Christmas Lesson for Mom

It doesn't matter what time I go to bed...I almost always wake up about 7 am. And it's just enough time to sit and pray and reflect, maybe do a little reading before anyone else wakes up.

This morning I'm thinking of our Christmas break, our Christmas holiday, the time we've shared together. It's been such a picture perfect couple of days, spending time with family, giving and receiving,cooking and eating...celebrating Jesus.

This year instead of me reading the Christmas story out of the Bible before we opened gifts, Joshua asked if he could tell the story. So he told the story from memory and did a good job of it. I admit that part of me felt like he did that so he could hurry up and get to the presents. I almost made everyone wait while I read the story from the Bible...but something tugged on my heart. " Stop Penny. Stop trying to control every moment. What is it that you're trying to teach him?"

I want my kids to know that they are not Christians in training, that they have access to God and the power of the Holy Spirit now. They can serve, they can worship, they can be prayer warriors and their contributions to our family worship time are just as valuable as my own.

I could have read the passage of Jesus' birth but I didn't need to. Joshua had allready done a beautiful job of telling it.

There's Freedom in NOT Having all of the Answers

He is Trustworthy When I am Afraid

You Wouldn't Cry - Mandisa

Bible Learning Plan for Judges Through Kings

I love the Veritas Press Bible Curriculum and just got done raving about it a few days or so ago, but right now I can't justify the cost...

So, realizing that you don't need a curriculum to teach the Bible but that it's nice to have a plan I put together the following list. What I did was decide what 36 events from the books of Judges through Kings I want to study with the kids over the next year. Then I googled like crazy trying to find movies (my kids still love Veggie Tales), activities, games, crafts, lessons, worksheets and color pages to go with the events I chose. (I'm certainly not committed to using them all the time but they're nice to have when you want them.) For the few lessons that I was unable to find something to go with we'll probably paint or draw what we read about.

As with all the other lesson plans I put together I'm publishing these in hopes that someone else will find them useful and not have to redo all the work I've done.


1. Deborah - Judges 4 Calvary Chapel Deborah Worksheets
Rockin' the Standards - Place Value Rap Lyrics
Rockin' the Standards - Place Value Rap on You Tube
2. The Call of Gideon - Judges 6-7
Calvary Chapel the Call of Gideon Worksheets
Calvary Chapel Gideon's Army Worksheets
eBibleTeacher.com Gideon Goes to War Worksheet/Color Page
Build an outdoor shelter using materials we find in the yard only.
Review the 10 Commandments.
Fighting the Giants - Gideon and the Fleece
Fighting the Giants - Gideon's 300 Men
3. Jotham and Abimelech - Judges 9 Give Me Leadership or Give Me Death - David C Cook lesson on Judges 8-9

4. Jephthah's Vow - Judges 11

5. Samson and the Lion - Judges 13-14 Calvary Chapel's Samson is Born Worksheets

6. Samson and Delilah/Samson in the Temple - Judges 16
Calvary Chapel's Samson and Delilah Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's Samson Pulls Down the Temple Worksheets
Online Bible Trivia Game covering the Book of Judges
Grass Seed Samson Craft
Movie - Veggie Tales: Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Samson's Hairbrush

7. Ruth and Naomi - Ruth 1-4 Calvary Chapel's Ruth Chooses to Stay with Naomi Worksheets
What Makes a Good Friend? Accordion Book
Calvary Chapel's Ruth Gleans in the Fields Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's Boaz Redeems Ruth Worksheets
Movie- Veggie Tales: Duke and the Great Pie War

8. Samuel is Called to Serve God - 1 Samuel 1-3
Calvary Chapel's Hannah Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's Samuel is Born Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's Eli and His Wicked Son's Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's Samuel is Called Worksheets
Book- Adopted for a Purpose by Pauline Youd

9. The Ark is Captured - 1 Samuel 4-6
Calvary Chapel's The Capture and the Return of the Ark Worksheets
Ark of the Covenant Crafts

10. Samuel Anoints Saul - 1 Samuel 8-10
Calvary Chapel's Saul is Made King of Israel Worksheets
Crowns for Bible Kings Craft and Lesson on the Difference Between Crowning and Anointing

