The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

I just finished reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (1972) aloud to the kids.  I read the book when I was young and remember being stunned by how horrible the Herdman kids were.

Reading it again to my own kids reminded me of how sweet the message is.  This heart warming book is a quick read and opens the door to discussions about bullying, loving people who seem less than loveable and the true meaning of Christmas.

 ~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

The Little Drummer Boy -- Canadian Style

Check out this music video by Sean Quigley, 

(a highschool student from Winnipeg, Canada)

who wanted to honour Jesus through this classic Christmas carol.

Here's the full story:  Winnipeg teen drums up viral hit 

  ~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Winners -- "Theo" DVD Giveaway

The two winners of the "Theo" DVD giveaway are Sarah Hufnagel and tmc480!  I hope you and your children will be blessed by this movie.

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway.  For those of you who didn't win, don't forget about the Buy 1 - Give 1 Campaign.  If you purchase a DVD of "Theo: God's Love" you can decide where in the world you would like an additional copy to be sent to!  

You can buy "Theo" online at Amazon or through local participating Christian retailers. 

Here is your sequence:

20
35

Timestamp: 2011-12-01 21:21:50 UTC

Sarah Hufnagel said...

20

I would say loving obedience for my girls

November 30, 2011 10:01 AM 

tmc480 said...

35

gfc follow
tmc480 at yahoo dot com

November 30, 2011 5:48 PM 

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

"Theo" Giveaway

"Theo" is an animated DVD that teaches the basics of the Christian faith.  The series has a Grandfatherly narrator named Theo and two adorable mice named Luther and Belfry (who are reminiscent of Cinderella's little friends).  The quality of animation is good and the show has a great balance between the funny antics of the two little mice and the Biblical messages.

At the start of each show Theo is singing a hymn.  I love that these hymns are being incorporated into this series for young children because it is introducing them to beautiful songs they may not have heard before. 


Biblical concepts such as sin, salvation and faith are taught through the series.  The shows aren't very long (5-9 minutes each), but because the message is so powerful there is plenty to reflect on.  This is a great way to springboard a discussion with your children.


My main wish for "Theo" is that when a Bible verse is quoted, the reference would be stated along with it -- ie: "The Bible says in Romans 3:23...".  Having references reinforced in the dvd series would be helpful for memorization purposes and would also allow people to look up the Scriptures afterwards to read further.  



Desiree (7) said that her favourite part is when the two mice, Luther and Belfry, try to reach the cookies with a hot air balloon.


Elijah (5) said his favourite part is when Theo sings.



The "Theo" website is full of resources.  There is a Parent Guide that helps parents (or even Sunday School teachers) reinforce the concepts discussed in the episodes.  These guides "will recap the Q & A, the Bible Verse, the Bible Story, and present lively ways you can reinforce Bible truths and review teachings at home."  Colouring Pages are available online of Theo, Luther and Belfry.  "Theo" Church Curriculum is also available to purchase.


The Buy 1 - Give 1 Campaign is an amazing program -- for every "Theo: God's Love" dvd purchased, Whitestone Media and Child Evangelism Fellowship will give a child in need their very own copy of "Theo".  You can even select the region of the world where you would like the additional copy to be sent to!  What a great way to share the gospel with your own children as well as with others!

Check Out the "Theo" webpage and the "Theo" Facebook page for more information.  There is also a Free "Theo" App available for iPhone and iPad users.  

Buy It: You can buy "Theo" online at Amazon or through local participating Christian retailers. 

Win It: Two Sowing Dandelion Seeds readers will each win a dvd of "Theo" which includes the episodes "Saving Faith" and "The Good News". 

Leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave your e-mail in this format: sowingdandelionseeds(at)yahoo(dot)ca  if it isn't public in your profile. All entries will be verified.

Mandatory entry: 

Visit the "Theo" store and tell me which of the episodes of "Theo" you would most like to see (or most like to have your children see!)

