Be His Good Challenge - Flower Shop

#BeHisGood

I love this time of year with all the fresh flowers and greenery, be it the outdoor nursery or your local flower shops.  If my husband weren't allergic to bees and my thumb was green and not brown, my yard would be filled with flowers.  So we send back the love to you local florists and nursery and greenhouse gurus.

Craft:

http://www.mendandmakenew.co.nz/2013/09/diy-daffodils.html

http://www.theresourcefulmama.com/paper-plate-flower-craft-for-kids/

A Flower.   Do one of these beautiful flowers or create a version or even a whole bouquet.  Again, use any supplies you want or follow the instructions listed below the photos.  Also take this time to explain all the care that goes into flowers that these beautiful people do everyday.  Explain that plants need water, soil and sun.  By the end of this craft,  you'll be able to home-school your children!  (just kidding)  

You can take it a step further and even explain that they have the ability to plant a seed for God in others by sharing the Gospel and who Jesus is!  Then along the way it is up to God to put others in their life to water and help it grow.  

Challenge:

After the project is finished, write a simple thank you whether on the back of the artwork or a separate card. Find your local nursery or flower shop and hand off your beautiful artwork.  

Then spread the word!  

Take a photo and post on Facebook or instagram and use the #BeHisGood.  Then encourage others to join you in saying thank you to their local flower shops and nurseries for all that they do in providing us smiles with fresh flowers.  Am I not right ladies... if a husband brings home flowers... you instantly love him a bit more.  

Thank you for joining my children and I this week in being His good.

The Word - John 1:1

We read and hear often the importance of john 1:1

In the beginning the Word already existed,

the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Word.  

For most of my life... okay all but the last year, I never really understood the significance of that verse, and the meaning of the Word.  It's kind of confusing.  But once you slow down, dive into, and truly read it, Truth comes to life.

See, the apostle John wrote his Gospel for the single purpose of proving that Jesus was indeed the Son of God.  He was fully man and fully God (not part man and part God) and he came to fulfill the scriptures.  This is where the verse comes in. John used the Old Testament (OT) to prove Jesus was God by using "the Word."  Hebrew Scriptures (OT) used "the Word" to describe:  

• creation (Psalm 33:6-9)
• God's message to the Israelites delivered by the prophets
• God's law, their standard of holiness.   

Jesus is the Word.  Let me say it again.  Jesus is the Word.   

• He was their with God before creation, creation was created through him (John 1:3).  Before there were the stars and the moon... their was Jesus with God.
• The OT all points to Jesus Christ, our Messiah.  The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets to reveal who Jesus is.  That's why if we really wanted to know who Jesus was and is, we need to study the scriptures (OT)  
• Jesus is what we couldn't be, perfect.  The law was given to show how much we needed God, to show our sin, but Jesus came to fulfill the law and was the perfect sacrifice to reconcile us to God.

So when you read this verse or hear it, relish in the fact that the Word who was with God from before the very beginning, the one who was anticipated for and talked about for over 2,000 years, is the Word that came down from his throne to deliver us from evil and bring us into his holiness.

Be His Good Challenge - Police Officer

#BeHisGood

To start off our Be His Good challenge, we honor our Police Force.

Whether you are a boy or girl, if you hear sirens... you immediately stop, try and find where the noise is coming from and get all excited and a conversation takes off about which bad guy they are going to conquer.  Or is that just in our house?  

Craft: 

A police car.  Do this car exactly or create a version of this.  If you don't want to use a paper plate, just use scrap paper.  If your child isn't old enough to cut out your traced lines on the plate, you cut out the shape of the car.  Same goes for the wheel and star.  Don't want to get messy with paint, then use a blue marker, or let them scribble and create graphics that makes get inspire the next police car look.  It's less about how the project looks and more about the purpose of the project.  Take the time and explain what police officers all do, teach them how courageous and kind they are, enlighten them that rules are needed and police officers help enforce those rules to keep us safe.  Maybe even go all biblical on them and tell your children that God gives us rules called the 10 commandments to keep us safe and moms and dads are here to help teach those so we stay safe.  Even go to the local library and find books to read.

Challenge:

After the project is finished, write a simple thank you whether on the back of the artwork or a separate card. Find your local police station and drop it off.  If that seems daunting, find their address and mail it off.  Or quite simply, if you see one in your neighborhood, stop, walk up to them and say thank you with your beautiful artwork.

Then spread the word!  

Take a photo and post on Facebook or instagram and use the #BeHisGood.  Then encourage others to join you in saying thank you to our Police Force for all that they do.  In my opinion, we don't say thank you to the men and women who serve in this way nearly enough.  Instead we complain.  Can you imagine what our cities would be like without them?  Think about it.

