From the practical daily things like making your bed and brushing your teeth, to things like remembering to smile, lend a hand, and smell the flowers, this simple and heartwarming reminder about all the comforting things that are important is perfect for family sharing.
When his best friend, Jack, leaves him behind at the doctor's office, Dexter T. Rexter panics. First he tries to find Jack. Then he sings their special song. Then he sings their special song even louder.
Do you ever forget to remember what's true? Sometimes remembering is hard to do! But in this lyrical tale, Ellie Holcomb celebrates creation’s reminders of God’s love, which surrounds us from sunrise to sunset, even on our most forgetful of days.
As he sets out for the store, the boy's mother reminds him, "Six farm eggs, a cake for tea, a pound of pears, and don't forget the bacon." On his way, he repeats, "Six fat legs...a cape for me...a flight of stairs...and don't forget the bacon." Or was it "six clothes pegs...a rake for leaves...a pile of chairs...and don't forget the bacon"? Well, at least he was sure to remember the bacon!
Alex Gondola says that in our modern culture we sometimes "experience Christmas at its worst: overcommercialized, expensive, exhausting, nearly devoid of spiritual significance." In this collection of twenty cogent and inspiring sermons for Advent and Christmas, he reminds us of the key to putting the season in its proper perspective -- "Don't forget the child!" For it is only when we are drawn nearer to the child of Bethlehem, celebrating the simple beauties of the stable, that we can escape from the rush of the season into the divine light of saving grace heralded by the birth of God's Son. This volume is an exceptional source of inspiration for sermon preparation, but it's also excellent for personal devotions exploring the meaning of Advent and Christmas. It's a great Christmas gift! Alex Gondola has given us a lovely round of Advent and Christmas meditations. They are reflective and delightful. They shine with little gems of human interest stories that can light our path throughout the whole year. Catherine Clark Kroeger Editor, Study Bible for Women (The New Testament) This outstanding collection of Advent/Christmas sermons brings rich insights and new appreciation for the wondrous story of Christ's coming. Whether you are in a pew or in a pulpit on Sundays, you will be grateful for this book. Dr. William P. Baker Senior Pastor Emeritus, First Presbyterian Church Allentown, Pennsylvania Author of Everyone in the Bible, Who's Who in Church History, A Savior for All Seasons Alex Gondola, a master preacher, in this collection of sermons, with wonderful illustrations, can assist the working preacher expand her or his creative imagination for Advent and Christmas preaching. Dr. Benjamin Griffin President and Professor of Liturgics Andover Newton Theological School Alex A. Gondola Jr. is senior pastor of Dennis Union Church (United Church of Christ) in Dennis, Massachusetts (located on Cape Cod). He has also served congregations in Springfield, Massachusetts; Rome, New York; and Utica, New York. Gondola is a graduate of Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania (B.A.), Andover Newton Theological School (M.Div.), and Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York (D.Min.), and has also studied at the New College of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). He is the author of Come As You Are (CSS), and contributed several stewardship sermons to the CSS anthology From Every Angle.
The students in Miss K's class experience situations that occur in schools everywhere. A group of children learns the importance of being responsible in Don't Forget! Sam's story teaches about responsibility, classroom pets, and friendship with brilliant illustrations and humorous text. What Do You Think? questions, Miss K's Classroom rules, and a glossary aid teachers in classroom discussions about the character trait of responsibility featured in this stunning picture book. Special thanks to content consultant Vicki F. Panaccione Ph.D. Looking Glass Library is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO Publishing Group. Grades P-4.
Do you hear yourself saying the same things over and over to your kids? “Do you need help?” “Say thank you.” “Wait a minute.” In Don’t Forget to Say Thank You: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God, Lindsay Schlegel reimagines the common phrases we repeat as parents and applies them to our relationship with God. In doing so, she demonstrates how reflecting on our vocation as mothers can inform and illuminate our role as a daughter of God, drawing us closer to him. What if we took the statements we repeat to our children and apply them to ourselves? In Don’t Forget to Say Thank You, writer Lindsay Schlegel shares fifteen relatable phrases she frequently uses as a parent and how her faith and life changed when she envisioned God telling her these same things. When we start to hear the things we’re telling our kids as wisdom from God, it’s clear that the lessons we are trying to teach our kids are ones we also need to learn as children of the Most High. Asking her daughter, “Do you need help?” caused Schlegel to reflect on the importance of the Communion of Saints and reaching out for the assistance she needs. Telling her children, “Say you’re sorry” reminded her of the necessity of Confession and seeking forgiveness. And pleading that a toddler “wait a minute” while she looked for her crackers forced Schlegel to consider how she needed to have both more patience and more trust that God would take care of her. Schlegel invites us to apply the same lessons she learned to our own lives as parents and as children of God through reflection questions and a prayer at the end of each chapter. She also suggests saints to whom we can look for inspiration and guidance, reminding us that we are not alone as we strive to more accurately reflect the image of our heavenly Father.
Have you ever wondered who hummed the first tune? Was it the flowers? The waves or the moon? Dove Award-winning recording artist Ellie Holcomb answers with a lovely lyrical tale, one that reveals that God our Maker sang the first song, and He created us all with a song to sing. Go to bhkids.com to find this book's Parent Connection, an easy tool to help moms and dads (or anyone else who loves kids) discuss the book's message with their child. We're all about connecting parents and kids to each other and to God's Word.