Monday, April 7, 2008

Our theme for April: Passover

I'm fascinated with the Old Testament as the Spirit allows me to see Jesus in the stories I feel like I'm getting to be one of those disciples He talked with on the road to Emmaus, hearing Him tell from Moses through the prophets how all of them speak of Him. So I'm really excited about this month feeding the little sheep He's entrusted to me.
I purchased the book A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays and it has been such a treasure. I love how I can use the ideas and resources given with little ones (preschool and kindergarten aged).

This last week I responded to the Spirit's pull on my heart to come away and pray. Once again I feel the Lord redirecting my vision to the path He leads me on, turning my head away from "good" things that just are not on the path right now. He really calls me to give myself to prayer and the word that I can stand as a footwasher in this house, serving in the high calling of keeper at home, praying that the Lord will let me continue in the service of being a homemaker, knowing that in this position there's great influence and joy as I serve the Lord. He also calls me to give myself to prayer and the word that I can feed the little sheep He's entrusted to me, my little Timothys. One of the "good" things I hear Him calling me to set aside is the Who can find a wife of valor blog. I need to give myself over to the ministry He's called me to. It doesn't mean there won't be an occasional post over there, but I won't be dedicating any time to it anymore, or planning blog posts. Just as Ezra purposed to learn, then do, then teach God's word I must do in that order! And those He would have me teach right now as a "younger woman" are my own sons. Not much worldly glory or nice neat bloggity fun, but there is a treasure of joy and power in the Spirit graciously poured out on and in me as I believe that what God has for me is better than my own dreams or plans.

So, I'll primarily be blogging here at Timothy Moms my plans (as I've been doing) in what I'm teaching, praying over, and doing with my little lambs and on occasion I may post a verse or thought over at WCFAWOV.

So, the plan for this month:

Morning by morning, we'll be gathering here in the office after daddy goes to work to worship Jesus together. We'll be learning and sing the song I Am by Mark Shultz. I like to use the posted videos on Youtube or Godtube to assist us in singing. I decided upon the I Am song because this is the name God spoke to Moses to tell the people when sending him to lead the people out of Egypt.

After our time of singing, we'll continue what we started last month by praying for the featured country and person on the Kids of Courage website. This month it's EGYPT- how perfect is that! Lana (not her real name) is the person they're featuring and we're specifically praying for, sort of putting a face on Egypt for us. We've printed the pictures of "Lana" and the Egypt map that are on the Kids of Courage feature page and have posted them on our world map in the boys' room. Then we'll recite the memory verse which is:

Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, since you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 5:7

I started last month with a fun little practice of teasing the boys to draw out the real words to the memory verse once I saw that they did have it in their memory but it was getting a bit dry to spit it out. The "tease" goes a little something like this:

Me: OK, guys so help me out with our memory verse, I'm having a hard time remembering. Is it: 1 Corinthidodayippidyday 15 billion says....?

The kids: usually laughing, "No mom! It's Fiwst Cowinthianz five seven says..."

Me: Oh, yeah that right ok. 1 Corithians 5:7 says, Clean out the old toys so that you can have a clean room?

The kids: laughing, "No, no, no, mom! It's fiwst Cowinthianz five seven says, Clean out the old eeeast so that you may be a new baach!"

That cycle goes on until they've "corrected" me and in fun spoke the correct memory verse. This is backed up by a special treat.

Then they day pretty much goes "free." But I'm prayerfully planning out some more intermittent activities to reinforce what we're learning.

The big plan is to have an actual Seder Passover dinner on Sunday the 20th in the evening. It may be just with the boys, but I'm praying about favor in my man's eyes to invite others too. It'll be very simple, geared toward the attention span of 3 and 5 year olds. I'm planning to incorporate some fun drama and shouting...that always helps :-)

There are also some great simple crafts and games to play in the Biblical Holidays book on page 150-151, making a lamb for the table out of a toilet paper roll and cotton balls and a "Ten plagues adventure."

I also plan to make a bread with yeast in it and an unleavened bread to teach them about the picture of sin in yeast. They'll be learning, like I did with the seed and soil last month, that yeast is LIKE sin and that Jesus is our Lamb, our Passover.

I'm praying about starting a monthly "Parable party," inviting the neighborhood kids to come join us for a party where the boys will tell a "parable" they've learned in the month- yeast is like sin, Jesus is the lamb who died to save us, the seed is like God's word, the soil like our hearts, etc. I plan to keep it simple and speak the gospel clearly to these little ones, many without a shepherd in their lives. I'd appreciate your prayers concerning this.

I'm also seeking to spend more time praying over and giving myself to the study of the things the Spirit puts on my heart to teach the boys. I also would appreciate your prayers concerning this. It's easy to be distracted or soak in a little more sleep or a little more blogging or whatever that is enjoyable and an escape of sorts for me from the work of being a faithful steward of what God's entrusted to me. I don't need an escape I need to totally surrender!

"Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control." 1 Timothy 2:11-15

"But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:14-15

"when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also." 2 Timothy 1:5

"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." 1 Timothy 4:12-16

Lord Jesus, be our Teacher. Give Connor, Ryland and I ears to hear and hearts to obey. And make us good witnesses of You before the daddy and man in authority in this house. May he feel so undeservedly loved that Your kindness would lead to his repentance.

1 comment:

rebeccahuff said...

I love your blog. I am also doing a unit study on Passover this month, although my five children are ranging in ages from 16 down to 2. We are learning a lot and enjoying it, but there is so much to try to get in there, so much I want to do! I was deciding on memory verses and came across your blog. I'd love for you to check out what we're doing, too, if you have time. I am posting a bullet list of what we're doing, books we're reading, etc.
Thanks for the ideas...I like the words to I Am, even though the music is a little heavy for my taste. Enjoy these wonderful years with your son, they pass by all too quickly. It seems you're doing a great job!
My blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rebeccahuff