Who is God? DAY 4 and 5

DAY 4: Job questioned God

This day was fun for the boys because they had the opportunity to color the 2 dinosaurs that the Bible mentions specifically while I read the text.... please go here for the text.

DAY 5:We can Trust the Creator God

God’s majestic name fills the earth! If we were to measure the His greatness it would be higher than the stars. God taught children and babies tell of His strength and make God’s enemies afraid of Him.

When we look at the night sky we see the work of His fingers which set the moon and the stars in their place. Why would this big wonderful God even think or care about us? Yet He does. He loves us and crowns us with honor. He makes us in charge of all of His creation. All of the animals, birds, fish, and everything in the sea from the smallest to the largest.

Like the stars in the night sky and all of creation we can make His name known. The stars speak without a sound proclaiming to the whole world God’s wonderfulness. The Sun bursts with great heat and light that no one can hide from. It shouts to the world how wonderful God is. God simple words made the skys, the stars, and the universe. With His words He locked the seas and the ocean with the land. With His simple command the world began and everyone in the world should be in awe of Him.

God’s plans last forever and cannot be shaken. God looks at us from heaven and sees every single person in the world! He watches each of us. He made our hearts so he understands everything we do. We should put our whole trust in Him. The greatest army can’t save a king nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. You can’t count on anything to save you but God. God watches over people who fear Him, people who depend on His unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive during hard times. We can trust in God’s unfailing love and make His name know to everyone in the world just as the stars in the sky do.

Psalm 8, Psalm 19:1-6, Psalm 33:6-19, Isaiah 66:1-2

Art Project: Star Art

Verse: He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension! Psalm 147:4-5 Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. Psalm 102:25

Lesson: God know the number of all the stars in the universe and has a name for every one! HE IS AMAZING!

Time: 5 minutes

You will need: Tooth pick, black construction paper

Description: Take the tooth pick and poke small holes all throughout the paper. If you place a thick towel under the paper and poke the holes through the top it works a little easier. Afterwards hold the picture up to a light in a dark room or a window in a dark room and observe your stars in the sky. Count them together and then reflect on how many stars that God created and how great He is!

Activity: Life giving Hike or Walk

Verse: God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. Isaiah 42:5 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. Psalm 24:1-2

Lesson: God gave us the air we need to breath and to live and walk His beautiful earth! He made everything and everything belongs to HIM!

You will need: a safe place to walk or hike

Time: 20 minutes or more.

Directions: Before you start your walk or hike, read the verses and discuss the lesson. As you are walking point out interesting things God made and thank Him for them. Maybe bring a bucket to collect. Ask the children what if “_____” belongs to God. And remind them that everything belongs to Him.

Activity: Building a BIG Box house

Verse: For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Hebrews 3:4 He is the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. Ephesians 3:15

Lesson: Who has built everything? God did! We can build many things in our life time but never as many as God has built. Name 10 things that God has made!

Side Lesson: This is an opportunity to learn basic engineering skills. Talk about what boxes to stack where in order for the house to be build strongly and let them try and retry building their house.

You will need: 15 to 30 boxes both big and small (you can use cereal boxes, diaper boxes, or boxes from your recyclable bin), tape

Directions: People build house but God is the builder of everything. He made the trees that made what it takes to make these boxes. Build a strong house for you to play in with the boxes and tape provided.

Elijah made a home in India for the children with out mommies and daddies.. we even had to get on an airplane to go to India. :) Very cool!

madly in love with my husband

There are many reasons why i am madly in love with my husband but i think one of the aspects of him that makes me giddy and head over hills is His passion for God and for showing and sharing God's love with the world.

I remember the first time i noticed him. I was visiting home for a "missions" conference at my church in Virginia and He was on the stage praying. As he prayed for Afghanistan he became overwhelmed with tears.

I remember looking up and thinking who is this guy who has God's compassion for people?? He rocks! I want to pray with Him.

I remember telling my friends, whom thought i would never get married, that if God wanted me to marry that He would have to just show me. I wasn't into the dating thing. They teased that i was looking for a lighting bolt from God and that it didn't work that way. I even remember hearing a few tell me i had to let my exceptions of what would be a great husband to me down that the man that i would want wasn't out there.

But i was content in being single the rest of my life verses settling in a marriage just to be married.

Then this man stepped into my world like a lighting bolt from God we both just knew from one conversation after a week of hanging out that God had us for each other. He said he was reading my newsletters months before and really felt God talking to him about me, even though he really didn't even know me.

It wasn't but 2 short months after that that we were engaged and 4 months after that we were married.

He has more than i could have ever asked God for and things i have needed that i didn't even know i needed.

To all you singles out there God is definitely the best matchmaker...and if I threaten to match make you ... just remind me of that!! :)

Trusting Him with everything produces the best results.

I thank God for this humble and passionate leader, friend and lover HE gave to me. I also thank God that He gave Jonathan supernatural patience to deal with my ridiculous pregnancy mood swings. God please help us all through that... he he!

On May 31st we celebrated our 8th year of marriage. Each year we hold up a sign that with words that describe the greatest thing that God has taught us throughout that year. This year it was "God's love = action". :)

Who is God? DAY 3:God made everything wonderful

Day 3: God made everything wonderful

Psalm 104 (just pure scripture not even paraphrased i think it is a beautiful understandable illustration for little ones)

Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty. You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind. The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants.

You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved. You clothed the earth with floods of water, water that covered even the mountains. At your command, the water fled; at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away. Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed. Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth.

You make springs pour water into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains. They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees. You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor. You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth, wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength. The trees of the Lord are well cared for, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests, and the storks make their homes in the cypresses. High in the mountains live the wild goats, and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes.

You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set. You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about. Then the young lions roar for their prey, stalking the food provided by God. At dawn they slink back into their dens to rest. Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening. O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea. They all depend on you to give them food as they need it. When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied. But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made! The earth trembles at his glance; the mountains smoke at his touch. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever. Let all that I am praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Art Project: Shaping the Mountains

Verse: For the Lord is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is his name! Amos 4:13

Lesson: God is all powerful He shaped the biggest mountains in the world and made things so small that we can’t even see them with our eyes! He loves us so much that He shares His thoughts with us through His creation and His word, the Bible!

You will need: piece of card board (you can cut from an old box) no bigger than 14 x14 inches, paint brushes, tape, water, small bowl, scissors, craft glue, 4 white sheets of paper, scrap paper, water color or acrylic paint.

Directions: Have your child look at pictures or local mountains and chose what they want to shape their mountain or mountains like. Wad up the scrap paper into at least 4 wads and tape around them making them a little firmer. Tape the wads of paper onto the card board shaping it in to one or two mountains as they prefer. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of glue in the small bowl and add one table spoon of water. Using the paint brush, brush the white paper and over lay it on to the wads of paper shaping it still into the desired mountain shape. Talk about how God shaped every mountain in the world.. Let dry. Wash out your paint brush. After the mountains are dry, paint the mountain in the desired way.

Activity: Sun Rise, Sunset, and Star Gazing

Verse: It is the Lord who created the stars, the Pleiades and Orion. He turns darkness into morning and day into night. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land. The Lord is his name! Amos 5:8

Lesson: God made the earth to rotate around the sun and the moon to rotate around the earth making day and night. God made the rain from the waters in the seas. Only He could do this.

Side Lesson: This is a great opportunity for a science lesson God’s creation of the universe and our place in it.

You will need: Time (takes about 5 to 20 minutes), possibly an alarm clock and a blanket. If this is a winter, spring, or fall activity it will give you a shorter day and you won’t have to wake up so early. It also may work better for your family if you observe each on a different day.

Directions: Before the sun comes up gather your child and a blanket and go outside, if you are in a city a safe building roof top might be best. Sit on your blanket and watch the sun rise. At sun set the same day go back to your spot reminding your child that God created the earth to rotate around the sun and watch the sun go down. Come back to your spot a little later after it is dark and watch the stars together and talk about the creator of all of these things and thank Him together for His creation and His wondrous plan for the universe.

We just ending up going camping tonight in our backyard and watched the sunset, and the stars... and well uh... we were suppose to watch the sunrise... but after the second time this preggo moma had to run in to the potty, misquotes, and the air mattress completely deflating.... i gave up and carried both sleeping little men in... i know...... i am a wimp. My goal is to wake up early and bring Elijah outside for the sunrise... we will see....

We did have fun though.. funny bunnying, acting like wild monkeys, swinging under the stars, wrestling, hide and seeking, counting the stars, and making scary noises.. i love my boys!! We even talked about how God knew the name of every star... and Elijah said he didn't know their names but if he could name them he would name most of them "wigdy wigdy". ; )

The coolest thing about doing all of these activities, art projects, and story time together is that Elijah always looks up at me and tells me he loves me when we are in the middle of it.... it is like he knows i am doing it all because i love him and it makes him feel special.

Also a very cool thing ......on the days i do the special activity, art project or story times... HE BEHAVES!!! No need for any punishment at all throughout the day!! I think maybe because he is getting that special one on one attention he needs from mommy and also because the power of GOD's word that we are studying. It is like his little heart is getting how wonderful the One who created it is.

Who is God? DAY 2 - God's word's create

Day two of learning who God is. :) We made a cool wall book... the bigger the better!

Day 2: God's words Create

In the beginning, before anything else was, God was. God’s words created everything and nothing was created without them. God’s words gave life to everything that was created. God’s life brought light of truth and understanding to everyone. This light shines in the darkness of confusion and the darkness can never make God’s light go away.

At the very start of creation God made the heavens and the earth. The world was empty and darkness covered the deep waters. The spirit of God hovered over the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. God saw that the light was good. Then He separated the light from the darkness and called the light "day" and the darkness "night."

On the second day of creation God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” It happened and God called the space “sky.”

On the third day of creation God said, “Let the waters under the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” It happened and God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land sprout with plants and trees with seeds that produce more of the same plants and tree.” It happened and God saw that it was good.

On the fourth day God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them mark off the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” God made two great lights the sun and the moon. He also made the stars. God saw that it was good.

On the fifth day God said, “Let the waters fill with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind. Let them make lots of baby fish and birds that will grow like them.” God saw that it was good.

On the sixth day God said, “Let there be every sort of animal and let them produce baby animals that will grow to be like them.” That is what happened and God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make people in our image, to be like us. They will rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals on the earth.” So God created people in his own image, both a man and a woman and told them to make babies who will grow like them and rule over the earth.

Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good!

John 1:1-5, Genesis 1

Art Project: His words Wall Book

Verses: John 1:1-5, Genesis 1 (i printed out my brief version of the story and taped it to the top of the wall book)

Lesson: God's words are powerful they speak and things happen. Let’s look at how His words created the universe and everything in it.

You will need: A long (8 to 12 feet) sheet of wide white paper (you could use the back of old wrapping paper or most office supply stores sell a huge role of it for around $12), glue, tape, markers, crayons, AND whatever other supplies you would like to use: scrap tissue paper (left over from parties), finger paint, old magazines to cut out pictures or the cut out pictures from the activity the day before, some kind of printed picture of what people think God might look like(or not your preference), leaves and flowers from your back yard, a few old pictures of your family, etc. Let your kids help in the creativity… they are amazing.

Directions: Read each paragraph one at a time and discuss the meaning or what God did on that day. Then color, paint, and glue an illustration of that day. Talk about the power of His words.

God is wonderful

This week we started our "God is" study.... we = my little people and i.

The first week we are looking at is "God is creator" using all the passages and verses in the Bible (or almost all) that show us this.

i am giddy about the study.. i think Elijah gets a little confused on who God is at times...and i still obviously am as well at times. This week we are opening our hearts to His words and our eyes to His creation and letting him teach us who He is.

Because i am not an illustrator, they color in pictures found on the web that i make into coloring pages (free downloadable program - Kodak Easy Share) while i read the story.... a little visual helps the munchkins process.

This week we are also doing art projects and activities that teach us about our creator God. Today's lesson and activity are below if you want to join us as He teaches us about Himself.

(if you want my coloring pages just comment/email me and i will send you the PDF of this weeks pages)

Today: GOD IS WONDERFUL

God is not like people. He does not lie. He does not change His mind. He always keeps His promises and does what He says He will do. He is without fault. God is pure and can’t even stand the sight of evil! He is perfect!

God’s ways, thoughts, and plans are so much bigger than ours. We can’t possible understand Him or His ways, thoughts and plans. God always was and forever will be. He is the creator of time and is not limited by time as people are. Before God made the mountains, before He even made the world He was. God is three persons; the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all in one wonderful being.

One day some religious men came to Jesus and told him He was filled will the devil because of the miracles He had been doing and the many people that were following Him.

Jesus replied, “ I am not filled with the devil. Why do you call me names? I make my Dad, God, famous. He seeks people to know Him. He is the judge of good and evil. I am telling you the truth if you follow My words you will live forever with Me."

