~ Parable Index Gallery ~

 

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The Ox, the Donkey, and Baby Jesus

The Ox, the Donkey, and Baby Jesus (All living creatures should celebrate the arrival of Jesus) In a small town called Greccio, there was a man named John, a very devoted follower of Saint Francis. About two weeks before Christmas, Saint Francis called John and said: "My son, if you want us to celebrate the birth of Jesus in Greccio, prepare everything I'm going to tell you. I would like to represent the Child born in Bethlehem to see with my own eyes the discomforts He faced that holy night. Our Lord was laid in a manger between the ox and the donkey. So you prepare a grotto. Try to arrange everything as it must have been on the night the Child Jesus was born." Juan immediately goes to the designated place to prepare what is necessary according to Saint Francis's plan. And Christmas Eve arrives. On this occasion, Saint Francis invites many friars to come to Greccio. Shortly before midnight, men, women, and children arrive jubilantly from the region's villages. They bring candles and torches to illuminate the holy night. Saint Francis also arrives at the grotto. He sees that everything has been prepared according to his wishes. He is radiant with joy. A farmer puts an armful of hay in the manger, and then an ox and a donkey are brought into the grotto. Greccio has become a new Bethlehem. The forest around the grotto resonates with voices and festive songs. Saint Francis, who has also invited a priest to celebrate Holy Mass in the grotto, assists the celebrant. After reading the Gospel, Saint Francis speaks to the people gathered before the grotto. With tender words, he recalls the birth of the Child Jesus. Even the ox and the donkey listen attentively. Saint Francis pronounces the word Bethlehem with a trembling voice. In his mouth, the word sounds almost like the bleating of a lamb. At midnight sharp, as soon as Saint Francis had finished speaking, the grotto was miraculously illuminated. In the manger, between the ox and the donkey, appears the radiant figure of the Child Jesus. The farmers and shepherds closest to the entrance of the grotto clearly see how the Child lies smiling in the hay of the manger. The ox and the donkey warm the little Child with their breath, just as the ox and the donkey had done in Bethlehem. Saint Francis kneels in adoration before the Nativity scene. The shepherds and farmers sing a Christmas carol. Someone plays flutes and panpipes. Children wave torches. After a few moments, the Child Jesus disappears and the light in the grotto gradually fades. After Mass, people return home singing and waving candles and torches. Many stars shine in the sky. Saint Francis remains in the grotto for a long time, praying. He strokes the ox and the donkey and says to them: -Brother ox and brother donkey, you are fortunate among all animals because you have been able to see your Lord and Creator with your own eyes. You have been able to warm Him with your breath. The ox and the donkey look at the saint with their large, sweet eyes, still filled with the light that appeared in the grotto. Then Saint Francis commands his friars: - My brothers, for the love of Our Lord, I command you that in future years, on Christmas Eve, you shall feed all the animals. In particular, give good hay to the oxen and the donkeys. All living creatures shall celebrate the Nativity of Jesus. Since then, until the death of Saint Francis, the friars went to the stables of Greccio every year to bring good hay to all the oxen and donkeys on Christmas Eve. You too, dear children, on Christmas Day remember to feed all the little animals you have at home or that you find along the way with good food.

 

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The True Value Of Things

It was only five days before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn’t yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our Houston area Target Shopping Center. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last minute shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head. My list contained the names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn’t buy them anything. Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift buying anything but fun. Hurriedly, I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the shortest one but it looked as if it would mean at least a twenty-minute wait. In front of me were two small children—a boy of about age ten and a younger girl, about 5. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl’s clothing resembled her brother’s. Her head was a matted mess of curly hair. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers. As the Christmas music played over the public address system, the girl hummed along, out of key but happily. When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure. The clerk rang up the bill. “That will be $6.09,” she said. The boy laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. “I guess we will have to put them back,” he bravely said. “We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow.” With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. “But Jesus would have loved these shoes,” she cried. “Well, we’ll go home and work some more. Don’t cry, we’ll come back,” he said. Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, “Thank you sir.” “What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?” I asked. The small boy answered, “Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus.” The girl spoke, “My Sunday School teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won’t mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?” My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face. “Yes,” I answered, “I am sure she will.” Silently I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true spirit of giving. Christmas is not about the amount of money paid, nor the amount of gifts purchased, nor trying to impress friends and relatives. Christmas is about the love in your heart to share with those as Jesus Christ has shared with each of us. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ whom God sent to show the world how much He really loves us.

