My kids and I have been sitting outside, enjoying the beautiful spring weather, while I read aloud a great book.
The trees are giving us shade. The sun is warming us. The breeze is gently blowing. And the birds are singing their song. They’re doing what they were made to do.
And so am I.
What was I made to do?
I was made to bring God glory. I was made to enjoy Him, to love Him, to love others, to share the good news with others that they would enjoy and love Him, too.
The Heavens declare the glory of God, but so do we! I am God’s handiwork, God’s creation, created on purpose for good works which He prepared in advance for me to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
I can bring God glory in my own backyard with my own kids. I can bring God glory in the early morning hours soaking in His Word. I can bring God glory by encouraging a sister in Christ or by praying for my enemy. There are so many ways to glorify God.
How about you? How can you fulfill your God-given purpose today? I’d love to partner with you to glorify God together!
Some of you don’t know what it’s like to grow up without a bunch of neighbor kids to play with.
Some of you don’t remember having days on end without a mom or dad at home telling you what to do or entertaining you.
Considering all those parents who suddenly find themselves working from home and are looking for ways to keep their kids busy without devices and without friends and without your constant input, I thought these ideas might help you.
So … here’s 47 ways I occupied my time growing up as a latchkey kid in an urban area without electronic devices. Looking at this list makes me extra thankful for my sister. Even though we fought, I’m so thankful I had her.
Read books – lots of books – to my stuffed animals, to myself, outside, inside, in the attic, in the basement, in my bedroom, in the living room, picture books, chapter books, old books, new books, fiction, non-fiction, short, long … lots and lots of books.
Built forts with chairs and sheets
Made zoos with stuffed animals
Climbed trees
Jumped rope
Hula-hooped
Swung on our swing set
Made kites out of all kinds of stuff
Made paper airplanes
Made paper snowflakes
Made signs and cards for my mom and dad
Played croquet
Played badminton
Played tennis at the high school a few blocks away
Played Connect Four
Played Guess Who
Played Pay Day
Played cards
Played school
Played house
Played dress-up
Played with an old doll house
Played with my cat
Looked at old photo albums
Made a newspaper to sell to my neighbors for 20 cents each
Used an encyclopedia to write articles about animals I liked
Made up jokes and wrote them down
Recorded nonsense of all kinds on a tape recorder
Drew pictures with pencil
Drew pictures with chalk
Painted with watercolors
Colored coloring books
Put together puzzles
Made stuff with wood scraps, a hammer, some nails and glue, and sometimes even my dad’s drill press and handsaw
Made-up crazy recipes in the kitchen
Made real recipes in the kitchen
Napped all over the house – on floors, in closets, behind doors, on couches – but rarely in my bed
Played piano
Fought with my sister
Made up with my sister
Blasted music and sang along, while acting out the lyrics, with my sister
Took care of whatever extra pets I had at the moment – hermit crabs, fish, turtles, frogs, mice, hamsters, gerbils, or stray kittens
Took a walk around my neighborhood
Picked flowers
Rolled down the hill next door
Played in the sprinkler in the summer or in the snow in the winter
Day dreamed on my front porch
As we have this time on pause, let’s give our kids some time to return to the simpler things, things that don’t have to be plugged in, things you don’t have to have a crowd to do, things that use your creativity and (dare I say) things that invite you to be a little “bored.” Being bored isn’t always bad.
I started memorizing scripture with my kids when they were toddlers. I was amazed at how much my children could memorize when they were barely speaking in sentences!
My kids are all creative – some so more than others – but I’ve encouraged all of them to draw at some level. So, one common way we worked on memorizing a scripture verse was to illustrate it with pictures.
Here’s what Proverbs 12:1 looks like from my wide range of ages — many years ago. I’d love to see your kids project!
Like Paul, “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” Revelation 2:2-5 ESV
“Jesus is the only master that gives freedom to those who are bound to him. Being a slave to anything else simply leaves you tangled up.” – Wendy Speake, “The 40-Day Sugar Fast”
Over the 47 years of my life, I have been a slave to many things. I’ve been a slave to what people think of me. I’ve been a slave to sugar and Facebook and TV.
But the only good Master I’ve ever had calls me His own. He calls me beloved, daughter, friend, child, bride. He gave up His own riches and glory, so that I could partake of His riches and glory for eternity. He gave up His own life, so that I could have eternal life.
Why would I bow to anyone else?
Why would I let anything else sit on the throne of my heart?
Truly, no one can serve two masters. (Matthew 6:24)
Who is sitting on the throne of your heart? #40daysugarfast #teachwhatisgood #evangelicalatheisttoevangelicalchristian
Teach What is Good 
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