Author: S. J. Little

Infrequent Watering

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

I stepped into the kitchen. Time to make supper.

My eyes roamed the room as I pondered what to make for our evening meal.

The plants on top of the cupboards caught my attention.

I frowned. 

My spider plant was looking pale green and wilty. My pothos was drooping. My Christmas cactus appeared to be handling the man-made drought reasonably well, but it wasn’t thriving.

I needed to water them. It had been far too long.

The problem was, they were up high, beyond my reach, unless I climbed on a kitchen chair.

I heard the pitter patter of little feet behind me.

My 2 year old entered the kitchen. The very 2 year old who had pushed a chair to the kitchen counter to pull a bowl out of the cupboard all by himself the other day…

I glanced at the top shelf plants with a sigh. They’d have to wait until later. I wasn’t foolish enough to set an example of climbing on a kitchen chair to reach something even higher in front of my son. Who knew what mischief he would get into, bolstered by my example?

I would have to remember to water them later, once the kids were in bed.

Setting my concern about my plants aside, I turned to my son with a cheery smile.

“Let’s find something for you to do at the table while I make supper.”

Why do I bring up this scene? Because it has an important reminder for me, and perhaps you will find it valuable as well.

When I picture my walk with God as a plant, I am reminded that I need to be intentional to water my plant.

If my walk with Jesus isn’t receiving enough water, it won’t thrive. It will wilt.

True, water isn’t the only factor needed to make plants thrive. They need the right amount of sunlight, good soil, and nutrients.

Perhaps having my heart in the right place – humble and trusting God – can be represented by the sunlight a plant needs. Without sunlight, no amount of watering will make a plant grow. Likewise, without my heart in the right place my walk with Jesus will not function.

That said, a plant will not grow and thrive without regular watering no matter how perfect the other factors are.

The plants on my top shelf show this clearly.

Indeed, it is especially evident when you consider my spider plant.

My sister gave me my spider plant from her larger plant. At the same time, she gave a spider plant of the same age to my mom.

My mom’s spider plant has been well watered. It has been strategically placed to receive the right type of light.

In contrast, my poor spider plant is up on a high shelf so the kids don’t get it, and it has certainly been under watered.

My mom’s spider plant is thriving. It is lush green, much bigger than mine, and beginning to reproduce.

My plant is smaller, often pale, and nowhere near ready to reproduce.

As with these spider plants, I must be watering my walk with Jesus if I want it to grow and thrive.

So how do I water my relationship with Jesus? Bible reading, Bible teaching, prayer, singing praise, and fellowship.

I need to be intentional to make it a regular practice to read or listen to the Bible for myself.

Finding Biblically sound Bible teaching pastors to listen to or read books by is also incredibly valuable. (One of my favorites is Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel.)

Spending time in prayer – conversation with God – is vital. Someone once equated prayer to breathing in order to convey just how essential it is to spiritual life.

There are many ways to pray. Praying by oneself or praying with others. Praying for practical needs, praying for spiritual growth, and prayers of praise for who God is. Taking time for each of these can refresh and strengthen my walk with God. 

Singing worship songs (even more than just listening to them) helps turn my focus back to Jesus.

Fellowship is time spent with other Christians. Encouraging and being encouraged by each other – serving and being served. Discussing the things of God.

Regular attendance at a Bible teaching church covers most of these elements, but once a week is not enough.

I am not a cactus that only needs occasional watering.

I need to be watering my walk with Jesus daily, even better if hourly.

This can looked very different in different seasons of life. Making regular habits can help me consistently add water to my walk with Jesus.

Some possibilities include reading my Bible first thing, or listening to a 5 minute devotional (like this podcast by David Guzik).

I can build in regular times of prayer for my family, missionaries, and prayers of thanksgiving. On top of that, I can find a couple of friends to meet with regularly to pray for our church, community, and country.

Today, may I seek out one more way to add water to my walk with Jesus and begin to make that a regular habit.

 

What are some of your regular habits that water your walk with Jesus? Feel free to share in the comments below.

Water Fun – 3.10 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 3 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 10

Water Fun

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more...

Want to learn more about Add A Little Curriculum? Check out the Parent / Teacher Guide

Movement Moment

Spot and Spray

Supplies:

  • One or more spray bottles (clean), alternatively use water guns
  • Chalk

Prep:

  • Choose an area outside where you can write with chalk and spray it off.

