Frogs, fireflies and other outdoor fun


Two months ago our family moved from Colorado to North Carolina.  We found ourselves going from being surrounded by prairie grasses and mountain views to trees, frogs and lots more bugs.  This change has reawakened in our girls a love for exploring nature.  I think this love lives in all of us, our over scheduled, technology soaked lives just buries it deep sometimes.  

Lately the girls have enjoyed finding tiny frogs that live in the yard and catching fireflies in jelly jars.  According to Sarah the best catches are after 9:00 pm - but I think that might just be an excuse to push back her bedtime. 


 
With school out we are looking forward to spending more time outside.  I got out our nature explorer kits this weekend.  I keep our kits together for hikes, vacations and general backyard exploring.  It includes a small notebook, a handheld magnifying glass, colored pencils and a couple of wildlife identification cards. 


This month’s family devotion is called The GreatCreator.  It studies the story of creation.  I hope your family will find time to do this devotion and then get outside to enjoy our Creator’s handiwork.  Here are three links that have great ideas or inspiration for outdoor family fun:

I love Family Fun Magazine– this page will lead you to tons of outdoor inspired crafts. 


REI has a free adventure book that you can download for your kids.  Full of activities and journal space, great for a camping trip or just to inspire some backyard exploring. 

There are so many great ideas out there, I created a Pinterest Page just to inspire me to get outside with the girls and appreciate the God’s creation.  I hope you find some inspiration here too.

June's Family Devotion


Parent Introduction: 

I don’t know about your kids, but ours are ready to be outside.  We just had our last day of school and they are ready to spend long hours outside swimming, exploring and catching fireflies.  June is a great time of year to explore the outdoors and take time to discuss our Creator.  Check back to The Celebrated Family during the month of June for outdoor family fun ideas to reinforce the themes of this devotion.  May God bless your time together. 
Supplies Needed:

·         Bible
·         Plain paper – enough for each child plus three extra pieces
·         Pencils
·         Crayons

The Great Creator
Introduction:  (Sit around a table with nothing on the table)
We are so blessed to live in a beautiful world that God created.  We are going to make pictures of some of our favorite things God made.  You can make anything you want – mountains, trees, apples – whatever.  The only rule is that you can only make your picture with the supplies in the middle of our table.  As a matter of fact, go ahead and sit on your hands.  Okay now I’ll give you 2 minutes to make anything you want.  Go ahead, start.   (Continue to encourage your kids as if they can create something with what is on the table.  Do not let anyone go get supplies)

Discussion Question:

1.         How did you feel when I asked you to make a picture? Why couldn’t you do it? 

We could not make a picture because we did not have anything to make it with.  Today we are going to read about the creation of world.  God created a wonderful, diverse, world full of so many different types of plants and animals that scientist discover new ones every year.  But God did not use construction paper, markers, play dough or any of the things we use to create things.  We are going to read Genesis 1:1 -1:25.  First, I am going to read verses one through five, and I want you to listen to what God used to create the world. 

Reading:   Genesis 1:1-1:5.                   

Discussion Questions:

1. Did you hear how God made light?   (God called the light into being.  He spoke and it was.)

2.  God created the light by just speaking.  He didn’t use crayons, electricity, play-dough, He just spoke.  Why God can could God create light just by speaking?  (God is powerful.)

Pass out a sheet of paper and a pencil or crayons to each child.

Now I am going to read verses 6 through 27.  We are going to hear how God made many other things.  Let’s create a grid on the paper in front of you.  Draw a line down the middle, then three lines across the paper, dividing the paper into 6 squares.  Number your squares 1-6 with a small number in one corner of each square.  We are going to read about the six days of God’s creation.  As I read, you are going to draw or write something in each square, representing what God created on that day.  We already read day 1, so go ahead and draw something in your #1 box that represents light. 

Reading:   Genesis 1:6-1:27 Briefly pause after each day to allow children to finish their drawings.  If children’s drawings get elaborate, tell them they can always go back and finish it later. 

Discussion Question:

1.       Can you tell me what God did on each of the six days of creation?  Have your children tell you about what they drew for each day.   Talk about additional examples for each day. 

Let’s think about the first thing we did here.  When I asked you to make a picture without anything could you?  You could not, but God can. All the things we drew and mentioned are things that God has created.  In our reading, at the end of each day it said that “God saw it and it was good.”  God’s creations are indeed good.  We are going to pray together to thank God for the wonderful world He has created.  When we are finished with our prayer we will play a fun game together. 

Prayer:  Holding hands in a circle, take turns praising God for His creation.  If your children are not familiar or experienced with participating in praying out loud, encourage them to thank God for two or three of their favorite animals or fruits.

 Family Activities: Creation Charades:
1.       Have all members of the family write down on slips of paper things God created such as palm trees, alligators, shooting stars, the ocean, blowfish – get creative!  Next to the name of the item write which day is was created on.  Try to have a variety from days 3-6.  Place all the ideas in a bowl.

2.       Take turns drawing a slip of paper and acting it out.  Before each player starts to act out their thing have them hold up the number of fingers of which day it was created on.  Larger families can divide into teams, smaller families can all play as one team. 



Some of our family’s favorite Creation Charade ideas are:  shooting stars, apples, elephants, porcupines, hail, rhinoceroses, ocean waves, and sharks.  Have fun!


Celebrating Ascension

Last Sunday was Ascension Sunday when we remember Jesus ascending to Heaven.  Jesus had been with the apostles for 40 days since His resurrection.
“…he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”  Act 1:9


 When I saw this cute idea on Cultivated Lives, I knew my girls would love it.  The blue Jello and Cool Whip clouds are such a fun visual reminder of Ascension.   






Last night I surprised Pete and the girls with their Ascension desserts.  (You can see mine were not nearly as cute.  Reddy Wip from a can does not hold up like Cool Whip!)   I added a strawberry cut into the shape of a heart to represent the promise of the gift God would send after Jesus' ascension. 






Our family has been reading the Book of Acts each morning since Easter, so instead of reading the biblical account of Jesus' ascension, we played "Ascension trivia."  Emily (6) surprised us all by having all the answers.  She of course thought that deserved a reward.  You can guess it where this lead....


The joy of watching the girls enjoying their blue jello (I don't serve a lot of blue food around here.) and just spending a few extra minutes at the dinner table together, was such a great reminder to me that raising faith in our children doesn't have to be serious or difficult, we don't have to have the perfect devotion guide or a seminary degree.  It can be as simple as some blue jello, a can or Reddi Wip and the time to talk about our great and loving God.

As for the little strawberry heart... Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the gift God would send.  They waited 10 days, and then received the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This is marked by Pentecost in the church calendar.  My girls are marking off 10 days on our chalkboard.  Next Wednesday night we will celebrate it.  I will share ideas for celebrating Pentecost and the church's birthday next week.