Category Archives: Kerri Young

What’s Your Narnia?

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By: Kerri Young 

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

“I want to go to Narnia.” “I want to go to Narnia.” This phrase can be heard around our house at least 10-15 times a day from my strong-willed middle child whenever he gets frustrated or doesn’t get his way. (He’s actually saying the place where we are moving in May, but I can’t put that on this blog…so “Narnia” will suffice.) =)

When we ask him why he wants to go to Narnia, he responds, “Because it’s pretty there and there aren’t any mad guys.”

The funny thing about it is that he’s never been to Narnia before. He has only seen pictures and we certainly have never told him there are no “mad guys” in Narnia. But, for some reason, in his head “Narnia” is a better place than where we are now.

When he breaks into one of his whining fits for Narnia, we try to gently explain to him that we aren’t ready to go to Narnia and that Narnia is not what he thinks it is. Because when we go to Narnia we won’t get to come back here for a LONG time. Because it takes a LONG time to get to Narnia and he had a difficult time travelling 12 hours in the car to Granny’s house for Christmas. Because there are “mad guys” (or, in his four year old psyche, people who don’t like you or who are mean just because) in Narnia who, just like here, don’t believe in the same things or live in the same way we do and will most certainly act…well, “mad”, at us sometimes. Because when we leave for Narnia we are leaving most of our “stuff” — his toys, books, bicycle, etc.—behind. Because we aren’t financially ready to go Narnia. And the list could go on as to why going to Narnia today is not possible, or really even desirable.

Last night my husband and I were talking about the day and specifically how little man had a lengthy crying fit over his yearning to be in Narnia. My husband was wondering what is causing our sweet boy to feel this way, and it occurred to me that his irrational desire to go to Narnia today is no different than my desire to fast forward through today to get to what lies around the bend tomorrow.

I know what my desire is…and it’s actually a lot like my son’s. I want to get to Narnia, too. But for all the same reasons we tell our son that we aren’t ready to go to Narnia and that Narnia isn’t the fairy tale land he thinks it is, God is telling me it’s not time yet.

Because we won’t be coming back for a long time. Because the trip there is going to be LONG. Because there are people there who will not like me for following Christ and letting my light shine is going to probably be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Because we do have to leave most of our stuff behind, and all that stuff still needs to be dealt with here. Because we do have some work to do financially so we can not only get to Narnia, but stay there long-term. And, mostly, just because God hasn’t given us the green light yet and there are still things that need to be accomplished here…today.

Sigh. How often do we yearn for and crave something that’s coming or even something that might not be coming but we think we want or need? What’s your Narnia, friend? What are you whining in your heart about to God that you wish you could have today?

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I typed up this post two and a half weeks ago. You must understand that I am a highly trained, first class procrastinator who works best under pressure. I NEVER blog that far in advance (ask Jennifer) because I typically have about five different topics milling around in my head that I pray over until the very last minute. =) But, the Lord had been telling me that entire week this is what I needed to blog about, so I sat down and wrote it while it was fresh. Imagine my surprise when I read Gretchen’s post on perfect timing last week. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s a must read.

Friends, I can’t help but think the Lord is trying to teach all of us an important lesson on this very thing since it was on Gretchen’s heart last week, too. It’s not a coincidence that we both felt led to write about waiting on God’s timing a week apart.

So, I, too, want to encourage and challenge you to trust in what the Lord has for you today…because you can’t get to tomorrow without it. Will you join me in praying that we can all rejoice in the Lord today and rest in the promise that He holds our tomorrows in His hands?

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

Easy Christmas Candy that Makes Your Angels Sing

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By: Kerri Young

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14

While this candy treat cannot begin to compare to the majesty of Jesus’ birth, it could be quite possible that angels sing at the sight of this delicious, simplistic, ingenious concotion. (Well, at least  my little angels sing.)  =)  I’m not sure when I found this recipe…probably at least 6 or 7 years ago when I still had a monthly subscription to Quick Cooking (which later became Simple & Delicious) magazine. Every Christmas since then I have made these yummy little treats and have even given them away as Christmas presents a time or two.

