Today is St. Nicholas Day -- December 6. We celebrate St Nicholas Day by opening a couple of presents and filling a stocking with gold chocolate coins and games. We read books about St Nicholas.
The Saint Who Became Santa Claus by Evelyn Bence (I can't find it online)
The Real Santa Claus: Legends of Saint Nicholas byMariana Mayer
This is a tradition we started when Alex was 3 years. I want Alex to know who St Nicholas is and how he turned into Santa Claus over time.
Santa Claus is fun, but I think too much emphasis is placed on gifts, Santa Claus and busyness during December. I want to teach Alex that Christmas is not all about Santa Claus, but about the celebration of the birth of Christ.
Since I grew up with Santa Claus and the magical feelings associated with him, it has been hard to talk straight with Alex. So I have talked about St Nicholas and not Santa Claus. However, everywhere you turn in December in America you see Santa Claus. At age 9, Alex knows in his head about St Nicholas, but he so much wants to believe there is a person called Santa Claus who delivers gifts to boys and girls around the world.
There is lots of information on the Internet about St Nicholas. My favorite website is http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23. This is the Russian Winter Icon of St. Nicholas.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Happy St Nicholas Day
Monday, November 27, 2006
Being Careful with a Child's Mind
There are some many influences on a child's mind in this world. Sometimes I feel like running away to a mountaintop where I can become like a mama bear and protect my cub. But that wouldn't be realistic.
An ongoing discussion at our house is about the creation of the earth. Fortunately we know that God created it, but then the discussion begins. How to handle Genesis????
This is an opportunity and a challenge for me personally and more importantly as Alex's mom. How do I teach him the Truth and yet teach him to ask intelligent questions? I have a suspicion that our family will grow tremendously in our faith in this particular area. I believe it is an important discussion to have as it is foundational....so the learning continues!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Lunch with God
There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer, and he started his journey.
When he had gone a few blocks from home, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park near the water just staring at some birds.
The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer, when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.
The old man gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. His smile was so incredible that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.
Once again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was, and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps; he turned around, and ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug.
The old man gave him his biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked her son: "What did you do today that made you so happy?"
The child replied: "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added: "You know what? He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"
Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and asked: "Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied: "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." But before his son responded, he added: "You know, He's much younger than I expected."
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring. All of which have the potential to make someone's day a very special one, or even turn someone's life around.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Thankfulness in the Word
God's Word is filled with thankfulness. There are so many beloved verses.
1 Chronicles 29:13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
Psalm 7:17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 69:30 I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 75:1 We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Reaching Out to Eulalio
The Christmas season is upon us even though Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet. For the past 6 years we have been sponsoring a little boy in Honduras named Eulalio. He's one year older than Alex which means he is 10 years old. Each month we send money to help him with expenses such as attending a Compassion school and buying things his family needs. We write letters to him on a regular basis and he writes letters back to us. Because he speaks Spanish our letters are translated into Spanish and his letters are translated into English. We pray daily for Eulalio. At Christmas we send extra money so that the local Compassion program can buy him Christmas presents.
Monday, November 20, 2006
The Four Freedoms
This week is Thanksgiving Week. It's a unique American Holiday that celebrates the blessings we have in the United States. Last week I introduced my 5 and 6 year olds in our homeschool co-op to Norman Rockwell and his famous paintings called The Four Freedoms. I was initially drawn to the painting called Freedom from Want -- it reminds me of Thanksgiving. Actually there are 4 paintings:
The Four Freedoms were goals that President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke in the State of the Union Address in 1942. It is often referred to as the Four Freedoms speech. Roosevelt listed four points as fundamental freedoms humans "everywhere in the world":
Norman Rockwell painted the series in 1943, during World War II. He completed the series in seven months. The Saturday Evening Post published them in 1943.
As Thanksgiving approaches there is so much to be thankful for. I am incredibly blessed to be an American.
Squanto -- Who was he?
Squanto's story is so often limited to saying he taught the Pilgrims about fertilizing with fish, planting corn, and getting maple syrup. While his role in helping the Pilgrims is essential, his story before he met the Pilgrims is interesting and very important.
Did you know....
Squanto was kidnapped once or maybe twice (I've read several different dates) There are different scenarios -- was he kidnapped by George Weymouth or was he kidnapped by Captain Thomas Hunt or by both -- it's hard to figure out the detail!
Squanto was taken to Spain to be sold as slave.
Squanto was 'purchased' by Spanish monks who taught him English and about God. He spent about 5 years in Spain.
Squanto went to London for another about 5 years and improved his English.
Squanto came back to the America on a ship and discovered that his people had died from illness and he was alone.
Governor William Bradford thanked God for Squanto in his prayers by saying "And thank You for bringing to us the Indian Squanto, your own special instrument to save us from hunger and help us to establish our colony in this new land." (from William Bradford's Journal)
As you read various stories of Squanto, the Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving, be discerning as many of the versions are not always factual and can be politically correct.
