Thanks to all who made our Friday Funnies contest a great success! Today you get to enjoy a story from Sarah, the first of our two winners. There will be many more to come over the next few months.
A few days ago my almost 5 year old, Sam was getting a bit too bossy with his 3 year old sister, Selah. Trying to keep it light I asked him, “Sam, who died and made you the boss?” His reply, “Jesus.” We’re working on the rest of his theology!
Happy Monday morning! First of all, thank you to everyone who entered our contest last week. Y’all have buried us in Friday Funnies. We haven’t even had time to read them all yet, but be prepared to laugh for many weeks to come. We’ll announce the first winner of a free copy of Cassie & Caleb: Discover God’s Wonderful Design this Friday.
Yesterday our favorite preacher gave a great message on contentment. Dad reminded us that : “God is good even when your circumstances are not. The Apostle Paul learned contentment because he gave attention to his relationship with God not to his circumstances.” This one will be going on the repeat setting on my iPod.
Finally, this Wednesday, May 1st is the final day to order from 52home for Mother’s Day and get guaranteed delivery in time for the big day. See you all tomorrow!
Today we have a giveaway for moms (or grandmas, aunts, teachers or friends) of young boys and girls. Thanks to our friends at Moody Publishers, I have two copies of a wonderful looking new children’s book by Susan Hunt and her son Richie Hunt called “Cassie & Caleb: Discover God’s Wonderful Design.”
This is a unique book that uses colorful pictures and interesting stories to teach children about the gospel, and about how they are called to bring glory to their Creator. As the authors state in the preface, “We must intentionally teach the magnificence of God’s gender design or by default our children will absorb the lie of the enemy of our—and their—souls.” Susan and Richie Hunt have set the entire book in the context of the gospel, and they have made it attractive and appealing for young children.
I have only had a chance to skim this book but I was excited by what I read and eager to go through this with my children. This book fills a much needed gap, using relatable stories to help children both delight in God’s design, to love the gospel, and to encourage them to obey.
So, here’s what we’re thinking. We haven’t done Friday Funnies in a while. So SEND US a funny story about your son or daughter (or a kid you know!) and we’ll choose two winners to receive a free copy of this new book. Deadline to enter is tomorrow (Friday night) at midnight.
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We’re enjoying one more day with family, but we’ll see you back here Monday. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out the Black Friday sale over at 52home. Have a grace-filled weekend!
Nicole for the girltalkers
Mike and I have a new best friend. It’s the man that drives this truck. He just crawled under our house and removed a dead and decomposing opossum. Unpleasant thought, I know. And while that is a terribly unpleasant thought, let me just tell you, “unpleasant” doesn’t even begin to describe the smell. By this morning, the odor had spread through the entire house, making it impossible to even stay there anymore.Thank you Lord for Chik-fil-A and a mom and two sisters who let your crazy family crash at their houses. Our new best friend did give us some good news as he was leaving- the smell should only last a couple more days. Seriously?!?!
There is no sin in making little mistakes of spelling or grammar. We all make them. But in case you wanted to know (you probably don’t), or in case you wanted to mention it gently to someone else (more likely), here are ten tiny things to keep in mind as you lead in worship, prepare the bulletin, or just converse about the church service.
1. There are 150 psalms in the Bible. This collection is called the Psalter or simply The Psalms. Each chapter in the book is an individual psalm. So even though we call the book “The Psalms” you’ll want to say “Psalm 23″ instead of “Psalms 23.” As much as we love that chapter, it still only counts for one psalm.
2. Speaking of extra S’s, the last book of the Bible is “Revelation”-in the singular. It may produce many revelations in us, but apparently it was all of a piece for John (Rev. 1:1).
3. A word to the selfless souls who input song lyrics for Sunday morning: “Oh” is not the same as “O.” The former is an exclamation, an emotional cry of anger, excitement, despair, or surprise. The latter is a vocative form of address usually followed by a name or title. If you lose your wallet and say “O God” you are probably praying to find it. If you say “Oh God” you are doing something else.
Read all ten of Kevin’s helpful tips, and enjoy your weekend!
Recently our friends Doug and Karen sent us a kind note reflecting on many memories from when they knew us as children. Karen often babysat for us and one incident in particular has become part of Mahaney family legend. In Karen’s words, she remembers, “‘losing’ Janelle at the Woodward and Lothrop department store [Janelle would have been quite young at the time] only to find her being fed by an attendant in the candy department to which Nicole said ‘Why do the wicked prosper!’”
I can still feel the righteous indignation of that moment. Here I am, obedient child, staying close to the babysitter in the store. Janelle, by contrast, wanders off and what does she get? A piece of candy! And not just any piece of candy—if I remember correctly she was found at the Godiva chocolate counter!
The injustice of it all! Scripture was the only appropriate response in that moment. And, fortunately I had just the verse.
Have a super weekend everyone!
See you back here on Monday, Nicole for Carolyn, Kristin, and that “wicked” little sister of mine
