Saturday

Christian Songs for Kids - No Never Alone


Do you find it hard to get visuals and recordings for different kids songs?






I have always found this a problem so I am now sharing songs that I have used with children providing you with



Visuals 
(Powerpoint or Picture or details of how you can make one) 


Words   
(chords also available)


Recording  
(mp3 or video to learn the song) 


Then if you would like to download the visual of the song there will be a link provided to my creation, or I will direct you to where else you can find it.   



This month I am taking the theme of



The Promises of God



The song I have chosen is 



No Never Alone


This is another song that is so very simple but so full of the truth and tells of the comfort God
promised us.

I like to use this song when teaching on Joshua as it ties is well with Joshua 1 v 9 and can be used to to reinforce that as a Memory Verse.

It is also one I would use when teaching on How much God cares for us or not being afraid because God will never leave us.

This is actually the chorus of a hymn and is based on
Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5




POWERPOINT  (for Projection)









POWERPOINT  (for Printing A4)








To Download a copy of this visual for printing on A4 Card  or  Letter size  
CLICK HERE




WORDS


No Never Alone

No never alone
No never alone
He promised never to leave me
Never to leave me alone.
No never alone
No never alone
He promised never to leave me
Never to leave me alone.


To Download a copy of these words with chords for guitar and piano 
CLICK HERE





ACTIONS

Waving your forefinger in front of your face in time to the music
for first two lines
Pointing & looking upwards, then pointing to self
third & fourth line


THEN REPEAT





RECORDING  ???????????????????????







Notes:

I believe the Words are the chorus of a hymn whose first verse begins with
"I've seen the lightning flashing"   
Author is  Ludie D. Pickett.
More information can be found HERE




I Hope you enjoy the song and this is a help to you.






Wednesday

The Seagull in Jersey - A Dose of Encouragement


While Fred has been travelling a lot these months
I had pulled out my box set of Bergerac Dvds which I had never found time to watch and settled in most evenings to watch an episode or two from this old Detective Series from the 1980s before going to bed.





First thing I had noticed was how much the young John Nettles who played the character Bergerac (he also played Chief Inspector Barnaby in Midsomer Murders in more recent years) looked like my middle son. So I had some fun teasing Daniel about that.


Then I got to thinking about the Island of Jersey where the series had been set (and filmed) realizing that even though we had once had a holiday there I didn't remember any of the sites of the island.  Of course that holiday was a long long time ago, maybe around 20 years ago.

There is one thing about that holiday that none of us will ever forget.


It has nothing to do with the sights of Jersey.

It has nothing to do with any activities that we had great fun in doing on Jersey.


My only real memory of Jersey was 

the 
Seagull.


Photo credit - Pixabay


This is how I picture that seagull to always be.


I never think of it as one of those almost comical trotting birds you see as they hobble along over the sand or rocks.

I will not even imagine it in a group of seagulls like we often see hovering down ready to catch a fish in the sea.



Photo credit - Pixabay



Yes I always remember it to be


an angry bird,

who saw something,

wanted it

and 

took it!


We were each enjoying a large ice-cream 
when this seagull swooped down out of no-where 
and stole my brother-in-law's ice-cream from his hand.



It was so sudden, so quick, it was almost unbelieveable except that we had seen it with our own eyes.

It must have been such a startling, frightening surprise for Victor as he was holding the ice-cream close to his face when it happened.


Now I can hardly see a seagull without thinking of that event.

I always view seagulls as untrustworthy, callous creatures because of that single event.

Will my impression of them ever change?

Not very likely.


Does my impression of the people I meet ever change?
Does that bad impression stay with me forever?

or

Does another person's impressions of me ever change?
Does that bad impression stay with them forever?


I hope not.


Sometimes it may be difficult to shrug off those impressions because of further meetings or time spent with a person if there is more evidence of their behaviour being similar to the first time.

Sometimes it may be easy to change our minds and see someone in a better light because of getting to know them better and seeing different facets of their behaviour.

But for most of us most of the time those bad impressions are hard to forget.


So do I want to be remembered like






Do I want to be seen as the one who saw something, wanted it, and stole it away?


Did I steal someone's ice-cream?


Do I want to be seen as the one who had to be better than others?


Do I want to be seen as the one who knew more than others?


Do I want to be seen as the one who is more important than others?


Do I want to be seen as the one who stole the attention from others?





Do I want to be seen as the one who was jealous of others?


Because that's what it may boil down to - us simply being jealous.

