Dear Friend,
The next fruit of the Spirit that we are looking at is Patience! Hillary Krippaehne writes:
"Raise your hand if you love [waiting]! Recently I moved out of my parent’s house and into a place farther away from the church where I work. I now sit in my car for double the amount of time each day. Since it is summer in Oregon, road work happens everywhere, causing endless traffic jams and waiting.
Instead of getting frustrated, upset, and mad while I am stuck in the car, I decided to turn those times into a special moments of prayer. I turn the music off, and simply talk to God. He takes away the frustrations of waiting, and I get to spend beautiful time with Him on the road.
When I see the orange cones and signs saying, “Road work ahead,” I realize it is God performing some major construction on my heart as He teaches me how to wait with patience. P.E.A.R. = Patience empowers all relationships
Empowers means to give authority or to allow, and it also means to make stronger or more confident.
Patience allows our most important relationship with God to become more confident and powerful. We have a stronger relationship with Him when we have patience to wait for all He is doing in our lives. Patience also allows our relationships with those around us to improve. When we have patience in our relationships with family and friends in patience, God is glorified.
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, give us Your divine patience in our relationships. Help us to have patience in waiting for all You are doing in our lives. Thank You, Lord, for your patience with us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Going deeper:
Read Psalm 25:4-5. Draw a picture of your car to remind you to have patience as God reveals the next road you are supposed to follow.
Read and journal Ephesians 4:2. How can you put that verse into practice today?
What fruit takes patience to eat? Grab that fruit for a snack today and reflect on where God is asking you to have patience in life right now."
Love,
Hannah
I included the illustration that goes along with the lesson and a coloring page of James 1:4.
José's favorite animal is a snow leopard, so that inspired this letter's theme! The information and photos of snow leopards came from Nat Geo Kids. I also left some room to reply to letters that our kids sent to us.
Dear Name,
José's favorite animal is the snow leopard. There are leopards that live in Africa, but snow leopards live in Central Asia, in cold, mountainous areas like the Himalayan mountain range.
National Geographic shares a few fun facts about these amazing animals:
1. Using their superstrong legs, they can leap up to 50 feet. They’re also into power walking—some travel distances of over 25 miles in one day in search of food.
2. Temperatures in parts of Central Asia where these cats live can drop to minus 20˚F in winter. Luckily a snow leopard’s tail is like a built-in quilt. The cat can wrap its three-foot-long fluffy tail around its body for warmth.
3. Snow leopards are masters of camouflage. Their spotted coats turn off-white in winter to match the snow. In summer the fur changes to a yellowish gray so the cats can blend in almost completely with the surrounding mountains and blooming plants.
4. Female snow leopards give birth to two or three cubs at a time in dens hidden in caves or rock crevices. To make these “nurseries” extra cozy, moms line the hideout with their fur.
5. Oxygen is scarce in the snow leopard’s mountainous habitat. But the feline has powerful lungs and a large chest cavity to gather as much oxygen as possible when it inhales. Its wide nose also warms air before it enters the lungs.
What animal would you like to learn about? What have you been learning about in school?
We send you much love from our family!
Hannah
While searching for a snow leopard coloring page, I also found a beautiful snow leopard drawing to share with the kids!
I was due for a reply letter (I aim to respond to each of my kids' letters every-other month, but got slightly off schedule with handwriting letters in May). Along with this reply letter, I am sending photos of my family and a scavenger hunt! (I will send a short version of this letter to kids who haven't written).
Happy Writing!
