Garden Party #4 "The Wind and Waves Obey Him"

We invited two neighbor girls for dinner and our Wind &Waves Garden Party. Wind and Waves is part of our devotional for the Easter Season.

The girls helped set the scene.  Bethan cooked fish and garlic bread, Abigail made apple boats, Aziza found a few water themed toys.  We added to that fishy crackers and pretzel nets.  They love the whale scene. 

This week we also had the opportunity to share with some boys in the neighborhood who joined us for grilled hamburgers.  We told the story of how Jesus also grilled out with friends, but on the beach after he gave his disciples a great miraculous catch of fish!!

The Good Shepherd

Listening to F. Ortega sing about the Good Shepherd as we meditate on this aspect of Jesus this week. We will do a Garden of the Good Shepherd party Saturday for dinner (Party for week one) to bring our little study to a close. The more I think about this idea, the more I think its a fantastic study. Throughout all of life we can probably think of an area where we feel shepherdless. The children had no problem answering the question, "What area do you feel like you don't have a Good Shepherd in?" Its that place where we feel powerless and alone. How we need emblazened on our minds the image of the lamb HELD by Jesus...the wounded lost lamb..carried.

Pentecost

I don't remember celebrating Pentecost as a feast day as a kid; though I grew up charismatic Catholic. Now as an evangelical christian, I feel inspired to bring some attention to this traditional feast day. It is the birthday of the church...and we received so much from the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the spirit: healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues, miracles are some... and the fruit of the spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, and self control.

Party

Tonight we combined an end of the year Awards Night with "The Gardener Plants Paradise" Garden Party from the "Garden of the Good Shepherd" The kids received an award sticker, certificates of achievement, small pins and encouragement cards. We did our nightly devotional on the Garden of the Lord and followed it by looking at their work from this year. The girls enjoyed dressing up and all enjoyed the owl cupcakes...but they were really tired from an overnight last night. C'est la vie...ce n'est pas perfect!