On this Christmas Day, please consider its special meaning. As you and your family open gifts, remember the greatest gift of all was given to us by our Father and it was His Son Jesus. God is the gift giver and He gave us the most precious thing that He could ever give! Let’s give Him honor and glory for all that He has done. Merry Christmas from my family to yours!
President Abraham Lincoln Proclaimed Thanksgiving Day
Do you know the history of Thanksgiving Day? It was President Abraham Lincoln who issued a proclamation in 1863 that we must have a day set aside to acknowledge and celebrate God for our great country. It was because of him that we now celebrate Thanksgiving Day as a holiday in November.
Read the full proclamation below.
Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward,
Secretary of State
Note: This is a repost of a blog post on November 23, 2015 as I believe it is very important for us to know how and why Thanksgiving Day was set aside.
Do You Know What Halloween is Really all About?
Have you ever thought about what Halloween is? I venture to say that a majority of people do not know where it originated and the true history of this unusual celebration. And, yes, it has become a time for dressing up in all sorts of costumes and partying, and of course, for children, trick-or-treating for candy. My faith-based children’s book tells the true history of Halloween and I’m sure that you will learn a lot!
Please order it online by CLICKING HERE or at your favorite online bookstore.
Things to do With Your Children to Celebrate Black History Month
The month of February is designated as Black History Month or African-American History Month. It began as a week-long celebration declared by historian Carl B. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1926 for the week of February 12. In the April, 1926 edition of The Journal of Negro History, Woodson argued that the perpetual study of the Black race was critical for its survival and prominence:
“If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated. The American Indian left no continuous record. He did not appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he today? The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value of tradition, as is attested by the Bible itself. In spite of worldwide persecution, therefore, he is a great factor in our civilization.”
Initially, the celebration had little support. However, as years passed, it gained momentum, until ultimately in 1976, when President Gerald Ford gave the presidential stamp of approval for a month-long celebration. Today, a month is set aside annually to celebrate Black history not only in the United States but also in Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
As my blog is geared toward children and literacy, I would like to encourage parents, teachers and others to spend time helping children to learn more about Black history and all the accomplishments that African-Americans have made. There is quite a bit of information on the internet and specifically for children, I enjoy the Reading Rockets website because it has a variety of information to assist children in learning – from children’s books, events, television and internet programs to online guides and much more.
Please spend some time on the website to decide what you will plan and do with your children. Make a commitment to help your children grow in knowledge, understanding, and appreciation.
For more information, please CLICK HERE.
Have Your Children Participate in Holiday Planning
Three major holidays are soon approaching – Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Typically, parents plan all the activities and children enjoy the fun, including days off from school and eating lots of sweets. This year, have your children actively participate in the planning of each day’s activities to help them build organizational skills and appreciate what needs to be done.
For gifts, get suggestions from your children on what should be purchased or handmade. Family members usually enjoy receiving personal, handmade items from children. If your children are artistic, encourage them to think of presents that they can make. There are many websites as well as stores that have ideas for projects. The key is to plan ahead and make sure that you and your children have time to make each gift.
If you decide on buying some gifts, encourage your children to come with you to select the gifts. You can build fond memories looking for the perfect item for a grandparent, for example. The gift recipient can be told that the child helped to select the item. Oftentimes, that makes the gift extra-special.
Each holiday will need a special menu for meals prepared. Ask your children to participate in building the menus and then grocery shopping and cooking with you. They will learn about selecting meals and obtain hands-on- knowledge of ingredients as well as learn your cooking secrets.
Decorating the house for each holiday should be a planning activity too. Many families have already accumulated decorations over the years that are kept in storage until the time to put them out. Consider adding some new, special touches to this year’s decorations – some that your children select. For example, one of my nieces wanted specific Christmas decorations in their front yard one year. She and her parents discussed the decorations, arrived at an agreement on what could be purchased, and then went shopping for them. Everyone assisted in putting them up. The new decorations turned out to be an extra-special touch for their yard.
Children love to be included in planning activities – it shows them that they are truly appreciated. They can learn so much by doing so too!
Be Sure To Celebrate the Week of the Young Child: April 16-20, 2018
Every year, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) celebrates young children and learning, and this week April 16-20, 2018 is dedicated to just that. According to the NAEYC, the reason that a week is set aside annually is “to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.”
