D is for…Doing Good

By Shelly Burke

(The posts for the A to Z Blogging Challenge will focus on teaching kids lessons from selected Bible verses. Adapt your teaching to the age of the kids you’re talking with.)

And let us not become weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to everyone…Galatians 6:9

What a reassuring verse, for kids as well as adults.

Ask your kids what they did today, that shows God’s love. Maybe they’ll mention:

     *Talking to a less popular child at school.

     *Being nice to a person even if that person was rude to them in the past.

     *Refused to cheat on a test.

    

Ask your kids why they did/didn’t do these things. Lead them to the ultimate answer: Because it is the right thing to do (or not do).

Ask if they have ever done something that has not been rewarded; maybe they’ve even had someone mock their attempt at doing good. Remind them that even if they don’t get praise or recognition, and even if no one knows what they’ve done, they are doing the right thing—and God sees everything we do. God tells us that we are to “not become weary” but continue doing good things.

Ask your kids about a time they “reaped” the good of their actions. Perhaps they made a new friend. Maybe they had the satisfaction of knowing that they got a good grade on the test, by not cheating! Enforce the concept that we do not do things to get recognition in any way; we do them because it is the right thing to do, what God would want them to do. And even if no one “noticed” what they did, God knows.

They will “reap” the good of their actions, perhaps immediately, with the smile of an ignored child they said “hi” to. Maybe they won’t realize their reward until much later, in the form of an opportunity they get because of their good reputation and grades. Even if we are not rewarded here on earth, we will be in heaven. It doesn’t matter if or when we are rewarded, we should still continue to do good, whenever we have the opportunity.

Ask each child what he or she can do tomorrow, that is “good.” The “target” of the good could be a fellow classmate, a sibling, or someone they don’t even know. Challenge them to do something anonymously, so no one knows they did it. Later you may all choose to share what you did. Again reinforce the principle that we do not “do good” to be noticed, we do good because it is the right thing to do. Set a good example by doing good yourself, to family members, relatives and friends, and even random strangers. 

I'm also doing the A to Z Blogging Challenge at Nebraska Family Times. 

C is for…Courage

By Shelly Burke

(The posts for the A to Z Blogging Challenge will focus on teaching kids lessons from selected Bible verses. Adapt your teaching to the age of the kids you’re talking with.)

                                                                                   

Ask your kids what they fear. They might mention:

     *The first day of school (whether kindergarten, middle school, high school, or college!).

     *Fear is a component of peer pressure—both fearing giving in     and doing what is wrong, as well as fearing ridicule if they take a stand.

     *Older kids might fear the future—deciding what they want to do after high school

It takes courage to face what life has for us, whether as a child or as an adult (you can read an adult-oriented devotion about “Courage” at Nebraska Family Times). What can kids do to be courageous, and not be afraid? They might mention “go by mom!” or “ask dad!” but there will be times when mom and dad aren’t around.

Read Joshua 1:1,9 to your kids. After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua…”Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you, wherever you go.” Joshua 1:1, 9

Explain the setting; after Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt, he led them in the wilderness for 40 years. Now Moses was dead, and Joshua had the task of leading, according to some sources, more than a million people into the Promised Land. First, though the Israelites had to kick  out the people who lived there (they didn’t believe in God and God didn’t want them to be a bad influence on the Israelites).

                                                               

What do you think Joshua was afraid of? (Answers may be, that the people would not listen to him, fighting the people who were already there, the Israelites fighting amongst themselves, finding enough food, etc.)

But God told Joshua not to be frightened or dismayed, but to be strong and courageous. How could he be strong and courageous? By remembering that God was with him, wherever he might go.

When God says something more than once in the Bible, it means that it’s very important. What does God tell Joshua three times in Joshua 1:6-9? (Read the verses together.)

     *”Be strong and courageous…” Joshua 1:6

     *”Be strong and very courageous…” Joshua 1:7

     *”Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous…” Joshua 1:9

God wants us to be strong, and to be courageous, in whatever we face. We can pray to him for this courage, for strength, and for His guidance to do what will please Him. We can learn what He wants to do in all situations, by studying the Bible.

Then God gives Joshua a promise:

     *”…the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 9b

Tell your kids that they can be confident that God is with them wherever they go! He will be with them to guide them in any situation in which they find themselves. They only need to follow His instructions, found in the Bible, and they can be strong and courageous, as God commands.

Dear God, thank You for Your promise that you will be with us wherever we go and in whatever we do. Please give us courage to do what You want us to do. Amen. 

Would you like a FREE "Strong and Courageous" verse card for your children? E-mail your name and address to shelly@shellyburke.net and we will get one in the mail to you right away! 

