I'm not on facebook, so this is a way I have of spreading the news about this kickstarter project from Slugs and Bugs. If you haven't experienced music of Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson, I HIGHLY recommend it. I just downloaded the album Under Where?. It is great... the kids love it and I love it. There are great message songs like God Makes Messy Things Beautiful and silly songs like Under Where? .
Well, what I'm really excited about is their new project which is an all scripture CD. LOVE THAT! They are using Kickstarter to fund their project.
So if you are curious about Slugs and Bugs or interested in funding their new venture, click here. They are about $5500 away from their goal with 17 days left.
Showing posts with label Children Ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children Ministry. Show all posts
Friday, May 3, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Easter 2013
The journey to Easter has been a good one this year, yet, somehow Easter still snuck up on me. As a church, we gathered each of the 6 Wednesdays of Lent for a simple supper and then an activity that involved the whole church family... from 0 to 100 years old! We painted made collages, painted rocks, illustrated the worldwide distribution of resources using Hershey kisses, collected food for the food pantry, made bracelets and paraded with palm branches. It was great (and exhausting)!
On the Thursday of Holy Week, we gathered together as a church to celebrate a Passover Seder ending with the Lord's Supper.
I wish I had pictures of each of these evenings. It was great to be together!
On the Saturday before Easter, Hannah, Grace and I made Resurrection Cookies! (Thanks Pinterest!) Here are the girls with our "soldiers" guarding the tomb, complete with tinfoil hats, swords and a shield:-)!
The next morning we enjoyed our "empty tomb" cookies!
Easter morning, Hannah and I got up before the sun in order to attend the Easter Sunrise Service. It was a beautiful sunrise! We went home to pick up the rest of the family so we could attend the breakfast at the church together. Yummy!
Later... the girls in the Easter dresses... yes, I say it again, it is HARD to get a good picture of the three of them!
On the Thursday of Holy Week, we gathered together as a church to celebrate a Passover Seder ending with the Lord's Supper.
I wish I had pictures of each of these evenings. It was great to be together!
On the Saturday before Easter, Hannah, Grace and I made Resurrection Cookies! (Thanks Pinterest!) Here are the girls with our "soldiers" guarding the tomb, complete with tinfoil hats, swords and a shield:-)!
Easter morning, Hannah and I got up before the sun in order to attend the Easter Sunrise Service. It was a beautiful sunrise! We went home to pick up the rest of the family so we could attend the breakfast at the church together. Yummy!
Later... the girls in the Easter dresses... yes, I say it again, it is HARD to get a good picture of the three of them!
Happy Easter!
He Has Risen! He has Risen Indeed!
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Christmas Books... part 2
I've been disappointed by the Christmas books I picked up at the library this year. Although it has been nice to read some new ones, I've not been too eager to add them to our collection. Tonight, we did read one that I liked and even choked up a bit as I read it.
A Shepherd's Gift by Mary Calhoun and illustrated by Raul Colon is a story about a poor shepherd boy who goes searching for his lost sheep. He finds it in the stable. It is a touching story about love and sacrifice. Definitely a book I would add to my collection and the girls enjoyed it too. (Well, the older ones, Elizabeth is having trouble sitting for a cozy story times:-). )
A Shepherd's Gift by Mary Calhoun and illustrated by Raul Colon is a story about a poor shepherd boy who goes searching for his lost sheep. He finds it in the stable. It is a touching story about love and sacrifice. Definitely a book I would add to my collection and the girls enjoyed it too. (Well, the older ones, Elizabeth is having trouble sitting for a cozy story times:-). )
Friday, March 23, 2012
ABC Scripture memory
We have been learning scripture verses in alphabetical order.
Here are the girls reciting those verses. Gracie has really started
picking up language. This isn't a great example (she usually is
clearer), but she is learning them right along with Hannah!
ABC Scripture cards from I Can Teach My Child.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
40 Days of Lent
Yes, things have been a bit quiet on the blog front, but not so on the home front. Life has been busy, but good.
Our family is participating in the 40 days of Lent. As the person overseeing "Children Discipleship Ministries" at our church (Gloucester Assembly of God), I put together an activity packet for the families of the church in order to participate in the 3 areas of Lent: Prayer, Fasting, and Giving to the Poor. If you would like to check it out, click here. I got the idea of the activity packet from the Ministry to Children website. To focus our prayer and giving, we are supporting the Daya Project. Click on their link for more information about this ministry in India.
Anyway, my girls (the oldest two) are really doing a great job with this. They love praying for the boys and girls (we have their pictures on the fridge) and Hannah often asks what our "activity" is going to be for the day. (Gracie's prayer is some part of the child's name, soft talking and then A ~ MEN!) Last week we made Mango Lassi... yummy! Everyone really enjoyed that dessert. Tomorrow we are going to try a recipe from a book we checked out of the library, A World of Food: India.We are going to make "kitchri," a lentil and rice dish. I'm curious to see how the girls will do with that. They often surprise me about food... things I think they will love, they don't and the opposite as well. I'm hoping that by helping me make the food, they will be more willing to try it. I'll let you know.