I’m not even exactly sure what they are called anymore, because the recipe is so easy I do it from memory. But, these are perfect to make with little helpers who want to be a part of the Christmas cooking/baking madness that inevitably surrounds this holiday. =) (Actually, my kiddos do the bulk of the work…which I consider a WIN-WIN!)

What you need:

Rolos

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny twist Pretzels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pecan halves

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parchment paper (or aluminum foil or wax paper in a pinch)

How you make them:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees

2. Place parchment paper on large baking pan

3. Place pretzels on large baking pan

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Place rolos in center of pretzels on baking pan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Put pan in preheated oven for 5 minutes (or until chocolate is shiny and beginning to melt)

Rolos should look something like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Remove pan from oven and quickly press one pecan half on each rolo,  smooshing the chocolate down

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Allow to cool completely (I sometimes slide my pan in the fridge). Remove from pan and keep in airtight container (they will stick to the paper a little and might even stick to each other if you put them as close as I did, but they should come right off and separate if you pick up the paper and push from underneath…thus the reason to use parchment or aluminum foil)

Here are some tips: 

I buy rolos in bulk at Sam’s Club when I make these, because I like to make a lot and they are easy to unwrap. (Unwrapping the rolos is a step even my four year old can do.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I typically fill up an entire half size (18x13x1) pan with pretzels (which ends up being somewhere between 110-120) and I line them up in nice, neat rows so I can quickly count how many rolos and pecans I will need. (My seven year old did this for me last night and we even got in a math lesson on multiplication.) =)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sort out my pecan halves and count the right amount ahead of time to make for quick work when it’s time to get them on the chocolate. (You have to work kind of quickly if you have a large amount to make sure you get the pecan on there before it cools off too much to smoosh appropriately.) =) (My husband did this for me last night. It was really a family affair!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enlist your kiddos to help as much as you can because it’s really hard to mess these up and there really isn’t even a mess. The only things I do all by myself are put the pan in and take the pan out of the oven and put the pecans on top of the rolos after taking them out of the oven. This is such a welcome break from a lot of the other cookies and treats I make this time of year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only bummer about these treats is that they are small… and they are yummy. Before you know it, you can consume quite a few…so, beware. You have been warned!!! =)

I would love to hear if you make these this Christmas or if you have any other easy, kid-friendly Christmas goodies to share, so be sure to let us know in the comments section.

From my family to yours, we wish you a blessed Christmas and pray you have time to be still and reflect upon the wonder and awe of the Christ Child! May His peace be yours this Christmas season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

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 by: Kerri Young

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23

With Christmas coming up next week, I wanted to write a post about Immanuel: God with us. But, between a household of puking adults and children and the tragic events at the end of last week, I have struggled to come up with a blog post that flows or comes together in a coherent way. So, I apologize, sweet friends, for this kind of jumbled group of thoughts. However, I have prayed and will trust the Holy Spirit to use my mesh of words for His glory and to minister to some of you as He sees fit.

“’Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” Luke 2:10-12

Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that God chose to kick off His plan of redemption for the world by sending the King of Kings as a tiny baby? And at that, a tiny baby born in a barn and not a palace or even a home. Whoever would have expected such a thing?

But that’s exactly the thing I love about my God. He is a God of the unexpected and He delights in working in ways that might seem crazy and illogical to us. The Israelites waited in silence for around 400 years for the promised Messiah, and I can almost guarantee none of them would have dreamed God would deliver them the way He did. Whatever you are waiting on or experiencing right now that doesn’t make sense, just lay it down and trust the same God who sent His Son to be born in a barn by a young teenage girl has it under control.

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.” Luke 2:6-7

And speaking of that young teenage girl…. I think having grown up in the Christian church and having heard the story of Christmas since I was old enough to listen, I sometimes don’t take the time to truly ponder the fact that Jesus was a baby who was actually birthed by a living, breathing woman.

As such, I could never identify with Mary, the mother of Jesus, very much until I became a mom. And then, all of the sudden, the majesty of the moment Mary looked into her baby’s eyes for the first time and not only fell in love with her child but beheld her Savior just became more personal to me. Can you even begin to imagine the joy and awe she must have felt all in one instant? It takes my breath away to think about it….