Source Unknown To Me

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Christmas Is For Love - MarieB

Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly, Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elf-like student with wide-eyed innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas.. Mark was an orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Mark, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child. I had not noticed Mark particularly until he began staying after class each day (at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger, I later found) to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Mark spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite small when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman, who always spent much time with him. As Christmas drew near however, Mark failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large gray eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, "Did you really miss me?" I explained how he had been my best helper. "I was making you a surprise.." he whispered confidentially. "It's for Christmas.." With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that. Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Mark crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. "I have your present.." he said timidly when I looked up. "I hope you like it." He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box. "Its beautiful, Mark. Is there something in it?" I asked opening the top to look inside. " "Oh you can't see what's in it.." He replied, "and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you're all alone.." I gazed into the empty box. "What is it Mark," I asked gently, "that will make me feel so good?" "It's love.." he whispered softly, "and mother always said it's best when you give it away." And he turned and quietly left the room.. So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile as inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them that there is love in it.. Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth and song, for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love... Copyright © 2000-2005 Marie B.com All rights reserved.

 

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A CRIPPLED BOY'S PRAYER - International Disability Day

A CRIPPLED BOY'S PRAYER  A little boy sat all alone in a wheelchair He was watching all the other kid's run and play On his face I saw a look far and distant With trembling voice I heard this little boy say They say you must be born again to enter heaven Walk the straight and narrow way on this earth I don't seem to understand all the reasons I've never walked since the day of my birth Will I be a Crippled Boy in Heaven? Will my wings refuse to sail through the air Lord I know the way I am is for a reason But will I be a crippled boy up there His eyes were closed His little face turned toward heaven Will my life there be the same I heard him say Through tears of joy his face lit up And I knew he had found the answer He turned to me And then I heard him say I won't be a crippled boy in heaven I know my wings will sail through the air I can and run and play with All the children I won't be a crippled boy up there I won't be a crippled boy in Heaven I know my wings will sail through the air I can run and play with All the other children There will be no crippled boys up there ~ Steve Sanders © ~ We are all crippled one way or another and we will only be whole when we meet Jesus none of us will be crippled in Heaven. We all have hope in Jesus

International Disability Day
Noor Relief Fund › disability-day
How can you contribute to this day
and support people with disabilities.
It is celebrated on 3rd December every year.

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Bethlehem Snack Mix / Nativity Lunch

This "Bethlehem Snack Mix" is the perfect kitchen gift to share thru-out the holiday season's gatherings and/or even as neighbor gifts. Here's what you need: Animal crackers Red and green M&Ms* Star-shaped pretzels* Potato sticks** I am sorry that the recipe I have does not include quantities. Probably if you started with a cup of each ingredient, you could not go wrong. * Red and green M&Ms and star-shaped pretzels can usually be found in stores as soon as the holiday items begin to appear. ** Potato sticks are the (fried, I assume) shoestring-shaped snack item -- like potato chips, only in sticks. They come in a can. It looks a bit like hay or straw if you use your imagination. The poem could be printed on a gift tag which you would attach with a ribbon to the top of a clear plastic treat bag. Or, fold the top of a plastic or paper treat bag over and staple a rectangular tag to the top of it. The mix could also be placed in a jar, which would make for a festive-looking gift as well. POEM reads as: This yummy snack is an easy way To remember that very first Christmas Day! Potato sticks remind us of hay Like that in the manger where Jesus lay. These crackers remind us of the animals that night -- Sheep and donkey surprised at the sight. Pretzels in the shape of stars Remind us of all that the shepherds saw. Red and green, the colors of the season, Remind us that Jesus is the only reason! Or you could certainly write your own poem, or simply list what the ingredients are intended to represent. Have fun with this idea! I can see individual bags of this mix being a wonderful gift for Sunday School students.   Image Source: Nativity Lunch Christmas Ideas suggests these little "pigs in a blanket" some shredded cheese for the hay and pretzels for frame. You could also add a Star on top with using ketchup or mustard.    Christmas Story Snack Mix (Free Printable!) Also check out this pinterest board for more ideas for nativity lunches etc...

