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Godstruck Ministries 4 Kids January 2014 Newsletter: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us... Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Godstruck Ministries 4 Kids Newsletter

February 2014 Newsletter

Blessings Blog: The Love of the Father

The Love of the FatherWe've had the privilege of being vendors at local military exchanges. It is a great way for us to get the word out about Godstruck Ministries and our products, and it allows us to connect with military members and retirees. As a retired military family, we have a special spot in our heart for our service members. One of our objectives is to bless them with words of encouragement and thanks, candy and small gifts for their kids. They are to the man/woman polite and grateful for our presence at the exchange facilities. I am floored that as we thank them for their selfless service to protect and defend our country, our citizens and our way of life, they are often thanking us in return for our meager support.

At one particular military post, we were occupying a space in the huge foyer just outside the entrance to the main shopping area. For some reason, no matter the weather, every day at about 2:00 - 3:00 it gets very cold inside. I wear layers, drink hot tea and try to stay mobile. As I was folding my arms and stamping around a bit, out of the corner of my eye I saw a stroller loaded with plush blankets cradling an occupant coming towards our table. Sergeant Dad was carefully guiding the stroller around the row of vendor kiosks and tables followed by his teenage sons. Partly to engage them in conversation, partly because my nose felt like an icicle, as they approached I commented that I would have loved to have had those blankets wrapped around me. I came to the stroller expecting to see the face of perhaps a 2 or 3 year old enjoying the blanket cocoon. However as I peered inside, it was not a toddler occupying the cozy seat, it was a 13 or 14 year old girl! She was babbling and had a small smile on her lips, little neck control and a look in her big blue eyes that conveyed a lack of understanding of common conversation. Her daddy looked down on her affectionately and did some babbling of his own. "Ba ba ba, yeah, that's my girl," he cooed lovingly. I'm sure by this time I had a tear in my eye as I listened to his story. He had been in the military, had left, but then came back in "for her." Her medical expenses must have been huge, and being in the Army guaranteed that he could cover her health needs. His service was the sacrifice he made for his darling girl. She loved him back through her smile and the innocent look in those big blue eyes, her only way to respond. It must have touched her daddy's heart, and my heart was aching for them both as I bid them good-bye. There was something sacred in the love I saw passed from father to child.

There is a love that is even more sacred and beautiful than the father/daughter relationship I witnessed at the Exchange that day. The heavenly Father looks down with compassion on His children. He wraps us up in the soft, cozy blanket of His love, guides us carefully through life, and provides all our needs. God's Word says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1. His Son was the sacrifice He made for us. His love is abundant, and there is nothing we can do for Him to love us more.

Take time to show your gratefulness for this amazing love. You can speak words of thanks to Him, but it is also important to remember the Bible teaches that to love Him back is to obey His Word. In John Chapter 14 Jesus said, 15"If you love me you will obey what I command," 21"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me," and 23"If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching." As one of Jesus' closest friends, the apostle John was surely overwhelmed by the love of the Father. Having written the above quotes in the book named for him, John reiterates this truth in his New Testament letters. 1 John 5:3 states, "This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome," Obeying God's Word shows our appreciation for all that He has done and continues to do for us. It is the loving response that touches the Father's heart.

Family Activity: Heart Elephant Craft

Heart Elephant CraftHeart Elephant Craft

Here's a big-hearted craft that can be given to loved ones or hung as a Valentine decoration. Make an elephant out of hearts! All you will need is some construction paper, scissors, a glue stick and a marker to write the verse.

We chose typical Valentine colors for our pachyderm, but use your creativity and imagination if you would like something different. Cut a heart that's just a little more than half the height of your background paper (about 6 inches in height for an 8.5" x 11" paper). It is very simple to make your hearts by folding the paper and cutting the creased side going up, around a curve and then down to a point. Draw it first if that is easier for you. This body heart should have a chunky look.

