Celebrating Birthdays

It's birthday season at the Holland House. My beautitul daughter (she takes her looks after her mother) had a birthday April 15. My youngest granddaughter Ashlyn turned 1, April 25. My comedian son (he is so much like his dad) had a birthday April 30. Wayne's spunky mother had a birthday on May 1 and my first granddaughter, Karyn, turned 9, May 2. That's a lot of birthday cake! We're headed to Ollie's after church today to celebrate.

Ashlyn was adorable digging into her first cake. With small dainty fingers she put the frosting to her mouth without making much of a mess. Brayden, my grandson, was very different. On his first birthday he was so covered in chocolate cake and frosting that he had to been carefully taken to the bathtub for a "major" cleaning. Frosting is hard to clean out of a tub. Brayden was greasy for several days. How different they are.

My family is an amazing treasure. They are precious jewels to me. Each are different in so many ways and those differences add such a dimension to my life. I celebrate who they are. I thank God for the precious gift of my family. I treasure the time I have to spend with each of them as my most precious possessions.

My role as a mother is different now. I am enjoying the fruit of my labors. All the spankings, advice and prayer has paid off. I have two adult children that are wonderful beyond words. My role is different, but I will never stop being their mother. I pray just as hard. I understand it is only as they stay connected to God through a vibrant relationship with Him will they be able to fulfill their destiny and purpose.

As a grandmother I pray the scriptures over my grandchildren much like I did my children. I want them to be "examples of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity and in truth." I am convinced that the provison and blessings come only as a result of asking. Jesus said, you have not because you ask not. As I celebrate all these birthdays, I reflect and enjoy the precious memories but I also make a new commitment to invest in their lives by pounding on heaven's doors with petions of heaven's blessings on their lives.

One of My Favorite Places

I have ridden it numerous times but never during peak rush hour. It is an experience that I will always remember. The Metro in DC was full so we stood toddering as I clug to the overhead handrail.

At the next stop, passengers got off, so Wayne and I scooted into seats. The influx of passengers was amazing. People packed into what I thought was an already full car. At every stop more passenger packed into the Metro with only one or two departing. The hands that clutched the metal rod were diverse. Some were chubby while others small and dainty. The assortment of colors representing ethnic diversity was wide. The economic diversity was also stark and wide. Some slept standing, which was amazing to me. We were jozzled back and forth with such spunk it seemed we might be spit out at any moment. Some gripped the rail passionately, while others balanced lightly touching the rail, while I sat comfortably enjoying the ride.

I was kinda glad none of the hands were wrinkled, because manners and kindness would have dictated that I give up my seat.

The rumbling ride required that you hold on...the rumbling ride of life requires that we hold on to the promises on God until they bring us to the place of possessing that promise. God's Word works and I am so thankful that it brings stablity in my life.

I'm off to see more sights in Washington DC. This time we waited until rush hour was over.

God's Math

For this object lesson you will need Life to Death
Miracle Screen; green silk; money bag or gold silk; mouse or animal trap;
cardboard or large foam cross; 3 large nails; (Show
the Life to Death Screen with the Jesus side out.)

Because God really, really loved this
world He gave it His most precious, perfect gift-His son
Jesus. Jesus came to give life, not just life, but abundant
life.

(Fold and open the
screen using the directions that came with the screen to
show the Satan side of screen. This takes a little practice,
but it is sooooo worth it! Make sure you practice this move
so you don't expose the load.)

Satan came to
kill, steal and destroy. (Pull trap from the
load. inside the screen.) His trap was working or so
it seemed to him at the time.

He stirred the hearts of religious
leaders to jealousy, (pull the green silk out
of the load inside the screen.) Yes, they were green
with envy. So much so that they wanted to get rid of
Jesus-permanently.

Then there was Judas, he was a
disciple of Jesus. He was chosen by the perfect son of God
to become part of Christ's elite team. He was chosen to do
miracles-lay hands on the sick, heal the blind and the lame
and cast out demons through the power of God.

But Judas wanted something else.
(Pull gold silk or money bag out of load.)
He wanted money! Satan gave Judas, what Judas
must have thought was a brilliant idea. It was an easy, get
rich quick scheme birthed in the heart of hell-betray Jesus.
The priest will give you money!.

(Pull cross out) His
plan worked. Jesus was dead. Hell celebrated. Nature
sobbed with a great earthquake. Finally, he had defeated the King of Kings and
the Lord of Lords. Jesus, the Son of God was dead.

