The Berenstain Bears Harvest Festival by Mike Berenstain

"God tells us to, 'Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field,"...

Book Description:

A new addition to the bestselling Berenstain Bears' Living Lights series that teaches simple Christian truths to children.

In this newest addition to the Berenstain Bears Living Lights series, The Berenstain Bears Harvest Festival, it’s autumn in Bear Country and the Chapel in the Woods is celebrating its first ever Harvest Festival.

Young readers will delight in joining the Bear family and all their friends as they gather at Farmer Ben’s farm for this new tradition filled with the fun of apple-picking, pumpkin patch wandering, hayrides, and more.

My Review

I really liked the illustrations in the book.  There were pictures of all the things people love about the autumn, like pumpkins and apples, the color orange and autumn leaves, hayrides and apple picking-all the treasured elements of fall were there.  

The story was a good story.  It was about the Berenstain family going to a Harvest Festival at a farm to celebrate the season.  The family picked apples and pumpkins, went for a hayride and shared a meal with their church family.

I thought the parents were so kind and respectful of their children's feelings in the book. When the kids ask to go to the Harvest Festival, Papa and Mama stop their work and take the children to celebrate!

The only thing I didn't like about the book were the references to mother nature.  I thought it didn't belong in a book about the blessings of God during the fall season, since He is the one responsible for all the goodness in our lives.

In the back of the book are some questions to ask your children after reading the book, plus two fun activities you can do with your children involving gardening and food.

I think children will like the illustrations in the book. My daughter has looked at the book several times. The illustrations are very appealing and warm.There are also some pictures of a few farm animals and animals you would find in the forest.

I recommend this book to families with small children.  It would be a fun way to introduce fall, and maybe go to a farm and experience that yourselves!

Many blessings to you as you read,
Beth

To read an excerpt and see the illustrations go here to christianbook.com.


Disclosure statement:  I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my review.  I was not required to give a favorable review.  The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Running Together

Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.

-Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NKJV

-

I just started running with a running group.  I am totally a beginner, making progress, but still have a long way to go to reach my goals. Yesterday, I ran a mile and a half without stopping for the first time.

Intrinsic motivation for this particular goal does not come naturally to me.  Sometimes I will try to get my children to run with me. Occasionally my son will, but not all the time. If he does run with me, I usually will go farther.

I have also tried running with my daughter.  As we ran, she got distracted by the playground, and wanted to detour.  But I wanted to keep running on the path we were on.

I do much better running with my group.  If I have someone beside me, I will usually keep moving and push myself.  But if I run alone, I will often stop.

Recently I started thinking about how this all related to my walk with Jesus.  When I rededicated my life to the Lord, I didn't have many friends who were Christians, so often when faced with the choice of running for the Lord, or running with other people's ideas, I chose the latter.  As a result, I got myself in some messes.

The group I run with one day a week always runs the same path as me.  We have goals, and cheer each other on.  I don't quit when I am with them because they help keep me motivated to keep going. As a result, I am now doing more than I could just a couple of months ago.  And my intrinsic motivation is increasing.

As Christians, it is important that we run our race with a community of Believers.  We have to find other like-minded Christians to run with. They must be on the same path, with the same ideas, and not easily distracted from the path we need to run.

At the beginning of my walk with the Lord, my intrinsic motivation was not there like it is now.  I needed that community of Believers to cheer me on.  I quit several times because it was just me.  Now, I have more of a relationship with God, and I can run by myself for a while, but I know I will go further with other Christians cheering me on.

There is a struggle sometimes for new believers, and I get it.  I remember what it was like.  But it gets easier. You just need to choose wisely those you run with.  God has a plan for you, and He wants you to finish your race.

Do They See You?

A good woman is hard to find,
    and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
    and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
    all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,

    and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
    and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
    for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
    diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
    reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
    when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
    and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
    and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
    her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
    but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
    The woman to be admired and praised
    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
    Festoon her life with praises!

                             -Proverbs 31:10-31 The Message

There is so much we can learn from the woman in Proverbs 31:10-31.  She has been taught on from many different angles and perspectives.  Jewish tradition holds that Bathsheba was responsible the passage in Proverbs 31, sharing her wisdom with her son Solomon. We have all heard teaching on her life from the viewpoint of what we “should” do.  I want us to look at her from the perspective of what we “can” do, and what our children need to see us doing.

You can find the rest of my post here at MichelleHight.org.

Called by God: The Samaritan Woman

"The woman said, 'I know that Messiah' (called Christ) 'is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.'

Then Jesus declared, 'I, the one speaking to you—I am he.'"-John 4:25-26 (NIV)

The Lord wants to speak through women.  Women have gifts that Christ gave to contribute to the church.

For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.-Romans 11:29 (NLT)

In John chapter 4, after Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well, she goes out and tells her whole town about him.  A woman preaches to the town that Jesus is the Messiah.

"Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 'Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?'"-John 4:28-29 (NIV)

And what happens?

It opens the door for a lot of people to become Believers in that town.  And Jesus stays with them 2 more days.

"Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did.' So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, 'We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.'"

The Lord wants to speak through women.

Called by God-Mary the Mother of Jesus

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, 'They have no wine.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.

His mother said to the servants, 'Whatever He says to you, do it.'

Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.

Jesus said to them, 'Fill the waterpots with water.' And they filled them up to the brim.

And He said to them, 'Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.' And they took it.

When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bride-groom.

And he said to him, 'Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!

This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.-John 2:1-11



I love the role Mary plays in this account. She is a primary person of faith in regards to the miracle Jesus performs. She says one of my favorites lines in Scripture,

"Whatever He says to you, do it."

How would she know to say that to the servants?

We would probably have to take a look back at her life to determine the answer to that question.

She was a young Jewish woman when the angel visited her and told her she was to be the mother of Jesus, who would be the Savior of the world.

In Luke 1:30, the angel tells her, "You have found favor with God."

She doesn't seem extremely alarmed when the angel visits her. He explains to her how that miracle will take place, and she has faith in what he tells her, and says,

"Let it be to me according to your word."

She possibly could had learned the Scriptures as a young girl. She most likely knew the Old Testament stories.

Her faith in the Scriptures, plus her own experience with the miracle power of the Holy Spirit, gave her basis for faith in Jesus. She knew what He was capable of doing.

Up until that point, He had done no miracles. But as soon as He was baptized in the Holy Spirit, He was ready.

When Jesus says to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with me? My hour is not yet come," He is not chiding her. The term "woman" as used in this particular passage was a term of endearment.

Mary kind of bypasses what He says, and gives the servants instructions anyway. Maybe it also had something to do with the fact that she was His mom. Mothers have a way of encouraging, that no one else does.

But Mary's faith in Him facilitates the miracle.

So, what was the outcome?

Jesus turns the water into wine. This was His first miracle. The Bible calls it, "This beginning of signs."

He also "manifested His glory" and "His disciples believed in Him."

Mary was there at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, fulfilling her purpose, and called by God. She continued to be there throughout His ministry, during His death, burial, and resurrection.

What is your purpose? What is God calling you to do? We should also follow Mary's request to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it. It will produce fruit and miracles in the lives of others.