For me, I've been reading A Place at the Table by Chris Seay. It has been an eye-opening perspective on how much we have and consume in light of the world AND how our consumption is really bondage and idolatry.
Since I'm still nursing my daughter, I can't do a food fast, so I'm taking a facebook fast primarily, and quickly realizing how my addiction to FB is replaced by mindless wondering throughout the internet. I'm recognizing the internet is not "evil," yet the hold it has on me and my time isn't healthy. I've maintained my FB fast fairly well (only 1 view and several birthday postings from the blog), but I'm finding that there may be more that God needs to do in my media consumption. Obviously, I'm blogging now... still working on this!
So this is part of life at the Olsons. If you want to get in touch with me, I'm afraid you will need to use "old-fashioned" email or maybe even THE PHONE:-).
Our family is participating in the 40 days of Lent. As the person overseeing "Children Discipleship Ministries" at our church (Gloucester Assembly of God), I put together an activity packet for the families of the church in order to participate in the 3 areas of Lent: Prayer, Fasting, and Giving to the Poor. If you would like to check it out, click here. I got the idea of the activity packet from the Ministry to Children website. To focus our prayer and giving, we are supporting the Daya Project. Click on their link for more information about this ministry in India.
Anyway, my girls (the oldest two) are really doing a great job with this. They love praying for the boys and girls (we have their pictures on the fridge) and Hannah often asks what our "activity" is going to be for the day. (Gracie's prayer is some part of the child's name, soft talking and then A ~ MEN!) Last week we made Mango Lassi... yummy! Everyone really enjoyed that dessert. Tomorrow we are going to try a recipe from a book we checked out of the library, A World of Food: India.We are going to make "kitchri," a lentil and rice dish. I'm curious to see how the girls will do with that. They often surprise me about food... things I think they will love, they don't and the opposite as well. I'm hoping that by helping me make the food, they will be more willing to try it. I'll let you know.
For me, I've been reading A Place at the Table by Chris Seay. It has been an eye-opening perspective on how much we have and consume in light of the world AND how our consumption is really bondage and idolatry.
Since I'm still nursing my daughter, I can't do a food fast, so I'm taking a facebook fast primarily, and quickly realizing how my addiction to FB is replaced by mindless wondering throughout the internet. I'm recognizing the internet is not "evil," yet the hold it has on me and my time isn't healthy. I've maintained my FB fast fairly well (only 1 view and several birthday postings from the blog), but I'm finding that there may be more that God needs to do in my media consumption. Obviously, I'm blogging now... still working on this!
So this is part of life at the Olsons. If you want to get in touch with me, I'm afraid you will need to use "old-fashioned" email or maybe even THE PHONE:-).
Friday, December 16, 2011
Countdown to Christmas with Books
(Trying this again... I attempted to fix a formatting issue and lost the original post.)
This year we are celebrating Advent with books. I saw this idea on a blog last Christmas and decided we would do it ourselves. We had some Christmas books, but I found many more at a local used book store. This is a wonderful place, especially if you are like me and love children's books. In fact, it may be a little dangerous:-).
So here are the books we have unwrapped and read each evening on our countdown to Christmas.
Little Angel (Geraldine McCaughrean and Ian Beck)
This is a sweet story of a little angel who gets separated from the others when they come tell the shepherds about Jesus' birth. A little shepherd boy helps her get back to the others and is helped by her as well.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Susan Wojciechowski, illustrated by P.J. Lynch)
This is one of those stories that always chokes me up... a hurt and bitter person reminded of the truth of Christmas. It was a little too old for Grace, but Hannah enjoyed the story.
One Winter's Day (M. Christina Butler, illustrated by Tina Macnaughton)
I LOVE this story. Someone from our church gave it to our girls last Christmas. It is a story about a little hedgehog who gives away his hat, scarf and mittens and ends up being blessed by those he blessed.
Danny and the Kings (Susan Cooper, illustrated by Jos. A. Smith)
We read this book tonight and once again I got a little teary eyed. It is a story of a boy who wants to get a Christmas tree for his brother and ends up being blessed by several truckers... a "Hallmark" story (not really, but you know what I mean).
I Spy Christmas (Photographs by Walter Wick, Riddles by Jean Marzollo)
I got this because my girls love their I Spy board book, but we found this extremely difficult to find the objects. I might take it on our trip and play our own game of I Spy with it.
The Christmas Story (Rona Davies and Tommaso d'Incalci)
The illustrations are great and it sticks pretty closely to the biblical story.
Silent Night (illustrated by Darcy May)
I like the illustrations in this book. It follows the words of the song. Hannah liked that we sang the song after we read it.
