HYMN STUDY: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

During the holidays we did a few hymn studies. These are really expanded literary studies in poetry. We spend time on vocabulary, learning any words we do not already know. We look to understand any symbolism, metaphors, etc. We point out poetic devices used and how they influence the chosen language. We pick apart and put back together, appreciating the tiniest nuances and the grandest themes. We dig for meaning and look for personal applications. 

One of the hymns we focused on was "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," which is one of my favorites. In addition to studying it literally, we listened to several arrangements and compared the musicality. Then there was an interpretive art component where the kids sought images to personally illustrate each verse for themselves.

To really understand this hymn, it's important to know what in the world "Here I raise my Ebenezer" means. I found "Raising Your Ebenezer: A Monument to Remember" which is a wonderful lesson on that which we read and talked a lot about.

Finally, though I don't think I've met a version I don't like, I'll share one of my favorite arrangements of the piece. I like the "I will sing" bridge additions. Also, I like some of the images and quotes in the following video.

Positive Rule Breaking

So I broke my own rule. I told myself it would just be ONCE, but I've been breaking it again and again. 

I love Christmas music. I have raised a house full of children who love Christmas music. When I was a child, I used to start listening to Christmas music in July. My kids usually wait until September or October before they want to bust it out, but I tell them to wait. I've been telling them to wait this year for the past few weeks now. Really it's because as I've aged I've come to appreciate autumn and autumn-y grateful reflections and I've created a playlist for this time of year that I continue to add to and want to enjoy.

But all heck broke loose when I opened my mailbox and found my pre-sale copy of The Piano Guys' new Christmas album. I just HAD to listen. I was only going to listen once, but... 

Here are older videos of the first two selections on the album. Watch the videos if you want, or just close your eyes and listen. They're simply wonderful.

Not sure how much longer I can hold my kids off.

Merry Christmas Anticipation. It's always a good time to think about Jesus.

Learning the Ways of Jesus - Pictures for Primary

The Primary Sharing Time theme for April this year is "Jesus Christ Teaches Me to Choose the Right." Choristers are to choose a song appropriate to the theme. I will be teaching "I'm Learning the Ways of Jesus" by Janice Kapp Perry. This is a song published in the Friend magazine in 2010. You can find sheet music here. 

I love this song! As nice as "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" is, I prefer this song for this year as it recognizes and mentions choice in the lyrics and that fits so well with the "Choose the Right" theme of 2017. Further, this song is much more specific in how to be like Jesus and what His ways are.

Here is a video of the song from the Church's website:

To teach the song to my Primary children, I've prepared two banners per verse with pictures and lyrics. Using a roll of banner paper from Walmart, I cut four lengths and put four pictures on each banner, writing the words that accompany each picture with poster markers below. (I do like to mix things up with flip charts, banners, posters, actions, chalkboard drawings, etc. for learning words to songs. Sometimes flip charts frustrate me, though, because the printed words are often not big enough for children sitting in the back to see.) For the final "I try every day to give love away. I'm learning the ways of Jesus" lines, I didn't reprint; I will just point back to the previous pictures and words.

I spent a long time hunting for just the right pictures to use so I thought I'd share them here in case anyone wants to teach this song to Primary children or their own children, whether as a part of homeschool or in Family Home Evening or whatever.

I'm learning each day to be caring and kind.

I think of good deeds in my heart and my mind.

I try every day to give love away.

I'm learning the ways of Jesus.

So if I see someone who's lost or afraid,

I'll offer to help. That's a choice I have made.

Or if I see someone who just needs a friend,

I'll speak to them kindly and spend time with them.

I try every day to give love away.

I'm learning the ways of Jesus.

I'm learning each day to be friendly and fair.

I try to help others; I willingly share.

I try every day to give love away.

I'm learning the ways of Jesus.

So if I see someone who can't walk or run,

I'll think of some ways I can help them have fun.

Or if I see someone who can't see or hear,

I'll tell them that I'll be their eyes or their ears.

I try every day to give love away.

I'm learning the ways of Jesus.

F.R.O.G. - A Chocolate Acronym of Faith

F.R.O.G.

Fully Rely On God

It's Easter candy time. What I like about that is the variety of really cute (and yummy) spring and nature candies, especially Lindt's chocolate insects, frogs, ducks, and bunnies.

