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Why Do You Like Thanksgiving?
Author Lowell Streiker once asked his 4-year-old grandson how he liked his Thanksgiving dinner. "I didn't like the turkey much, but I sure loved the bread it ate," he replied.
I suspect Grandmother Streiker had something to do with the …Read more.
How Do You Entertain an Angel?
"Make sure the house is clean and a pot of potatoes is in the oven," says Alex, 6.
I'm sure Idaho potato farmers will be glad to know that spuds are finally getting the respect they deserve. Alex, you were probably thinking of their white, …Read more.
KIDS TALK ABOUT GOD
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How Do You Know if You're Going to Heaven?
"My grandma thinks I'm going to heaven," says Kole, 6.
Most grandmas have a special relationship with their grandkids. The kind of love many show to their grandkids is a taste of God's perfect, unconditional love.
"You have to be good,…Read more.
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How Do I Live Without Fear?"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). "When I am scared, God will help me," says Joseph, age 7. "And if a burglar is coming into my house, God will protect us." This world is full of dangerous places and situations. Sheep, like people, are especially vulnerable to fear. Their greatest comfort is seeing the shepherd, but sometimes it's difficult to rest in his protection, says Juliet, 11: "This means to me that he is with you always. I know that he is there, but sometimes I fear, and I know I shouldn't." Isn't that the truth? The shepherd is there with rod and staff in hand ready to defend his sheep against all danger, yet the sheep panic. Often, it's the unexpected that sends sheep and people into a tizzy. Former shepherd and author Phillip Keller writes about the time a friend came to visit. As she opened the car door, a tiny Pekinese pup jumped out. More than 200 sheep grazing nearby leaped up in terror and rushed across the pasture. You won't find Jordan, 11, running from a Pekinese. "It means that you don't have to be scared anymore! Just pray to God, and He will be there quicker than the speed of light. (Even though He's already there!)" The stark contrast between living by fear and living by faith in the shepherd is portrayed in Proverbs 28:1: "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." The only way vulnerable sheep can live with a lion's confidence is to keep close to the shepherd. Although Psalm 23:4 is often read at funerals, there is no mention of death in the original Hebrew text. David drew from his firsthand experience as a shepherd in the Judean desert when he wrote Psalm 23. The contrast between darkness and light is intensified in the desert. Walking after sundown can be deadly. Dark, narrow ravines are ideal hiding places for predators. Shepherds lead their sheep through them to get to better grazing pastures. Yes, death is the ultimate shadow through which we all must walk; however, the Lord's comforting presence can sustain us through any dark time or place. "His rod and staff pull us away from sin," adds Blair, 9. The shepherd's rod and staff work together. Where the staff is used more for gentle functions such as extending a shepherd's reach to rescue a lamb on the edge of a cliff or to free a wayward sheep tangled in a thorny bush, the rod is used more for protection against predators. "God will pull me on the right path with his strong hands," says Jackie, 10, who knows the comfort of the shepherd's rod and staff. "Jesus is the shepherd, and we are his sheep," says Grace, 10. "We will not be afraid if bad things happen to us. And if one goes off someplace, the shepherd will come looking for the sheep and not just let it go." Think About This: Trust the Good Shepherd and live boldly, or trust yourself and live in fear. Memorize This Truth: Psalm 23:4 quoted in the first line of this lesson. Ask This Question: Will you let the Good Shepherd guide you through the dark shadows of your fears? Listen to a talking book, download the "Kids Color Me Bible" for free, watch Kid TV Interviews and travel around the world by viewing the "Mission Explorers Streaming Video" at www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. Bible quotations are from the New King James Version. To find out more about Carey Kinsolving and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CAREY KINSOLVING DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.
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