An Angel Came to Nazareth (pictures by Maggie Kneen)
This story is told from the perspective of 4 animals who needed to chose who they would take to Bethlehem. While 3 animals pick "important" people, the donkey picks a pregnant woman. It is a nice retelling, but not one of my favorite.
The First Christmas (Carol Heyer)
I LOVE the illustrations in this book. It is a good retelling of the Christmas story.
The Golden Christmas Tree (Jan Wahl, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard)
We enjoyed this story about the animals working together to decorate their Christmas tree. Hannah has asked to read this a couple times. I thought a good activity to do after reading this book would be to decorate a tree for the birds (like peanut butter and birdseed pinecones), but it didn't happen this year.
Angelina's Christmas (illustrations by Helen Craig, story by Katharine Holabird)
Hannah loves Angelina Ballerina and this was another sweet story in that series. Angelina blesses a neighbor in need of compassion.
God Gave Us Christmas (Lisa Tawn Bergren, art by David Hohn)
I really enjoyed God Gave Us You and bought it before Hannah was born. A friend gave us this book and it is a great story about Mama Polar Bear and her cub going out to find God through the ways He makes himself known in nature.
So that is where we are. We have 10 more books. The last book will be the reading of the Christmas Story from either The Jesus Storybook Bible or The Big Picture Story Bible on Christmas morning. The kids seem to have enjoyed opening a book each morning and I like reading new books.
I'll post the rest after Christmas!
This year we are celebrating Advent with books. I saw this idea on a blog last Christmas and decided we would do it ourselves. We had some Christmas books, but I found many more at a local used book store. This is a wonderful place, especially if you are like me and love children's books. In fact, it may be a little dangerous:-).
So here are the books we have unwrapped and read each evening on our countdown to Christmas.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
I found a beautiful copy of this story at our local library's book sale. I find the story kind of sad, but also think it is a great telling of the true story of Christmas.Little Angel (Geraldine McCaughrean and Ian Beck)
This is a sweet story of a little angel who gets separated from the others when they come tell the shepherds about Jesus' birth. A little shepherd boy helps her get back to the others and is helped by her as well.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Susan Wojciechowski, illustrated by P.J. Lynch)
This is one of those stories that always chokes me up... a hurt and bitter person reminded of the truth of Christmas. It was a little too old for Grace, but Hannah enjoyed the story.
One Winter's Day (M. Christina Butler, illustrated by Tina Macnaughton)
I LOVE this story. Someone from our church gave it to our girls last Christmas. It is a story about a little hedgehog who gives away his hat, scarf and mittens and ends up being blessed by those he blessed.
Danny and the Kings (Susan Cooper, illustrated by Jos. A. Smith)
We read this book tonight and once again I got a little teary eyed. It is a story of a boy who wants to get a Christmas tree for his brother and ends up being blessed by several truckers... a "Hallmark" story (not really, but you know what I mean).
I got this because my girls love their I Spy board book, but we found this extremely difficult to find the objects. I might take it on our trip and play our own game of I Spy with it.
The Christmas Story (Rona Davies and Tommaso d'Incalci)
The illustrations are great and it sticks pretty closely to the biblical story.
Silent Night (illustrated by Darcy May)
I like the illustrations in this book. It follows the words of the song. Hannah liked that we sang the song after we read it.
Laura's Christmas
This is a "lift-the-flap" book and an early introduction to the Little House books. Hannah and I have read the chapter books (up until The Long Winter), but she liked this book as well. An Angel Came to Nazareth (pictures by Maggie Kneen)
This story is told from the perspective of 4 animals who needed to chose who they would take to Bethlehem. While 3 animals pick "important" people, the donkey picks a pregnant woman. It is a nice retelling, but not one of my favorite.
Baby Jesus board book
Even Elizabeth gets a Christmas story. This story is told in rhyme, but I wouldn't call it a "must have" book.The First Christmas (Carol Heyer)
I LOVE the illustrations in this book. It is a good retelling of the Christmas story.
The Golden Christmas Tree (Jan Wahl, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard)
We enjoyed this story about the animals working together to decorate their Christmas tree. Hannah has asked to read this a couple times. I thought a good activity to do after reading this book would be to decorate a tree for the birds (like peanut butter and birdseed pinecones), but it didn't happen this year.
Angelina's Christmas (illustrations by Helen Craig, story by Katharine Holabird)
Hannah loves Angelina Ballerina and this was another sweet story in that series. Angelina blesses a neighbor in need of compassion.
God Gave Us Christmas (Lisa Tawn Bergren, art by David Hohn)
I really enjoyed God Gave Us You and bought it before Hannah was born. A friend gave us this book and it is a great story about Mama Polar Bear and her cub going out to find God through the ways He makes himself known in nature.
So that is where we are. We have 10 more books. The last book will be the reading of the Christmas Story from either The Jesus Storybook Bible or The Big Picture Story Bible on Christmas morning. The kids seem to have enjoyed opening a book each morning and I like reading new books.
I'll post the rest after Christmas!
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