Christmas Program Freebies November 13, 2009

Our church decorations from last year, when we did the "Twelve Voices of Christmas".

Well, the lights are up on the Ace Hardware store, so I suppose that means Christmas is at least a month away (actually the lights were up the day after Hallowe’en–ugh).  Many churches have been practicing their plays, cantatas and presentations since summer…but for those who are organizationally challenged (*cough*), here is some hope.  Here are a few links for some free drama material and puppet plays for Christmas:

• Acts One offers a free Christmas play entitled “The Unopened Gift”.  Low budget and conservative.
• CCES offers two puppet plays, Jason’s Christmas List and Christmas in July.
• Here is a candy cane poem along the lines of the “Legend of the Candy Cane” which you may have seen.

And, if you want to make some special gifts in a jar for some shut-ins, here are some ideas:

• Christmas-Cookies.com has several options for making cookies, cocoa, or brownie mixes in a jar to give as gifts to friends or family
• Allrecipes.com has soup gift jars called Country Soup or Friendship Soup. Or you can try this Tortilla Soup Mix.
• You can also follow these instructions at Ehow.com.

Charlotte Mason Freebies November 13, 2009

If you are a Charlotte Mason homeschooler, or have heard the name but are unfamiliar with this approach, Old Schoolhouse Magazine has plenty to offer:

Who is Charlotte Mason? What is copywork? What are nature studies?  What is art study? What is literature-based math? What is twaddle? What are living books? You will find out all about this gentle teaching approach at this week’s freebie links!

I use the Ambleside Online curriculum mentioned here.  They’ve done a great job of organizing and providing links for many of the books free online.  I have also found the “Charlotte Mason Companion” to be helpful.  Just click on the image to follow a link to Amazon.com.

Hope these are a blessing to you.

“Screwtape” Ringtones? Wha…?? November 3, 2009

Released just last month (presumably to target the Halloween crowd), the Focus on the Family Radio Theater has come out with a dramatic production of The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis.  But the offerings, and the manner in which they are being offered disturbs my spirit.  I read this small book some years ago, and somewhere in a box we have a version on cassette.  For my part, it served to create a heightened sense of the spiritual warfare that occurs each day, in each of our lives.  Here is the description from the website:

“Featuring a top-notch cast, cinema-quality sound and more than four hours of delightfully disturbing (and often diabolically humorous) entertainment, The Screwtape Letters will open your eyes and ears to the devil’s schemes — and to the One who has overcome them.”

Was this really the author’s intent?  Delight?  And would he support the free downloads offered, such as wallpaper, ringtones (including “Screwtape’s Revenge,” and “Underworld March”), computer icons (featuring a demon with glowing eyes, flames, and flying pitchforks) and other “infernal devices”?  To look at the website, you begin to wonder who the “star” of this show really is.

Admittedly, I am an absolute Scrooge when it comes to Halloween, so my sensibilities are perhaps more offended than most.  Doesn’t this just play into the hand of the adversary’s agenda, to entice us to be entertained by (and even laugh at) Satan and his minions and devices?

Is this really all in the name of fun, or should believers be concerned?  What do you think?

Strength Email Archives: Infectious November 1, 2009

Are you infectious?  Hopefully not with one of the latest viruses or flu bugs!  This is an installment from the “Strength for Today” emails (Feb. 2002) I sent out until I began blogging.  Hope it helps to keep you healthy!

Dear Ladies:

This is what is known in most parts as “cold and flu season”–that coughing, sneezing, sniffling, wheezing time of year when we all share germs, viruses, flu bugs etc. with one another.

Some of these maladies are transmitted by direct contact. My little boy gave me one of his trademark bit, fat, slurpy smooches before bedtime a week or so ago, and voila’–I had a cold. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:10 to be “kindly affectioned one toward another”. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could fulfill this directive as easily as we share our kindly infections? I believe this is possible, if we set our minds to it. By “direct contact” we can give a hug, which can truly change someone’s day.

Continuing with this infectious train of thought, some germs are caught just by being in someone’s presence; or at least, by the lingering effect (infect?)of their presence. Here is a typical scenario from my archives: I carefully guard my kids from the latest nasty flu that is going around. Then, I make one teensy trip to the grocery store. There, lurking on the handle of the shopping cart are lots of tiny greeblies eagerly waiting for me to literally lay a hand on them. The next three weeks is history. [I make good use of those free alcohol wipes now!]

I became a helper to that flu bug when I neglected to wash my hands (as I routinely do) upon returning from the grocery store. I “helped” to spread it to my kids, perhaps when I hurriedly prepared their lunch without remembering that ritual trip to the sink.

I find myself thinking, “When was the last time I left a lingering positive spiritual effect that influenced others for good?” Paul talks about individuals being “helpers of joy” in II Cor. 1:24. How can we be helpers of the joy of others by our presence or the lingering effects of being with other believers? Here are some ideas:

Infectious praise: Ps. 34:3

Infectious laughter: Prov. 17:22

Infectious concern: Gal. 6:2

Infectious speech: Eph. 4:29

Infectious love Jn. 13:35

Infectious kindness Eph. 4:32

Infectious exhortation Heb. 10:24

Infectious hospitality I Pet. 4:9

My plan of attack for being more of a “Contagious Christian” is this: (1)Wash my heart routinely, so I am usable to spread kindly affection. Then, (2) Be sure I have washed my hands to keep from spreading nasty infection! Wouldn’t it be a blessing if we could all have a germ-free but affection-laden week, month, or even year??? Think of the money saved on doctor bills and medications! Better still, think of the heavenly and lasting reward that will be ours as we are a blessing to our spouse, children, friends and others! May this vision from the Word infect us all!

