Play Dough Pilgrims

by | Nov 11, 2020 | Mom Blog, Posts, Thanksgiving

Play Dough Pilgrims is a fun Thanksgiving activity for little children and everyone else too! This can be enjoyed at the Thanksgiving table or at another time on Thanksgiving Day!

1. PLAY DOUGH
Give everyone a small ball of play dough.

You may also like to provide a paper plate or piece of wax paper for each person. This provides a great working surface for the dough and helps with easy clean up.

2. CREATE
Encourage each person to create a play dough model of themselves as a pilgrim!

If the younger members of your family finish before the older ones, you may like to provide them with more play dough. They can then make things they are thankful for while they are waiting for others to finish.

3. SHARE
When you decide enough time has been given for this activity, share, appreciate and enjoy each other’s pilgrim creations. Then place the pilgrims somewhere on your Thanksgiving table to continue to be enjoyed by all.

Fun note! One Thanksgiving our extended family, of all adults, made play dough creations. There was much laughter as some of us are less ‘artsy’ than others!

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Marian Thomsen

Marian Thomsen

Wife, Mother, Mentor

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10

Psalm 136:1

by | Nov 11, 2020 | Mom Blog, Posts, Thanksgiving

Are you praying about what Bible verse to enjoy with your little children this Thanksgiving? You might like to consider Psalm 136:1!

Let’s take a look at three ways to enjoy this verse with your little children. Read, talk and chair walk!  

THREE WAYS TO ENJOY PSALM 136:1

1. Read

Read Psalm 136:1 from your Bible to your children.

2. Talk

Talk with your child about what Psalm 136:1 is saying. Talk to God together, thanking God that He is good and that His mercy endures forever. 

3. Chair Walk! 

PRINT AND CUT:
Print and cut apart the Bible reference and word cards to Psalm 136:1 found in the following download: 

Chair Walk - Psalm 136:1

Or if you prefer, write the words of Psalm 136:1 on cards, one word per card. Include two cards with the complete Bible reference on each card. 

DISTRIBUTE CARDS:
Give one person the first Bible reference card. Then continue to go around the table. Distribute the other cards to the other members of your family in verse word order. 

You will need to go around the table more than once as you distribute the cards in order, unless you have a large family.

TAP AND WALK:
Have your little child stand by the person who has the Bible reference card with a numeral 1 at the corner of the card. Instruct your child to tap that person. When she does, that person is to say: “Psalm 136:1.” Then encourage her to walk to the next chair and tap the person in that chair. Each time a person is tapped, they are to say the word on the card that is the next word in the verse. 

If you have a family of 5, your child will walk around the table a number of times before the whole verse is said. If you have a much larger family, your child may walk around the table once before the whole verse is said. 

TAKE TURNS:
If you have more than one little child, they can take turns going on a Chair Walk! As your family becomes familiar with what to do, your children can start to walk faster and faster around the chairs! Fun! 

KEEP GOING!
Ready for more? After Psalm 136:1 has been said, you can collect all the cards and redistribute them, giving someone else the first Bible reference card. In doing so, everyone will receive different word cards to use. Choose a child to be the ‘walker’, and enjoy the verse again!

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Marian Thomsen

Marian Thomsen

Wife, Mother, Mentor

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10

Thank You Jesus!

by | Nov 11, 2020 | Mom Blog, Posts, Sing, Thanksgiving

Are you a new mom? Or perhaps you are a mom with a number of little children? That’s wonderful!

Thank-you Jesus is a song your little ones might like to sing with you this Thanksgiving!

As you sing this song together, your children will be telling Jesus “Thank You” for loving them and for being so good to them, which is what Psalm 136:1 encourages us to do!

 

THANK YOU JESUS

Thank You Jesus
Thank You Jesus
Thank You for loving me.
Thank You Jesus
Thank You Jesus
You’re so good to me!

 

Thank You Jesus!

by Marian Thomsen | © 2020 Decision Foundation

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Marian Thomsen

Marian Thomsen

Wife, Mother, Mentor

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10

Table Talk

by | Nov 9, 2020 | Mom Blog, Posts, Thanksgiving

Have you considered how you would like to stimulate and encourage meaningful conversation while enjoying your Thanksgiving meal together?

A recently created selection of Twelve Table Talk questions may be just what you are looking for! We plan to use these questions during our Thanksgiving dinner and welcome you to do the same!

On the download below you will find a list of the Twelve Table Talk questions to print and use. There is also a page with suggestions as to how you might like to prepare and enjoy answering the twelve questions as a family.

Table Talk

May your table conversation be overflowing with gratitude this Thanksgiving! Enjoy!

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Marian Thomsen

Marian Thomsen

Wife, Mother, Mentor

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10

Bible Passage

by | Nov 9, 2020 | Mom Blog, Posts, Thanksgiving

Would you like a suggestion for a Bible passage to enjoy with your family this Thanksgiving?
If so, you might like to consider Psalm 136! I’m excited to share three simple and fun ways to enjoy reading this Psalm with your family this Thanksgiving.

THREE WAYS TO ENJOY READING PSALM 136

1. One Lead Reader:

Choose a lead reader. Have the lead reader read the first part of each verse in Psalm 136. Have the rest of your family say the last phrase of each verse together: “His mercy endureth forever.”

2. Multiple Lead Readers:

Choose a different lead reader to read the first part of each consecutive verse. Have the rest of your family say the last phrase of each verse together.

3. Stand Up and Sit Down!

Following the directions of either #1 or #2 above, have everyone stand up to say the second phrase after the leader reads the first phrase!

Then have everyone sit down again before the leader reads the first phrase of the next verse. Continue doing this for the rest of the Psalm.

This can be especially fun for children, as well as great exercise for all!

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Marian Thomsen

Marian Thomsen

Wife, Mother, Mentor

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10

Now Thank We All Our God

by | Nov 7, 2020 | Mom Blog, Audio, Posts, Sing, Thanksgiving

Are you looking for a hymn to sing with your family this Thanksgiving?

“Now Thank We All Our God” is a beautiful hymn to consider. The words found in the three verses of this hymn are a great reminder of many things we have to be thankful for.

 

Now Thank We all Our God

Verse 1

Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices
Who wondrous things has done
In whom His world rejoices
Who from our mother’s arms
Has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today

Verse 2

O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us
With ever joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us
And keep us in His grace
And guide us when perplexed
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next

Verse 3

All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given
The Son and Him who reigns
With them in highest heaven
The one eternal God
Whom earth and heaven adore
For thus it was is now
And shall be evermore

Words by: Martin Rinkart
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth

WORDS AND SHEET MUSIC

If you would like to sing this hymn with your family, the words and sheet music are available here: 

Music and Words

BEGINNER’S SHEET MUSIC

Do you have a beginning instrumentalist in your family?

Beginner’s Sheet Music 1 download offers sheet music for a beginner who is currently playing with the right hand only.  (Finger placements are suggested by number and are found at the top of the music staff. The numeral “1” stands for the thumb on the right hand, numeral “2” for the index finger on the right hand.)

Beginners Sheet Music 1

Beginner’s Sheet Music 2 download offers sheet music for beginners who are ready to play the hymn with both the left and right hand.

Beginners Sheet Music 2

Or perhaps you would appreciate some piano accompaniment as you sing! We welcome your family to sing along with this recording as our daughter Kristen plays “Now Thank We All Our God” on the piano.

Now Thank We All Our God

May your family’s thankful hearts rejoice as you enjoy singing together this Thanksgiving!

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Marian Thomsen

Marian Thomsen

Wife, Mother, Mentor

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10

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