How Does Your Garden Grow

Last week I gave you some ideas for traveling around the world with your kids with an International theme week. This week I want to give you another plan; a plant plan. Yes, this week’s theme idea centers around planting and gardening. Here are some fun, summer ideas to make the week fly by with smiles on your faces as well as your kids’.

Good activities to do at home include planting seeds or flowers in your garden together. Never underestimate the joy of working with dirt. I know the kids will get a little messy, but every once in while we need to get down and dirty as we build summer memories. You may want to run through the sprinklers when you are finished. Another home idea is to decorate clay flower pots. Paint them on the outside and once they are dry, plant some herbs or flowers in them. Your kids will feel a sense of accomplishment and learn to care for plants as well.

Field trips for the week can include the local arboretum, nursery, farmers market or farm. Encourage your kids to observe the different kinds of leaves and blooms on the flowers and talk about the beauty of God’s creative work and His divine provision for our needs. Visit the library and check out books which feature flowers, gardening and farming.

Your devotionals for the week can center around stories in the Bible which deal with seeds and plants. Here are a few to consider:
Jonah and the leafy plant – Jonah 4
Parable of the Soils – Matthew 13:3 – 8, Mark 4:4-8, Luke 8:5 – 8
Jesus is the Vine we are the Branches – John 15:1 – 5
Those who delight in the Lord are like a tree planted by the riverbank Psalm 1
Those who put their hope in the Lord are like trees planted on the riverbank Jeremiah 17:5 – 8

I hope it is a plentiful week for you. And moms, the scriptures listed above are for your benefit as well as you put your hope in Christ and abide in Him. If you want to hear my commentary on Jeremiah 17 (the tree by the river bank) visit my web television show called Fresh Start at www.webtv4women.tv