Was God Sleeping?

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

One of our grands is trying to stop sucking her thumb ... trying. The other day I said: “Did you ask God to help you?”

“Yes,” she replied, “But He must have been sleeping.”

A smile crept from my lips. "Let's see what the Bible says about God sleeping," I said and looked up "sleep" in the index. Turning to Psalm 121:4, I said, “He who watches over you will not slumber [sleep].”

“Honey, does God sleep?”

“No,” she said, pausing for about a half of a second. “I guess I wasn’t listening.”

Somehow her words struck me as quite profound: I wasn't listening. I wonder how many times God speaks to me and I'm not listening.

Psalm 81:13a says, “If my people would but listen to me." (NIV)

The Message, a Bible paraphrase, words this same verse a little differently: "Oh, dear people, will you listen to me now?"

Today, I'm gong to make an effort to be still and listen. Really listen.

Have a great week,
Mary
www.legacyconnection.org




© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Denys Dolnikov | Dreamstime.com

Memorial Day games, activities, and more

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Friday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Our nation will soon celebrate Memorial Day. This U.S. Federal holiday falls on the last Monday of May. This year, on May 28, we'll remember the brave men and women who gave their very lives for our freedom.
 
How much do our grandkids really know about Memorial Day?  Have any of your relatives or friends died while defending our country? Does your grandchild know about these people?

There are lots of Memorial Day activities that we can do with our grandchildren. We may want to go to the library or surf the Internet with a grand ... and discover the history of this national holiday. We could also e-mail a grandchild links to some of the Memorial Day videos, websites, and activities (see below). We might even want to call a long distance grandchild and watch the Internet video about Memorial Day at the same time.

History of Memorial Day (video)

Memorial Day Photo Gallery
 
U.S. Memorial Day (website)
 
Memorial Day Kids Crossword Puzzle

Memorial Day Games (for the entire family)
 
Memorial Day Deluxe Word Search

Memorial Day Coloring Pages

Have a great weekend!

He is able,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com


© 2011 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Mariusz Jurgielewicz/ Dreamstime.com.

The responsibility and privilege of freedom

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

A few years ago I went through Beth's Moore's wonderful Bible study about Esther. Beth reminded us that like Esther, we have been placed in our particular sphere of influence "for such a time as this."

Ecclesiastes 3:2 says there is "a time to be born and a time to die," and Acts 17:26 tells us, "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."

To me, it's a humbling thought that God placed me on purpose in Arkansas. And not only that, but God placed my family in a land of freedom. What an awesome privilege ... and responsibility.

I think that we should carve out time from our Independence Day celebrations to thank God for allowing us to live in a free country. May we remind our children and grandchildren to never take that freedom for granted. "Freedom is first of all a responsibility before the God from whom we come," says Alan Keyes.

"America is great because she is good," says Alexis de Tocqueville, "If American ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."


How do you teach your grandchild about the privilege and responsibility of freedom?

He is able,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
www.marymaywrites.com

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© 2009, 2014 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Photo © 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux

Can you find the Luna Moth?

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

 "A garden of love grows in a grandmother's heart"! What a great saying!

As spring is turning into summer, Pops and I often head outside to a garden filled with flowers and sunshine and rocks ...  with butterflies and moths and lots of teaching opportunities.

The other day Pops found a struggling Luna Moth and put it in a tree.  Then he asked me to find the green moth, which was much harder to do than I expected. Its wings blended right in with the leaves.

I wish that the grandkids had been at our house that day. But I took a picture of the moth in the tree and will show it to them. And then we'll talk about the amazing way that God created insects.

If your grandchildren visit soon, you might show them the pictures in this post and ask if they can find the Luna Moth. Or, you may want to go on a nature walk with your grandkids and take turns pointing out God's creation.

How have you taught your child or grandchild about God through nature?

       "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."  — Genesis 1:31

Have a great weekend!
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

Post and Photographs © 2012 Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

A tea party keepsake

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

There is something special about little girls and tea parties. Our granddaughters love them! I've had some informal tea parties with the girls, but never a really planned-out event.

Family Fun magazine had a wonderful article once called "Our Grandmothers' Tea." The author, Shannon Mills, tells about hosting an annual tea party for her children's grandmothers. She said that she surprised her daughters with a keepsake album about the women in their family.

