The Young Family Farm »

We love felt stories at our house—it’s a great way to teach scripture to your children…and it’s a great way for them to retell the story themselves. Often, they ask to take the stories with them–only taking a huge felt board here and there or even to their rooms for quiet time isn’t always ideal. SO…for one of our March crafts, I decided to make a felt book!

We cut letters out of felt to spell “My Felt Book” on our cover. Then we hot-glued the words on AND sewed around the edges. For the front and back pages—we sewed two pieces of felt together using the zig-zag stitch. BUT before we did that—we first sewed a simple white pocket for the front page to store the felt to fit one story…

We have the story of creation in our pocket and you can buy the precut set here or here. We also bought the pre-cut set to the story of Moses, Jonah, Noah, and the birth of Jesus too. And later we got the whole kit–but its taking me forever to cut out! I totally recommend these pre-cuts though! AND…you can make a real simple felt board by buying some felt from your local craft store and hot-glueing it on a board. This felt book will also be a fun “on the go”…

The inside pages are just single pages of felt—and I sewed a decorative stitch down the center to hold the book together…

OK…finished that one this morning for our sweet little friend who was over playing with us this morning—working on another now…and one more this afternoon and we will have whipped out 3 felt books in an afternoon. Granted this one is mostly on mommy—but it will serve mommy well when everyone is quietly playing with their felt books and using their little minds to retell the stories that are written on their hearts.

We are finally to the final chapters of Deuteronomy…wow—the year is flying by and we’ve completed yet another book of the OT…which remind me today of my Granddaddy Frank. Deuteronomy is a book of remembrance. And memory was one thing my grandfather struggled with in his last years as he battled Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a devestating disease that robs your memory—yet even in his last days he seemed to remember what mattered most.

One of my last memories of my Granddaddy Frank before his entering a Alzheimer’s care center was in his living room–and his sharing the gospel with my teenage rebellious soul. Granddaddy Frank sat down beside me on his long, short floral couch–looked in my eyes and putting his hand on my knee said…

“Honey, I don’t know who you are–but I know you must be someone that is important to me”

My heart sank. The man who took me fishing…who’d wake me early on Sunday morning to his playing the piano and singing hymns…now couldn’t even remember who I was. My heart was crushed—yet I felt like he could see right through me. As I sat there with a man I knew was even holy in his defeat with memory, I could sense he was still full of wisdom. His next statement would prove this to be true…

“I don’t know who you are. But I know the Lord loves you. And He wants you to know Him.”

That’s the last conversation I remember having that made reasonable sense with my Granddaddy Frank. Months later he was in a hospital, and it wasn’t long before we buried him—and as the green berets saluted and folded the flag at his funeral…I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit for one of the first times in my life. And it would be this experience that would draw me into the heart of my Savior.

These last two chapters in Deuteronomy record Moses reminding the people to remember who they were—sinners saved by the grace of God…and to remember what HE had done for them. To remember we are saved by God alone and what He has done for us—will take us, like the Israelites, into the promised land. Moses instructed them to stay close to the Lord—and to hold tight to His word. And then—he spoke blessings over them. Let us not give up to CLINGING and FEEDING on His Word. It is His Word that will keep us humble, keep us close to His heart and keep us in His will as we follow Him.

The Story of Rehab…

Oh my! To have two amazing pieces of scripture in ONE day?! How glorious! And how will I ever be able to fully cover this amazing story?! Joshua chapters 1 and 2 tells the story of Joshua becoming the leader—following in Moses’s shoes (what BIG shoes to fill!) and the story of Rehab hiding the spies so they would safely be able to enter the Promised Land. These two chapters are really about encouraging and having faith.

In Chapter 1, Joshua takes his leadership role—and God encourages Joshua from His commission (verse 1-2), from His promises (3-6), from His Word (7-8) and from His commandments (v.9). How important it is for us to be daily in His Word! The Lord wants to encourage us all in our walks, but it’s very hard for Him to do when we don’t come to Him or know His Word. Where to start? I think doing something like this read-the-Bible is one GREAT place to start. Even if you jump in the middle–it’s daily being in His Word where He will often guide you! It’s never too late to start studying His Word!!!

In Chapter 2, one of my all time favorite Bible stories is told. The story of Rehab. Did you know that only 2 women are personally named in Hebrews in “The Hall of Fame of Faith”? Sarah and Rahab. AND there couldn’t be two women who are MORE different!!! One (Sarah) is a godly woman and devoted wife. The other (Rehab)…a prostitute who sells her body to the world. The one thing they have in common? Faith. Did you know when you read the geneology of Christ in Matthew 1 that you’ll find Rehab’s name in there!? This is one story you don’t want to skim through or skip over!

And this is one story I could talk about all day. So–we have a prostitute who often has men over for…well, different reasons why the spies show up on this day. Rehab was the only person in Jericho that trusted the God of Israel, and God brought the spies to her. Isn’t it amazing how the Word is full of surprises! The least expected place to find someone who trusts God–yet God knows her heart and brings the spies to her. Rehab had faith in God—and in this chapter she proved that faith. She had a courageous faith–risking her life to house the spies. She had a confident faith–as she told the spies she KNEW God had given them the land for them. She had a concerned faith–she wasn’t going to just rescue herself…she looked out for those she loved…she wanted to also rescue her family. She had a covenant faith–she trusted a promised made before God and with His people would protect her. The scarlet clothe came up—to show the Israelites the home that should not be invaded. Her faith turned her harlot home into a “passover home” and because of her faith in God she would be protected.

Oh that we would not be quick to judge Rehabs. And oh that we would be women of faith like this harlot. Help us Lord to encourage others who are on a mission for You. Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord for the friends you have unexpectantly brought in my life to encourage our family as we persue you, our ministry for the orphan and widow and for our adoption journey. Bless these encouragers Lord! Protect them!!! Use them for your glory! And help us to be encouragers like them as well! Thank you Lord that our faith is like that scarlet fabric waving in the wind above Rehab’s home. Oh that we would not hide it but let it fly for the world to see. Be glorified Lord!