Thanksgiving time is here!

This month I decided I will post some of my favorite things about Thanksgiving.  I will post recipes, book ideas, neat websites about Thanksgiving, and other fun facts.  Today I thought I would post a recording from Focus on the Family's Radio Theatre about Squanto.  Don't miss this wonderful broadcast!!  Your kids will love it. 

A Thanksgiving Drama:  Part 1
A Thanksgiving Drama:  Part 2 

Books to check out about Squanto:

 

Squanto And The Miracle Of Thanksgiving 

 by Eric Metaxas

  
   
Squanto and the First Thanksgiving (On My Own Holidays)  
by Joyce K. Kessel

  




Squanto's Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving 
by Joseph Bruchac

I'm back and I found treasure!

It's been a while since I have posted something.  I apologize for slacking in this area.  Life here in the Lawless home has been busy.   Daron has been overloaded with his classes adding stress to his days.  But God has been good to us and adding grace to our days, Thank God!!  Rebekah had to have four teeth pulled this week and had a stomach bug, not fun for her or me.  :-) (I had to clean it up, Yuck!)  But she is feeling better today. 

I came across the neatest site yesterday that I just have to share.  I have been trying to have my kids enjoy listening to stories on CD but have not had much success.  They prefer hearing me read the books, but yesterday I ran across a really cool site that has the old kiddie stories from Classics from The Golden Age, they were  put out in the 40's and 50's on small records.  Someone complied them and put them on this site.  I was so excited to see this so I tried one on the kids and guess what?  They loved it!!  Check it out.  What a treasure to have! It has the sound of the old time radio theater.

Ahhh... thats music to my ears!!

What a whirlwind the past month has been for us! Well, I think we are back to normal for now. After a much needed vacation to Florida and a week of planning our school year, we launched our first week of 2nd grade for Rebekah and 1st for Brianna last week. It was a great week. We got lots done and so far it is looking to be a good year!

We have been listening to our music selections for this term written by Ralph Vaughan Williams. We have enjoyed the two pieces we have heard so far. The first piece that was scheduled is called "The Sea Symphony" but it was a bit long so we have skipped it for now and will go back to it in several week when I get a chance to check it out from the library at USM. The other two pieces are wonderful!

As I play it at home the kids yell "Wait mommy let us get our dance clothes on so we can dance!" And away they dance! It's so much fun to see them dance their hearts out to the music. Our favorite is Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis. Wow!! What a moving piece!! As I sat and listened I was so moved almost to the point of tears. I know that sounds so cheesy but listen for yourself and you'll know what I mean! It has now become one of my favorites. The kids loved it too.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FEPJyOEKLA

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vthKTrLtyA8
Hope you listen!!

"Do this in remembrance of Me."

We just became members of our church this past Sunday and with that, came many questions as to how and why the church does certain things. One thing that is interesting about our church is that they take communion on Wednesdays instead of Sundays. I found this to be interesting so I asked why this was done this way. The women who lead the new members class told us that communion is encouraged not only to be done in church but at home with your own families. When she said this I thought "What a great way to take Communion, with your family at home. I love the idea!"

As a result, Daron and I decided to set aside one day a month to take communion as a family. I love this idea because usually Communion is done when the kids are in children's church and I have often felt that they miss out on a great opportunity. So, Monday was our first experience taking communion as a family. It was wonderful! We had the liberty to talk and read and pray together as a family, something that would be difficult to do during Communion in a church service.

Daron read to the kids about Jesus explaining to his disciples what the bread and wine symbolized. The kids were fascinated by it all and were full of questions. We explained the importance of what his body and what his blood did for us and how it correlates to the story of the Passover. We explained that when we partake in communion it reminds us that God's judgement and wrath passes over us and we receive His grace and forgiveness just like what happened in the time of the early Israelites on the first Passover. It was such a sweet memorable time as a family. This is something all of us will look forward to each time we do it. I want my kids to look back and remember the times we took communion as a family. I think next time we take communion we will sing a hymn as well. A great hymn that will be perfect is "Nothing but the blood of Jesus". Ah! Ha! I found our new hymn to learn for hymn study, Yes! Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

So, my calendar is now marked off one day each month for communion. Let me just encourage you to pray about including this into your family time. You will create some wonderful memories! I am looking forward to the ones we will make.

As an ending note or simply an observation, I find it interesting that during the first Passover, God passed over families and individuals in homes. So I think there is something to be said about taking communion in our homes as families. I'm sure there is something significant about that.

Isn't it great that there is nothing but the blood of Jesus to wash us and make us whole again!! Hallelujah!