So we feel the need
  • to say something to show we know more than others
  • to do something that makes us appear better than others
  • to do something to draw the attention away from others
  • to speak of someone to make them appear less worthy than us 

We need to steal away, from them, the favour we want for ourselves.


Do we want all the favour for ourselves?


Truthfully, within us, we can all be jealous of others 
but if we recognise this human failing in ourselves
and then determinedly step away from it 
and do not act on it in any way; 
we can defeat that jealousy, 
conquer that jealousy 
and 
be more like the person God has created us to be.





Sunday

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 2


Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 2





This Psalm falls into three parts:

V. 1-3
People and Nations in Opposition to God.


V. 4-9
God sees all.
The Lord is on the Throne, He is in control.


V. 10-11
Warning to the rulers that if they do not serve God they will perish.








Overall Theme

No matter who thinks he is better than the Lord and God's people, he has to remember that Jesus is Lord and will do with them as He wills.







This Psalm encourages us to know that God is in supreme control.


People & nations may seem to be making the world a horrible place to live in 
but there will be an end to this.








The end will be GOOD for those who have trusted in God.















Wednesday

The Spider in the Hall! - A Dose of Encouragement


If you have read other posts on this blog you will know that my husband travels often on business.

Although some people think this has perks - it rarely does.  In fact there are so many other things that are downsides of this fact.


The Spider in the hall being just one of those.








When we moved into this house in December 2010 we noticed a lot of spiders appearing in the first 6 months here.

Suddenly we would be sitting quietly watching a dvd in the lounge when something would run along the floor past us and Fred would have to jump up to get it and kill it before it disappeared again.  Slippers were even known to have been thrown across the room in some cases.

These spiders were not wee tiny things but quite big and therefore noticeable when they tried to sprint the length of our room.


The 2 good things about that time was that

  • Fred was not travelling much so he was there to do the killing (please don't judge us for killing them).
  • It came to an end, we presumed the spiders had been hiding somewhere after being free to roam the house while it was empty before we bought it and now they had all ventured out and been GOT.


I'm not saying we didn't get any spiders since then but to be honest we got more outside on the patio than we did in the house and the ones in the house were not big.

Until September last year that was.





It was enormous!
I mean really enormous!

But worse than that - Fred was away on business!

I was on my own in the house!

It was 1.15 in the morning when I should have been in bed fast asleep but well.....

All I could think of was

That thing could make it to our bedroom 
and the door of our bedroom doesn't close properly 
and this thing could be crawling all over me in bed. 

 I would never be able to sleep.

It has to go!


But there was no Fred to get it for me.

Now just to prove that I did not zoom in on this spider to make it look BIG you can see it compared to the mirror which is about 4.5 feet long and 2 feet deep.  The spider was just approaching the corner and was about 1.5 feet from the mirror.




Before I decided how to kill it I had to take a picture because otherwise Fred would never have believed me about the size of it.

My biggest problem was I did not want to squash it on the wall because I did not want to mark the paintwork - too lazy to have to clean it!

I would have to act quickly before this thing ran off.

But I didn't because the spider seemed content to just sit there while I took the picture and stared at it considering my options.

No way was I going to try to scoop it onto a piece of paper and try to take it outside - it would have been far too close to my hands.

It had to be the flick it off the wall and stamp on it method!

But I was in my slippers and my feet are small so I had to go get a newspaper and would you believe that brute just sat there on the wall and waited for me to come back.  I think he thought I would be no match for him.

Then with a swift flick off the wall (making no mark), I threw the newspaper on top of it on the floor and jumped on top of the newspaper.  

GOT IT!

I actually think it was so big it couldn't move as fast as smaller spiders.

After what probably would have looked to others like a little flamenco dancing on the newspaper it was definitely dead.

Well I felt so good (not because I had killed a spider) but because I had managed something I usually relied on Fred to do and I would be able to sleep unworried about the spider.

But then the thought struck me

What if there was a spider's mate somewhere in the house?


How quickly I could go from one feeling to another!

How quickly my mood could be changed by one little thought!

But the devil sure knows which little thought to put into our minds - that one little thought that will be the one to do his evil work.

He knows just when to slip it in to rob us of any joy we have.

He tries it all the time.
He is an expert at it.
He thinks he knows us so well.

And let's face it he does know us well.

He knows all those thoughts, feelings, fears, reactions, worries that he can attack us with.

But

God knows us better than anyone.

God does not attack us.
God does not rob us of joy.
God does not throw discouraging thoughts at us.
God does not plant niggling fears in our minds.


God is the one who gives us joy.

God is the one who helps us overcome all that the devil wants to pull us down with.





So next time you feel your joy being sucked away by the devil and his whisperings in your ear think about this story of the spider and 

imagine you are flamenco dancing on the devil 

because 

Jesus has the victory over the devil and so do we.

Don't let the devil hold you back!











Tuesday

Segway Titanic Tour - Xtra Special Day


Okay so I never learned to ride a bike when I was young.

I know you are all thinking

                    "Who can't ride a bike?"

Well I can't.

But I can definitely ride a Segway!





Over the last several years I have occasionally seen people on segways and I always thought I would love to have a go but even though I am attracted to trying more unusual things I do not like making a fool of myself in front of others.

Then I read that they were very easy to ride/drive so I probably would not fall over and make a fool of myself and I also found out that a company in Northern Ireland were running "Titanic" Segway Tours which were obviously tours around the "Titanic Quarter" of Belfast on Segways.

I kept thinking how I would love to do it and hinted to my husband several times but Fred is not one to really take a hint - well not quickly anyway..

Then last year I decided we were going to go on the Titanic Segway Tour when all of the family would be together in Northern Ireland - not something that often happens now that our oldest son is living in Leeds and our daughter is living in South Korea.

To make a full day out of it we were going to go to the Titanic Exhibition first and then do the Segway tour and then go for dinner.

So we went online and booked 6 places on the tour one day in August, yes 6 because of course our middle son got married so we have a daughter-in-law as well.































Unfortunately Jonathan (the one from Leeds) took ill that morning and had to stay in bed all day so there were only the five of us in the end.

You can see the Titanic Building in the background - a rather impressive sight as you drive across the M3 over Belfast - designed to make you think of a ship.


I was so looking forward to this and as soon as the guy said we could get on the segways I didn't wait for the others.




It was so easy to do and very enjoyable.






We were told to go in single file and follow the tour guide so Linda led us off after him.


We were like ducks in a row and Linda enjoyed taking these selfies trying to get us all in as we rode along.





I laughed and laughed as we segwayed all around the Titanic quarter even though everyone we passed stared at us.  In fact I think that made me laugh even more.

The guide took us to different parts of the Titanic Quarter and we did listen as he explained what had happened at each part.

You can see me concentrating in the picture below when we were beside the dock.




Well shortly before that shot I had been giggling and not long after it I was giggling again but I did stop to listen in between.


When we had been all round the Titanic quarter and heard all about it we stopped for a ...






It seemed very strange parking the segways alongside the water and sitting in the coffee shop looking out at them.


Then after coffee we segwayed back toward the Odyssey Arena where the guide then let us have about 15 mins of free time on the large flat area riding round just as we pleased.






It was hilarious!



Daniel took this video.




No-one fell off, no-one collided with anyone else (although Daniel and Suzie almost did) or with the posts or the benches in the area.


Linda took this one.





Can't remember who took this one.  All I know is I was too busy enjoying the play time that I didn't take any videos or pictures at all.






But all good things have to come to an end and when Jonathan - the guide, said it was time to go back to the tour Office we were all disappointed but we had to go.




Well the chat was great after this event as we had all thoroughly enjoyed it and felt the time had gone too quick and I was already wondering when I could do it again.

However it is not a cheap day out, but it was a Special Day for us.

They do claim to be the only Segway Tours in the UK you see.

And I have been scheming & planning and hopefully there will be another Xtra Special Day !!!





Sunday

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 63


Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on  it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 63 

This has long been one of my favourites and I remember learning a song based on verses 3 & 4 of this Psalm when I was a teenager.




While I was contemplating which Psalm I would put up for today's post I had a phone call from my son who is a Pastor in the Apostolic Church, UK.  He had rung to tell me that Pastor Hugh Mitchell had died this week.

During the past year we had all been very happy to hear that Pastor Mitchell had celebrated his 100th birthday and had been well enough to write a thank you letter to our church for the card we had sent him.


So why am I sharing this here?

Because it led me to choose Psalm 63 for today's post.

Pastor Hugh Mitchell was the writer of that song I mentioned above.

The song is entitled   "Thy Loving Kindness is Better than Life"



Looking at Psalm 63 v 1 - 8

This Psalm is about the Psalmist and his reaction to God:

V. 1-2
the Psalmist is seeking God earnestly
and he knows he has found God;
he has seen God's Power and Glory


V. 3-4
the Psalmist recognises the loving kindness of God
and how great it is;
his response is to praise, bless and adore God





V. 5-8
the Psalmist is joyful in his praise
which comes from fixing his attention on God;
recognizing God's help
and being secure in God's Hands.






There had to be a specific word used in this Psalm to express exactly what 


the Psalmist wanted to say



Lovingkindness


So great and special was the character of God that the Psalmist wanted to picture it for us.








Have you experienced God's Lovingkindness?

Do you think it is better than life?

Do you want to Bless God because of your relationship with Him?




Perhaps you know this simple but profound song




If you know this song or have heard of Hugh Mitchell then you might like to read this tribute to him.








UPDATE

Since writing this post my husband and I have recorded some videos of songs of bible Verses so I have included the one for Psalm 63 v 3 featured above.

















Wednesday

The Elephant in the Bathroom! - A dose of Encouragement


Earlier this year I wrote about some hotel rooms and the various features or lack of features therein.

Today I'm writing about a hotel room again but from a completely different viewpoint.

Last month I wrote about various animals and the thoughts I had from our experiences with them and today I'm talking about another animal.

So what is this strange connection between a hotel room and an animal?






In the early part of February this year my husband Fred was away travelling with work and I had an appointment first thing in the morning in Belfast during a time of snowy weather so my son Daniel came down to Banbridge from Belfast and drove me up in the early evening the night before.

I could have driven up myself but I'm not a keen driver in any amount of snow after an incident many years ago when the children were young, and Daniel wanted to "take care of me" with his dad being away.

I had gone on the internet the day before and found a hotel which offered a good price and was near my appointment location even though I had never stayed there before.

So having arrived at the hotel and been greeted by a very pleasant girl on reception we booked a table in their restaurant to have a meal and headed up to leave my bag in the room.


That's when we saw the elephant in the bathroom.


In this day and age what is the first thing any of us do now when we see anything funny, interesting or just different from the norm?

Yes we take a picture!

So out comes the mobile phone and I'm snapping away with Daniel laughing and saying to me

 "I bet that will make it's way into your blog sometime"


Now at this point I want to include for the record that I was not the only one who had their mobile phone out clicking away at pictures!!!    Right Daniel!


And he doesn't even write a blog.


Okay so let's get back to today's animal.

Here it is






Isn't it cute?


Well you can guess what I thought about after taking a few pictures.


Yes   -   "I wonder how they did that?" 

and so then began another round of pictures as I took the elephant apart bit by bit to see how it had been made.

Then can you guess what I thought about after that?


The well known phrase

"The Elephant in the Room" 


referring to something that is there, that is not being spoken about, but everyone is conscious of that overhanging situation.


Well that could have fitted in with my situation that evening.

It could even have been thought that there was an "Elephant in the room" all the time for the previous 2 months as I had waited for this appointment to take place.


The appointment was at the Breast Clinic.


I was in that band of women who, having been checked out by their doctor, are referred to the clinic as not immediate (to be seen within two weeks) but should be seen within 6-8 weeks.

So basically the doctor is rather concerned but not sure that there is definitely something wrong there.

It had been at the start of December that I had seen the doctor and that meant I had to wait through Christmas and the New Year.

Fred & I have always been of the mindset that we pray about every situation and then try to leave it with God knowing that He knows best so that is what we did but that doesn't mean we didn't think about it often. and we did continue to pray about it during the time of waiting.

Our biggest concern was not to worry the kids (all grown up now with one 30 mins away from us and the other two living in two different countries) because that is what parents do; they try to protect their kids from things that may hurt them in any way.

However things did not go as planned and to cut a long story short I did end up telling one of the kids and then the other two had to be told as well.

So that was how I ended up being "taken care of" by my son on my appointment at the hospital.



Now God knows in advance what we are going to need.


And God plans in advance how He will meet that need.


Because 


God takes care of us.



If I had not told the kids then Daniel would not have known that there was an opportunity to help his mum.

If Daniel had not come to drive me to Belfast I would have had to drive myself and I would have dreaded that in the snowy weather.

If Daniel had not been with me the night before I would have been alone in Belfast and that would not have been as pleasant as an evening chatting and joking with my son over a lovely meal.

If Daniel had not been with me the morning of the appointment then I would have felt very lonely sitting on my own waiting in the hospital for the scan and mammogram and then the results.

If Daniel had not been with me after the appointment who would I have had to be thankful with that it was not cancer?


God had planned it all.


He planned that I would tell the kids because He had planned how He would show me His love and care for me through them.


God wants to take care of you.

There is no doubt about it.


God loves us.


God can meet our needs.


God wants to take care of us.









Are you facing a problem?     Do you have an "Elephant in the room"?


Talk to God about it and give it over to Him.


Then let God take care of you.


Let God take care of you.

Because

God wants to take care of you.