Source: Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen Pinterest Board and her blog

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Good For Nothing? (A Christmas Story)

Just before the Blessed Mother was about to give birth to the Baby Jesus, God the Father sent an angel to earth to search for the right animals that could assist the Holy Family in Bethlehem. The first place that the angel went to was the forest where he met a lion and a fox. “I need animals to help the Holy Family, for the Lord Jesus is to be born,” the angel told the beasts. “What can you two do?” he asked. “I will guard the Holy Family so that no one can harm them. With my claws and fangs, I will shred to pieces anyone who goes any inch nearer them,” said the lion. “Oh my,” said the horrified angel, “you are not only too powerful; you are very violent too. Thanks anyway.” The fox stepped forward and said, “I volunteer to help them, angel.” “And what how will you do so?” asked the angel. “I will see to it that the Holy Family will not starve,” said the fox. “Hmmm…sounds very practical. And how do you plan to do that?” inquired the angel. The fox replied, “I will sneak into the neighbors’ barns every night and steal their chickens for the Holy Family so that Mary, Joseph, and the Baby can eat well everyday.” “Oh, no,” the angel said sadly, “you can’t feed the Holy Family with something stolen from others. You are rather sly. I’m sorry, you do not qualify.” The angel’s next stop was a barn where he met a peacock, a donkey, and an ox. He informed them about what brought him there. The peacock said, “Did you say, the Baby is to be born in a stable? Very well then, I will spread my beautiful tail and make the stable look more enchanting than Solomon’s palace or even more than the Temple in Jerusalem.” “You’re quite vain, Mr. Peacock. Sorry, but you’re not the one I need.” said the angel. Too shy to volunteer themselves, the donkey and the ox were asked by the angel to step forward. “Is there anything you can offer?” asked the angel. “Nothing,” chorused the two. “I spend my days carrying loads on my back and there seems to be nothing that I learn from doing so except some patience and humility,” said the donkey. “I do almost the same thing everyday that my friend here, Mr. Donkey, does, but he forgot to mention that we also always swing our tails to keep flies away,” the ox added. “Aha, that’s perfect! Please hurry and go to Bethlehem. You are badly needed there,” said the angel to the donkey and the ox. Now, we know why there is no lion, no fox, and no peacock in the nativity scene.

Source: Crumbs - Spiritual Reflections of Fr. Bobby R. Titco

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Put God In Your Marriage

The love of newlyweds is special and new Their future is bright and fresh as dew Full of promise and their hope is bright No problem too big that they can't fight. The first two years, the threat is real So say the experts, of win or fail But these two are tried and true The threat has come and gone; their love is still new. The first five years have come and gone Through trials and tribulations, they're still as one Their love for each other is just as bright Their dreams of the future is looked on with delight. Six years, seven years, eight years go past Dreams of the future now don't last Even though they say they love one another They look at each other and silently wonder. The fights and arguments begin to increase And the love for each other begin to decrease Where once they considered the feelings of each other Now it's too much trouble; they don't want to bother They've never gone to church; God is a stranger They go on through life, not seeing the danger They silently ask themselves, "should this marriage continue Or should we just stop it now, it's no longer new?" Once they would agree; now it's "You're wrong, I'm right!" Not willing to budge, but preparing to fight They forgot true love and the vows they once canted Now all they do is take each other for granted. They look to the future, now it looks bleak Past fights and emotional scars have made them weak Without God there to help them grow They decide to quit, divorce and go. If only they would have invited Jesus from the very start Into their lives, and marriage and hearts There still would be struggles, there and here But God's Word says, Not To Fear Your hearts He will refresh daily in love made new And give you wisdom to know what to do On Him all your fears and troubles do you cast And your marriage will be all joy and will continue to last. What I have spoken here is tried and true My love for my wife is just like new Over thirteen years we have been wed And by God's Word we are still led. So please, you newlyweds and everyone reading this now Invite God into your hearts, and you will see how Your love for each other will always burn bright As long as you continue in God's Holy Light.

Rick Harris © 11/10/2004 - Dedicated to my loving wife, Ruby

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Children's Bible Answers

25 hilarious out-takes about the Bible from a child's perspective.

1. Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree Noahs wife was called Joan of Ark Noah built an ark which the animals come on in pears

2. Christians have only one spouse This is called monotony

3. David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar He fought with the Finklesteins a race of people who lived in Biblical times

4. In the first book of the bible Guinessis God got tired of creating the world so he took the Sabbath off

5. It was a miracle when Jesus rose from the dead and managed to get the tombstone off the entrance

6. Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule which says to do one to others before they do one to you He also explained a man doth not live by sweat alone

7. Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption

8. Lotu2019s wife was a pillar of salt by day but a ball of fire by night

9. Moses died before he ever reaches Canada Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol

10. Moses led the Hebrews to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread which is bread without any ingredients

11. One of the opossums was St Matthew who was also a taximan

12. Samson slayed the Philistines with the axe of the Apostles

13. Samson was a strongman who let himself be led astray by a Jezebel like Delilah

14. Solomon one of Davids sons had 300 wives and 700 porcupines

15. St John the blacksmith dumped water on his head

16. St Paul cavorted to Christianity He preached holy acrimony which is another name for marriage

17. The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert Afterwards Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten amendments

18. The Jews were a proud people and throughout history they had trouble with the unsympathetic Genitals

19. The epistles were the wives of the apostles

20. The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple

21. The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him

22. The people who followed the lord were called the 12 decibels

23. The seventh commandment is thou shalt not admit adultery

24. When Mary heard that she was the mother of Jesus she sang the Magna Carta

25. When the three wise guys from the east side arrived the found Jesus in the manager


TV Outtakes - Children Talk About Their Favorite Bible Story

Adapted From: http://loveandsalvation.blogspot.com​

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The Call

The Master called my name one day because He needed someone to go: I said, "Lord, in my spare time, between school, spending time with my husband, working from 8 to 6, and trying to coordinate a program for my community to help our children do better, I will help You look. See, I know I can't go right now cause I have so much to do." He said, "Well, where shall I find such a person? I thought I saw your name on My list of available people." "Well, Lord, that was the prayer that I prayed last year, but since then, things have changed." He said "Like what?" "Well, I'm working on my Ph.D. and I'm needed by so many people and my husband is always wanting something done, and on top of that, my community expects me to help and give to them so..." "Well, since you're busy, I'll let you go, but we will talk again, if YOU have some time." I went on through the days, and the weeks, and the months completing my tasks as always. One evening, while studying for my comp exams, I received a call from the hospital concerning my husband. He had been in a terrible accident and was in critical condition. I dropped everything and ran to the Hospital where I found my husband hanging on for dear life. I immediately begin to pray: "Lord, don't take him now, I can't bear it," but my prayer echoed off the wall and returned into my own ear. That next morning I left the hospital tired and weary, and walked in the door of my classroom just in time to begin my comps. As the professors began asking me questions I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. In my mind, I began praying, praying hard, but my prayer echoed again and I found myself upset at the Lord because He was nowhere to be found. I could not explain to them what was happening. After leaving from my exams, I called in to work because I was so distraught at all that was going on. I explained to my supervisor what had happened and she demanded that I take some time off. After visiting my husband in the hospital that evening, I went home and fell into a sunken state, crying and despairing. Just then I heard someone calling my name. "Lord, is that YOU?" "Well, yes it is. Do YOU have some time? I wanted to see if I could just talk ..... " Instead of waiting to hear His questions, I lashed out in anger and resentment. "How is it that when I needed You today, YOU couldn't be found and last night I cried and cried, but all I heard were echoes from the walls. My husband is dying, I'm flunking out of school, I may not have a job, and You can just sit and say YOU want to talk." The Lord interrupted me in my foolish speaking... "My child, I was busy, out looking for someone to go and tell others about Me when you cried. By the time I came to answer, you had moved on to something else. So, I decided to let your husband rest, and keep you home for a few days. That way, maybe you would get in touch with Me, if YOU had some time. For you see, before your husband, the community, or your job needs you, I Need You! And if all these things take you away from Me, I have to almost take them away from YOU in order to get a moment." I calmed down and began to cry. For I remembered my prayer of wanting to go and do for the Lord. He said, "I just wanted to check with you to see if you knew of anyone that I could send to be a witness for Me and tell others about Me, anyone at all?" With tears in my eyes and feeling so unworthy I said, "Lord, send me, I'll go..." The Lord should never have to ask us if we have some time. When He died on the cross He put aside everything to insure us eternal life. We should be more than grateful to do service for the Lord, to witness, and to tell anyone we can about Jesus. Don't let your (things), whatever they may be, get you so tied up that the Lord has to become a meeting time in your yearly planner. He had more than enough time for us. The least we could do is have time for Him.