Heart Elephant Craft

Next, make another heart in a contrasting color that is about ¾ of the size of the first heart. This will be your elephant's head. Start the cut an inch to two inches down from the top of the paper. This will enable you to easily fashion the trunk.

To make the trunk, cut from the top of the paper above the cut out head. Cut down on an angled curve and then around the shape of the heart. Make sure you stay out far enough from the cut out shape to create a wide enough trunk. You can cut this all the way around to the edge. Unfold the trunk piece and cut directly on the fold; this will, of course, give you two trunks. Cut one of them at the length you desire for your elephant.

Heart Elephant CraftHeart Elephant Craft

Make some ears by cutting out a heart shape on the open edge of folded paper out of the same color paper as the body. These should be about half the size of your heart head. Cut appropriate-sized heart eyes and six small heart halves on the open edge of the paper to make the toenails.

To assemble, start with the body by gluing the body heart with the point up, "legs" fairly close to the bottom of the paper. Put the head with the point down overlapping the top of the body. Leave the top part of the heart unglued so that you can glue the ears on appropriately. When they are in place, run the glue stick on the underside of the top of the head to glue that over the ears.

Heart Elephant CraftHeart Elephant Craft

Glue the eyes in place. Line up each toenail with its straight edge as closely aligned with the foot bottom as possible. There should be three nails per foot. Now glue on the trunk close to the bottom point of the heart head.

As we did in our picture, you can create a baby elephant with the same pattern as outlined above, but obviously on a smaller scale. Arranging the Dad with his trunk hugging his little calf is a sweet reminder of the great love God has for us.

Heart Elephant CraftHeart Elephant Craft

Write, type or stencil the verse, 1 John 3:1* on a paper that will fit above your elephant. Decorate with other hearts or heart stickers, if you like.

Friendly frugal hint: Save your paper scraps for future projects. The decorative heart over the big elephant was salvaged from another heart piece. Start a scrap box for decorating and creating. Trash can be turned into treasure on rainy days or during art time.

*"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us..." This verse is especially appropriate for the elephant picture. There are many other verses in the Bible relating to love that would also work well, so pick your favorite.

Living the Word: Love in Action

Blessings BasketGod's laws are, of course, found throughout the Bible. But, there is no greater place to discover the summary and essence of His principles than Jesus' teaching in the Gospels. When an expert in the law asked Jesus to state God's most essential command, Jesus answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself,'" Mt. 27:37-39. The book of Luke continues the lesson. The law professional asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Lk. 10:29. Jesus then shared the parable of the Good Samaritan, which teaches that a loving neighbor is one who has mercy on anyone in need.

There are so many people who need our love and mercy. One can see them on street corners in numerous American cities and towns displaying signs that indicate the lack of basic necessities and looking weary and worn. There is an easy way you can help: Consider carrying bottles of water and packaged snacks in your car for those occasions when you encounter such an individual. These items can be purchased in bulk and often on sale at some of the larger retail grocery and department chains. If your budget allows, having $5 - $10 gift cards for local fast food restaurants on hand to give to a disadvantaged person is another great way to meet a fundamental need.

Be smart. Be safe. Use common sense, but don't allow fear to overrule the opportunity to bless someone in need. This simple act of love and kindness will be a testimony to these individuals as you literally "give a cup of cold water" in Jesus' name. It will also show your children how to share God's love with others as you allow God to minister through you in a very practical way.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Look for us at the following venues in the upcoming months:

Luke AFB Exchange, near Phoenix, AZ: Monday, March 31 – Sunday, April 6, 2014

North Carolinians for Home Education Conference (NCHE) at the Benton Convention Center, Winston-Salem, NC: Thursday, May 22 – Saturday, May 24, 2014

Christian Parenting and Home Education Conference (LEAH) at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, NY: Thursday, May 29 – Saturday, May 31, 2014

Rocky Mountain Super Conference on the Family (CHEC) at the Denver Mart, Denver CO: Thursday, June 12 – Saturday, June 14, 2014


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