The chocolate frogs lend themselves nicely as accompaniment to an acronym that would fit a Family Home Evening or Church lesson, or homeschool devotional. They're also a great meaningful treat for Visiting Teaching, a pick-me-up for a neighbor or friend, or an addition to an Easter basket.  I created the tags below and sent a package of chocolate frogs to my missionary with one of the tags attached:

Happy Spring!

Secret Valentines - Emulating God's Love

Growing up, February 1-14 was always a little extra exciting in my house. At some point during my childhood, I forget when, my mother instituted Secret Valentines. Everyone in the family drew names on February first and from then until Valentines Day we did secret acts of service for whomever we drew and made Valentines to leave them. My mother would make huge heart-shaped sugar cookies and we would each get solitary time in the kitchen (so as not to be seen and figured out) decorating one for our Secret Valentine. There would be a Valentine making station and a pool of treats to incorporate into our Valentines. For two weeks we'd dote on a family member daily and then on Valentines Day we'd have a nice family dinner where the table was set with some little gift at each place setting that each of us had secretly purchased for our Secret Valentine and then before eating we'd each try to guess who had drawn our name. I especially remember when my father drew my name because he sent me flowers at school!

This year I wanted to incorporate Secret Valentines into our Love and Home Month, but we are just doing it for one week. This morning we drew names and I distributed a paper bag with goodies inside for us each to use in our Valentine capers.

Of course, treats are nice, but the real meat of this activity is to learn to serve each other. We sang the hymn "Come, Follow Me" and discussed each line of verse. Jesus Christ didn't just say he loved us, he showed us in everything he did through acts of service, including the greatest service of them all when he atoned for each and every one of us. 

This week we are revisiting lessons past when we learned about God's love using "14 Days of God's Love" from Not Consumed. This time, we're getting very specific in discussing how we can emulate God's love among each other within our family relationships.

Happy February!

Aiming at Love - New Meaning for an Old Symbol

Everyone is familiar with the Valentine image of Cupid or a heart with an arrow shot through it. I've never thought too much of it before, but as I've planned out our Love at Home devotionals and activities, I came across  Dieter F. Uchtdorf's "Aiming at the Center" article and it has given real purpose and meaning to this symbol for me (and I hope now, my family). 

While I read the entire article to my children (and please do read the entire thing) the point I emphasized was that Christ taught us to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Mattew 22:37-40) This means that every other commandment, every other thing we are supposed to do or not do, come back to being categorized under these two commandments. (I  had the kids name off commandments off the top of their heads and we tested each one to see if these two great commandments were at the "heart" of every other we could think of. They are!) Then I asked the kids who their closest "neighbors" were. Each other, of course! 

Elder Uchtdorf had begun his article with the example of archery, and how you shoot at a target that already exists, not that you shoot the arrow at a blank wall and then draw the target around it. Using this powerful archery example and the scripture, I wanted to turn the Valentine symbol into something with more meaning, to remind us of what we're aiming for:  LOVE. Loving God and loving each other.

Here is the end product:

We followed this up with...

This would make a great Family Home Evening lesson and treat!

And if you're wondering what I'm doing with things like this little project...

I Can Only Imagine

I was introduced to the song "I Can Only Imagine," written by Bart Millard and sung by Mercy Me at the closing keynote address of a homeschool conference several years ago. I don't remember a whole lot about the rest of the address, but the following video was shown and it had a TREMENDOUS impact on me. I was in tears.

At first it was the story and Dick Hoyt's incredible example that inspired me. Not only did I want to be a better mother, I wanted to be a better person in general. I also felt that if Dick could do what he did, I could do more, too, and get in better physical shape; not just for me but for my family so I could do things with them without physical limitations. I wanted to be strong. I downloaded "I Can Only Imagine" to my iPod for some motivation and it was the first song I ever ran to in its entirety.

As I ran to this song day after day, the lyrics engraved themselves on my heart. I believe in a living Father in Heaven and a living, resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ. What will it be like when I see them again? What will I feel? What will I say? What will I do? 

The Resurrection is going to be glorious and wonderful. Not just for people like Rick Hoyt, who will no longer be handicapped, but for everyone.  Running to this song makes me feel a little lighter, a little stronger, and a lot hopeful for that future day when my scars and pains and limitations are no more and when I'll see the Resurrected Lord. I can only imagine!