She asked each grandmother to write a short profile about herself, her mother, and her own grandmothers. Shannon said that the keepsake albums were the highlight of the tea party.

Writing short personal profiles is such an easy idea. And it's one that doesn't have to wait for a tea party (although that would be a fun time to present it). We could write a profile about ourselves, our moms and grandmothers right now, and send it to the grandchildren with pictures. And we could ask Granddad to do the same for the men in the family.

I would love to read a few paragraphs about my great-grandmothers! I've seen their pictures but don't really "know their hearts."

Hope you have a wonderful weekend,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux

The Grand Connection

Article © 2010 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

My mother is always with me

Friday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Not too long ago a friend shared this beautiful piece about mothers on her Facebook page:

Your mother is always with you
Author: unknown

Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street. She’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore. She’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well. She’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow. She is Christmas morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. …

She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love; your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space…not even death!       
                                                                

Who do you think came to my mind as I read this? My own mother! So, I wrote a similar piece about her:

My mother is always with me. She’s the reminder that things work out. She’s the smell of sugar cookies … and Sunday roast … and the sight of kneading bread. She’s the hand that picked Magnolias, the sound of prayers with Dad. She’s the word of kindness needed, the trust that God’s nearby.

She’s a welcome shower on a hot summer day, a rainbow breaking through a dark sky. She’s the place that I came from, my first home—one I’ll always know. My mother’s in my heart forever. She didn’t just teach me about love … from every ounce of her it still flows.

What about you? Did the words about mothers remind you of your mom? Why is your mother always with you?

And to all of you moms and grandmoms, "Happy Mother's Day!"

Have a great weekend,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com


Post and picture © 2014 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Happy Mother's Day

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought 

by Mary May Larmoyeux

"As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you." (Isaiah 66:14)

As Mother's Day approaches, I am reminded of the importance of a mom.  She teaches the next generation about faith, and values, and love. No job could be more important.

You may want to ask you grandchildren to draw a picture of what mom and home mean to them. It might be fun for you to help them frame the picture, for a special gift to their mom on Mother's Day.

And perhaps you'd like to share the words below with a mom you love. They were written by Mary Williams about her home, and were published in a 1983 edition of Rural Arkansas magazine:

"It has sheltered life. It has seen the joy and laughter of children and the quickness of their running feet. It has seen the tears of those who are no longer young and heard their slowing footsteps. It sighs and sometimes groans with its memories and its years. But it puts its arms around those who come within its walls and comforts them and laughs with them ... It is a reflection of a small bit of heaven. It is home!"

A home like this surely is made with the hands of a mom ... hands that pour out God's love!

Happy Mothers' Day!
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com

 © 2013 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

How to Make a Newspaper Hat

Friday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Not too long ago I read a book to one of our grandkids about the monkey Curious George. George's antics made me think of the newspaper hats we made as children. Did you make them, too?

Not recalling exactly how to make these hats, I went to the Internet. E-How.com has some simple instructions that I've reworded below.

1) Take a large sheet of newspaper (two pages on each side, such as the front and back page of a Sunday paper).

2) Fold the newspaper on the current fold (as it comes from the newspaper).

3) Fold it in half again, this time horizontally, and bring the top of the paper to the bottom.

4) Now, fold the corners (on the folded side) until they meet in the middle. This will make a point.

5) Fold one piece of the bottom of the paper (towards the point).

6) Again, fold the bottom—until it overlaps a little of the point.

7) Flip the hat over.

8) Fold the sides in 1 1/2 - 2 inches ... it should look like a house. (Vary according to the size needed. Fold in only an inch or so for an adult head.)

9) Fold the bottom up twice.

10) Pull opening apart to make the hat shape.

You may want to check out How to Make a Newspaper Hat or How to Make a Pirate Hat. These instructions have pictures with them.

Making newspaper hats could be a fun activity to do with the grands on any day. It could also be a great activity for a family birthday party. Decorating the hats with stickers, markers, etc., will allow everyone to create unique hats ... and make special memories.

For long-distance grands: We could make the hats and mail them with some stickers, markers, etc. for decorations. Or, we could e-mail (or mail) the grandkids the directions and they can make the hats in their homes.

Have a great weekend!

He is able,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com


© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Stanko Mravljak | Dreamstime.com.