As4Me » Family Devotions

Silly Putty Conversations

Michelle — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:27:49 +0000

Yesterday, I gave each child a third of some glorified silly putty I bought for Lee awhile back. They played with it and I talked. Maybe they liked playing with the silly putty (I told them they could only play with it when we were talking about the Bible), or maybe they just wanted to postpone the beginning of school. (I don’t do Bible as part of school.) In any case, they asked for more, and I was surprised how excited they were about playing with that putty! I gave them three challenges.

I asked them if they knew what the most important commands were in the Bible. (I figured they wouldn’t know this)
I asked them if they could find a place where someone wanted to know why we needed to be born again. (Bethel and David both went to John 3– I want them to feel successful at using their Bibles, so I asked them a challenge I knew they could get.)
I asked them if they could find a place where the Bible tells us something to think about. (Bethel went to Phil 4:8 and then Psalm 1. I sent David to Psalm 119 and he found a few verses in that chapter.)
We also read Psalm 103 together, and I asked them if they could find some verses that might help a child who was afraid that God was always mad at him.

Sometimes as I listen in church or read my Bible, I think “Oh, that would be a good verse for my children.” On Sunday I had a whole bunch, all at once, so I had to write them down. On Monday, I really wanted them to get the most important command– love the Lord your God with all heart soul and mind– because of its importance to salvation. For a child who is pretty good at being good– helpful and kind, obedient, listens in Sunday school, really, every teacher’s dream child– he needs to know that without salvation, he is breaking God’s most important command. I want to communicate that being good might assuage our guilty feelings, but it isn’t salvation. I also wanted to balance the command, with an understanding of God’s love and mercy. That’s why we read Psalm 103.

(Btw, I had a good followup conversation in private. I really want salvation conversations to be serious and pleasant, but not oppressive. We are on the same team with our children!)

I have a feeling I’ll be asked to have another silly putty conversation today.Similar Posts:

Seeing Our Deficiencies, Or Putting the Bible to Work

Michelle — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:17:41 +0000

On the way home from church the other night, on a whim, I asked the children, “What verse would you think about if you were having a hard time being kind to your sister or brother?”

The children were all stymied. “Children obey your parents”? We talked about some better possibilities.

Then I asked, “Can you think of a Scripture that reminds us about something good that God has done?”

Again, the answers came, but they were slow. It was interesting to me that although they have many verses of God’s Word memorized, they aren’t as skilled seeing the connection between “real life” and the Bible as I would expect. Especially since we talk about certain verses like “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” on a daily basis.

After a short lull, my David (!) asked for more questions like this, and I asked some more.

What should I read if I am discouraged?

What should I read if my brother or sister is mean to me?

I tried to ask questions that related to verses that I knew were fresh in their minds. It was fun, and I want to do it again.

What I learned was that I need to do better at getting my children to draw on their knowledge. I am too quick to give the answers, give the verses, throughout my days. It was a good reminder that I need to cut back on lectures. I think I can at least ask a few questions before I give the answers, don’t you think?

I’ll keep you posted.Similar Posts:

How to Pray for Christian Military Families

Michelle — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:20:31 +0000

If you are burdened to pray for a service member or his/her family who is deployed, what would you say? Consider that far more important than their physical safety is their walk with God. Make that the focus of your prayer, most of the time. [Note: I use the masculine gender because my husband is in the US Air Force, but I do realize that women serve in the military and need prayer, too. Feel free to adjust the gender in this case.]

Pray that God would supply godly chaplains to minister the word faithfully and boldly.
Pray that God would enable him to attend services when possible.
Pray that he would be faithfully reading and meditating on the Bible, seeking God first day by day.
Pray that God would use the deployment to reveal a need for Christ, and that the service member would grow in his dependence on Him.
Pray that God would keep him pure in mind and body, that he would be faithful to his wife and family.
Pray for fellowship with other believers, and the opportunity to share the gospel

And don’t forget to pray for wives and children (and parents) at home.

Pray that they would continue to love God’s church and use the deloplyment as an opportunity to serve God in a new way.
Pray that they would trust God and draw near to him even in their loneliness.
Pray that wives would remain pure in mind and body while their husbands are gone.
Pray that they would use the opportunities they have gained to minister the gospel to others.
Pray that God would strengthen the families through separation, that God would reveal weaknesses that need to be addressed, that God would conform each member of the family to the image of His dear son.

Then, do pray for their physical safety. Pray them home!

