February 26, 2007 by KellyH.

We’ve gotten behind in our work… off-track… behind schedule… whatever you wish to call it. So, today we’re playing “catch-up” and it isn’t going well. I’m frustrated, wanting the children to hurry up and get done. They’re fidgetty because it’s Monday and they’re not quite into the swing of school (that comes tomorrow). My anger is building and I know that’s not right.

I need to sit down and do the one thing I haven’t done today. Whenever I miss this activity, the whole day gets off-kilter. You guessed it: I missed my quiet time with God!

It’s so simple, yet so very important. Time with my Lord and Savior quiets my spirit, and allows Him to work through me, to accomplish His goals. I know better… I’m always encouraging other moms–even challenging them–to make this a priority in their lives. I’m going to go do this right now, before anymore of the day slips by!

Have you had your time with God today? It doesn’t take a huge commitment. Just read a few passages and discuss them with God. Not sure what to read? What passages are you teaching during your Bible studies with Weaver? Keep Him involved in your day, and He’ll keep your day orderly. Never fails!

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February 22, 2007 by KellyH.

In chapter 8 or Volume 5, we’re studying the concepts of stewardship. I’m having a hard time giving practical applications/examples for each of the concepts. I’m also struggling with defining some of them, as they seem to be the same concept. Take #3 and #12 for example.

#3) Knowledge of the Investment

#12) Knowledge of the Rules

I’m not sure I understand the “rules” to begin with, but it seems both of these come down to knowledge of what you’re getting yourself into when you become a steward.

And what about #5 (Willing to Take a Calculated Risk) and #13 (Preparation for the Unexpected). When we calculate our risks, we are preparing for the unexpected… at least, I am!

And #14 (Faithfulness in Continuane over Time) and #15 (Faithfulness to the Goal Given) seem pretty close as well.

It seems to me that this whole lesson could have been tightened-up a bit. I would have never thought to use some of those Bible verses as examples for stewardship myself. But, then again, I’m not quite as knowledgeable of the Bible as the author of Weaver.

I’d love to hear others’ thoughts on this chapter. How did you handle it? What teaching tips can you give me? Leave a comment and let us know!

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February 22, 2007 by KellyH.

We’re working our way through Chapter 8 of Volume 5. We’ve finished the main parables of Jesus and now we’re working on the stewardship section. There are 23 concepts about stewardship that are being taught over a 15-day period. Today we studied the third concept, Knowledge of the Investment. The Bible examples used by the author were the parable of the new patch on an old garment and the new wine in old wineskins.

To be honest, I’ve never thought of those parables as teaching about stewardship. To me they are teaching that we need to put away our old, earthly thoughts and focus on Christ now that we’re believers. I thought they were teaching us that we shouldn’t try to mix Christianity with Pagan rituals.

In trying to teach the lesson, I had to look at these parables with a fresh eye. I have not changed my mind about the point Jesus was trying to make, but I’ve gained a new appreciation for His choice of words. He chose activities that His audience could relate to–do I do that when trying to get my point across?

Because I’m teaching a wide range of ages (6-16) I often wonder if I’m losing the interest of some of my children while I try to explain something to others. It’s challenging, but I know I need to reach each of them where they’re at, and then challenge them in their thinking so they will grow to the next level of understanding.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of this unit works out, not only for my children, but for my own Bible understanding as well.

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