11. Saul's Downfall - 1 Samuel 11, 13

12. God Chooses David - 1 Samuel 16
Calvary Chapel's David is Anointed King by Samuel

13. David and Goliath - 1 Samuel 17 Calvary Chapel's David and Goliath Worksheets
The Battle is the Lord's Wall Hanging Craft
Movie- Veggie Tales: Dave and the Giant Pickle

14. Saul's Jealousy - 1 Samuel 18-19 Saul's Jealousy of David Matching Worksheet

15. David and Jonathan - 1 Samuel 20 Calvary Chapel's The Friendship of David and Jonathan Worksheets
Friendship Postcards Craft
eBibleTeacher.com Choosing Our Friends Worksheet

16. David Spares Saul's Life - 1 Samuel 24 Calvary Chapel's David Spares Saul's Life Twice Worksheets

17. David and Abigail - 1 Samuel 25

18. The Death of Saul - 1 Samuel 28, 31 Calvary Chapel's Saul and His Sons Die in Battle Worksheets

19. David the King - 2 Samuel 5-6 Calvary Chapel's David is Made King Worksheets

20. David is Kind to Mephibosheth - 2 Samuel 9 Calvary Chapel's David is Kind to Mephibosheth Worksheets

21. David and Bathsheba - 2 Samuel 11-12 eBibleTeacher.com David and Bathsheba Lesson

22. Absalom's Rebellion - 2 Samuel 12-18 eBibleTeacher.com Lesson on Absalom's Rebellion

23. David's Last Words - 2 Samuel 23

24. Solomon Becomes King/The Wisdom of Solomon - 1 Kings 1-3 Calvary Chapel's Solomon is Made King Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's The Wisdom of Solomon Worksheets

25. The Building of the Temple - 1 Kings 5-8 Calvary Chapel's Solomon Builds the Temple Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's The Dedication of the Temple Worksheets

26. Solomon and the Queen of Sheba - 1 Kings 10
Calvary Chapel's The Queen of Sheba Worksheets

27. Elijah in the Wilderness/ Elijah Helps a Widow - 1 Kings 17 Calvary Chapel's The Ravens Bring Food to Elijah Worksheets
Raven Finger Puppet Craft
Calvary Chapel's Elijah Helps a Poor Widow Worksheets
eBibleTeachers A Widow's Jars of Oil Color Page
Bread Recipes so the kids can make bread for the family like the widow did for Elijah

28. Elijah and the Priests of Baal - 1 Kings 18 Calvary Chapel's Elijah Beats the Prophets of Baal Worksheets

29. Elijah and the Angel - 1 Kings 19 Calvary Chapel's The Still Small Voice Worksheets

30. Elijah Chooses Elisha - 1 Kings 19
Calvary Chapel's Elijah Chooses Elisha Worksheets

31. Naboth's Vineyard - 1 Kings 21 Naboth's Vineyard Booklet Idea
eBibleTeacher.com Ahab Asks to Buy Naboth's Vineyard Color Page

32. The Parting of Elijah - 2 Kings 2 Calvary Chapel's Elijah is Taken to Heaven Worksheets

33. Elisha and the Widow / Woman of Shunem / Boy Raised From the Dead - 2 Kings 4 Calvary Chapel's Elisha Helps a Poor Widow Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's Elisha and the Shunnamite Woman Worksheets
Calvary Chapel's Elisha Raises a Boy From the Dead Worksheets

34. Elisha and Naaman - 2 Kings 5 Calvary Chapel's Naaman's Leprosy is Healed Worksheets
Naaman is Healed Song and Craft

35. The Crowning of Joash/Joash Repairs the Temple - 2 Kings 11-12 Calvary Chapel's Joash Repairs the Temple Worksheets
Treasure Chest Craft

36. The Death of Elisha - 2 Kings 13

J's Creative Worship

From beads to a "Body of Christ Necklace"...

to remind him that God made each of us different and with a special job to do. (1 Corinthians 12)

From "melty beads"...

to Easter gifts, so he can share Jesus' love with others.

For us art and Bible quite often go hand in hand. This is especially true for J because when it comes to learning he's very hands on.

Now you know. :)

He Is Risen (Illustrated by W and J)

Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:1-15