Encouragement

Christian Perspective

"Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore." Psalm 105:4

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Update: Devotionals/Creation Library/Upcoming Weeks
Devotionals Update
As we suspected, the CPSIA law has been altered a little, and it looks like we will be able to continue to sell our products for at least another year while the law undergoes some changes. Thank you to all who took advantage of the sale--it was the biggest and steepest clearance sale we plan on running this year, and we were delighted to sell quite a few devotional kits. (We actually sold completely out of Jesus--The Lifegiver--it's still available as an e-book, but all the physical kits are gone.) We will continue offering the other physical kits we have until we have sold out, at which time we'll switch completely to e-books. We hope the prices were a blessing, and pray the products will richly bless you and your families!

Creation Library
A few months ago, our family decided to make the many creation DVDs/books we own available through a creation lending library. If you live in Northern Virginia and would be interested in borrowing any resources, please take a look at www.thecreationlibrary.com.

Upcoming Weeks
Over the upcoming weeks, we'll be working on trying to finish Revealing Arithmetic. The book is getting very close to completion, for which I've very thankful. Please pray the Lord will help me finish the remaining pieces quickly and with a cheerful heart.

This spring, we'll be at the Maryland homeschool convention (MACHE), the Pennsylvania homeschool convention (CHAP), and the El Paso, Texas, homeschool convention. If you attend any of them, I hope you'll stop by and say hello! We'd love to get to see you face to face. We'll be helping at the Virginia homeschool convention (HEAV), but won't be exhibiting--if you see us, please say hi! Thank you for your prayers for us as we prepare for these conventions.

I think that about sums up the updates for this month. May the Lord's joy fill each one of you today!

In Him,

Katherine

Have You Seen Our Easter Bible Study?

Jesus--The Life-Giver is a family Bible study/devotional for Easter week (Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday). We designed the Bible study specifically to meet the needs of families who were looking for something meaningful they could do with their children in Bible that would at the same time be fun and exciting.

Children make their own flower gardens while they listen!

"Katherine Loop designed a pre-Easter study,
Jesus: The Life Giver, that is absolutely wonderful! What I loved most is that it wasn't a study of Passion Week, but a look at the heart of the One who is passionate for our hearts." - Deborah Lembach. Read more on the As We Walk blog. Picture to left, also from the blog, shows a flower garden made using the instructions in the e-book.

Read more about this Easter Bible study .

Thought: Living in Gratitude
A lack of gratitude? My mom's suggestion struck me by surprise. I didn't feel ungrateful. I knew something was wrong though. I thought I just needed to stop getting upset about things and be sure I really gave them to the Lord. What did gratitude have to do with anything?

I was surprised over the next few weeks to see just how much the Bible says about gratitude and thankfulness--and what a difference it makes to choose to live in gratitude instead of grumbling! When are eyes are on the eternal riches we've been given in Christ Jesus, the irritations that seemed so big appear for what they are--blessings and opportunities to surrender and trust.

This month, may you ponder gratitude and be on the lookout as you read the Bible for what it has to say about thankfulness. May we each choose to foster an attitude of gratitude each day.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:15-17 (KJV)

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2 (KJV)

Story: Gratefulness...and What Counts

Justin could hardly believe his eyes. He was free! Just that morning, he had sat in a prison cell, bound by chains he could not break and expecting a death sentence he knew he deserved. What did it matter if the rain streamed down his clothes and if he had no idea where to go next? He was free!

Not only was he free, but one day quite soon he would get to live in a mansion! The man who had freed him had promised to bring him to his vast estates, and Justin knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he'd keep his word. Until then, though, he only had a short time to get to know the man who'd set him free and to tell others about him.

Justin could hardly contain his gratitude and excitement. Every chance he got, he told others about the man who had freed him. He woke up each morning longing to know more about his deliverer. He read his deliverer's letters, and talked with him frequently. As for complaining or grumbling, the thought didn't even enter Justin's mind. He was free! What did he have to complain about?

As the months passed, however, Justin began to forget the great gift he'd been given and became absorbed with everyday life. And he began to complain. He complained when interruptions came, when other people didn't do things appropriately, when things didn't go his way--it seemed there was always something to grumble about.

One day, he woke up to a pounding, relentless rain. There went his plans to go out! "It's raining again!" he muttered to himself. "It always rains when I want-" Justin cut himself short. His mind flashed back to that day months ago when he had first emerged from prison a free man. The rain certainly hadn't mattered then. What had changed?

As he thought back to life as a prisoner and the undeserved love he'd been shown, Justin realized what a fool he'd been lately. He'd been given life and freedom, but instead of living in the joy of this great gift, he'd gotten absorbed in everyday life. He'd forgotten that the man who had freed him would be coming for him soon.

Justin turned from the window with a spring in his step. He'd been freed and given an incredible inheritance. In light of that, what did the rain really matter?

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)

Homeschool Tip: Gratitude - Setting the Tone

- Cris Loop

Writing about gratefulness this month has been a challenge for me. It seemed my family has greeted me with ungratefulness at every turn. What was wrong with them? Couldn't they see how hard I was working to serve them and help me out a little? Why did I have to do everything? And to top it off, why did they give me blank stares when I lectured them about their ungratefulness?

I have come to realize I was trying to take the speck out of my family's eyes without removing the plank in my own! Ungratefulness is an empty--and deadly--path we find ourselves on before we know it.

There are many things that contribute to our lack of gratitude--the cares and worries of this world, thinking about ourselves, looking for treasure in this world, expecting things to be "fair" or "right," exhaustion, serving in the flesh, etc.--but how to we get rid of ungratefulness? How can we cast it away like a dirty garment?

One clear way is to come humbly before God--to repent and realize the many blessings you have because of God's great mercy toward you in Jesus. From there, make a conscious effort to cultivate an attitude of gratitude by looking to the Lord for His truth and light in every situation and circumstance. It is amazing how looking at life in God's light brings gratitude to our hearts.

Remember, as a mom you set the tone in your home. My challenge for you this month is to ask God to cultivate in you a grateful heart that you might "pass it on" to your children. Many blessings to you all.

Hymn/Poem: Gratitude

- By Florence Feldman. Reprinted by permission from www.organizedtimes.com.

Note from Katherine: I hope you'll take a moment to look at the Organized Times, Florence Feldman's organizational site, and sign up for her free e-zine. She is a very dear personal friend of our family, and I think you will be very blessed by what you find there. The site is still in the beginning stages, so check back for more later!

Gratitude is a wonderful thing--
It fills your heart and makes it sing.

It takes away the angst and fear
And lets you know that God is here.

It changes darkness into light
And takes the emptiness from the night.

It adds back balance to the scale
And takes away the "I might fail."

It quiets the waves of emotional pain
And restores the strength to go on again.

Unless otherwise indicated, articles are written by Katherine Loop, © 2009. Where marked Cris Loop, articles written by Christina Loop, © 2009. Feel free to forward these e-mails in their entirety and to reprint/share articles by Katherine or Cris Loop within these e-mails (please include a link to our website when you do). Please contact us for information about reprinting articles written by people other than Katherine or Cris Loop so we can put you in contact with the appropriate person to ask for permission.

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Unless otherwise indicated and where marked KJV, scripture is taken from the King James Version.

Special thanks to Sandra Lovelace for the snow picture! You can learn more about Sandra and her ministry at www.lifeworkforum.org.