The religious men were angry. They replied, “You are demon possessed! Everyone dies even great men of God, yet you say if anyone follows your words they won’t die. Do you think you are greater than these great men of God who died? Who do you think you are?”

Jesus replied, “I am not making myself famous, but the God you say that you follow is making Me famous. You don’t even know Him, but I do. I know Him and keep His word. These great men of God you talk about saw Me and looked forward to the day I was to be born and live here. They knew I was coming.”

The religious men were confused, “You are not even 50 years old and yet you say these great men of God from long ago have seen you?!”

Jesus replied, “ I am telling you the truth, before these great men were even born I am”

The men were angry. They knew Jesus was telling them that He was God. They tried to hurt Jesus, but He escaped.

The truth is that God; the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have always been and always will be. God is wonderful!

Numbers 23:19, Habakkuk 1:12a,13a, Romans 11:33-34,^{Deut 6:4,Mk 12:29,}1 Timothy 2:5, Matthew 28:19, Genesis 1:26a (versus with God referring to himself as “us” - Genesis 1:1; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8, 48:16, 61:1;Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). The Father is God (John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2). The Son is God (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20). The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16). Revelation 1:8, Psa 90:2, John 8: 48-58

Activity: Sorting the variety

Verse: O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104:24

Lesson: Look at all of the different varieties of things God has made… notice how each is so unique and special. God is amazing!!

You will need: Old magazines, scissors (safe ones for the little ones)

Directions: Go through the magazines together finding animals, insects, reptiles, fish, sea animals, and birds. Cut each one out. Discuss the unique way God made each living thing. Keep the cut out pictures to use for tomorrow's Art Project.

Elijah's Birthday Month

Elijah, my now four year old, was running around the house today singing happy birthday to himself. It is really understandable that he thinks that his birthday hasn't ended yet considering how many celebrations he has had.

Before we left for Florida we had a celebration with family and a few friends. Elijah has always been a train fan... and like all birthday celebrations in the Grooms' home we have a tradtional theme verse for the celebration. To my surprise "train" is in the Bible so a train party it was.

We had train cookies for party favors... notice our theme verse.

We had a Train Birthday Cookie cake.

We had Train decorations.

We even celebrated with a picnic at a local park where trains drive by throughout the day and there is a big red caboose to climb on.

Also in our family tradition we had a special time of prayer over Elijah. And recorded in his book some of the things people prayed for him. So sweet.

All of that fun was on the 9th... but we left for FL that day, on the 10th he went to a church in Jacksonville who just so happened to be celebrating everyone's birthday so there were cupcakes, a bucket, and sidewalk chalk for everyone.

On the 12th, his actual birthday, he woke up to this.....

Played hard at the beach all day....

cuddled with daddy....

and woke up from his afternoon nap to this...

saw God's "birthday" rainbow on the beach for him...

and even witnessed some late night "birthday" fireworks!

Also later that week at Rick and Rasha's we sang the song again and had cupcakes and he played all day in his new pool...

Elijah is a curious 4 year old. Who currently loves to tie up any type of ribbon, string, or rope to about anything... i am constantly walking in a room and finding something tied together that shouldn't be. He is smart, brave, and creative.

He still talks about his "office"... where everything thing is somehow better. He loves crafts, projects, reading books, playing outside, the water hose, and still notices every "bob, bob" (form of heavy machinery). He is excited about His new brother or sister and i think still thinks that he or she may come out brown since we had been talking about our little Africa baby for so long. He has actually mentioned several times he wants "too many" sister's and brothers. :)

My prayer for Elijah is 1 Timothy 4:7 that he would not listen to silly thoughts or argue over silly things but instead train himself to think like God and be like God. Most of all i pray that he sees Jesus for who He really is at a young age and falls madly in love with Him!

Jeriah and Elijah's list

We just got back from spending about 2 weeks in Florida. We went there for camp with 5o some of our teens from our church and tagged on visits with friends and family with an opportunity for Jonathan to speak at our friend's church in Kissimmee.

Here are Elijah and Jeriah's top 10 reasons why FL is fun:

1. Christian and Aliya's ducks

2. Christian and Aliya's dogs too!

3. the beach

4. Louie

5. Rick and Rasha

6. the coolest free parks

7. Dinosaurs

8. Aunt Lynda

9. Story time with Jesus

10. finding lizards