Family

What lovely birthday celebrations I had on Saturday. The family came over at noon and we had a buffet lunch, with of course trifle and cake.

I have four grandchildren one who is a young man and two who are at school and little Stanley who is a year old. We had great fun with bubbles, Frisbees, making sand angels on my beach, and playing football. We had planned to go to Brinsley (the place I grew up) but unsure of the weather and one or two having work we decided instead just to go to the local park.

It was so busy when we got there as there was a musical festival on, I had know idea it was happening, “look” I said to Huey and Noah, “all these people have come to mama’s birthday party” after a quizzical look they soon realised I was only joking. We did find room to play football, Huey and Stanley went straight to the water which we hadn’t prepared for. None the less it was a lovely afternoon, the weather was warm and the rain held off and everyone had a lovely time. We were amused when the band sang happy birthday to someone and Noah said, "they did know mama!" 

Memories to treasure

Unfortunately, we don’t all get together very often as a family, we do see each other at separate times, and we are all there for one another should the need arise, but we do have lovely times together.

I was thinking about family and how those who know Jesus Christ as their Saviour are adopted into the family of God, and as a family we are to be there for one another, building one another up, and encouraging one another. If we are a part of God’s family then we belong, and God’s word reminds us that we are not to forsake assembling together;

Hebrews 10: 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

There are no lone ranger Christians in the family of God. Now we must remember that for some it is hard to get together with their brothers and sisters because of persecution, and we should and must hold them up in prayer before the Father. But for us in the West we have no such restrictions and so we should come together as often as possible to worship, and to learn from His word. We are a family and we should not forsake one another, as children obey their natural parents so should we all the more be obedient to our heavenly Father and His Word.

I pray that God will richly bless you as you consider His Word and grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

The Stanley Project

My grandson Stanley was one year old on the 18th of June. For the past couple of months, I have been making his present. I had bought a book of nursery rhymes to give to him at Easter, I had also been in a charity shop and bought a colourful box covered in felt that said “What’s inside” on it. 

The toys inside weren’t in very good condition and so I threw them away but I had a lovely idea for the box and the book because when I got it home and looked at it I was so taken with the pictures as they all looked like they were hand made toys. So I decided to get a different Easter present and make the individual ‘toys’ with felt, some I made into finger puppets.

Five Little Speckled frogs

 Some I put a squeaker in, I really enjoyed making them.

I'm a Little Teapot

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I traced the pictures and cut out templates and I tried wherever possible to keep the colours the same, unfortunately I got some of them the wrong way round from the picture as you can see from the picture above but I am sure that Stanley won’t mind. Hopefully he will be able to tell which toy belongs to which image.  

The Stanley Project

It always amazes me that man is really creative and yet struggles to believe they are created. Everything is designed and created that we use, I think the man who invented the computer would be quite upset if anyone believed it had all just come together from a big bang. The Bible tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made,

Psalm 139:14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

The more we learn about the human body the more we realise just how complex and amazing it is, we know and accept the computer was designed and created by man but refuse to believe man was created by God. Where on earth do they think we get our creativity from?

We are made in the image and likeness of God but unfortunately this image has been marred by sin, which caused a rift between the Creator and the created. Fortunately for us God has put a plan in place that would mean we would no longer be estranged from God or suffer eternal punishment for our sins.

Jesus Christ God's Son died in our place and took the punishment for our sins, we can be forgiven turn from sin and have a relationship with God and with Jesus.

Stanley can’t have a personal relationship with the things I’ve created but God can and will have a relationship with all who repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.