Teaching His Ways

(A FrankLozano.com Production) We have had a lot of requests to replay the phone call that Pastor Mike shared during our church service on Sunday, Nov. 11th, 2007.

Here you’ll find the video clip that was created just for you. We’ve placed the video on YouTube so that you can watch it and share with family and friends.

Logan is a 13 year-old boy who lives on a ranch in a very small town in Nebraska. Logan listens to Christian Radio station 89.3FM KSBJ which broadcasts from Houston, TX. Logan called the radio station distraught because he had to take down a calf . His words have wisdom beyond his years.

Since airing the audio of the phone call and now the making of the video clip, it has taken on a life of its own. People are forwarding it all over the world. We encourage you to share the love of Christ with anyone you can.

(**Sky Angel is a family safe broadcasting service that is offered on satellite. KSBJ is a local Houston Christian music radio station. Video clip produced with love by www.FrankLozano.com Hear the entire message at www.ValenciaHills.com)

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7th Night Hanukkah Reading

If Christ is your Light, you are no longer in the darkness of this world.

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:  walk as children of light:  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Ephesians 5:8-11

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  Ye are all children of light, and the children of the day:  we are not of the night nor of darkness.  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-6

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I was visiting Dana at Simple Gifts and saw this video from God Tube. I had to share it also.

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I just wanted to write a THANK YOU to Robin Sampson, author of the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach.  I so enjoy using the Bible first method of teaching my children.  I see their hearts and spirits being trained in the ways of the Lord.  We incorporate the Word of God into all of our studies and I am seeing fruit from our labor.

The THANK YOU is because I won a copy of the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach for entering the Weekly Book Giveaway that is sponsored on Robin’s Blog.  I am so excited!  If you have not entered this giveaway please do!

Congratulations to Kim from Little Santuary and Dana from Simple Gifts.
They were winners of the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach e-books.  If you haven’t been by their blogs stop by and read awhile.

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6th Night Hanukkah Reading

 Paul Saw the Light

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  And I said, Who at thou, Lord?  And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.  But rise, and stand upon thy feet:  for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto thee;  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

 Acts 26:12-18

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On December 9th Tamara at Training Hearts will have been blogging for 3 years!  To celebrate she is giving away that wonderful angel bear in the graphic above.  She created this at Build a Bear to commemorate her 3 years of blogging.  If you want to join the party and have an opportunity to become the owner of that beautiful bear then click the graphic above or this link to Training Hearts.

Tamara, I will be praying for families that have lost babies/children.  Thank you for allowing us to celebrate your blogoversary with you!

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(To join the Open House click the graphic above and you will be taken to the instruction page.)

How my family keeps Christ the focus of Christmas

For years, we celebrated Christmas in the traditional ways that most every other family celebrates it. We put up a Christmas tree, hung stockings and then shopped and made cookies and went to parties with other families. Those were all very fun things to do and we have many wonderful blessings. However, a few years ago God gently put His finger on this area of our life and I began to look around and ask “Where is Jesus in all of this?” So, we started by cutting back on the number of gifts. Well, that didn’t bring Jesus front and center. The next year we decided not to put up a Christmas tree. It was a very difficult decision however, this was also the year we began observing Hanukkah.

We ordered a Hanukkah Menorah from Israel…..it didn’t arrive before the first candle lighting but that was ok because I had set up some small votive candle holders and elevated the middle candle, or the shamash/servant candle. We used that until the Menorah arrived. Celebrating Hanukkah and reading about the light in scriptures and remembering that Jesus is the Light of the World really helped my family to keep our focus on Christ and not on everything else. The children still received gifts on Christmas morning but we didn’t have stockings. We are on our third year celebration of Hanukkah and tonight was the fifth reading. You can view the posts for each night’s reading at these links:

First Night Reading and Blessings

Second Night Reading

Third Night Reading

Fourth Night Reading

Fifth Night Reading

I also learned about Jesse Trees this year. I was somewhat skeptical about this concept but after visiting many websites and seeing that everything being read comes from the Word of God I felt that we couldn’t go wrong with this.

We decided to use a natural tree branch and went outside and cut a branch from an oak tree. We put it in a beautiful old world style planter and cut out ornaments and pasted them to different shapes and have been hanging them on the tree each night since December 2nd. I chose devotions that are very easy for young children to understand. Each night we read the scripture and I read the discussion to the kids. Then there is a short question for them to answer and a short prayer for us to say together. It has been very fun and encouraging to hear how much the children remember from our Bible studies. Our four year old little girl pretty much told the story of Adam and Eve and the fruit the night we hung the apple on the tree. Her daddy was very surprised and pleased to hear how much she knew. The Jesse Tree has really helped us to make our home feel more like Christmas is here. We still put out candles and cut cedar branches from our tree and make arrangements. We make Christmas a special time and still bake cookies and listen to carols and Christmas music. It’s been difficult making changes but we’ve been blessed with learning more about God’s ways and He is helping us to “fill” what felt like an empty place when we did away with our old traditions and He is bringing new ones to take their place. I hope that someday our Christmas will become more of a ministry to others….making and delivering gifts to those in need and teaching about Jesus. It may come sooner than I would have imagined because this year my 10 year old son has started giving his time to a local food ministry. He goes with my Mother every Wednesday to serve food to others. He will be making small gift bags to give to children that come to eat at this ministry. It is very encouraging to see my child give his time to others and be so compassionate and caring.

Now, having shared about the changes we have made I would like to express that we don’t think it is wrong to put up a Christmas tree and hang stockings. We have made changes out of obedience to our Lord. It was not something we expected to have happen in our lives….but it did. So please don’t feel that I am preaching to anyone about how things should be done….because that is not the intent of my heart. I hope that I will be allowed to share my heart without being beat up for it. May everyone be blessed as you celebrate the birth of our Savior in your own ways! I do enjoy reading everyone’s blogs and comments.

Shalom and blessings!

Stacy

**Disclaimer - the links provided for Jesse Tree information are for informational purposes only. The writer of this blog is in no way communicating support for any churches, denominations or religious organizations affiliated with the website links.

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5th Night Hanukkah Reading

 The Messiah is the Light of the World

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 1:4-5

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:  he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:12

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.  Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you:  for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.  While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.  These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

John 12:35-36

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4th Night Hanukkah Reading

The Light of the Body is the Eye

The light of the body is the eye:  therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

Luke 11:34

 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Acts 26:18

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