Happy New Year!

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.

~Martin Luther

From "Little Gidding"

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.

~T.S. Eliot

Chesterton on the New Year

The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year.
It is that we should have a new soul
and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears,
and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions,
he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things,
he will certainly do nothing effective.

~G.K. Chesterton

The New Year Quote

"Throw out the New Year's Resolutions
and make daily ones-"

C.S. Lewis Quote

"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this."

~C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

T.S. Eliot Quote on Poetry

Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things.

~ T. S. (Thomas Stearns) Eliot 1888-1965

Pray for Your Children

An encouragement to pray from Job:

"And it was so, when the days of their feasting were one about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job did continually." Job 1:5



A prayer from Paul:

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:9-14



A tool to use from Bob Hostetler:

I don't know anything about Bob Hostetler but I ran across his 31 Biblical Virtues and I do know it's a great resource to use as we pray for our children. He says to feel free to duplicate it--or improve upon it. I thought it would be good idea to give this to my kids to pray for me and also use these verses listed for memory work.

1 Salvation "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10).

2 Growth in grace "I pray that they may 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'" (2 Peter 3:18).

3 Love "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to 'live a life of love,' through the Spirit who dwells in them" (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22).

4 Honesty and integrity " May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection" (Psalm 25:21, NLT).

5 Self-control " Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be 'alert and self-controlled' in all they do" (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

6 A love for God's Word " May my children grow to find your Word 'more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb'" (Psalm 19:10).

7 Justice " God, help my children to love justice as you do and to 'act justly' in all they do" (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8).

8 Mercy " May my children always 'be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful'" (Luke 6:36).

9 Respect (for self, others, authority) " Father, grant that my children may 'show proper respect to everyone,' as your Word commands" (1 Peter 2:17a).

10 Strong, Biblical self-esteem " Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are 'God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus'" (Ephesians 2:10).

11 Faithfulness "' Let love and faithfulness never leave [my children],' but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts" (Proverbs 3:3).

12 Courage "May my children always 'Be strong and courageous' in their character and in their actions" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

13 Purity "'Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,' and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions" (Psalm 51:10).

14 Kindness "Lord, may my children 'always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else'" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

15 Generosity "Grant that my children may 'be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age'" (1 Timothy 6:18-19).

16 Peace, peaceability "Father, let my children 'make every effort to do what leads to peace'" (Romans 14:19).

17 Joy " May my children be filled 'with the joy given by the Holy Spirit'" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

18 Perseverance " Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]'" (Hebrews 12:1).

19 Humility " God, please cultivate in my children the ability to 'show true humility toward all'" (Titus 3:2).

20 Compassion " Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion" (Colossians 3:12).

21 Responsibility " Grant that my children may learn responsibility, 'for each one should carry his own load'" (Galatians 6:5).

22 Contentment " Father, teach my children 'the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength'" (Philippians 4:12-13).

23 Faith " I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them" (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40).

24 A servant heart " God, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, 'as to the Lord, and not to men'" (Ephesians 6:7, KJV).

25 Hope " May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

26 The willingness and ability to work hard " Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, 'as working for the Lord, not for men'" (Colossians 3:23).

27 A passion for God " Lord, please instill in my children a soul that "followeth hard after thee," a heart that clings passionately to you (Psalm 63:8, KJV).

28 Self-discipline " Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire 'a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair'" (Proverbs 1:3).

29 Prayerfulness " Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to 'pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18).

30 Gratitude " Help my children to live lives that are always 'overflowing with thankfulness,' 'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'" (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20).

31 A heart for missions " Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3).

Children's Books

I've got two very sweet books that are great to read to children about friendship and kindness. Kindness is a Lot of Things -by Edith Eckblad 1965, was given to my husband when he was an itty bitty boy, and the other one is A Friend is Someone Who Likes You - by Joan Walsh Anglund 1958.

From Kindness is a Lot of Things:

Kindness is leaving an apple on a low branch where a small friend can reach it.


And keeping with the apple theme from:

A Friend is Someone Who Likes You:

A tree can be a different kind of friend. It doesn't talk to you,
but you know it likes you, because it gives you apples....or pears
....or cherries.....or, sometimes, a place to swing.


Both of these books are illustrated so nicely. Precious books for your little ones.

A Friend is Someone Who Likes You

Kindness is a Lot of Things

Shakespeare

I hope everyone is enjoying Romeo and Juliet.
Here's a couple of lines from Act 2:

ROMEO
Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set
On the fair daughter of rich Capulet.
As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine,
And all combined, save what thou must combine
By holy mariage. When and where and how
We met, we wooed, and made exchange of vow
I'll tell thee as we pass, but this I pray,
That thou consent to marry us today.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.

h-a-P-P-y

I love sayings that are short and straight to the point.

"A happy wife makes a happy husband. A happy couple makes a happy home."

~unknown


A common question sung around here:

Is everybody happy?

h - a - P - P - y

h - a (kinda low and soft)

P - P (Sung loud and sqeaky high)

y! (with spunk)

Just ask - free demo's

The Skirty - by Rebekah Merkle

http://www.amoretti-designs.com/home.html

Looky

I really like this and I hope you do too-

http://www.lookybook.com/

A Book by Edgar Guest

“Now” - said a good book unto me -
“Open my pages and you shall see
Jewels of wisdom and treasures fine,
Gold and silver in every line,
And you may claim them if you but will
Open my pages and take your fill.

“Open my pages and run them o’er,
Take what you choose of my golden store.
Be you greedy, I shall not care -
All that you seize I shall gladly spare;
There is never a lock on my treasure doors,
Come - here are my jewels, make them yours!

“I am just a book on your mantel shelf,
But I can be part of your living self;
If only you’ll travel my pages through,
Then I will travel the world with you.
As two wines blended make better wine,
Blend your mind with these truths of mine.

“I’ll make you fitter to talk with men,
I’ll touch with silver the lines you pen,
I’ll lead you nearer the truth you seek,
I’ll strengthen you when your faith grows weak -
This place on your shelf is a prison cell,
Let me come into your mind to dwell!”