Lenten Inspiration.

Week of March 23, 2014

3rd Sunday 

Psalm 95

95:1 O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

95:2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

95:3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

95:4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.

95:5 The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

95:7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!

The Birthday by René Magritte (1959) is a great painting of a rock.

http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/CA-220912

It fills a room. I had the honor of presenting this piece as a docent at the Frist years ago. It's always stayed with me. 

May the Rock of our salvation FILL up our space.

We like to paint on rocks, tap them together to make a joyful noise! But here's a new idea, heating up rocks in the oven and letting crayons melt on them. Wow!

http://artfulparent.com/2012/06/melted-crayon-rocks.html

Song of gratitude with Sarah.

God made the flowers.

Muddy Village Day

at Edwin Warner Park. Ah, Spring.

Lenten Inspiration

Week of March 16, 2014

2nd Sunday

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- from where will my help come?

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.

http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artwork.php?artworkid=2664

Look at Maxfield Parrish's painting Winter Sunrise. Perhaps you are up at dawn sometimes? We are. Edythe and I love to see the sky change colors as the sun rises.

Here's a fun project, create an Easter wreath for your door. Easy clean up with only glue, cardboard and tissue paper. My kids love to hang their art up EVERYWHERE. 

http://happyhooligans.ca/easter-wreath/

God loves us in 3 ways.

Admit one.

Pastor Ken has a ticket to heaven but it doesn't look like this. 

Gold rush.

Proverbs 16:16

How much better to get wisdom than gold. 

We searched for wisdom in the form of scripture on gold paper. Then shared our findings. 

Lenten Inspiration

Week of March 9, 2014

1st Sunday

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;

2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die."

3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

3:2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

3:3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'"

3:4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die;

3:5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.

3:7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Look at Marc Chagall's Adam and Eve and the Serpent

http://www.internetmonk.com/wp-content/uploads/chagall-marc-1887-1985-rus-fra-adam-eve-and-the-serpent-2218678.jpg

There are things growing that are good for us, and others that are not. Some look bight and delicious, but we must listen and learn what will be healthy. Let's plant something that will taste good, basil or mint.

Baptism!

We gladly celebrate Gideon as a member of our family. 

We've got joy.

Preparing for Easter.

Pastor Ken reminds us to be thankful as we are patient. 

Silent Sunday school.

We practiced quiet, although the bread had a mouth. Turns out cotton ball baseball is very quiet. How else can we communicate with one another? How does God communicate with us? 

Ash Wednesday Lent-Inspiration: recipes, craft and more!

The season of Lent has arrived. Here are some inspiring ways to share this Lenten season with our little ones. I've used the scriptures as well as activities and pieces of art to help us meditate during this time. 'Meditate' with little ones may include tracing their hand or going for a walk.

I've also shared some recipes, without meat of course, but perhaps without anything else you may be giving up?

(no chocolate recipes here)

RECIPES:

cabbage steak (could be a good one for St. Patrick's Day)

http://www.everydaymaven.com/2012/garlic-rubbed-roasted-cabbage-steaks/

Lentil stew

There are many ways to make this. Here's a good one:

http://www.gluten-free-vegan-girl.com/2013/08/the-perfect-vegan-lentil-stew.html

Chickpea burger

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001567.html

Lentil shepherds pie with sweet potato

(Here's a version with white beans)

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-shepherd-s-pie/

pretzels

http://www.chow.com/recipes/28382-soft-pretzels

pesto polenta

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22490/pesto+polenta

frittatas

http://www.glutenfreebostongirl.com/vegetable-frittata-gluten-dairy-free/

March 5, 2014

Ash Wednesday

Isaiah 58:10 if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.

58:11 The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

This is a good time to hear the birds. I seem to hear more as the spring promises to arrive. Birds identify themselves in song. What else do they say?

Do they sing of the Glory of God?

Listen to them. Here's a youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL4Z9d9oObY

Make a bird craft from two traced hands and an egg. What does your bird say?

bird craft

http://kiddiecrafts365.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/0014.jpg

This week we will feed the birds, make a feeder from an old water bottle, or take bread to the ducks at the park. 

Congregational meeting

Otherwise known as "banana land". 

Cooking up some fun together.