Jesus was just as much Mary’s Savior as He is ours. And the amazing thing is that we can experience that same joy and awe, even in the midst of the darkest storm, if we will only look into our Savior’s eyes.

“For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:5 

Whatever hardship you are experiencing right now, I want to encourage you to find shelter from the wind and the rain in Jesus’ loving arms. He might not quiet the storm or completely take away the pain that comes with life’s deepest tragedies, but He will provide you with peace that surpasses understanding, hope to go on living, and joy to ease your mourning if you look to Him.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.” Isaiah 61:1-3 

For those of you who have never come to a place of decision concerning what you are going to do with this baby who was born in a barn over 2000 years ago: there has never been a better time than today to ask Jesus to become your Lord and Savior.

There is so much in this world that just seems hopeless; and there is only one thing that is certain and can be counted on. One thing that provides hope, peace, and joy in the midst of life’s storms: Jesus Christ.

My prayer for you this Christmas is that you would experience the inexplicable joy and peace that come from having a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you have never made that commitment, I encourage you to go here and learn how you can do so right now.

Finally, I want to leave you with this. My pastor read a poignant prayer this morning at church that was written by Max Lucado in response to the shootings in Connecticut.* I wanted to share it with you today because it speaks so much more eloquently than I could to what has been on my heart since Friday.

Dear Jesus,

It’s a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod’s jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won’t you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children

*Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/max-lucados-prayer-in-response-to-conn-school-shooting-86681/#itiexVtSXuAxxCmr.99

 

 

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

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By: Kerri Young

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

In honor of Thanksgiving tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to share a few fun and simple craft ideas the whole family can participate in to celebrate and get in the spirit of thanks! Please feel free to add some ideas in the comments section if you have Thanksgiving traditions or crafts you’d like to share.

Affirmation Place Cards

What you’ll need:

  • Orange or yellow construction paper or cardstock
  • Markers

How to make your Affirmation Place Card:

  1. Take orange or yellow construction paper or card stock and fold a paper for each guest coming to share your Thanksgiving feast in half from top to bottom.
  2. On one side of each paper, write the name of a guest.
  3. Let your kids decorate around the name if you’d like.
  4. When all the guests arrive, take a few minutes before sitting down to eat to allow each guest to write one reason they are thankful for each person on the back of his/her place card.
  5. During your meal have each guest read their cards out loud.

Fingerprint Turkey Place Cards

What you’ll need:

  • Red, orange, yellow and brown paint or stamp pads
  • Black marker
  • Card stock, thick paper, etc.

How to make your Fingerprint Turkey Place Card:

  1. Cut a square piece of paper/cardstock and fold it in half so it stands up.
  2. Have your child make an orange, red and yellow fingerprint all in a row (touching is best).
  3. Add a brown fingerprint in the middle of the colored fingerprints.
  4. Once the paint/ink is dry, use the marker to add the face and a person’s name. 

Thankful Placemats

What you’ll need:

  • Magazines
  • Scissors
  • Construction paper
  • Digital prints
  • Crayons, Markers, etc.
  • Glue
  • Laminating paper

How to make your Thankful Placemats:

It might be too late to do this for tomorrow, but it might work for future Thanksgivings.

  1. Have your kids look for pictures in magazines, pick digital pictures to print from your camera from the past year, or color pictures of all the things for which they are thankful.
  2. After gathering them all together, let them create a collage and glue them on construction paper.
  3. Next, laminate them.
  4. Use them as placemats and great conversation pieces over your meal as your children explain each item.

Old-Fashioned Turkey Hand

What you’ll need:

  • White paper
  • Pencil
  • Crayons
  • Black marker

How to make your Old-Fashioned Turkey Hand

Why do something complicated when you can just trace your kiddo’s hands onto paper and turn them into turkeys?