Dede's Walk With God

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Parable of the Yeast / Leaven

Parable of the Yeast  What is the meaning of the Parable of the Leaven? The Parable of the Leaven, also called the parable of the yeast, is one of the shortest parables of Jesus. It appears in Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20–21, as well as in the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas. - Wikipedia The main lesson of the parable of the leaven is that the Kingdom of Heaven, though it may start small and hidden, will powerfully and completely grow to transform and affect everything it touches, much like a tiny bit of leaven causes a large batch of dough to rise. This growth is a mysterious but powerful work of God's grace and sovereignty, ultimately leading to the fulfillment of God's promises on a global scale. - AI Overview

 

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The Miracles of Jesus

The "miracles of Jesus" refer to supernatural events recorded in the New Testament where Jesus displayed divine power over nature, sickness, evil spirits, and even death, such as turning water into wine, calming a storm, healing lepers and the blind, casting out demons, and raising people from the dead. The 37 Miracles of Jesus in Chronological Order from SunnyHillChurch in Wytheville, VA       45 Jesus Miracles Clipart - Bible Story Watercolor Illustrations Images can be found at Etsy YouTube: The 37 MIRACLES of Jesus Christ ✨ Every Miracle Recorded in the Gospels (KJV)

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Famous Saints Thru The Centuries

FAMOUS SAINTS DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES

St. Ambrose

St. Jerome

St. Gregory the Great

St. Athanasius

St. John Chrysostom

St. Basil the Great

St. Gregory of Nazianzus

St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Bonaventure

St. Anselm of Canterbury

St. Isidore of Seville

St. Peter Chrysologus

St. Leo I, the Great

St. Peter Damian

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

St. Hilary of Poitiers

St. Alphonsus Liguori

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

St. John of Damascus

St. Cyril of Alexandria

St. Bede the Venerable

St. Ephrem the Syrian

St. Peter Canisius

St. John of the Cross

St. Robert Bellarmine

St. Albert the Great

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Francis de Sales

St. Lawrence of Brindisi

St. Catherine of Siena

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

PDF Resources:

St. Ignatius ~ 1st Century.pdf

St. Ireneous ~ 2nd Century.pdf

St. Cyprian ~ 3rd Century.pdf

St. Cyril ~ 4th Century.pdf

St. Leo the Great ~ 5th Century.pdf

St. Gregory ~ 6th Century.pdf

St. Bede ~ 7th Century.pdf

St John of Damascus ~ 8th Century.pdf

St. Alfred the Great ~ 9th Century .pdf

St. Wolfgang ~ 10th Century.pdf

St. Peter Damian ~ 11th Century.pdf

St. Hildegard ~ 12th Century.pdf

St. Thomas Aquinas ~ 13th Century.pdf

St. Catherine of Siena ~ 14th Century.pdf

St. Ignatious of Loyola ~ 15th Century.pdf

St. Teresa of Avila ~ 16th Century.pdf

St. Bellarmine ~ 17th Century.pdf

St. Alphonsus ~ 18th Century.pdf

St. Elizabeth Seton ~ 19th Century.pdf

St. Maximilisn Kolbe ~ 20th Century.pdf

St. John Paul II ~ 21st Century.pdf

Image Credit: HappySaints.com
Resources: The Saints That Changed The World, Top 10 Saints and Saints through the Centuries by Richard Thornton

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'Twas the night before kindergarten

'Twas the night before kindergarten, when all through the house All the little people were sleeping, it was just me and my spouse. Her backpack was placed by the front door with care, A special new outfit laid out on the floor, she would wear. She had picked it herself, that girl was quite proud. It was totally her style, it was colorful and loud. She had stood in those aisles 'till she found the right one. It was covered in glitter, it was so happy and fun. When down the kids' hallway we heard a small sound, Followed by little feet tiptoeing on the ground. Our tiny kindergartner peeked her head 'round the wall, Her bottom lip quivering, she started to bawl. We called her over and held onto her tight, She buried her face into my chest and squeezed with all her might. "I'm afraid to go to kindergarten, I'm scared for you to leave me, What if I miss you? What if I feel lonely?" My husband and I looked at each other and sighed, We knew this was coming, and I tried not to cry. "It's ok to be scared and feel a bit nervous, But here is a secret, I want you to remember this. "Wherever you go, whatever you do, Mommy and Daddy will always believe in you! You were made for this moment, to go do big things, God made you for tomorrow, to spread your new wings. "He has empowered you to be who you are, there's no one else like you. And when you get scared, you can do what I do. I just close my eyes and think of Jesus next to me, His hand on my shoulder, He's right here with me. Then I take a deep breath and I say in my mind, 'It's not by my strength, but by His I'm defined!' So when tomorrow morning comes you can bravely walk in, Knowing you're not alone, that you never have been." So today when I dropped my little girl off, She bravely walked in, with her wings she took off. But I heard her whisper as she walked out of sight, "I've got this Mommy, with Jesus I will be alright."   Source: From Blacktop to Dirt Road