I Can Only Imagine

I can only imagine what it will be like

When I walk, by your side

I can only imagine what my eyes will see

When your face is before me

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you Jesus

Or in awe of you be still?

Will I stand in your presence

Or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing hallelujah

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine when that day comes

When I find myself standing in the son

I can only imagine when all I would do is forever

Forever worship you

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory

What will my heart feel

Will I dance for you Jesus

Or in awe of you be still

Will I stand in your presence

Or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah

Will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine

I can only imagine 

Already in Love with 2017

I am already in love with 2017. Not because, three hours into the new year, anything particularly marvelous has happened to influence my opinion or outlook already (though I did toast my family and some good friends with a very tasty apple-pomegranate sparkling cider) or because I'm one of those who figures 2016 was so bad that anything else has gotta be better. It's true that my year last year did have some major pits, potholes, and pathetic and perplexing problems; I'm certain I cried more in the past year than I've cried my entire life. But it's also true that there were moments of great clarity, times when I was supported and sustained by friends both in Heaven and on Earth, and the blessings were too many to count. No, I am in love with 2017 because I hope and have faith.

Many people hope when a new year rolls around, if they haven't become too hard and cynical anyway. It's what people hope that varies. I honestly don't know how anyone can hope without faith, and I do mean faith in a Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. Sure, people can have faith in loved ones or financial institutions or themselves, or whatever else, but all of those things are subject to the faults and frailties of the mortal condition. I have hope and faith because time and again my Heavenly Father has brought me to and through things--strengthened and taught and directed me--and time and again I have marveled at how He never gives up on me, even when I feel I might as well give up on myself. I know He hears and answers my prayers--every one, spoken and unspoken--down to the tiniest of details. And at the beginning of this new year I have the most hope ever in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The year 2016 really was the Year of the Atonement for me, as I saw firsthand the fruits of it in people's lives and saw the unmistakable and undeniable change in these people. In different places and through various ways I felt an incredible witness of the truth and power of the Atonement. I am not perfect. Uh, not even close. But I can look back over the last year and see improvement and it makes me giddy with anticipation at how I can change and become this next year with God's grace.  I am certain there are going to be some really bad days in 2017. Lots of tears. Pain. Grief. Regret. I won't accomplish half of what I want, I won't change quite as much as I'd like, I'll probably take one step back for every two steps forward. But I stand at the doorway of the new year, glad to be alive and able to think, choose, and change and looking forward with hope and faith.

Of Doors and Keys, Prayer and Faith

I inherited an old box of music from my mother-in-law when she made a long-distance move. Every now and then I go through the stack. It's interesting to me how one piece will mean nothing to me one month, but then really catch my eye another. This month, as we have been studying to topic of faith, I was delighted to come across a gem written by Samuel T. Scott and Robert L. Sande. Here are the words.

Prayer is the key to Heaven,

But faith unlocks the door;

Words are so easily spoken,

A prayer without faith, is like a boat without an oar.

Have faith, when you speak to the Master,

That's all He asks you for,

Yes, prayer is the key to Heaven, 

But faith unlocks the door.

This is a poem to memorize!

I've also shared another great song with my whole family that I have been teaching to the Primary children in my ward. This was published in the Friend in 2007. I have turned more and more to music from the Friend recently as there are some fantastic pieces in there to teach doctrine, build faith, and also to mix things up.

Tree of Life

As part of our Year of Life, we are spending time studying the Tree of Life and Lehi's Dream more in depth.

We started out talking about how a Tree of Life is a part of nearly every culture/religion. We looked at some ancient depictions...

Mesopotamian Tree of Life

Egyptian Tree of Life

Babylonian Tree of Life

Mayan Tree of Life

Celtic Tree of Life

"The Tree of Life in Ancient Cultures" was one of the sources of information I shared with the kids as we looked over the images.

We looked for references to the Tree of Life outside of Lehi's Dream; it is of course mentioned in Genesis and Revelation as well as throughout the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price.

We began reading John Bytheway's Lifestyles of the Great & Spacious. (Really good read!)

After studying the description of the Tree of Life, we did an art project with pastels on black construction paper.

We watched videos like this, and did The Wonderful Fruit activity together with a discussion.