Free Holiday E-Book November 1, 2009

From the folks at Old Schoolhouse, this 175-page Digital Holiday Magazine is not your typical E-Book. Created with the same high-quality format that’s used in the digital version of the print magazine, you can even “turn” the lavishly illustrated, full-color pages. Includes ideas for planning, crafts, recipes, gifts and more!  Learn how to plan your own 1621 Thanksgiving Feast, and read “Eight Steps for a Peaceful Christmas” (don’t we all need that?)

Click here for details!

The Praying Chair October 28, 2009

This one looks very much like mine!

The other day we got a phone call from one of the ladies in our church.  She is the one who is above me on our “prayer chain” list.  My daughter happened to be the one to answer the phone, and upon identifying the caller, she brought the cell phone to me, explaining, “Mom, it’s Mrs. Shaver. She has a praying chair request.”

Now, Erin was having one of those verbally dyslexic days, and we all snickered at how “prayer chain request” came out of her mouth.  But days later while smiling about it, I thought how I have always had a special chair where I do business with God.  It is my “closet” (because there is no such thing as a closet in the scriptural sense when you have three children and a mischievous kitty).  It is indeed my praying chair.  Do you have one?  How often are you found there?  Is the seat often warm?

You Are Here October 17, 2009

Never fear…you are in the right place.   My other theme was a little too dark, sorta depressing; so I chose a newer, more colorful one that also gives me a little more elbow room (so my posts don’t look like I’m quite so long-winded!).

Everything is here, exactly as was with the old format, only a little more cheery.  What do you think?

Ways to Make Yourself Miserable (9 to be exact) from Elisabeth Elliot October 15, 2009

“Misery loves company.” (not so sure about that)

“It’s my party, and I’ll cry if I want to…” (I’m not really old enough to know that one…I heard it on an oldies commercial.)

“Gloom, despair, and agony on me…deep, dark depression, excessive misery…if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all…gloom, despair, and agony on me…” (this one I am old enough to remember)

“I can’t cheer up…I don’t want to cheer up…I’d rather just be miserable.” (from the illustrious Anne of Green Gables)

My youngest daughter (3 yrs) has come to the point where, if she feels she’s not getting the sympathy she deserves for her latest disappointment or minor scrape, she’ll mournfully walk over to the big brass lamp on the coffee table and weepingly commiserate with her reflection.  No kidding.  Who taught her that?  Nobody.  It’s just a quirky part of the human fabric that we like to wallow in misery.  Just ask Jonah…or Ahab!

Elisabeth’s  devotionals are copyrighted, so go here.  If you don’t get spanked by at least one of these, I wanna shake your hand.

Just in time for Halloween: “New” Spider Discovered October 13, 2009

I am no fan of arachnids (or Halloween, for that matter)…and we have some whopper ugly creepy crawlies here in Wyoming.  Just found some in the carport that are the size and dimension of hazlenuts.  Yuck.  My son loves it though.

This morning I came across this post, talking about a vegetarian spider that has been discovered.  I love it when scientific experts announce that they have found some new species of something or other.  New?  Only to man’s finite mind.  God knows every creature He has created and sustains them all, and is aware when even the most insignificant of them falls.

“O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” (Ps 8:1)  And, for a wonderful singable text of this psalm written by Joe Tyrpak, go here.

Dear Pastor’s Wife–”Happy Ministry Appreciation Month!” October 5, 2009

I was corresponding with my friend Juanita Unruh, whose husband pastors Westside Baptist Church in Greeley, Colorado.  Juanita is a dear friend.  We met while both serving as secretaries at BJU, were in each other’s weddings and have tried to keep in contact ever since.  She’s the kind of friend I don’t really have to explain myself to, and some of the most edifying company (even via email) I’ve known.  Recently I sent her some great article links for a series entitled “What is the Role of the Pastor’s Wife?” by Dan Miller (if you are a pastor’s wife, this is a great read for you…if you know a pastor’s wife, read it, and then send her the link too).*

A week or so ago Juanita and I were emailing about prayer.  She shared these thoughts, which I now pass on to you, with her permission:

My quest/journey to grasp prayer is in it’s infancy! I am about 1/2 way through The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds. The book explores (in depth) so many facets of prayer-the necessity, essentials, possibilities and reality of prayer.

I guess the one thought that has stuck with me is that prayer is a school house. I think I used prayer as a means to an end…just getting me through to the end instead of seeing what lessons God had for me in the situation I was/am in that caused me to seek His face. As we continually seek His face about a matter (the matter concerning prayer:) ) He teaches patience..wait on my in this situation…He teaches us that He is omnipotent as He gives us the strength to continue…He teaches us that he is all knowing as we see Him answer prayer in only a way that an all knowing God could (ie…meeting a monetary need with the exact amount.) So many things we can learn if we avail our self to the school house of prayer. We lessons we would miss if we didn’t go to Him in prayer. Just a few simple thoughts.

How about you?  Is prayer a means to an end for you, or is it the means for growth, fostering a relationship of trust, and worship?  Is it about what you get out of it, or the work done in your life through it?