Additional entries:

* follow my blog publicly

* post my button on your blog (leave the link)

* subscribe to Sowing Dandelion Seeds via e-mail

* leave a comment on 1 non-giveaway post (leave the post title)

* blog about this giveaway (leave the link)

* follow @SowDandelions on twitter and tweet this

      (can be done daily -- leave the link to each tweet each day)

#Win a DVD of "Theo"-- an animated show that teaches the basics of the Christian faith (2 winners!)  @SowDandelions  http://tinyurl.com/buytba4

Open to Canada and the United States

Ends November 30, 2011

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.  
For Complete Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy Click Here

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

My Death-Defying Summer

I had a horrible headache, but I had told the kids that we would go bowling with their friends and I wanted to keep my word. I bowled with a headache because sometimes that's a mother's love.


That night I developed a fever and chills.  The next day I was delirious. On the third day I had a moment of clarity (which I thank God for).  I asked my husband to bring me the thermometer and I also took my heart rate.  Temperature: 104  Resting heart rate: 122 bpm.  I told him I thought I should go to the Emergency.

There were chest x-rays and ecgs, blood tests and ivs.  I found out I had pneumonia.  Mid-summer, no cold or flu to trigger it - pneumonia.  They wanted to admit me for a few days, but I refused since Ernie can't take care of the kids on his own (due to stroke symptoms).  Instead I returned to the hospital every night for the next week to have iv antibiotic therapy.

The night that I came home from the hospital the kids had both said in the dark of the night "I hope you don't die, Mom".  I reassured them by scoffing gently at their concern and saying "I'm not going to die".

I had a follow up visit with my family doctor a few days later and it was then that I was told I had "life threatening pneumonia".  I didn't realize that...  You'd think it would have been more obvious to me if my life was threatened.

I nearly died in my family room left for days to "recover" by my well-meaning husband and children...  Then I reassured my kids of the very thing that was up in the air.

The conversation I had with my children after my follow-up appointment was significantly different.  I reminded them that we all will die and not one of us knows when that day will be.  I told them that the important thing was that I have asked Jesus to be my Saviour and to forgive me of my sins and so I will go to Heaven when I die.

Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."  John 11:25 & 26

Now that's reassuring...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Bending Rules and Breaking Hearts

Desiree picked a daisy for me.  I smiled largely, thanked her and carried it around while we looked at lemurs and jaguars and wallabies at the zoo.

At the squirrel monkey cage I was overcome with a temptation to hand over the daisy.  The tiny palm of a squirrel monkey grasped the daisy and then he bounded off with it.  Within moments the squirrel monkeys were fighting over the daisy and eating it.

Suddenly I realized that I had broken the rule written clearly on the cage: "Do not feed the animals".  In my defense I hadn't known I was feeding them.  I didn't realize they would eat a daisy...  As the squirrel monkeys plucked the petals of the daisy out one by one in a "loves me, loves me not" way, I turned and saw the tears on my daughter's face.

I also didn't realize that I would hurt her feelings by re-gifting the daisy she had given me.

I cherish the flowers my kids give me, but I have to admit -- it's the love in their eyes as they give the flower to me that matters more to me than the flower itself.  Yet, it was hurt I saw in her eyes now...

I hugged my daughter and told her I had made a mistake -- I shouldn't have given her gift away like that.  I dried her tears and asked her forgiveness.

Desiree and Daddy went off to get me another daisy while I explained to my son how I had not meant to "break the law of the zoo" and feed the squirrel monkeys or hurt his sister's feelings.

And then, in an act of true forgiveness, Desiree presented the daisy to me again.  This time I kept it -- cherishing the gift of love and the gift of a second chance...








~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

View Blogs "Dynamically"

Have you heard that you can view Blogger blogs "dynamically"? 


Check out Blogger's dynamic viewing options.  You can view a Blogger blog in five different styles: Flipcard, Mosaic, Sidebar, Snapshot or Timeslide.

Click here for an example of "Sowing Dandelion Seeds" snapshot style.  In this format you see all the pictures from a blog with a summary of the written content when you hover over it.  Timeslide is a great version if you want more written content revealed.  When you click on a specific picture or title you see the full blog post.


The drop down menu on the right lets you switch from one style to another.  The spot on the left that says "Sowing Dandelion Seeds" is where you can click to enter the url of another blog.

It's a new way to browse blogs -- what fun!

 ~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~