Thank you for joining us this week in being His good.

Be His Good Challenge - A Summer Activity For Your Kids

I've always wanted to inspire others with my Scripture Apparel whether it's to be a person of grace, who speaks and shows truth, a person who can be still in his presence yet stand firm in his truth, one who lives courageously for the Lord, a person who is humble, gentle and patient.  One who simple is the good.  God's good.

This deep mission has allowed me to self check and grow.  It reminds me to try and be that person above and to raise my children up to have those character traits.  So I'm creating a challenge.  It's a challenge to teach our kids how to serve which doesn't come easy.  To teach our children how to be the good in this world that our world so desperately needs right now.  A challenge to train them up to be men and women who think of God, others and then themselves.  A mission to move beyond us and focus on others.

"Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it."  -  Proverbs 22:6

The Challenge

It's a simple act of kindness each week to a member in our society whether it be the postman, police officer, garbage man or our local barista.  It's a simple craft (pinterest inspired but easily doable because of have a 4 and 2 year old) that you go hand deliver and say thank you or drop off with a special note.  It's a challenge to show that our simple act of kindness can make a huge impact in the lives of those that surround us.  It's a way to teach our children to think beyond themselves and to serve others.  A way to show them how their words and actions have a lasting impact.  

Tested

My husband has done this a few times with my children whether giving someone at a coffee shop a $5 gift card, writing our garbage man a thank you note with a colored Elsa picture with a can of pop, or baking muffins for our postman.  Each time our shy little children walk cautiously up, ever so quietly say here you go, and then run away all giddy and we get to praise them for showing others that they have Jesus in their hearts.  

How to join?

There is no entry.  Just check back on my blog every Monday (that's my goal) starting June 6th! Each blog post will have the challenge and craft along with other ideas (if I can think of them)

The Craft

I'm a creative person but not a crafty person.  I will not have step by step instructions or a how to.  All crafts will be simple enough where you can figure this out on your own.  They'll also use items you mostly like all have in your craft drawer -  I have a list of items below. My goal is for this craft to be more about the purpose and less about the look.  The craft I list can be a launching point.  Adapt it, build upon in, or simplify it.  

Supplies

Construction paper-all colors, Q-tips, Popsicle sticks, paint, markers, buttons, tissue paper, paper plates, beads, pom-poms, straws, whole coffee beans (but not necessary), cupcake liners and glitter if you want to get real fancy.  Glitter however gives me a heart-attack so we'll keep it dull in this household.

Time Table

It's a summer project created for a purpose so each Monday during June, July and August I will have the Be His Good challenge.   Then I pray you love it so much it becomes a life-long weekly goal, or even daily to make a lasting impact in those around you.

Hashtag

#BeHisGood - take a pick and share with us on Facebook and Instagram.  This allows us to see and encourage and you to help spread the word.  

Let's except the challenge to be His good and show His love and train our children up to be like Christ.

Unfailing Love

"Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone."  Psalm 33:22

photo by Sarah Marie Photography

We don’t know who wrote this Psalm. Some believe it to be David, regardless, we know the author had complete faith, trust, and hope in the Lord.  He/she writes beautifully and poetically about how God is the creator of the universe, how his plans never change, how God never changes, and how he watches over us from his throne with an unfailing love.  His protection and shield are always there.  We are to rejoice in his glory and holy name.

An “unfailing” love is unfathomable to us this day and age. We might understand what it means to love but an unfailing, never giving up, unbreaking always and forever love is hard to grasp. But God's love is just that and he doesn't show us just show us once in a while; he shows us every minute of every day.  

Perhaps our definition of love needs to change so we can reach His understanding of unfailing love.  Can we move beyond just the secular view of love?  The emotional state of love? The physical state of love?  What is love?  1 Corinthians 13 explains love as patient, kind, humble, forgiving, it rejoices, never gives up, faithful, hopeful and endures all circumstances. So when we think of God and his unfailing love, we see God as forever patient with us, a God who is always there and will never give up on us. A God who does not want to harm but is kind and humble and faithful. A God who will never hold a grudge against us but will forgive on an instant if we just ask.  A God who is our number one fan rejoicing with us in the small moments and monumental accomplishments. A God who gives us hope every day if we just reach out to grasp him.  A God who will endure life with us and never leave our side no matter how much we set him aside or even push him a way.

God is our unfailing love. He is our hope. He alone is hope. Let His love surround you today and every day.  Let His love be your protection and shield when words of hurt come your way.  Let His love lift you up and show you how prescious and honored you are.

Resting in his unfailing love...