Sing With Your Children!

May 13, 2020 by Sheilah

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Isaiah 61 says that Jesus came to give us a song of praise in place of sorrow.

He has put a new song in my mouth– Psalm 40:3

Psalm 118:15 says glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous.

God puts a song in our heart and we need to sing it!! He desires our songs of praise to Him, but He also designed music for our good – to promote our wellness, to help us manage stress, to encourage us to express our feelings, to help enhance our memory, and to help us improve communication.

It is easy to sing when things are going great but Scripture gives us examples of ways God used music in difficult times. In 2 Chronicles 20, God instructed the singers to lead the way as the army marched toward the enemy which lead to their ultimate victory. In 1 Samuel 16:23 David’s harp playing soothed the troubled spirit of the king.

With all this in mind, we should sing often with our children. Don’t worry if you are like me and can’t carry a tune . . . God nor your children will care. It will bless God, your children, and you. God has designed children to give Him the best praise and you as their parent get to have a part in that as you guide them to sing. (Psalm 8:2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you; toddlers shout the songs that drown out enemy talk, and silence atheist babble.)

Here’s a link to a site that gives links to 25 foundational hymns to sing with your children.

All of the Kid’s Sing Praise Albums were a favorite when my children were young. They are all on YouTube.

There are so many new songs available now. Just look for them or make up your own!

Here are a few examples of songs that you can sing to familiar tunes.

Blow, Blow, Blow the Wind (Psalm 147:18)

(tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Blow, blow, blow the wind

Gently through the trees

God causes His wind to blow

How I like the breeze

A Helper I Will Be(1 Corinthians 3:9)

(tune of The Farmer in the Dell)

A helper I will be

I will help my mommy

A helper I will be

Be Ready to Share (1 Timothy 6:18)

(tune of 3 Blind Mice)

Be ready to share

It’s more fun when we share our toys

So let’s share with the girls and the boys

Be ready to share

It is Better to Give Than Receive (Ephesians 4:28, 2Cor. 9:7)

(tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

It is better to give than receive

Give than receive

It is better to give than receive

Giving makes us glad

Brush Your Teeth

(tune of Row, Row Your Boat)

Brush, Brush, Brush your teeth

Brush your teeth each day

Then you’ll have a pretty smile

And healthy teeth to stay

Keep music flowing in your tent. 🙂

Spring is Here – Time to Praise the Lord

March 19, 2020March 19, 2020 by Sheilah

The flowers are springing up,
and the time of singing birds has come,
even the cooing of turtledoves.
Song 2:12

In Matthew 6:25-34 , Jesus must have been enjoying spring time as He taught His friends about how much God loves them. He noticed the birds flying around and said, “Look at the birds! They aren’t worried about having enough to eat because God feeds them. In the same way, you shouldn’t worry about what you will eat. God will feed you too!” Then Jesus picked up some flowers that were blooming and said, “These flowers don’t have to worry about what they will wear because God has beautifully clothed them. You don’t need to worry about clothes either for God will make sure you have something to wear.”

I hope your main activity with your children during this season can be outside enjoying nature together. Share with them that the Bible says in Psalm 145:10 that all God’s works shall praise Him.

As yall observe the beauty of God’s creation, join with the flowers, trees, and birds in praising God. Here’s some songs to sing as you do.

This one is an old recording, but you can get the idea, or better yet, you can make up your own:

Now the Flowers Are Growing

And another about God’s Beautiful World:

http://youtu.be/AbWgeJOMQ4U

Isaiah 55:12 says the mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! So even if we don’t praise the Lord, creation still will. Here’s a song about this that was recorded for me and my children by a friend, Patti Bennett:

The Rocks and Hills Will Cry Out

These next two are from children’s musicals when my children were small. Yeah, I know they are dated, but give them a listen:

http://youtu.be/W8wFjhWztcw

http://youtu.be/HLsh3lwKv5c

Happy Spring!!!

Are You Leaning on a Spiderweb?

March 16, 2020March 17, 2020 by Sheilah

Job 8:14 Everything they count on will collapse. They are leaning on a spiderweb.

Isaiah 36:6 . . . If you lean on Egypt, you will find it to be a stick that breaks beneath your weight and pierces your hand. . .

What are we leaning on? What are we training our children to lean on? When things around us fall apart, do we act like we are leaning on a spiderweb or perhaps on a stick that breaks and sticks us in the hand? The way we respond under pressure will definitely reveal what we are leaning on.

The church I grew up in regularly sang “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” This song came to mind when I read the verses above and I have found myself singing it during these concerning days. Teach it to your children and sing it often as a personal testimony of Who you are leaning on.

Lyrics:

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,