(Pull the three nails and the cross out of the load.)
Satan's method of destruction-3 nails and two boards. But Satan did not understand God's math.
He thought 3 nails would hold Jesus to those splintered,
rough boards fashioned into a crude cross. But it took a
force more powerful than nails to hold Jesus to the cross.
Only love was that powerful.

Satan didn't realize that 3 nails, plus 2 boards does not equal five. Not
this time.

Let's do the math. (Tear the bottom off the cross so you have a plus sign in
one hand and a minus sign in the other)3 nails, plus 2 boards
equals 5; if that were the end of the story. But it's not
the end.

Something happened on that cross. Something Satan didn't
anticipate. Jesus paid the penalty of sin. With His precious
blood He paid the price to take away the guilt of sin
once and for all.

So let's do the math again 3nails plus 2 boards equals
5; take away the guilt of sin equals four (for)-given.
Satan didn't understand God's math. You see with Christ's
death on the cross, He subtracted (took away) the penalty of
sin. He subtracted (took away) your sickness. He subtracted
(took away) your fear. He paid the debt of sin with His
life, so you could go free from sin.

Satan thought a cross and 3 nails could
reduce Jesus to a zero-a nothing. Satan thought death
was the end of the Son of God, but not even death could hold
Jesus; because He had never sinned. Jesus broke the power of
death when He paid its penalty with the precious gift
of His blood.

This amazing feat of victory, snatched from the jaws
of defeat was possible because Satan couldn't take what
Jesus had already freely given. Jesus laid down his life as
a substitute for mankind, because Jesus loved you so much,
He laid his life down freely, He redeemed mankind from sin.

But God's message of the cross does not end with the things
he subtracted. The cross is also a place of addition. Jesus
came to give...to add to your life. He came to add life and
that life more abundant. He came to add peace, to add joy to
add eternal life.

The message of the cross goes beyond subtraction and
addition. Because Jesus never sinned death could not hold
him. On the third day God raised Jesus from the dead and
brought Him back to life. Think about that. Dead for three
days yet God gives Him life. God is all powerful.

Only a
loving, awesome God would send His precious Son to die so
you could be born into His family; so multiplication could
take place; so many sons could become joint heirs, enjoying
the privileges that belong to a member of God's family.
Now you can have
Life-- abundant life. God wants you to enjoy eternal life.
The God kind of life that can only comes from knowing and
making Jesus Lord of your life. Receive His gift. Receive
Jesus as your Savior.

Snow

It snowed in the mountains Sunday. The only time it has snowed at our house the entire winter. While it wasn’t a blizzard, the snow continued all day. I wish I could have been there. I love the snow. It would have been perfect cuddling weather too. I was ministering at the West Florida District Christian Education conference. It was a great weekend. I got to catch up with old friends and teach some workshops. I even got to preach at my dear friend, Pastor Alice Burdeshaw’s church. They are such good folks. That is my idea of an awesome weekend.

Wayne sent me a picture of the dazzling beauty of the pure, white snow. Snow is so white that it is used as a metaphor in Isaiah 18:1 niv "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

It is hard to imagine how white it really is until you have something to compare it too. A man looked out his window and saw a little dog bouncing and playing in the snow. What was that dingy, dog doing in his yard,” was his first thought. Then he realized it was his own little dog that he had always groomed and kept perfectly clean. The dog only looked dingy when compared to the brilliantly white snow.

Pure white, white as snow…white a symbol of purity and righteousness. How can that purity be attained? Trying really, really hard to do the right thing? Going to church? Moving away from everyone and everything that is impure—maybe like a cabin in the woods with no neighbors? No, while all these things are good, they won’t make you as white as snow.

We have all sinned, all of us. Those sins keep us from attaining the goal or hitting God’s mark of being righteous. But through the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, we can be forgiven. We can be pure, like snow. Not because we earned it, but because Jesus freely gave His life so we could be saved.

This routine was written to be used with the Color Changing Rope. An easy to use magic trick to illustrate the salvation message. Use it for Easter or anytime you want a salvation visual.