Time to Play:

  • Write several letters spaced out around your playing area. (Alternatively write numbers.)
  • Explain to your child that you will tell them a letter, such as “W”, and they get to find that letter and spray it with water to erase it.
  • Give your child the spray bottle and have them spray the letter you tell them.
  • If you have multiple children playing, give each child a turn to spray one letter, then give each child a turn to spray a second letter, and so on.

Art Activity

Fishing Fun

Caution: This activity involves string, which can pose a strangling risk, and magnets which are harmful if swallowed and pose a choking hazard. Many 3 year olds are mature enough for this activity, but some are not. Adult supervision is required, and adult discretion is necessary as to whether this activity is appropriate for your specific child and setting.

Supplies:

  • String – be sure the string is no longer than 8″ or 20cm. Consider using yarn or other string that has some thickness to it.
  • 1 Stick per child – can use almost anything as the fishing rod stick, from an old washable marker to a 6-12″ or 15-30cm stick from outside.
  • One magnet per fishing rod – keep in mind, magnets are hazardous if swallowed so choose your magnet carefully.
  • Printed Fish Colouring Sheet (or blank paper you to draw your own fish on)
  • 1 Paperclip per fish – double-check that your paperclips are attracted to magnets as not all are.
  • Crayons or other colouring/decorating options
  • Scissors
  • Optional: Glue or tape to help with making fishing rods

Prep:

  • Create one fishing rod per child.
  • Print out the free fish colouring sheet download
  • Optional: Cut the fish out ahead of time. Alternatively let your child cut the fish out after colouring them.

Time to Create:

  • Show your child the fishing rod and explain that you are making fish to catch with it.
  • Give your child the fish to colour with the crayons.
  • Once the fish are decorated and cut out, secure a paperclip on the mouth of each fish.
  • Put the fish on the floor and invite your child to pick them up with the fishing rod.

Five-Minute Focus

Let’s Learn Our Numbers

Number of the Unit:

   10

Number Activity:

Let’s Sing

10 Little Raindrops

Let’s Read

The Berenstain Bears at the Aquarium

Jan & Mike Berenstain

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Deep and Wide

Let’s Read

BIBLE

Read the next story in the picture Bible you are working your way through. Need recommendations for a good Children’s picture Bible? Click Here

Illuminated Trees

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

With a sigh, I sank into the rocking chair in the quiet room.

What a busy day. The older kids were finally in bed and nearly asleep now.

Alone for the first time all day, I let my eyes scan the scene out my window. The sky behind the house tops and trees carried the deep blue of a recent rainstorm.

My gaze shifted to the room around me as I turned to prayer for discernment regarding an allegory to write next.

When I turned back to the window, the trees caught my attention. They glowed!

The sinking sun behind my house shone brilliantly on the trees, making them stand out vividly against the dark sky.

Just like that, I had an allegory to write. (This one that you are reading now.)

Those trees, so ordinary to me because I saw them every day, stood out now in unmistakable beauty.

I noticed one of the many chimneys visible from my window glowing in stunning sharpness. The rest of the chimneys remained their typical grey and steel.

I pulled out my phone to record these thoughts.

When I paused to look out the window again, lower clouds had drifted into view. They were illuminated against the dark clouds.

An airplane flew by, gleaming in the sunshine.

What a lovely scene.

A few minutes later, the trees faded into typical shades, boring compared to what they had just been. Yet the sky behind them shone cheery pink in the setting sun’s rays.

So what is the allegory, you may be wondering.

To me, this scene of stunning contrast is a picture of how God so often speaks through the Bible.

As someone who has read the entire Bible many times, no passage is brand new to me.

Just like the trees outside my window, the Bible stories, at first glance, are normal.

I should mention that, on the average day, it is not uncommon for my husband and I to comment to each other how pleasant the scene outside our window is with trees and sky, chimneys and airplanes. That said, it is very routine for me to see this scene.

Likewise, reading God’s Word is precious and wonderful, an incredible privilege. Yet I have read it before. It isn’t shiny new.

This evening, however, looking out the window, those trees looked new. They stood out stunningly in the brilliant light of the evening sun.

So often, this is how God speaks through His Word, the Bible. He shines His “Son-shine,” if you will, on a passage making it jump from the page in a way I’ve never noticed before.

The passage comes alive.