Local communities throughout the United States hold events for the celebration. Events vary from a fun hat day to an ice cream social, a parade in a school and even a trip to the mayor’s office. Importantly, the focus is on young children learning.
In the U. S. Virgin Islands where I live, I always participate in some way. This year, I will be visiting an elementary school. I have been asked to read a local story to children and join in a special hat parade.
Where ever you reside, please consider volunteering your time and talents to make this a special time for children in your area. Whenever I visit a classroom or school to participate in an activity, I find that the children are always excited to have a special visitor who thinks they are important. I am certain that it will be a blessing for you too, as it is for me!
Keeping Children Occupied During Airplane Travel
During the holidays, families frequently travel on airlines. For some of us, it is just a short one or two hour trip, but for others, it can be for many hours. When traveling with children, there are numerous things to consider regarding how your children spend their time and how they behave toward other passengers. No person wants to be a victim of a child kicking the airplane seat from behind out of pure boredom or a lack of manners (I have been the victim of this many times) or having to deal with a cranky, restless child. Parents are encouraged to be prepared. Here are a few fun-filled activities to keep your children occupied during flights:
1. Reading. Bring some of your children’s favorite books on board. You can read them to your children or let them read the books themselves. If your child is a fast (or indecisive) reader, it may be best to have a digital version of several books on a tablet or E-reader so they have options from which to choose. Pop up books are especially entertaining for toddlers, but for smaller children, hard back books and pages are better!
2. Crafts. Crafts can get fairly messy and many are not appropriate for planes, but one that has garnered a lot of popularity is sticker art. All you will need is a book of stickers and another book with blank paper. Or, there are books with both stickers and blank sheets of paper together- how convenient! Your children will definitely enjoy making their own creations with the stickers. In fact, you can encourage them to even leave a little decorative art piece for the crew.
3. Movies. This is one of the easiest and hassle-free ways to pass the time. Watching their favorite movie - or a brand new one - will keep your little ones entertained for an hour or two. There are children’s portable DVD players as well as small laptops that can be accompanied with headphones. You can also search beforehand for episodes of their favorite TV shows and download them. My sons would often watch the same shows over and over again.
4. Doodling. A nice alternative to a bunch of crayons is an Etch-A-Sketch. It allows your children to create several drawings without dropping (and having to search for) a single crayon.
Bringing along their favorite snacks and drinks is also very important, as it satisfies their hunger and thirst and further prevents their ears from popping during takeoff and landing. Often, it does not matter if they ate before they get on board a plane, as children always seem to be hungry or thirsty.
All parts of family travel should be enjoyable experiences for you and others. The key is to prepare beforehand. Happy travels!
The Greatest Christmas Gift of All Time
As we are busy making our plans and buying gifts for our friends and loved ones for Christmas, let us not lose focus about why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. As Christians, we believe that Jesus was the greatest gift ever given to mankind. God gave us His only son Jesus so that we could have eternal life. Why did God do this for us? John 3:16 gives us the answer: because of His immense love for us.
The true meaning of Christmas is found in its name: “Christ”, who is Jesus and “mas” which is a celebration. Christmas is an extremely special day for us. I encourage you to spend time worshiping Jesus and thanking Him for all that He has done for you and your loved ones. From my family to yours - have a blessed and peaceful Christmas!
Author Soraya Diase Coffelt
As Mothers, Do We Know the Importance of the Children We Gave Birth To?
This Christmas season, one of my most favorite songs is “Mary, Did You Know?” written by Mark Lowry. In that song, Mary is asked whether she knew how great her child Jesus would be. Did Mary know that her son would walk on water? That he would calm the storm with his hand? As she kissed his face, did she know that he had come to save us? That he was the Lord of all creation? The questions continue throughout the song.
I love this song because I wonder what Mary thought about her son as she caressed him in her arms. She was chosen by God to fulfill this critical role. And as a mother, I think about my own sons. I believe that I too was chosen by God to be the mother of my sons. Do I truly know how important my sons are to God and how important they will be to their generation and generations to follow? Do I expect greatness and importance out of them? When they were babies, I held them in my arms and loved them as only a mother could. And, yes, I do expect great things from my sons, because of who they are in Christ. I know that God has great destinies for them.