Ashlyn is Dedicated

Baby dedications are always special. Adorable babies. Precocious toddlers. Optimistic young adults, whom, by the way, look too young to be parents, embarking on a life-long parenting journey. A baby dedication is more than a pageant. More than a ceremony. It is a sacred commitment to raise this child in a way that is pleasing to God. A baby dedication is an act of faith and community that as a parent, you are partnering with God to train and equip that precious gift for life. Equipping them for dual life-abundant life on Earth and eternal life in Heaven. At every dedication, I always pray passionately as each child is introduced to the congregation, because as a mother and now a grandmother, I understand the grave responsibility entrusted to each parent.

So many times I have wished that an instruction manual was attached to the other end of the umbilici cord. A manual that would help me know how to nurture this child effectively. The love part came easy, the patience and skills were more difficult.
But as I look back I really did have a parenting manual- precious Holy Spirit. Each child was unique. Each child was a treasure that has continued to unfold with each stage of growth and development-even through adulthood. Each child kept me on my knees. They kept me in the Word. How do I handle this situation? How can I help them understand? How can I help them know God better? How can I get them to eat their peas or say please?

Parenting can be terrifying and exhilarating! But it must be done with faith. Faith that these kids are good kids. Faith that God is good and wants to help you! Faith that is modeled and lived out at home, at church and in real life. Faith that God is big enough to be God in their lives too! Faith that God will keep them and guide them. Faith that God’s great love will draw them.

And back to my original point. Even though baby dedications are always special, the baby dedication the last Sunday in February was very special. My 3rd grandchild, Ashlyn Joy was dedicated to God. She was so beautiful! I love the way her face and eyes light up when she laughs and smiles. She looks like both her brother and sister, which makes her sister very happy. Her brother doesn’t care who she looks like. Babies are such a joy-especially when they are your grandbaby.

Babies are important part of the church and Sunday school. While it is ultimately the parent’s job to raise the child as a church we must partner with parents to help them develop adults equipped for both life and eternal life.

Unwrap the Gift

Unwrapping presents had rules at my house:

1. Don't crush the bow.

2. Don't tear the paper; it can be reused.

When the kids came along the rules changed:

1. Only one person at a time can open a present.

2. The others have to watch while it is being opened.

My son reminded me recently of other rules we had:

1. Wait until the coffee is ready.

2. Really, wait until the coffee is ready.

He still feels the sting of that perceived abuse and suggests that we could have set the timer on the pot to be ready the next morning when we got up. (Actually, we didn't have such a thing back then.)

Whether it was child abuse to make them wait or a horrible addiction to caffeine, the fact remains they waited.

One by one each gift was torn open with joy and laughter as the paper and bows were left for me to clean up. After the last gift was opened the kids ran to their rooms to play and I scrambled to the kitchen for more coffee and dinner preparation.

Maybe you're thinking what's going on here? Christmas is long gone. Even the old man, excuse me, the older gentleman down the street has removed the last light. I want to remind you to unwrap your gift. When you put away the decorations, you didn't put away your gift did you?

Did you remember to unwrap it? Now that all the hustle and bustle is over and even now that the super bowl is behind us, did you remember to unwrap it? The gift I'm refering to is the gift of His peace.

It is a gift I refuse to put away this year. I keep going back and picking it up. In the face of all the turmoil around me I choose to trust Him. In the face of financial struggles, downsizing and businesses closing, I choose to live in peace. Jesus came to give us peace, but peace is a choice. David said, what time I am afraid I will trust.

I choose, like David, to trust.

Get Visual

You have to see the beauty of a mountain sunset to really understand how spectacular they are, but a picture can help. Visuals help us see and understand.

It is so important that our children discover the truths conveyed in simple Bible stories. But if we bore them to tears, they won't hear us or the message our stories carry. We must grab their attention and convey the message effectively if we want them to grasp the truth we love.

Get a visual of your class listening and learning and in that visual, you’ll be using good visuals. But hold everything. I know how busy just living life can be these days. Maybe you’ have asked, “With so many balls to juggle everyday, is adding visuals to my class really necessary? I would have to answer with a resounding, “Yes. Visuals are necessary. Visuals play a vital role in impacting your audience.” If you want to make Bible stories come alive, then you need to use visuals.

God used visuals throughout the Bible. So many of the Bible stories use visuals as illustrations. I would call Ezekiel the object lesson book of the Bible. The tabernacle is a visual aid on a grand and glorious scale. Jesus used visuals when he spoke to farmers about seeds or the lost coin or when He asked the woman at the well for a drink of water. I believe Jesus was the ultimate master teacher and He established a pattern for modern teachers to use when He used visuals.