B is for…Believe

By Shelly Burke

(The posts for the A to Z Blogging Challenge will focus on teaching kids lessons from selected Bible verses. Adapt your teaching to the age of the kids you’re talking with.)

What do your kids believe?

Ask them if they can believe everything they see on TV, or the internet (obviously the answer is “NO”). Discuss times they’ve believed the false promises of a toy or electronic item they’ve seen on tv but realized in “real life”, the claim was exaggerated, if not outright false. Point out that anyone can say anything on most web sites, and TV too.

Can you believe everything someone tells you? Again, the obvious answer is “NO”. talk about a time someone lied to them or bent the truth.

Is the printed word always reliable? Your kids will probably realize by this point in the conversation that not everything written can be believed either. Give examples.

By now they may be wondering: What or who CAN I believe?  

Of course there is only one thing, one person that we can count on to never, ever lie or mislead us.

The Bible, and the words of the Lord.

The words of the Bible were all given, by God, to the writers of the Bible.  We can always, without question, know that His Word is true.  Despite being written several thousand years ago, the Bible tells us how to live, what we should do and not do, and how to cope with any situation life might throw at us.

Paul’s letter to Timothy says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of god may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

We can believe that without question!

Next question: How will you know that the Bible says? By reading and studying it! Depending on the age of your children you can help them know the Bible by:

     *Setting a good example; make your Bible study time a priority.

     *Reading it to them. To help focus your mind and theirs on Bible study, start your time with these words: “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”   Psalm 19:14

     *Type or write out a simple Bible reading plan of one chapter/day (or several verses, depending on the age of your children). Have the kids write a brief summary of what they read every day.

     *Read/take turns reading the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds with the date (today, April 2^nd, read Proverbs 2. Talk about how the words in the Proverb for that day apply  to “real life.”

     *Pray that your kids (and you, too!) would desire to read and study God’s word.

Lord, please help me to teach my children to believe in You and Your Word. Amen.

I’m also blogging atNebraska Family Times

A is for “The Armor of God”

By Shelly Burke

(The posts for the A to Z Blogging Challenge will focus on teaching kids lessons from selected Bible verses. Adapt your teaching to the age of the kids you’re talking with.)

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you are able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, stand firm... Stand therefore having fastened on the belt of truth... breastplate of righteousness, as shoes the Gospel of peace… the shield of faith… the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Ephesians 6:13-18 (excerpts)

To introduce the topic of “The Armor of God,” ask  your kids why they get dressed every day and why they specifically wear a belt, shoes, etc. The answer of course, is that the different pieces of clothing provide the types of protection they’ll need throughout the day. The verses above list the armor a Roman soldier would put on to wear during battle. (Optional: print out a picture of a Roman soldier and point out the pieces of armor he is wearing.)

Next talk about the “evil day.” This describes the sin that was in the world when Ephesians was written, and is part of the world today. As age-appropriate, talk about some of the sin in the world, and why we, as Christians, need to guard against that sin.

Next talk about how different items of clothing were used by the Roman soldiers, and by us today. How does this help us “dress” today, for the spiritual battles we face?  

·         Belt of truth. A belt goes around the waist and helps us to stand straight (because it pinches if we slump). The Roman soldier’s belt held the top pieces of his armor to the bottom pieces.  The truth, God’s truth, surrounds us and helps us to stand strong and straight.

·      

          Breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate is like a shirt, protecting the upper body. Righteousness refers to the character of being like God—right and just. On our own we cannot act in a way that is pleasing to God. However, with the righteousness we receive from Christ through grace, our actions can reflect Him dwelling in us.

·    

          Shoes of the Gospel of peace. The Roman soldiers wore shoes/sandals that had nails pounded through them, to enable them to stand firmly and hold their ground. As Christians, we need to hold our ground too. Ask your kids when they’ve had to hold their ground; perhaps when a classmate asked to copy their homework or they were tempted to drink alcohol or engage in sexual activity with a boy- or girl-friend. Knowing God’s Gospel of peace enables them to have an answer or reason for not going against God’s Word.

·  

           The shield of faith. The shield was the soldiers’ first line of defense—the Roman soldiers had shields that were almost as tall as their bodies, so protected them very well from the flaming darts the opponents threw at them. In the same way, our faith in God can protect us from the “flaming darts” that come at us—people mocking our faith, temptations, and so on. Encourage your children to ask God to increase their faith.

· 

           The helmet of salvation. The helmet—just as a hat, or football helmet or helmet worn when riding a bike—protects our most vital part, our head, and our most important organ, our brain. Our brain controls our whole body, so it must be protected! We receive our salvation—the most important thing we can ever have—through God’s grace. We accept it by faith.