If I never took the time to look out the window, and left the blinds closed, I would not see the illuminated trees.

If I never took the time to read the Bible, but left it closed on the shelf, I would miss what God wants to say to me through it.

If I only ever approached the window as a to-do task – to clean the window pane and wipe the dust from the sill – I would very possibly miss seeing the beautiful scene outside.

If I only ever read the Bible to check it off my to-do list, I may or may not notice what God is wanting to say to me.

Indeed there are many days when my Bible reading feels like no more than a task to get done. (This is far better than not opening it at all.)

But what if today, I remember to pause as I go to open my Bible, to ask God to tune my heart to His by teaching me something as I read the Bible.

It may not be fireworks or lightning, but far more often than not, if I slow down, turning my attention towards God as I open the Bible, He has something to teach me.

Oftentimes it is a gentle reminder, or sometimes a new depth of understanding. Occasionally it is a vivid instruction.

Yet how would I hear and learn unless I opened the Bible and began to read?

Likewise, how would I have seen the brilliant trees outside my window, if I had left the curtains closed?

“Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 CSB

Today, may I make time to seek God through reading the Bible. He will meet me there.

If you are new to reading the Bible, I highly recommend starting with the book of John.

 

If you are looking for a Bible reading plan, or simply a way to record which chapters you’ve read, I encourage you to print out a copy of my DIY Bible Reading Plan. It’s free for my subscribers. (Already subscribed? Click the Free Downloads link in your email and then scroll down until you find the Bible reading plan).

Bugs – 3.9 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 3 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 9

Bugs

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more...

Want to learn more about Add A Little Curriculum? Check out the Parent / Teacher Guide

Movement Moment

Stomp A Bug

Supplies:

Prep:

  • Cut out each bug (doesn’t have to be fancy cutting – can be left in loose ovals).
  • Decide which letters or numbers you want to work on with your child. (You can do the numbers of this unit, a few letters, the whole alphabet, or, if doing the activity with only one or two children, the letters of their name. If playing with a large group of children, consider having multiple bugs with each letter.)
  • Write one letter or number on each bug.
  • Clear an area for active play.

Time to Play:

  • Place the bugs on the floor. If they are slippery, consider taping them down.
  • Call out a letter, such as “A”. Have all the children run to find the bug with “A” on it. Continue the fun by calling another letter to run to.
  • Once your children have the hang of the game, consider adding actions as well. For example: “Hop to ‘E’.” Or “Tiptoe to ‘5’.”

Art Activity

Ladybug Painting

Supplies:

  • Red paper
  • Child safe scissors
  • Black paint
  • Small container/plate for putting black paint in
  • Q-tips or other cotton swabs
  • One marker
  • Optional: Googly eyes

Prep:

  • Boldly trace a circle onto the red paper. The circle can be around 4″ or 11cm in diameter.
  • Pour a small amount of black paint into the container (you don’t need much).
  • Create a sample for your child to reference by following the steps below.

Time to Create:

  • Give your child the red paper with the circle traced on it. Have them cut out the circle.
  • Next, using the Q-tip and black paint, help them paint a line for the head and a line to divide the two wings.
  • Let them cover the head with paint and add spots to the wings.
  • Optional: Add googly eyes to the head.

Five-Minute Focus

Let’s Learn Our Numbers

Numbers of the Unit

7 8 9

Number Activity

Supplies: 9 buttons per person (child and teacher)

Time to Learn:

  • Count out 7 buttons. Arrange them in the shape of number seven. Have your child copy with their buttons.
  • Next, count out 8 buttons. Arrange them in the shape of number eight. Have your child copy.
  • Repeat for number 9.                

  • For other letter/number teaching techniques, visit: https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/teaching-the-abcs-at-circle-time/

Let’s Sing

Butterfly, Ladybug, Bumblebee

Let’s Read

The Very Busy Spider

Eric Carle

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

What A Mighty God We Serve

Let’s Read

BIBLE

Read the next story in the picture Bible you are working your way through. Need recommendations for a good Children’s picture Bible? Click Here

Bonus!

Check out to catchy upbeat song “Work Like the Ant” by Amy Essen

Heel Pricks

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

The nurse stepped into our room.

“How’s baby doing?”

I glanced up. “He’s starting to stir. Likely he’ll be hungry soon.“

She took a moment to study our newborn as he lay swaddled in the bassinet.

Next, she turned to the monitor screen showing his heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.