(Thinking of friends who will have husbands deploying soon. I’m praying for you!)Similar Posts:

Reading Ahead

Michelle — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:32:26 +0000

David’s Sunday school class is starting a study in Mark. In children’s church, they are going through a survey of the Old Testament (a book a week, mostly, he says). On the way home from church, I asked him if he has been listening ahead of time to the book or chapter that he’ll be studying the next week. “I might,” he said. [herein is mother's cue to back off]

Yesterday morning as I considered my Bible reading, I remembered that our Sunday school class is going through Hebrews, and I decided reading ahead would be good for me, too. When David came downstairs, I was finishing up the first chapter. “I decided I needed to be reading ahead, too.” [another low-key way to nudge a child is to talk about what God is teaching ME]

Reading Ahead is a good thing to do. I might not read ahead all the time, but for awhile, I’ll be in Hebrews. I’ll also be praying for my son.Similar Posts:

Teaching Corporate Worship

Michelle — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:13:45 +0000

I mentioned last week that our discussions on Psalm 119 have given me an opportunity to talk about corporate worship. Specifically, we have discussed what it means to read the Bible together and pray together.

Corporate Reading

David and Bethel can read well enough to take turns reading verses, but when they’re not reading, it’s obvious that they’re woolgathering. When their turn comes around, there’s a good chance they’re looking under the tablecloth, trying to balance a spoon on a glass, or sucking on their shirt collar, not thinking about what we’re reading. It’s possible I’m stretching their attention span too much, and I’ve been brainstorming different ways to read together. I want our discussion times to be happy times, something they look forward to; however, I have discovered that deliberately teaching them how to read corporately has been of value.

What should you be doing when Bethel is reading a verse? I ask David. He doesn’t give an answer, so I tell him. (Maybe I should have asked a few questions instead of jumping to lecture mode. sigh) Reading together means that when someone else is reading, I’m reading too. We’re reading and thinking together. They’re still learning this. I’m certain it will take awhile, but at least I’m defining a goal for them.

Corporate Prayer

When we started reading Psalm 119, I asked my children a similar question and then answered myself. What should we do when King David is praying? He gives us the words to pray, and we pray with him. What should we do when Mommy prays King David’s words? Same thing.

When I pray with my children “Help us to be obedient” at the lunch table, I’m not just speaking to myself. I’m wanting my children to pray these things too. This is the whole point of what we call “corporate prayer.” A person leads in prayer, and we internally repeat his (or her) prayer. In this way, ideally, the person helps me to frame my prayers better, more biblically, or more clearly. In general, the leader’s outline and topics for prayer should become my own. Instead, what often happens to me is that I treat a corporate prayer like I’m following a conversation: listening, but not really participating. I’m starting to realize that when I actively pray after the leader, I can pay attention better. That doesn’t surprise you, does it?

So once or twice I’ve gone through a few verses in Psalm 119 that we’ve read, and I asked the children what we could be praying or thinking when those verse are read. Then I turned the verses into prayers and encouraged them to pray with me. I don’t really know if they understand what I’m trying to show them, but as a result of these conversations, I’ve been learning a few things. They are things I want to talk about with my children.

Sometimes we add details to the leader’s prayer. For example, the leader may make an appropriately vague request, and I may add a specific request because I know the situation. Leader: We ask for wisdom for sister Bertha…. Michelle: Help sister Bertha to know whether she should move back closer to her family….) When I read some of King David’s requests in Psalm 119, I make them my own. I’m not just listening to David’s request to desire God’s Word. I’m telling God that I want to desire his Word, too.
Sometimes we might give additional prayers. I can add to any prayer request for improved health that God gives wisdom to doctors, or that God will use the hardship to make a person more like Christ. We might add a caveat: for healing, if it is God’s will. for a husband for a single friend, but if it’s better for her to be single, help her to be content.
Sometimes we change the leader’s prayer. For example, the leader might ask for God to take away the suffering of sister Bertha, but I can see that sister Bertha’s suffering is actually helping her to seek God, something she wasn’t doing before. So as the leader reminds me of sister Bertha’s suffering, I can thank God that he is using a hard situation for good, that he will continue to do so, and that he will have mercy on her. Every once in awhile, a leader might make an unbiblical prayer request. It’s a good thing to change it, if we know how, into something better.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about another part of corporate worship: music.

Similar Posts:

Psalm 119 and Prayer

Michelle — Wed, 04 May 2011 13:30:13 +0000

Our Psalm 119 project has been going slower than I expected.

Another different expectation is that we’ve spent more time talking about prayer than necessarily going through the verses.

