Food for Thought

NOT that my kids don't give me enough material about which to write volumes. But sometimes a gal's gotta do something for herself too. That's why I discovered and latched on to My Blogger Friend School. It helps that it has the word school in it because if you know me at all, you know I love school. I would be a permanent student if time and finances would allow. And the theory that I homeschool just so I can live out academia vicariously through my children probably holds at least some truth.

So while this may be Assignment #112 for students who discovered this way before me, this is Assignment #1 for me:

Write about your favorite ‘faith food’. Tell about the books of the Bible that you read that help to build your faith. Nurture the seeds of faith inside you.

OK, so I took the assignment a little different direction by actually focusing ON food. If I were to answer the question directly, I'd say I love the Psalms, and I love many books in the New Testament like Philippians and Galatians. The nuggets of wisdom found in Proverbs are also invaluable. But, having already listed all of my favorite books of the Bible, I'm left with nothing to photograph and nothing that reflects our day-to-day family life. NOT that the Bible isn't a very integral part of our daily life, but I always look for those small moments as the days pass by. And so, that is why I chose to focus on a family memory that pertains to actual, literal food...

Several years ago, I taught a Sunday School lesson about Samuel and Eli. You know the story...the one where Samuel is awakened during the night and thinks that Eli is calling him when it is really God's voice he is hearing. Apparently the lesson had a great impact on Alex...at least the snack at the end of the lesson did.

I'm always trying to come up with creative ways to incorporate a snack into a Sunday School lesson. A few weeks ago, in fact, I tried to pass off Oreos with the story about Gideon (the white middle, you see, represents the wool which Gideon used in his prayer and test for God). So I might force children to stretch their imagination a bit as they munch on whatever goodies I bring in, but I think the Samuel snack was pretty spot-on.

Introducing Beds:

To assemble, simply take a full graham cracker, smother on the peanut butter, arrange mini-marshmallows for a pillow, and cover with a chocolate chip blanket.

The kids still call them Beds--even the younger ones who are unfamiliar with the history of the treat. And I think the Beds serve as a great reminder that when God calls--no matter the time of day--we need to listen. We also need to be persevering in discerning God's voice and His message for us. Samuel didn't just go back to bed after the first call and ignore God's subsequent calls. He kept pursuing their source and their meaning. He also sought guidance from Eli about the calls just as we must sometimes seek counsel about interpreting God's direction for our lives.
So make a Bed and, as you munch, listen for the voice of the One who knows what is best for you and knows all that is in store (Jer. 29:11).