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Noah: Alphabet Ups and Downs Game

Dana writes, "I just thought I'd share something I wrote to use with the active youth game, Alphabet Ups and Downs. (That's the game where you read a group a story with a lot of alliteration, and the kids have to stand up or sit down every time they hear a word that starts with a certain letter.) We were studying Noah, so I wanted our Alphabet Ups and Downs game to match the story. Here's a loose telling of the Noah story that features words with the letter 'N'."   "Noah: Alphabet Ups and Downs" by Dana Gagnon   Noah was a nice guy, but his neighbors thought he was a nut.   He had spent nearly his whole life building a nifty boat next to his house, in a neighborhood that never had rain! I mean, if Noah had a nickel for every nasty neighbor that came over to nag and needle him, he’d be a millionaire by now.   Noah explained to the nasty neighbors that God noticed that the world had become naughty, and told Noah to build this boat to save his family and the animals from a flood, but nobody believed Noah.   But Noah took notes when God gave him the numbers for the size of the nifty boat, and he nailed day and night to complete it.   When the nifty boat was nearly finished, the necessary animals started to arrive.   Naturally, the nocturnal animals came at night, so they could nap later. The nightingales flew in to their new nest. At noon, the elephants nearly got stuck in the narrow door. The next night, which was a bit nippy, such numbers came that I could not name each one — no nook of the nifty boat was neglected.   Now, nothing could stop the nearing rain. Noah nailed the door tight, and eyed the nimbus clouds nearby. Next, Noah and the animals spent numerous nights nervously feeling nausea as they floated on the waves the flood brought.   It rained for 40 days and 40 nights, and then Noah noticed the rain no more. Now they had to wait in the nifty boat until they could find the dry land they needed to live on.   Next they noticed something new — a rainbow. The rainbow was God’s signature on a promise that He would never flood the whole earth again. Noah and his family had a new chance to not neglect God’s laws and to walk God’s narrow path to heaven.   Copyright 2003 Dana Gagnon Source: Internet Archive

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Parable of the Lost Sheep

Today's bible adventure is the parable of the good shepherd.      Jesus often used parables as he was teaching a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning     Jesus loved to tell stories and people loved listening to them his stories always taught important things about who god is and what he is doing.   One day the shepherd had 100 sheep and he took very good care of them.  Every day he led the sheep to fresh green grass and water so they had all they needed.  The shepherd knew every one of his 100 sheep so well that he could tell if they were doing well or if some of them were about to get ill.  The sheep learned to stay close to the shepherd because they knew everything would be fine as long as they were in his sight.  Every evening when they returned home, the shepherd carefully counted all his sheep to be sure they were all there then he locked them behind fences so they would be safe from the wild animals for the night. But one evening as the shepherd counted his sheep, he realized that one was missing.  He counted 99 so he knew one sheep was lost somewhere. It was now getting dark but the shepherd knew he had to leave the 99 sheep inside the fence and go out to find the one sheep that was missing.  The shepherd went out searching in the dark wilderness. As the sun was setting, the shepherd went further and further away to find his lost sheep. Then suddenly he heard the sheep bleating and he rushed to find it. When he found the sheep, he placed it on his shoulders and carried it all the way back home.  The shepherd was happy because his sheep that had been lost was found again.  Jesus then said "I told you this story to help you understand that god is exactly like this good shepherd who loves his sheep. If any person sins and strays from God, he will search for that person and bring him back to him no matter what it requires and just like the good shepherd in the story: God is very happy when that person comes back to him.  Video provided by Early Learning Adventures With Mrs. T

 

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