Visuals unlock understanding. In the parable of the sower, Jesus used four types of soil to explain the kingdom of God to His disciples. In all of the soil types the seed sprang up and grew except one. The seeds only lay on the hard ground and the birds gobbled the seeds. Do you remember what the meaning of the hard ground was? Jesus explained, “The hearer did not understand.” Brain research has proven that your brain dumps 90% of everything you do not understand. When people leave our classrooms without understanding the message or truth we have presented, then their brain dumps 90% of that information. That makes teaching for understanding essential. Visuals help you teach for understanding. The old adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” really is true. Read the remainder of this article...

Prayer That Works

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

If-
There it is, that enormous two letter word –if. God’s promises have conditions. If we want to receive the promise, then we must meet His requirements.

…my people, which are called by my name-
God is not talking to the sinner, He is talking to His children- Christian. Sometimes we get caught in the trap of thinking, "If those rotten sinners would change…God says if my people.
…shall humble themselves- Wait a minute, humble-me? We would rather strut than struggle in prayer. Isn’t there another way, one that will glorify the flesh instead of crucify it? But God says if we will humble ourselves and….

…and pray-
How long has it been since you wept over the children in your class? I wonder if maybe one reason we don’t see more lasting fruit is because we have lost our passion to pray? You wouldn’t think of going out every afternoon to look for ripe tomatoes in the garden if you had never planted any tomatoes. Why do we expect to reap a spiritual harvest when we have not done the things God requires to receive that harvest.

…and seek my face-
This denotes intimacy. This is a place where we know God, we know His will and His desires become ours. Psalms 103:7 "He made know His ways to Moses, his acts to the children of Israel." Israel saw what God could do, but they didn’t know God. You can know God, if you are willing to pay the price to seek His face.

I attended a ladies conference when my children were young. It was nice to get a way with other young mothers. After the service, we began to cut up and play silly pranks on each other. After a while, one young mother excused herself. "I need to get to bed, I pray at 5:00 every morning. Somebody asked why she needed to pray with all the spiritual emphasis of the conference. She explained, "I haven’t always had a regular prayer time, but one night in a dream. I saw Jesus crying. I asked Him, "Why are you crying?" He said, "I want to spend time with you and you re always busy." That was a turning point in my life, now I spend time with Him every morning. It’s just our time to be together." We can’t know Him, if we don’t spend time with Him.

…and turn from their wicked ways-
Do we really have to talk about this one? If we want results we must turn from our sins of unbelief. We must turn from the sins of omission and commission that would rob and defeat us. It is a loving father, not a cruel judge that demands that we release the poisonous snake of sin that brings death.

…then
We don't pray to fill a required time slot. We pray to get results. We must pray expecting. That is why praying the scriptures is so important. What does the Bible say about the situation you are walking through? What are the promises that you can wrap your faith around as you approach the throne of God's mercy and grace.

Last week I discovered an amazing site with scriptural references to guide a believer as they pray for the American Presidential election. Pray the Vote This page contains scriptures to pray or you can click on the daily prayer to see specific prayer guides for each day.

The Presidential Prayer Team page is a guide to pray for the president and his activities daily. This is a great prayer resource regardless of who wins the election because the new president is going to be facing some critical issues.

If we are not hearing from heaven, maybe we need to check our schedules. Have we made time for God or have all the good things we do as teachers and children’s pastors crowded Jesus out. We must have a personal relationship with Jesus and that only comes when we make room for Him.

…will I hear from heaven
God promises that He will hear us. God’s ears are tuned to hear your prayer. Prayer is the key to the all of heaven’s resources. Faith turns the key. Go to the scriptures for your need. When you pray the scriptures, you’ll have the confidence to believe God for what you are asking

…and will forgive their sin- Are you sick of the crime that has infested our land? Are you sick of shooting in our schools and the garbage on the television. It’s time to do something about it besides gripe. It’s time to pray.

…and heal their land-
We experienced a drought in Florida. Even though we are on a private well we could only water our lawns twice a week. Every time I walked in my yard, my wilted flowers reminded me to pray for rain. And when I prayed for rain, I prayed for revival to sweep this land. Only the rain of God's spirit will quench the spiritual thirst in our land.

The Welsh revival, the Charles Finney revivals and all the revivals where great numbers were saved came as a result of prayer. I want to encourage you that God has awesome plans for the children of your city. I believe God wants to raise a Joshua generation. A generation of children that will believe and receive the promises of God. But it will not happen unless the Moses’, the leaders, the teachers, God’s people begin to pray and turn from their sin.

