Journals are my Favorite!

I LOVE writing in journals.

I use them for my Bible notes, my quiet time and for making my daily lists and schedules. There is nothing like a pencil or marker moving across the blank page of a journal.

Last summer, I was ready to buy a new journal and just couldn't find the exact one I wanted. So...I made one and then I made some more :)

I have many designs in my Amazon store.

If you love journals as much as I do, I'm sure you'll find one or two that you want.

Click the picture to head over and check them out.

Baptism and a Freebie

When thinking of a new set of Bible Task Cards, 

my mind went to Baptism. 

Baptism is one of two ordinances that Jesus instituted for the church (Matthew 28:19-20). If it was so important that Jesus commanded it, then it's something we should obey and also teach to our children/students. 

I'm not saying that we "teach" baptism and then line them all up to be baptized. I'm saying that we all need to know what the Bible (God) has to say about it. 

I made this set of task cards as an overview of the topic. It's certainly not all encompassing. 

The prayer is that students know more about who God is and what He expects of us.

Baptism is a beautiful example, an outward testimony of the inward change in a believer's life. May we all feel led by the Holy Spirit to follow Him.

If you are interested in the task cards, click either picture to go to my store to purchase.

If you are new to my task cards, please click and download the following freebie. It will allow you to see how they are set up. You can then practice using them with your students. I'm sure they will love them.

Happy 2024!

Happy 2024!

I know many of you have already headed back to school.

We are going back this morning.

I wanted to pass along a little encouragement and a prayer using 1 Corinthians 15:58 to help us refocus as we go back. 

God, help us to celebrate the ministry that You have called us to. Help us to celebrate victories large and small. Help us to celebrate the fact that You choose to use us in Your work. Give us the energy and perseverance to work unto You, setting an example of Your faithfulness to our students and co-laborers in the ministry. May we be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of this ministry, knowing that in the Lord our labor is not in vain. Amen!

Prayers for everyone heading back into classrooms this year!

Grand Opening Sale!

I shared exciting news about expanding my store.

Well, it seems that many other sellers are too.

We know that some districts do not allow their teachers to shop on certain sites,

so, we are trying to help out with that.

To get the word out about other places to shop,

we got together to throw a

GRAND OPENING SALE!

My new store is at Made by Teachers and

although I don't have everything loaded there yet,

I am offering a 20% discount on what I do have.

You will find many of my Bible packets, task cards,

Valentine's Day and Easter activities.

If you've never been over to Made by Teachers,

please be sure to head over and look around. 

Also, research #GRAND20

to find other sellers who are participating.

Click on the image below to get to Made by Teachers.

Opening a Second Shop!

Good news!!

My business is expanding :)

I have just opened a shop at Made by Teachers. 

If you haven't been over to check out their website,

make plans to do it soon. Click on the image to find me and then have a look around.

If you are still more comfortable with TpT,

don't worry, I'm still there too.

Below are 2 Valentine FREEBIES in my 

Made by Teachers store.

Click on the images to grab your freebies and

also check out Made by Teachers.

Bible Review with Headbands

Well, we're back in full swing around here.

We're on week 3 of Bible study already,

but I wanted to share our first week back.

This year I'm teaching 3rd - 5th grade Bible.

I've had most of these kids since the 1st grade.

We use the Gospel Project curriculum

which walks them all the way through the Bible.

I knew that I needed to review during our first class

and it was a lot to cover.

So, what they thought was a game

turned into a really great and fun review.

My adult kids and I have game night regularly at my house

and HEADBANDS is one of our favorites.

So instead of just talking at my students,

we played Headbands Bible Review.

I simply attached a card with topics that I wanted them to review. They started shouting out clues to help me guess what was on my head. I pretended to not know until I got all the facts that I wanted from them. I "guessed" what was on my head and then moved on to the next card. The game also helped me clear up misconceptions (for example, if they said "she's married to Joseph" I would say "it's Mary" and they would yell "no").

It was soooo much fun!

I felt like it was a great review and the next week we were able to jump straight into our new lessons for the year.

We have also used Bible word cards to play Pictionary and Charades. All of them are good ways to review or just practice any words or topics that you need to.

I'm including 3 of my FREE resources that would work really well for any of the review games mentioned above. Click on each of them to grab your free copies.

HAVE FUN!!

Pirate Ponderings: CHOSEN

Every year our admin chooses a word or phrase

that she feels God is giving her for our staff.

I love our word this year :)

CHOSEN

CHOSEN "for such a time as this"

CHOSEN for this time,

CHOSEN for these kids,

CHOSEN for this generation,

CHOSEN for this place

CHOSEN to proclaim HIS excellencies.

I am in awe of the fact that I am chosen by God.

I know me,

so to know that HE chose me for ANYTHING is humbling.

And then to think of what HE chose

in order for me to be chosen.

HE chose to leave heaven,

HE chose to become a baby, born in a stable,

raised in poverty and oppression,

HE chose to buck the system in order to speak truth,

HE chose beatings and humiliation,

HE chose the cross,

HE chose death and the grave.

And yes, praise God for HIS resurrection, but

let's not skip over all the stuff that came before that.

HE chose a lot of hurt and suffering.

Knowing it would happen, 

HE chose to do it anyway, for me and for you.

HE chose all of it so that we could choose.

We can choose to reject HIM or

we can choose

to believe in HIM

to love HIM

to follow HIM

to worship HIM

to serve HIM.

We all get to choose what we will do with HIM.

I'm praying that our response will be

Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV)

12) Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, 13) bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. 14) And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15) And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17) And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

HE calls us CHOSEN, HOLY AND BELOVED :)

and then we are given some instructions for how we should live in light of what HE has done for us.

When we walk into our schools and meet with students, we all get to choose how we will treat them (and each other).

I'm praying that this school year, for our students, our families, our schools and ourselves, we will all choose to 

 be hopeful

be kind

be humble

be patient

be encouraged and encouraging

be compassionate 

be comforted and comforting

be worshipful

be joyful

be committed

be thankful.

I'm praying that we all stay faithful to our calling and that everything we choose this year will be honoring to HIM.