I've really been enjoying our studies of the Tree of Life so far. I think we sometimes get less familiar with things we think we know or are already familiar with over time because we don't realize there is always something new to learn or a new way to apply a lesson and we stop spending time and thought on it. I'm looking forward to continuing this path.

General Conference - Sorry It's Over but So Glad it Happened

THIS is how feasting on the Words of Christ should feel! When General Conference is over, I feel full, knowing I have a lot to digest, yet at the same time I'm still hungry for more because it tasted so good. I really was sad as the last session came to a close; I could have listened for several more hours. There is nothing more inspiring, comforting, motivating, reassuring, instructive, buoying, and peaceful than Conference Weekend.

I am so glad that years ago I decided to establish some traditions around General Conference. I wanted my children to look forward to it and relish it as much as I do, and they do. Over the years there have been some little adjustments as we have moved states and as technology has made it more accessible, but we treat it like the very special occasion it is.

For one thing, I want it to be a feast, both spiritually and physically. I have come to realize and appreciate that food plays a huge part in traditions and memories and in bringing and binding people together. It is a form of nurturing and the sensations involved in delicious feasting contribute to our sense of well being; we remember it long after it is over.  That said, I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen on the Sabbath, nor spending listening time doing too much cooking.

For this reason, I usually make Morning Buns, aka cinnamon and orange rolls. I can knock that out on Saturday and bake them fresh Sunday morning as we settle in for the feast. Then I lay out a simple but tasty nacho bar for the afternoon session.

My kids' other favorite tradition is to print off Conference Squares and try to get a blackout while listening. I have tried other activity/listening packs in the past, but my children weren't interested. Conference Squares is what they love. Even now, as they are older, they still have a blast getting a Bingo and listening carefully to make sure they don't miss a square. It's TRADITION!

Now that Conference is over, it's time to re-listen, read, and study the talks. I can't wait to get started! Already the internet is being filled with Conference quotes. It's interesting to see which phrases in each talk stood out to other people; sometimes I was hit with the same sentence, sometimes not, and there are other nuggets that meant more to me personally. Here are a couple of them.

There is one for every talk over at Chocolate on My Cranium and LDS Smile if you're looking for easy quotes for your fridge or mirror to begin pondering.

So, it's six more months until I get to enjoy another such blessed weekend of listening live to prophets and apostles, but I get six months to re-taste and digest this weekend's delicious feast.

God Gave Us Easter

There are several books in the "God Gave Us" series by Lisa Tawn Bergren. I have a few of them and I really like those that I have. God Gave Us Easter is one I picked up just a few days ago and I love the simple way it explains seemingly hard things as well as the profound analogies and images that have stayed in my head after reading this book to my kids. 

If you know me very well, you know I love rivers. I've written about river analogies before and the one in this book confirms both the spiritual significance of my past experience and the correctness of the comparison and adds to it. In God Gave Us Easter Papa Bear explains mortality and eternity with the analogy of rivers running into the ocean:  "The river ends, but it spreads into something even bigger. Heaven is like the ocean for us. Because God gave us Easter, we can be a part of Something Bigger..."

I was also pleasantly surprised to see the book end with Papa Bear telling his cub that he can hear Jesus when he listens with his heart. Because LDS Primary children are learning the song "If I Listen with My Heart" this year, it was amazing to have a second witness of the truthfulness of this from an unexpected source.

I know that some of you are thinking, "Jolly good this does me now that Easter is over," or, "I'll put this on the list for next year." I'll give you all a little tip:  this book is, as of this second I'm typing this, 55% off and less than $5 at Amazon. Don't wait!

Easter Journaling

We're suspending our normal journaling notebooks this week and using the Free Easter Study Journal created by Heidi Hillman over at A Lively Hope. We just began today, so we did two pages to make up for yesterday. You could do the entire thing this evening for Family Home Evening, or incorporate it into your schedule some other way. 

After reading the scriptures listed on the pages I'm pulling out corresponding pictures from the Gospel Art Kit and we talk about it some more. Then I hang them up and embellish with the extra eggs on the last page of the study journal.

If you are looking for other neat ideas for the days preceding Easter, I've always found great inspiration at Cranial Hiccups (formerly known as Chocolate on My Cranium--be sure to look through ALL the Easter pages) and We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ.

Happy, Joyous Easter!