Thanksgiving for Kids Activity
If you like this Thanksgiving for kids activity, here are a few more that you will like:
Thanksgiving for Kids- A Cornucopia of Prayer
Pause Life of a Moment: Packing Prayers Before A Trip
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Last Wednesday JDaniel and I headed up north with my sister Michelle from Atlanta’s family to visit my sister Kate in New York’s family.
I knew it was going to be a long car trip. Each family and each member of each individual family was going to come into the trip with their own needs, plans, and timetable.
I tried to anticipate everything Jdaniel would need for the car trip and I asked my mom, who lives in the same town I do, what she would need. I spent time trying to think of every scenario that I thought could and how to be prepared for it.
There was:
A bag of snacks and cooler of drinks.
A bag of activities and a few of JDaniel’s sleepy time friends
The iPad had a few new apps on it and JDaniel got new headphones for the trip.
A backpack contained a change of clothes, bathing suit, and towels for a planned stop at a pool.
I tried to have everything under control.
Preparing for Unplanned Events
Before we left I was reminded by our pastor in his Sunday sermon that , I wasn’t really going to be in total control of the events of the trip. Despite all my planning, things were going to happen or be said that I couldn’t control.
There were going to be six people in the car and I wasn’t going to be able to make decisions for anyone, but me. (Although JDaniel was going to given a lot of guidance.)
The pastor mentioned that God would really be the only one that would be in control and that I needed to lean on His understanding and not my own.
Other people in the car would say and do things that I could over think, react badly too, and not anticipate. I have done that on other trips before.
So after I packed each bag I sent up a prayer.
After I packed the bag of snacks and cooler of drinks, I prayed that we would feel refreshed by our time together and be filled with deliciously wonderful memories.
After I packed the activity bag, I prayed that we would be comfortable with each other and that our words would actively help us grow together as a family.
After I packed the swimming backpack, I prayed that the activities that we would do on this trip fun for all and that we would try to put others first.
Finally with all the bags and our suitcase of clothes packed, I prayed that I would be consistent with JDaniel in what I expect from him. Once we met up with my sister Kate from New York, there were going to be four moms on this trip. Each with different expectations and ways of interacting with their children. I really wanted to be the best mom for the one child I am a mom too and a good aunt to the four children that I am not a mom too.
We don’t get back until tomorrow afternoon! I promise I will let you know how the trip went. Just know that it was probably filled with more prayers of supplication and maybe a little repenting for things I tried to take into my own hands.
This post is linked to Pour Your Heart Out.
Pausing Life for a Moment- Praying for Christmas Card Senders
I really look forward to getting Christmas cards every year. Some come from people I haven’t heard from all year.
The photo cards display how much friends’ and family’s children have grown, the vacations they have taken, and their wonderful homes.
Other cards contain updates on what they have been doing or changes in their lives.
These wonderful cards share give me something else too. They give me the opportunity to know how to pray for these special people along with the reminder to pray for them.
At our house, we put Christmas cards in a basket that we keep in the kitchen. From time to time we reach in, take out a card, and pray for its sender during our dinnertime prayer.
Here are some of the cards we received and prayers I have for their senders:
This card came from my one paternal uncle. He lives overseas. I last saw him at my wedding five years ago.
My prayer for him is safety abroad and good health. ( I have other prayers for him too!)
This lovely card came from a friend in Northern Virginia.
My prayer for her is that she would finally get to get married. She has been praying for a long time to have a family or at least a spouse of her own. If that isn’t God’s plan, I pray that she will find contentment in her singleness.
This beautiful card with an amazing creche came from a dear friend and her husband. She lost her mom this year. She wrote in her card about all the amazing support she has received this fall.
My prayer is that she will find peace and comfort in this difficult time. I also lift up praise that she is surrounded by amazing people who love her.
This last card came from my former pew buddy. Before I got married I sat with two widowers at church. I had grown tired of sitting with the singles after a while and sat with a lovely older couple. When the wife passed away, I ended up sitting with the husband and another widower. They were my Sunday pew buddies. One of them still sends me a card every year.
My prayer for Walt is for good health (He isn’t doing well at all.) and safe travel home from his winter stay in Florida.
I hope you will take a moment today to pause and pray for the people that send you cards this year.
Pause Life for a Moment- Taking Time to Remember
There has been so much going on lately here in the U.S. There have been floods, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, the anniversary of 9/11, droughts, etc..
This week instead of asking someone to share their thoughts on pausing life for a moment or sharing more of my own. I decided I needed to provide an opportunity for all of us to pause.
Please just take a moment to pray for the people affected by any or all of the events listed above. If you have something else you would rather pray or pause your thoughts on for a moment, please feel free to do so.
I am hoping that just taking moment to pause and to focus our thoughts on something or someone else today will not only help them, but help us today.
A Mother’s Prayer
I didn’t become a mom until I was in my forties. It is something I wasn’t going to be for a number for reasons. When my husband and I found out we were expecting JDaniel, my whole world changed. Being his mom lead me to write the mother’s prayer below.
A Mother’s Prayer
Lord,
Today help me to be the mother you want me to be.
Please watch over all the things I say and do as I go through my day.
Help me to guard the words a say.
There is a little one who will hear them.
He will think that they are fitting because I say them.
He will repeat them because I have voiced them to him.
He will listen to the tone of my voice as I say them.
Help me to show him what it looks like to be a follower of you.
Those little eyes take in everything I do. He will try to imitate my actions.
I will need patience with him and others even when I feel rushed.
I will need persistence to not give up when challenges arise.
I will need to show him how to ask for help when it is needed.
Help me to take the time to listen to what he is telling me and showing me today. This little one has so much to share.
He will share with me when he needs me.
Help me to put things aside when he says, “Come play with me” or calls for “Help!”
He will ask me questions and seek understanding from me when I am near. Place me where I need to be to hear him.
He will show me what he is learning. Help me to see them through his eyes.
Once the day gets started I will need gentle reminders of these requests.
Please Lord gently whisper them in my ear.
If you find yourself agreeing with these thoughts and concerns, I hope you will say this mother’s prayer too. I have written a number of posts on motherhood. If you like this mother’s prayer, I hope you will read them too.
Opening My Heart to Motherhood
This post is linked to Time Traveler Tuesday.