·

          The sword of the Spirit. In these verses, the sword refers to the Word of God. We can use God’s Word to defend ourselves against the attacks of satan. Jesus used the words of God when the devil tried to tempt Him (Matthew 4:1-11).  It is vital that we know God’s Word so we can use it to defend ourselves when we need to.

We—adults and children alike—need to put on the “armor of God” every single day before we leave home. Encourage your children to do so—and do so yourself! Talk about it before you leave home in the morning, and in the evening ask your kids how they used the “armor of God.”

Lord, please help us to put on Your armor every day as we prepare to go to school or to work, so we can live in a way that is pleasing to You. Amen.

I’m also blogging at "Nebraska Family Times" for the A to Z Challenge.

The blog posts there will “Inspire, encourage, and motivate you in your Christian walk.” 

Receive a FREE verse card upon request! For details click on the link above.

Making a To-Don’t List

By Shelly Burke

This week was “paper week”—I spent every spare moment when I wasn’t at work or a meeting finding and writing articles for the April issue of the “Nebraska Family Times.” I love doing this, but by the time the deadline rolls around I’m usually very ready to do something away from the computer. Today I planned to clean my office—a long overdue task and one I needed to get done so Morgan would have a place to sleep next week when she’s home on spring break.

I started out eagerly anticipating getting things organized and arranged—who doesn’t like to walk into a clean office? But after a good start I’d thrown away the obvious trash and filed a few things and…not much else. I found myself listlessly moving papers around and going from the pile on the floor to the pile on the desk to a pile on the chair, shuffling things around…and just not accomplishing much of anything. I finally realized that I didn’t have the alertness (I’m fighting the cold bug that’s been going around) or organizational skills to clean my office today. I decided it was time to make a “to-don’t” list.

I started making “to-don’t” lists when Cody and Morgan were toddlers and I was frustrated during a several-week period in which they passed strep throat and earaches back and forth several times. I’m a list-maker, and take great satisfaction in writing out and then crossing off what needs to be done on any particular day. The weeks in which they were sick it seemed that almost every day my to-do list was pre-empted by doctor visits, coaxing medication down the throats of reluctant children, and trying to get some extra rest myself.  I was frustrated by my seeming lack of accomplishing anything.  

During a cuddle session in the middle of the night (I got my first earache as an adult several years ago—and now I know why kids cry when they have earaches!) I was thinking about all I wanted to accomplish the next day but now-- as I knew I would be making yet another trip to the doctor’s office-- clearly wouldn’t. Then I had a brain storm. Instead of fretting over the un-done things on my “to-do” list I would make a “to-DON’T” list!

That long ago night my “to-don’t” list included “make supper”—I decided I’d get take-out pizza after I took Cody to the doctor. “Pay bills” could wait another day, as could “vacuum” (OK, that waited another three days or so). I had to do some laundry, but instead of washing all the winter coats before I packed them away, I’d just do a few loads of the essentials.

With a sense of satisfaction I realized that by making a “to-don’t” list I’d reprioritized and I’d get the urgent tasks done and have time to do the most important thing—take care of my sick kids.  

Below are two pictures. One is the picture I took and e-mailed to Morgan, of the office “before” I started working. I expected to, several hours later, e-mail her another picture of a spotless, immaculate, well-organized office...but…you can see by the “after” picture that in several hours I didn’t get much done.

Office "before" 

Office "after" 

I posted the pictures on Facebook, laughing at myself, and one friend commented that it was like a challenge in which you’re asked to find the differences between the two pictures. About the only difference you’ll find in these two pictures is that in the “after” picture the wastebasket has a few more things in it, and a few piles are…well…re-arranged. Kind of.

But although I put “clean office” on my “to-don’t” list for the day, I did get a few other things done. I proofread the “Nebraska Family Times” and it’s ready to be printed next week. I got outside on this beautiful day. I wrote this blog post! And I did the most important thing first thing this morning—I spent some time with God and in His Word.

So next time a change of plans or emergency intrudes on your day, or you don’t feel alert enough to open the refrigerator, let alone reorganize your kitchen, or your kids need you…or you just need a break—make a “to-don’t” list, and feel the accomplishment of at least crossing the things off your list that you’re not going to do on that day.

And don’t worry Morgan…I will clean my office tomorrow so you’ll have a place to sleep next week!

“I perceived that there is nothing better for man than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and 

take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.”

                Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

What differences can you spot in the two pictures above? 

Hope for When Darkness Threatens

By Donna Pyle

(This devotion was reprinted in the March issue of the Nebraska Family Times. If you would like to read more to “inspire, encourage and motivate you on your Christian walk,” request a

FREE sample issue of the Nebraska Family Times

 by e-mailing your address to shelly@shellyburke.net or calling (402) 750-3496.)

Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky boasts a specific claim to fame: it's the world's longest known cave system. Containing more than 390 explored miles, early cave guide Stephen Bishop called it a "grand, gloomy and peculiar place."

Twenty years ago, I visited this amazing labyrinth. An adventurous person by nature, I signed up to experience a cave excursion first hand.

The morning dawned crisp as our huddled group awaited to descend into that strange and wonderful world. The tour guide greeted us, counted heads, and our adventure began. With great care we descended 250 feet below the earth’s surface on steep steps through narrow crevices.

Talk about creepy!

Our leg muscles shook from overexertion as we reached the bottom of the cave. The ground leveled off and we found ourselves in a large, cavernous space lit by electricity. Once the tour guide ensured everyone had descended safely—and after issuing the proper warning—he turned off the lights.

Few words can adequately describe the absolute blackness that engulfed us.

The thick, oppressive darkness felt as if it was literally pressing in on me. My chest felt heavy. My breathing came in short gasps. I blinked my eyes frantically. I put my palm in front of my face, but couldn't see it.

I began to panic and stretching out my arms into the darkness. I needed assurance that I wasn't alone.

The tour guide continuously spoke to us in low, smooth tones to remind us of his presence. After a few minutes when our eyes adjusted to the absence of light, he struck a solitary match.

The effect was astounding.

We could clearly see every person in our group and the cave walls and ceiling. The small light had completely expelled the cavernous darkness.

That experience left an indelible impression on me. It illustrated far better than words where the blackness of sin would have taken mankind had Jesus not freely offered His light in the place of our darkness.

We may panic when dark seasons occur, but God's soothing voice speaks volumes of comfort and assurance to us through His Word: 

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you
nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8

                                            

"You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light." 2 Samuel 22:29

If you are walking in a dark season, lean in and trust God. You may be shaking from overexertion. Your chest may feel heavy. Take a deep breath and listen for His gentle whispers reminding you of His presence.

The Lord himself will be your light. The only light Who can expel that darkness completely.

You are NEVER alone.

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Reprinted by permission of the author.

Donna has written many Bible studies and loves blogging about faith-based issues on her blog Hydrated Living . You can also read more at Artesian Ministries. She’s also on Facebook at “Donna Pyle” and “Artesian Ministries”.   

Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst-Case Scenarios

By Lisa Bedford

Review by Shelly Burke, Editor
(This review appeared in the March issue of the "Nebraska Family Times" newspaper. For more information, go to www.nebraskafamilytimes.blogspot.com. For a FREE sample copy of the "Nebraska Family Times," e-mail your address to: shelly@shellyburke.net.)

I think it’s every mom’s greatest desire to protect and care for her family no matter the circumstances. Here in Nebraska we’re more likely to face hardship from a tornado or flood rather than a civil uprising, but author and mom Lisa Bedford provides information to help prepare for the more common events as well as the ones we hope we’ll never have to face—but be ready for after reading Survival Mom.

Survival Mom is a comprehensive guide that includes information ranging from “13 Ways to Prepare for Hyperinflation” to detailed checklists for preparing everyone in the family for evacuation—even grandma and pets. As I was reading the information on preparing for evacuating from home, I thought back to something that happened when I was about eight years old. I woke up in the middle of the night to see one of my gradeschool friends and her family in our home. A train had derailed in town and a hazardous chemical had spilled, and everyone in the town was evacuated (we lived in the country at that time). We can’t anticipate what circumstances might make it necessary to leave town—but we can be prepared.

The prospect of becoming completely prepared for any eventuality can be overwhelming. Bedford makes the task less daunting by outlining “baby steps;” if you’re not ready to store enough food to last your family for several months, begin by stocking up enough to last for two weeks.

Bedford gives plenty of practical information that moms will appreciate, like safety lessons for kids and how to prepare them to react to a medical emergency. She tells moms how they can easily increase their own (and by extension their family’s) safety and security in everyday situations.

Whether you want to begin grinding your own grain or making your own cheese, or just learn how to make your family’s favorite meals with easily-stored food you can then always have on hand, you’ll find the information presented in a way that makes it easy to do just that. Checklists, sample forms, and step-by-step instructions make preparing for any eventuality seem doable rather than overwhelming.

Whether you live with your spouse and kids, an aging parent, or by yourself, after reading Survival Mom you’ll be ready to at least begin to take the steps to be prepared for anything from losing electricity for a few days (or longer) to a natural disaster to a pandemic to a decrease in work hours or loss of a job. Bedford also blogs at www.thesurvivalmom.com.