See resources to help you teach children to pray.

Kids are Worried Too!

These days I find myself glued to the TV screen. I'm apprehensive, yet hopeful of hearing some good news, but none is forth coming. Even as an adult I must redirect my focus from the local/national news to the Good News. Just as God took care of the children of Israel in Goshen, He will take care of His children today. I refuse to embrace fear. Instead, I embrace faith.

But what about our children? They are also hearing the news. They are feeling the crunch. They are fearful. God never intended for believers to be engulfed by fear. He sent Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to provide freedom from fear. But, how can we have peace in troubled times? Is peace really possible when the news is so bad? Absolutely! Peace can and should be a believers reality, even in troubled times.

I think Halloween is a great time to talk about fear, especially this year. Children need real answers on how to have peace in troubled times. Here are some thoughts and suggestions:

1. Teach your children to ask for peace. They need the Prince of Peace to fill their hearts with Peace.
2. Purposefully redirect their focus from the Bad News to the Good News-the promises of God. Give them specific promises to memorize and meditate upon. Share Bible stories and modern stories of the protection and provision of God. Teach them how to find specific promises from the Bible for the things that trouble them.
3. Teach them to guard their thoughts and to pray the scriptures aloud when fearful thoughts come and to pray the solution, not the problem.
4. Teach them to trust God.
5. Lastly, help them develop an attitude of gratitude, continually expressing thanks to God.

We have some wonderful resources to help you teach on peace.

Eyeball

Icky, yucky eyeball? No way! Powerful effective object lesson to remind us of God's watchful eye.






In The News
Are you tired of all the bad news in the papers? With this truly amazing trick you'll pour water into the paper, open the paper to show the dry pages inside and then pour the water out into a glass.

Missing Peace

Our Gospel Dollar has been cut into four pieces. If you assemble the pieces with the back (green side) showing, the four pieces make a complete dollar bill. If you turn them over and assemble them with the front showing (the black side), there is a rectangular piece missing in the center. Remember- the spectator is the one who does the actual assembling of the pieces. The surprise comes when spectator assembles the face-up bill and it has a hole in it. Jesus' picture is missing!

Leaving Tracks

Sunday afternoon we took a short hike through the woods. The leaves are turning colors. The temperature was perfect. The mountains were glorious!

We crossed a mud road that looked like turkeys must have held a square dance. Turkey tracks crisscrossed the road in every direction. Either they found a mud hole to drink from or a breakfast treat in the mud in the road! The road had far too many turkey tracks for a casual crossing. The roadway told of deer gatherings and a single raccoon crossing as well.

We've seen all these animals often as we walk or drive through the mountains, then we saw the unexpected.

Wayne spotted them first- it was bear tracks. Bear tracks on the same road we were hiking. We don't see those too often--thank goodness! I was so excited to see bear tracks that I had to call my grandchildren to tell them about our adventure. They wanted to join us, but their mama had a different opinion.

As I stooped to look at the tracks and take a picture, I realized the tracks are not a deliberate activity for the animal. They don't plan to leave their tracks in the road, like the squirrels or deers plot havoc in the insurance commercial, which is, by the way, one of my favorite commercials. It's just what happens when they cross or travel down a muddy road. They leave tracks as they move down the path.

That's what you do in the lives of your children or the children you minister to--you leave tracts. You are making an impression whether intentional or not. You are impacting the lives either for good or evil by your attitudes and choices. Yes, and let's not forget what you say and how you say it!

Walk carefully...you are leaving tracks on a life of a child.

I talk more about tracks in my "Train'em Right CD or also available in DVD . It is a motivational teaching for parents and children's ministry leaders to follow Jesus' tracks so they can help children follow Jesus tracks as well.

Bad News

It's a rainy, dreary day in North Carolina. Yes, we need the rain. And yes the rain is a good thing. But the fog and overcast skies make me feel bleak-like the news. The news plastered on every channel and the headlines on every newspaper is dreadfully bleak.

America is facing both an economic and energy crisis. Never in my life time have we faced circumstances as critical as the ones we face now.

I understand we are in crisis, but I refuse to play the blame game, instead I choose to become part of the solution. I join the ranks of believers like King David who declared, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in you."

I lift my eyes off the circumstances to the promises of God's Word in 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

It's time to pray, not worry!