Welcome to a place where we can share ideas about grandparenting, especially ways to pass spiritual values and family stories to the next generation.

Mary is the co-author of The Grandparent Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart.
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Co-author of The Grandparent Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart

Friday, February 27, 2009

Crayon Candles

Friday's Fun by Mary May Larmoyeux

Hope that you’ve had a good week!

You may remember my mentioning in The Grand Connection that one of our grandkids is afraid of the dark. Well, she learned a Hillsong Kids' song at church last Sunday called "Let Your Light Shine" that's helping her overcome this fear.

The lyrics begin "Creep, creep, creep in the dark fear comes to blow our all your lights. It doesn’t want you telling everybody that Jesus rules, all right … "

"Let Your Light Shine" is a cute song with a great message—"giant fears are really small when all you see is God."

Since Pops and I have been talking with this particular grandchild about the light of the Lord, I think it would be fun to make a crayon candle with her. You may have seen one of these candles—it looks kind of like Swiss cheese because ice used in making it causes the wax to harden around it.

If you do a search for "crayon candle" on the Internet, you’ll find lots of links. The following are two that I found. (I liked the suggestion of using a taper candle in place of a candle wick. It seems like this would make the craft much easier to make.)

About.com: Family Crafts

Kaboose

If you have any suggestions about making these candles, please send an e-mail(mary@marymaywrites.com)or leave a comment below. Thank so much.

Let your light shine!

He is able,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
author of Help for Busy Moms: Purposeful Living to Simplify Life

Photo Credit: © Olga Sapegina/dreamstime.com

Monday, February 16, 2009

Pointing the Grands to One True God

Tuesday's Thought

When our grandkids spend the night, part of the evening’s routine is to read one or two Bible stories to them from The Beginner’s Bible.

Last week we read about Elijah and some worshipers of the false god Baal. Elijah challenged the worshipers to cry out to Baal to send fire for their sacrifice. When they did this, nothing happened. But, when Elijah prayed to God, fire poured down from heaven and consumed his sacrifice. Even the water in a trench he had dug was gone!

When the people saw what happened, they worshipped the one true God. Almighty God displayed His consuming power through Elijah and showed that Baal was nothing but a worthless man made deity.

The morning after I read about Elijah to the grands, I was listening K-LOVE radio and heard Mark Harris’ wonderful song One True God (from his album Windows and Walls).

“So I don't need a temporary man made deity,” Mark sings, “When I’ve got the real thing … I’ve got the real thing.”

When our four-year-old grand visits this week, I’m going to let her listen to the song One True God on You Tube, and then we’re going to talk about the difference between the one true God and man-made idols like Baal. We may even read the story of Elijah once again. My guess is that it will take on a whole new meaning to our little grand.

As I walk through this week, I want to remember that “I have a God that’s holding me … I’ve got the real thing.”

Have a wonderful day.

He is able,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
author of Help for Busy Moms: Purposeful Living to Simplify Life

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Thursday, February 5, 2009

Valentine Fun!


Friday's Fun

Valentine’s Day is almost here, with its endless opportunities to make crafts, cards, recipes, etc. with the grands.

I searched the web and here are some of my favorite ideas:

Play Clay Hearts This is a fun craft project. The online description says, “You’ll love this two-in-one project: a highly original valentine that moonlights as a usable ball of clay.”

Raspberry Tarts (I might just have to make these for Pops!)
Delicious heart-shaped cookies

Cupid's Coupons The online description says, “Cupid's Coupons, redeemable for extra-nice favors." You'll even find ideas for blank Love Checks to help you "write your own tickets to niceness.”

Creative Valentine Ideas

Kids Valentine Hat

Animal Heart Facts The heart of a blue whale is as big as a … (a) car; (b) gallon of milk; (c) tire. If you said “a,” you were right! Read 10 Animal Heart Facts for Valentine’s Day

Cut-out frog card to make for Valentine’s Day (or any day) – This is cute!

Discuss the history of Valentine’s Day

Here are a couple of final ideas:

Read 1 Corinthians 13 and discuss its meaning with the grands (and/or Grandpa). Pray that your family will be filled with the love of God.

Go to biblegateway.com with your grand (in person, together online, etc.) Then do a search for Bible verses that have the word “love” in them. Select several and discuss them.

Have fun preparing for Valentine’s Day!

He is able,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
author of Help for Busy Moms: Purposeful Living to Simplify Life


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Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Kids really do say the “darndest things!”

Tuesday’s Thought

A friend e-mailed me the following story. I couldn’t help but laugh after I read it:

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church, staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names and small American flags mounted on either side of it. The six-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, "Good morning Alex.”

"Good morning Pastor,” he replied, still focused on the plaque. “Pastor, what is this?”

The pastor said, “Well son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.”


Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque. Finally, little Alex's voice (barely audible and trembling with fear) asked, “Which service, the 8:30 or the 10:30?”

Art Linkletter was right, kids do say the "darndest things"!

Reading this little story reminded me of something one of our granddaughters once said. She had visited a nursing home and was telling me about the people with the broken bottoms. I had no idea what she was talking about until her mother explained. Our sweet little grand thought that people were in wheelchairs because their “bottoms broke.”

And then there was the time … decades ago … when one of my very own sons asked why I called him, “Son.”

"Because you’re my little boy,” I answered.

Not liking the idea that he was a little boy he said, “Well, just call me Moon.”

Ahhhh … to be a child again.

Please share funny things that your kids or grandkids have said by either leaving a comment below or sending an e-mail to mary@marymaywrites.com.

Hope we’re all smiling this week!

He is able,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
www.marymaywrites.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com
author of Help for Busy Moms: Purposeful Living to Simplify Life

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Photo taken Daniel Wildman. Used with permission.