I asked them if they thought King David was praying when he said things like “I delight in your word.” He wasn’t asking for something. Why would David tell God something that God already knew? We’ve talked about how telling God truth about himself is a part of prayer.

We’ve also been practicing corporate prayer. What should they be thinking about when Mommy prays or reads Psalm 119? That’s a good topic for tomorrow.Similar Posts:

Examining Psalm 119

Michelle — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:01:25 +0000

I decided it was time for another posterboard project. I told the kids we were going to work through Psalm 119.

It’s nothing new– things we’ve been told many times. Still, it’s new to my children. We’ll be compiling three things:

Synonyms for the Bible. I told my children that every verse but four mention the Word of God in some way.
Sentences About the Bible
Prayers of David about the Bible

We’ve got three columns. I’ll post a picture when we’ve got a bunch of it filled.Similar Posts:

When You Don’t Know What to Do

Michelle — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:00:22 +0000

One of the really awesome things about God is that He doesn’t expect us to know it all.

I have been contemplating this week the ministry of the Holy Spirit when we see a problem, but don’t know what to do about it.

We pray. We do pray, don’t we? Yes, but sometimes we don’t know what to pray for, even. Then we feel discouraged because we don’t even know what to say or what we need.

God talks about that! That’s what I’ve been thinking about.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:24-27

Today I’m thanking God for the Holy Spirit, who knows far better than I do what I need. When I pray imperfectly, he intercedes perfectly on my behalf. Thus, I can pray confidently, even though I don’t have the confidence that I know the will of God in all things. I’m reminding myself that while I’m not worrying about tomorrow, I do need to be seeking God’s Kingdom. That means faithful time in the Word, reminding myself what is important to God, obeying the things I know to be God’s Will. He’ll take care of all the things out of my understanding and control.Similar Posts:

Unsaved Children Praying at Meals

Michelle — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 10:00:06 +0000

For awhile I’ve wondered whether it is makes sense to allow my children to pray at mealtimes. We do ask them to pray, and sometimes they volunteer. I’m certain that I’ve avoided having them pray when they’ve been naughty (although I wonder if that’s more recognizing the priority of my own need to pray). But if they are not saved, if they know they’re not saved, is it wise to allow them to act as though they are right with God? On the other hand, is it necessary to hover over every spiritual action and remind them of their status as a non-Christian?

These are all questions I’ve had, and never come to any satisfying conclusions. When we started as a family considering James 4 (especially the ideas that 1)God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble and 2) If we draw near to God, he will draw near to us), I realized that I may be closer to resolving some of the questions I have.

This morning, I considered that giving thanks for God is an act of drawing near to God. Look at the opposite of this action:

because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Professing to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:21-22)

The whole passage focuses on a process. I’ve always been fascinated at the connection between a lack of thankfulness and the rejection of God. When I read this passage this morning, I realized that thanking God is a good part of the process of seeking God and should not be prevented.

What does that mean for our children praying at mealtimes? Well, I’m not going to feel uneasy if my unsaved children want to pray. I think I will be more willing to ask them to pray.

That’s one way God’s Word is changing me. How about you? Is Scripture changing you this week?Similar Posts:

Defining Excuses

Michelle — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:32:51 +0000

¹⁶ Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, ¹⁷ and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ ¹⁸ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ ¹⁹ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ ²⁰ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ ²¹ So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ ²² And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ ²³ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’” Luke 14:16-24

Yesterday at lunch, we read this passage, and I asked myself (and my children) what an excuse was. Since the excuses Jesus gave aren’t really excuses we use, I wanted to see if we could understand the passage better this way.

One of my children suggested that an excuse is something we say when we just don’t want to do something. If we don’t want to say “I don’t want to,” then we say something else. That’s an excuse.

It’s a brilliant definition. (See also the American Heritage Definition #11) We talked a bit about the excuses we hear in our family— I’m too tired, I’m hungry, He did it first– these all may be true, but the reason we sin is because we want to. The reason we don’t get saved is, we don’t want to. I can see how I make excuses, too. How often do I put other desires in front of more important ones?

Do I neglect my dishes because I want to be with Lee, or because I just don’t want to wash them? How often do I cut my Bible reading short because I have other things I want to do, things that aren’t truly as important? If I’m honest with myself, I make excuses often because my desires aren’t the desires I should have.

That’s my prayer this morning– that I would desire the best things.

Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

I smile as I think of this verse, because it reminds me of my responsibility before God answers my prayer. Guess that means I need to go get my coffee and Bible. How about you?Similar Posts: