Sight Word BINGO!

Posted on February 19, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

Going over sight words day after day can be tedious. Today we are putting away the flash cards and bringing out BINGO!

You can make a chart using Microsoft word or just search Google for a chart that is already made up. From there, just use the easy Bingo rules: Call out a word and if the child has it they cover it up. We are using Cheerios today to cover up our sight words. Feel free to use any fun snack that you can munch on while you play (food always makes things more enjoyable). The winner gets to call out the sight words for the next game.

Adding variety to your lesson plan can challenge, excite, and engage your child’s hunger for learning.

Have Fun!

Super Bowl Half Time Show

Posted on February 4, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

My husband is a HUGE sports lover. His two favorite things to watch on TV is football and basketball. I made the decision when we got married, to join him rather than fight him about it, even though I’m the kind of person that would rather play the sport than watch the sport. I might not scream at the TV like him but we dress up and support our team.

With that said, yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday. We went to church, grilled out, played football in the back yard with the kids and just enjoyed our day off as a family. When 6 o’clock came around the girls and I started cooking up some yummy snacks to munch on…creamy spinach dip with pumpernickel bread, fresh homemade salsa, fresh cut fruits and some warm yummy brownies (that was my snack choice). The first half of the game was fun, a little yelling and laughing, everyone was enjoying themselves. There were a couple of commercials that were not rated kid friendly, so the girls walked out of the room or closed their eyes. I was just waiting to see what the half time show was going to be all about, what was Beyonce going to do? I already knew it was something I wouldn’t want the girls to watch because of the songs she would be singing but I never even consider what she might be wearing or the way she would be dancing. Two seconds into the presentation, I had the girls go into a different room.

Big picture, would I want our girls wearing a bathing suit/lingerie on stage? NO! Would I want our girls moving their bodies in a way to get all the wrong attention from every guy out there? NO! Do I want our girls learning lyrics like, “Ladies if you love your man, show him you the fliest / Grind up on it, girl, show him how you ride it.” ? Ummm…NO!

I have told others before that I’m a strict Mama. But it’s more than being strict, it’s about character, about values, about self worth. I have the honor of raising four beautiful children. Their minds have come to me pure and clean, ready to learn and thrive. They were not given to me to be tainted with impure thoughts and lust. Think with me about the saying a picture is worth more than a thousand words, WHAT PICTURES ARE WE LETTING OUR CHILDREN COLLECT IN THEIR MIND?

I’m starting a half time super bowl tradition next year, “Paper Football Zone”. Basically, you take a paper football and try to flick across a table into the uprights a person makes on the other end of a table or you could see who could flick the football the furthest. I have a year to plan it and I know it will not include sitting in front of the TV watching the “half time show!”

If you have a half time tradition, let me know. I would like to see what kind of fun I can come up with for the kids next year.

WHAT THE WORD SAYS:

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the gentiles who do not know God;”

Matthew 5:28 “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Break It Up!

Posted on January 30, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

We are halfway through our school year so, things are getting a little old, kids are starting to complain and the teacher’s patience are running thin…it’s time to TAKE A BREAK! We live in the Sunshine State (Florida) and right now it is BEAUTIFUL outside! After learning some new things inside, we took our Chalk-a-Doodle place-mats and went outside for our review. It brings learning to a different level. New scenery, fresh air and vitamin D from the sun, it’s a win, win! So, the next time everyone is ready to quit school, take it outside and shine some light on the love of learning!

At Last We Can Be Happy

Posted on January 21, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

Today Alayna chose to read, “The Magic Fish by Freya Littledale”, for family reading time. If you haven’t read this book with your kids, I would definitely recommend it. It’s a great lesson about contentment.

In the book, the wife keeps asking for more and each time, when she gets what she wants, her husband says, “at last we can be happy.” Her reply back is always, “we shall see.”

Teaching contentment is a priority in our family. When we spend time with family or friends and it’s time to leave, our children will sometimes complain about leaving. I quickly remind them to be thankful, grateful and content for the time we had with our loved ones. When birthday or Christmas time comes, again I remind them to be content with their gifts and toys. A life of always wanting can lead to bitterness and resentment. They are young and still have to be reminded at times to be content, but if we can learn at an early age what this word means and let it take root in our heart, our life will be so much more enjoyable.

Prayer: Thank you God for supplying every need and even our desires. Thank you for a roof over our head, food on our table, and clothes on our back. But most of all thank you for giving your only son to die on the cross for our sins. For that we should be content in all things. We are blessed and I pray that we all see beyond our selfish wants and at last can say, WE ARE HAPPY!

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6

The Armor of God- Shield of Faith and Shoes, which brings the Gospel of Peace

Posted on January 18, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

This week we are working on the Armor of God for the girls JBQ (Junior Bible Quizzing) questions.

This afternoon we are talking about the Shield of Faith and Shoes that our worn on our feet, which brings the Gospel of Peace.

Questions:

What protects the Roman solider from arrows and blows from a sword? A Shield!

The shield protected the Roman solider from the enemies weapons. Our spiritual enemies are constantly throwing arrows and thrusting swords towards us. The best way to deflect these blows is with the shield of faith. When we hold on to our shield, when we hold firm to our faith in Jesus, we can go forth boldly.

Activity:

I had the girls make paper balls. Then they took turns throwing them at each other. Of course they were hit with the balls because they were vulnerable, with nothing to protect themselves. Then I had them hold up their shields, nothing could get to them as long as their shield was in place!

What purpose do shoes serve? Protection, Freedom, Readiness

Imagine a fully armed soldier. He has his sword, his shield, his helmet, his breastplate and his belt…but his feet are completely bare. The picture probably seems strange, and it should! Just by thinking about it, we can tell something is missing. Without shoes the solider has to worry about where his is stepping or running and this is the last thing that should be on his mind in a battle!

Fun Fact: The shoes of Roman soldiers were made of bronze or brass and included a part to cover the shins. The bottoms of the shoes were covered with spikes so they would help the soldier stand firm-or those sharp spikes could be used as weapons.

What does Readiness mean? “Readiness” is “the state or quality of being ready; preparation; promptness; aptitude; willingness”.

What does the gospel of peace have to do with shoes?

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:14-15

God’s Church is sent to preach the good news, which will spread His way of peace around the whole world. By having our shoes on, we are ready to move!

Remember each piece of God’s armor is important. Make sure to wear your armor everyday all day and the schemes of Satan will not prevail.

The Full Armor of God Ephesians 6:10-20

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

The Armor of God-Belt of Truth & The Sword of the Spirit

Posted on January 17, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

This week we are working on the Armor of God for the girls JBQ (Junior Bible Quizzing) questions.

Sorry we missed yesterday. Life happens and I had a little one with strep throat but today we are back to it.

This afternoon we are talking about the Belt of Truth and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. In Ephesians 6:14, it tells us to “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…” and Ephesians 6:17 says, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Questions:

What piece of armor holds a very crucial weapon for the Roman solider? A Belt! If the solider didn’t have his belt on, he most likely didn’t have his sword with him.

Buckling truth around you everyday means not conforming to this world, like Romans 12:2 states. It means having your sword with you, which is the word of God. The Bible is God’s Holy Word. Everything that is written in that book is true. There are no lies in the Bible. By having these two pieces of armor, you are able to stand firm against Satan and his lies.

What could be some lies that Satan wants us to believe?

It’s alright to lie, cheat, steal, hurt someone, be selfish, be mean to others, not obey and respect our parents.

What helps us to know what is true and what are lies? The word of God!

A sword is sharp and strong. That’s exactly why God’s word is called a sword, because it is strong to defeat the lies of Satan and it is sharp enough to teach our hearts what we need to learn.

“God’s words give us strength, they help us to make good decisions, they help us get closer to God, and they help us know how to treat others. They can encourage us and even be like food to us because they give us strength.”

Belt Craft:

Again we are using construction paper. (Construction paper is cheap and you can do anything with it 🙂 )I had the kids pick out the color they wanted their belt to be and then fold the construction paper into columns, next they cut down the folded crease. We then stapled the strips together around their waist. We also printed out a letter T and colored it, to remind us what the belt stands for.

Sword Craft:

Right after construction paper, cardboard is my next item I like to use for crafts (Simple is better for the ages I’m working with).

For our swords I used a diaper box. I traced out a sword then cut it out with a box cutter. We wrote the words, Word of God, then had the kids color them (my girls love to color).

I hope you join us tomorrow as we work on the Shield of Faith and Readiness that comes from the gospel of peace worn on our feet.

The Armor of God-Breastplate of Righteousness

Posted on January 15, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

This week we are working on the Armor of God for the girls JBQ (Junior Bible Quizzing) questions.

Today we talked about the Breastplate of Righteousness . In Ephesians 6:14, it tells us to “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place…”

Questions:

What piece of armor protects your vital organs in a battle? A Breastplate! It keeps from arrows or even swords puncturing our heart and lungs.

“Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” Proverbs 11:4

Without righteousness, we leave ourselves open to death. With righteousness, just as with a breastplate, the enemy is stopped from his fatal attacks.

What is righteousness?

“Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” 1 Corinthians 15:34

To be righteous is to do what is right in God’s eyes. God’s commandments are righteousness, sin is the opposite of righteousness. So to be righteous is to obey God’s laws of love.

“..and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” Philippians 3:9

Craft:

Take a big piece of cardboard and draw the outline of a Roman solider’s armor.

Then have the kids cut it out.

I was going to put just a cross on it but the girls had their own ideas. So, add your own personal touch.

While the kids are drawing and coloring on their armor, you can talk about righteousness and what it means.

I hope you join us tomorrow as we work on the Belt of Truth.

The Armor of God-Helmet of Salvation

Posted on January 14, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

This week we are working on the Armor of God for the girls JBQ (Junior Bible Quizzing) questions.

Today we talked about the Helmet of Salvation. In Ephesians 6:17, it tells us to “Take the helmet of salvation…”

Questions:

What is one very important thing you have to wear when riding a bike, a helmet! It protects your head from getting injured.

What purpose did the helmet serve in the Roman army? The Roman helmet, like helmets today, protected the head from the attacks of the enemy.

In 1 Peter 5:8-9 also tells us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

Our enemy hates that we have chosen this path and will stop at nothing to destroy us because of it. Just as the helmet protects the vital but vulnerable head from otherwise fatal blows, the hope of salvation can protect our thoughts from our enemy’s attacks and temptations to disobey God.

Without the helmet of salvation, we will be unprotected from the “cares of this world” that bombard our thoughts and feelings. Imagine not knowing what the future ultimately holds. The worries and problems produced by living in this world would overwhelm us!

Craft:

First color a helmet (Google helmet of salvation coloring sheet)

Have the kids cut out their helmet

Take black construction paper and cut out strips

I measured each of the girls heads with the construction paper, making a band around their head

Then stapled their helmet onto the construction paper band

I hope you join us tomorrow as we work on the breastplate of Salvation.

Who’s your Cheerleader?

Posted on January 10, 2013 by fromthecommittedheart

Happy New Year! Here’s the first blog of 2013!

Have you ever thought about your actions and feelings? When someone or something crosses your way that brings anger or bitterness do you feed those negative thoughts? Do you sit and dwell on them?

Today I had my daughters sit down and picture in their minds themselves getting mad, angry and even losing their temper. Then I told them to picture the devil in hell. Yes, the devil in hell standing there rubbing his hands together and smiling while they hit their sister or pitch a fit. The opposite happens when we are quick to forgive and we act selfless to others. Now imagine with me, God your father smiling in heaven as you share your toys with your friends.

This also works the same with adults. Think of when you talk bad about someone, just because you didn’t like what they did or what they said. The devil is having a cheering party. He knows the more you feed those negative words and feelings, the harder your heart will become. But if we would stop and pull out those four letters that everyone use to wear on their wrist (WWJD) our hearts would be quick to forgive and share the love of Jesus with others through all circumstances.

I asked the girls who they wanted to be their cheerleader. Without hesitation they said, God! I explained they will have to think about their words, feelings and actions toward others at all times.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

1 Peter 5:8

Picture Reflection “2012”

Posted on December 31, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

Happy New Year 2012

Lego Land

Happy 3rd Birthday Baby Girl

Happy 5th Birthday Toria!

Josiah’s Baby Shower

Junior Bible Quizzing Camp

This Quarterback is Ready…

Any Day Now…

Room is almost ready…

just need to finish curtains and hardware

Proud Daddy

Welcome Josiah Javier Boy!

Happy Easter

Our Precious Baby Boy

One Silly Mama on Mother’s Day

Victoria graduated from VPK…way to go Toria!

Happy 7th Birthday to my Mini Twin ❤

Happy Father’s Day

First Time on Skates

Fourth of July

Family Vacation at Siesta Key

Josiah’s 1st Time at the Beach

Back To School!!!

JJ’s 1st Haircut

Animal Kingdom Fun

No Training Wheels!

It’s Fall Time

Our Disney Crew

Sneak Peak at the new Fantasy Land at Disney World

Happy Thanksgiving

Fun Time in Snow Bubbles

The Girls Baptism & Josiah’s Dedication

Thank God for our amazing 2012 year! We were and are blessed in so many ways and we know it all comes from our Heavenly Father, Thank You! Now as 2013 approaches quickly, my prayer for our family is to laugh longer, to always listen with compassion, to never be too busy to stop for a friend or family member, pray without ceasing, look at others through the eyes of our Father, Hug more, Love more, Give more, live selfless, encourage and compliment often, take chances because they may not come around again, and may we do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that we may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then we will shine among them like stars in the sky. For my heart’s cry is to be a reflection of you, Lord. Help us to be your hands in 2013. In Jesus Name Amen!