Resurrecting An Old Art Form: DIY Flannel Graph Stories

Do you ever wonder what to do with all your children’s mounting Sunday school papers or your old magazines?

Why not use them to create flannel graph stories? It’s a simple and entertaining project sure to diminish your piles of paper and engage your children in a creative form of storytelling.

Hop over to Christian Children's Authors blog with me where I explain this easy, recycling project.

When the Word Whispsers, "Let Go"

Warm winter rain tap, taps against my window. 

Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Slow, melodic awakenings bid my drowsy mind's attention.

Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

They build, crescendo. 

Tappity tap. Tappity tap. Tappity tap. Tappity tap. Tappity tap. 

And slow.

Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. 

Nature's untimely lullaby. 

Winter disguised as early spring.  

We live within these unpredictable, uncontrollable forces and yet we try to reign them in - east to west, north to south. We study them, predict their next move, realign our lives in hopes they'll give in to our demands. And always, we stand bewildered against nature's ways-powerless and silent.

Then out of nowhere,  a soft zephyr blows - whispers, "Let go."

(Pssst! I'm over here today. Pull on your goloshes and splash through the puddles with me? Click on the highlighted word above and we'll land there together).

Uninhibited Dance

"David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets."2 Sam. 6:14-15

The music segued from light jazz to upbeat, jitter bug. It was time to kick off our shoes, let loose and celebrate the Happy Couple. But, who would lead us out onto that dance floor? Not wanting to upstage the bride and groom on their special day, I waited patiently, tapping my toes in time to the beat.

 

Behind me I heard the running feet of my then, 23 month old granddaughter and in an instant she was at the edge of the dance floor, stopped only by the vastness of that great space. She stood there in her pink frilly dress, with a huge smile on her face, clapping her hands and tapping her feet in her sparkly shoes to the beat of the music. Instinctively she knew it was time to dance and she was ready!

(Join the fun at Christian Children's Authors blog today, wont' you?)

For Mammie

Juanita Witham Bardon (left)
June 11, 1958 - March 29, 2013

 

Life surprised us last Thursday - knocked us off our steady feet. Our world came to a screeching halt and our hearts cracked right in two.

 

The woman who bore the sweetest daughter-in-law, the one my grandchildren called Mammie, suddenly left this world and entered Heaven's gates.

 

We know she's in a better place - dancing, singing, shouting praises to her King - but we are left behind gathering all our brokenness and missing her loving embrace. It seems too soon. We want one more hug, another spoken "I love you," to hear her contagious giggle and to look into her sparkling blue eyes.

 

Many more have known her longer, but it didn't take long to love her. God melded our families with unconditional love and acceptance in every respect. We loved sharing our children and grandbabies, alike. We were part of the same family where ties were extended, not broken or bound up tight.

 

We miss you, Juanita, more than words can express. While you're praising our Jesus in heaven above, I'll care for our grandbabies and tell of your love. You were best at preserving photographic memories, but I'll try harder to remember "a picture's worth a thousand words" especially to Grandmas with Cameras!

 

 

Grandmas with Cameras
by Sally Dube

Something happens to most mothers

When they are old (but still quite young =)

Their children grow up, marry

And have a daughter or a son!

This baby is the sweetest

That on earth they’d ever seen

Now that Mother has a new name

She’s now “Grandma” her ultimate dream!

She rocks and sings that little one

Her heart filled with so much love

She never knew how blessed she’d be

By this bundle sent from above.

Her camera never leaves her hand

So not to miss that smile

For this baby IS the cutest EVER

So lots of pictures in a short while

Laughing, crying, sleeping, yawning

Making sure to get each look

Rolling, sitting, creeping and crawling

Why her grandchild should be in a book!

Grandmas with cameras are a special breed

Never missing a photo op

With a flash and a snap and a “say cheese”

Their pictures just don"t stop =)