  1. Trace your kids’ hands onto white paper using a pencil.
  2. Have your children use a black marker to write one thing they are thankful for on each finger (or let little ones dictate and you write it for them).
  3. Let them color the palms of their hands brown and then color each finger a different color to make “feathers”.
  4. Make sure to put a name and date on each paper and then display them proudly for all to see.

I found this website with some great ideas for crafts, activities and games. If you have a free moment, go check it out.

Praying you are counting your blessings and having a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Related Article: Five Fun Family Activities to Teach Thankfulness

I Don’t Ever Want to Leave You….

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by: Kerri Young

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

One day last week I was outside enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon with my kids and the captain of my cheer squad who was over for our weekly leadership meeting.  My middle son, now four years old, was running around playing when he tripped, fell, and busted open a scab on his knee. Seeing blood is very traumatic for him, so of course he broke into hysterics.  I quickly kissed his boo-boo and got a Band-Aid, and then he just wanted me to hold him as he wept.

After holding him for a few minutes and trying to get him to calm down, my sweet boy (who is definitely the tender, feeler of my children) said through sobs, “Mommy, I love you and I don’t ever want to leave you.” My cheer captain chuckled as I said, “Oh, sweet boy, some day you will grow up and not want to be with Mommy all the time; I promise.” But this sent my weeping boy into brand new bitter tears, through which he responded something like, “No, Mommy, I want you to always be a part of my family and you will live with me forever when I grow up. I don’t ever want to not be with you!”  He was so distraught it brought tears to my eyes and choked me up.

Oh, how our kids can take our breath away with the fierceness of their love and the love we feel for them! If only we could hang onto them and never have to let them go….

But, that is not how the Lord intended it.  We will not be around forever on this side of life. Even if we were, our children are not our possessions to hold onto and keep forever.  They are blessings the Lord has given us to watch over, train up, and prepare for what God has planned for them as long as they are in our care. Maybe it’s because we are preparing to say goodbye to our parents and move to the Middle East in May, but this has been on my mind a lot lately.

While definitely not a perfect analogy, I’ve heard it said that a child is kind of like a caterpillar and we as parents are kind of like the chrysalis.

Our job is to protect and strengthen those little caterpillars while God is transforming them into something amazing. Then, when the time is right and they are ready, our little caterpillars will take flight as beautiful butterflies. I’ve also heard it said that as parents our job is to give our kids wings so that someday they can fly. Inevitably, that flying means flying away, so we need to not only prepare our children for that reality, but we need to be prepared for that reality ourselves.

Much of parenting and child-raising is baby steps of letting go and saying goodbye. From the first time you attempt to not hyperventilate while dropping your bundle of joy off in the church nursery or painstakingly stand by and let them play in the fastfood play area alone, to the day you bravely hold their hand and fight off tears as they walk into kindergarten and then much too quickly proudly watch them march across that stage to receive their high school diploma….you are preparing to one day let them go and fly away.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned from my parents is the beautiful agony of training up children in the way they should go and bravely releasing us into the world. As we prepare to fly away in May, I can only begin to imagine the bittersweet taste the Lord’s plans for us leave in the mouths of our parents. On one hand, they have done well. They have raised us up to love Jesus and love people and be obedient to the Lord’s purpose for our lives. But on the other hand, we are now preparing to fly far, far away, leave them behind, and take their grandbabies across the world.

I praise the Lord for the godly example of my parents and their dependence on the Lord through the years as they have gradually let me go, while protecting, guiding and preparing me. It is my prayer that I will be able to walk in their footsteps as I parent my own children, and be willing to let my children obediently follow the desires the Lord places in their hearts…even if it means flying far away from home.

Someday I know my sweet boy will not want to be around me all the time, and though I dread that day, I pray when it comes I will have done all I can, with the Lord’s help, to prepare him fully for magnificent flight and fulfillment of walking in the way the Lord leads.

Father God, please help me today to be the kind of mom who trains my children up in the way they should go, fully dependent on Your Spirit at all times. In each small moment of letting go that comes, help me to trust that You hold my children in the palms of Your hands.  May they rise up and live to bless, honor and glorify You in however You may lead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

*Chrysalis Picture from http://www.ngcner.org/Monarch-Butterfly.php