She checked his IV line. It was still running smoothly.

She turned to us then. “The doctor has ordered some blood work. I’ll have to prick his heel to get 25-30 drops of blood so they can check to see how he’s doing. Are you okay if I go ahead with that?”

My husband and I glanced at each other and nodded. “Yes, go ahead.”

The nurse put a little heat pack on our son’s heel and got to work preparing what was needed.

A minute or two later, she turned back to our newborn.

She took the heat pack off and examined his heel. He already had a few scabs from previous pricks, but she found a new spot.

He was awake now and starting to look for food.

When the nurse pricked his heel, his little face scrunched up and turned red. He began to cry.

The nurse squeezed his heel to get one drop of blood out of his foot and then another. She skillfully collected the sample into a little tube.

I pressed a soother into my newborn’s mouth, but to little avail.

“It’s okay,” I told him. “It’ll help them get you feeling better.”

But he didn’t understand.

He continued to cry – a heart-wrenching newborn cry.

The nurse continued her work.

Finally the nurse had collected enough blood to be able to send it for testing. 

Dodging cords from his monitors, we changed his little diaper, and I picked him up for nursing.

He calmed as soon as I began to nurse him.

We breathed a sigh of relief.

– – – –

Why would we allow someone to intentionally hurt our little guy who had no idea what was going on?

That wasn’t the only time we okayed something that hurt him either.

Even in the first 24 hours of his life outside the womb, my husband gave permission for nurses to do blood work.

Our little boy cried hard each time his heel was pricked. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew something hurt. 

Why would we, as loving parents, allow and even encourage someone to hurt our baby?

Because we knew it might help.

You see, when our little boy was born, he was having difficulty breathing. It was bad enough that they admitted him to the hospital NICU.

After a couple of days on a CPAP machine and oxygen, our son had improved some, but then began to show signs of infection, including in some of his bloodwork. When they put him on antibiotics, he quickly improved.

He had to remain in hospital until his antibiotics were completed because they were given by IV.

What a relief when we could take our baby home with us after a week in the NICU! He transitioned home so smoothly that you’d never know he had needed that extra care.

(A quick shout out to say thank you to the NICU team for their incredible care for the precious little ones in their unit. It was amazing to see the work they do.)

Why share all this? Because my husband pointed out a powerful allegory in the midst of it.

He, as a loving dad, allowed the nurses to prick our little boy and make him bleed. Why? Because he could see the big picture.

My son didn’t understand. All he knew was that something hurt. He couldn’t have even told me that it was his foot. He just knew that something hurt and he didn’t like it.

My newborn did the only thing he knew to do. He cried. 

Did I rebuke my son for crying? No. I almost felt like crying right alongside him. 

Instead, I sought to comfort him and, in a sense, to join him in his suffering.

In comparison to God, I am like my little newborn. 

I am small and helpless.

I do not understand the big picture.

I feel it if something hurts me – oh boy, do I feel it!

I typically have no idea that there might be a purpose behind the pain, nor of what that purpose might be.

God is good, and God is love. He is at work behind the scenes orchestrating everything for His glory and for the good of those who love Him. (Rom. 8:28)

When a heel prick comes in my life (indeed it is when, not if), how should I respond?

First, I find time to take my crying to God.

Just as I didn’t rebuke my newborn for crying, God welcomes me to tell Him how I’m feeling. He cares about me.

If I feel the need, I can even ask God, “Why?”

More likely than not, God will not tell me why on this side of heaven, but I can still ask. 

Then I move on to surrender the whole thing to Him, trusting that He is in control and knows what He is doing even if I don’t know why. 

I turn my eyes upon Jesus. I remind myself of who He is: all-mighty, all-knowing, good, loving, and interested in the details of my life.

While all that is good and deeply valuable, on a practical level, what should I do when my heel is pricked? When grief or unknowns make me stutter?

In the words of Elizabeth Elliott, I “do the next thing.”

I determine the next thing to do, whether that is make supper or pack a hospital bag, and I do it. Sometimes I have to be even more specific when finding the next thing to do: peel the onion… Put a phone charger in the hospital bag… Once that’s done, I can do the next thing.

“Wait for the Lord and keep His way…” (Psalm 37:34)

Next time I have my heel pricked, may I remember to take my emotions to God, to surrender and trust Him, to remind myself who God is, and to do the next thing.