Come to the Water

Come to the Water

Hey Kids: Do you know the difference in a metaphor and a simile? If I say, “The trees in the swamp looked like old men with gray beards,” I am using a simile to help me understand how trees look with Spanish moss  hanging from the limbs. If I say, “Old men stood in the swamp, gray beards hanging to the waters.” I am using metaphors to describe the trees and the moss. The Bible uses lots of similes and metaphors. Try figuring some of them out. Here’s some starters. The Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2) The Bread of Life (John 6:35) Water of Life (Revelation 22:17) You are welcome to share your discoveries with us.  🙂 Gail Cartee is a writer and teacher of hands-on family devotions. She and her husband live in the foothills of...

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Planting by the Signs

Planting by the Signs

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: Genesis 1:14 Hey Kids: Planting is a great time to see how food grows more food. A potato is just a potato until you place it in some soil. Place a layer of soil in a large flower pot. Add a potato on top and cover with soil. Place it in a sunny location and keep it watered. When the leaves appear, scrape back the soil to find the potato. You will likely find a mushy, stinky, rotting potato with roots extending into the soil. As the potato plant grows the old potato will vanish and lots of new edible potatoes will grow on the roots. We may look good on the outside, but like the potato, we are...

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I Am Not Ashamed

I Am Not Ashamed

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 Hey Kids:   What kind of things do you like to do with your parents? How do you address them? Jesus called God, Father. He said we could become the sons of God. What a great way to think about our relationship with God. He is like our earthly fathers, dads, papas, however you address your earthly father. An idea to begin a closer relationship with God could be to make a list of things you enjoy doing with your dad. Before you can call your dad, Dad, you must first belong to him. Do you have a time and a place you remember asking Jesus for forgiveness? Did you ask Him to save you so you could...

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I Am Not Ashamed

I Am Not Ashamed

Hey Kids:   What kind of things do you like to do with your parents? How do you address them? Jesus called God, Father. He said we could become the sons of God. What a great way to think about our relationship with God. He is like our earthly fathers, dads, papas, however you address your earthly father. An idea to begin a closer relationship with God could be to make a list of things you enjoy doing with your dad. Before you can call your dad, Dad, you must first belong to him. Do you have a time and a place you remember asking Jesus for forgiveness? Did you ask Him to save you so you could be part of His family? Do you enjoy talking to your dad? What do you talk about? Do you talk to him in public? Do you think Jesus would enjoy hearing about those things...

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Resurrected and Alive

Resurrected and Alive

Hey Kids: We often hear the analogy of living in darkness as being a life without Christ and without purpose. Let’s try an experiment to see how darkness affects seeds and plants. Place a damp paper towel in a plastic sandwich bag. Place 2 or 3 seeds on the towel and close the bag. Tape it in a sunny window. You have created a mini greenhouse. Now do the same with a second bag only this time place the bag with the seeds in a dark place, maybe under a cabinet. Keep a daily journal noting the changes occurring in each bag. How are they the same/different? How do you think a life lived in darkness, without Christ, is the same/different from a life lived with Christ at the center? Discuss your results with your parents and other kids. Do you know someone who...

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Windowsill Garden

Windowsill Garden

Hey Kids: Have you ever tried to grow vegetables on your windowsill? Now is a good time to get started so you will have plants for your garden. In our area, sweet potatoes are a popular alternative to winter squash. To make a garden full of sweet potatoes, take one or two potatoes. Place tooth picks around the middle of the potato so they will hold the potato in a wide mouth pint canning jar. Fill the jar with water almost to the toothpicks. Hold the jar over the sink while you place the potato in the water. In a few weeks, sprouts will come from the top of the potato and roots will grow into the water. When the weather warms, pull each sprout loose from the potato and place it in rich garden soil or a hanging basket. This fall you will have some “good...

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