.
Read at this site and then share with excitement in your own words about how God divinely protected George Washington during the French and Indian War. You can read the entire account of this in the book The Bulletproof George Washington
Tell your children why Abraham Lincoln became known as ‘Honest Abe’. Read about it here and get printable coloring sheets as well.
Read this article about the faith of Abraham Lincoln. This is what he said before the Battle of Gettysburg” . . . oppressed by the gravity of our affairs, I went to my room one day and locked the door and got down on my knees before almighty God and prayed to Him mightily for victory at Gettysburg. I told Him that this war was His, and our cause His cause . . . Then and there I made a solemn vow to almighty God that if He would stand by our boys at Gettysburg, I would stand by Him. And after that, I don’t know how it was, and I cannot explain it, soon a sweet comfort crept into my soul. The feeling came that God had taken the whole business into His own hands, and that things would go right at Gettysburg . . .” from Abraham Lincoln: The Man & His Faith
We can use this day to pray for our current president and leaders as well. They have been placed in their position by God: Daniel 2:21 He changes times and periods of history. He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to those who are wise and knowledge to those who have insight. Download this coloring sheet that gives suggestions of what to pray for our leaders.
Enjoy your long weekend and have fun teaching your children as you go!!!
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