Katy Rose Collection: Art, Words
Friday Hymn: My Father Watches Over Me
Around 1940, Russell and Darlene Deibler had the chance to leave Papua New Guinea before the oncoming enemy soldiers landed, but they chose to stay. They'd arrived years prior in order to share the love of Jesus and that’s where they would remain. They were soon captured and forced to march through rugged country and into the jungle. Then Darlene watched as Russell was taken away. She and a few others almost starved in the jungle where they were held captive for months. Scavenging for food, they discovered a type of seed that, if cooked long enough, expanded and made their stomachs feel full.
As the jungle rain poured down, Darlene stirred and stirred that seed over the fire, singing at the top of her lungs words she'd learned as a child:
I trust in God, I know he cares for me,
On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;
Though billows roll, he keeps my soul,
My heav'nly Father watches over me.
That hymn, My Father Watches Over Me, was written about 30 years before by a pastor named William Martin. Surely he would have been touched to see those words ringing out in such a moment.
Hymns and scripture provided sustaining comfort through Darlene’s harrowing journey, which only intensified in the coming months in a prison camp. Years later, recounting the horrific and miraculous stories, Darlene shared unrelentingly about the nearness of the Lord and the profound love she felt. She had memorized scripture as a girl and so, even though her Bible was taken, He comforted her constantly through His Word stored up in her heart.
In sharing her story with thousands of people in the years since, she said, “I thank God for every storm that has shipwrecked me on the Rock Christ Jesus. There I stand. “
I first heard Darlene Deibler Rose’s story about ten years ago through a staticy old recording (found here) and have since listened to it more times than I know, especially in challenging seasons of my own life. Perhaps, if you haven’t heard it before, it might encourage you too.
My Father Watches Over Me
Words by William Clark Martin, USA 1864-1914
sources: “Evidence Not Seen" by Darlene Deibler Rose
Hymnary: My Father Cares For Me
Keepsake Travel Journals for Children
We love traveling as a family! To help remember adventures, I always try to squeeze in some journaling and encourage the kids to as well. Some are more excited about this than others, but I persist because my favorite possessions from childhood are my travel journals.
On a recent trip, I brought along a mini photo printer that prints straight from your phone. Each person could pick out a photo they loved at the end of the day and tape it in their journal with a few notes. Such a wonderful little keepsake from the trip.
Watch the video for a little more information!
Printer Link HERE.
Photo paper HERE.
Tiny notebooks HERE.
Another of my favorite travel keepsakes? A hand-drawn sketch to frame at home for a reminder of our wonderful time! Come peek at my instant digital downloads. You can have one framed on your wall before the hour is over!
So, next time you travel, consider this little practice that your family will look back on and love.
Printer + Extra Photo Paper + Notebooks
-post contains Amazon affiliate links-
How to Enjoy Individual Time with Each Child
We started this several years ago in the summers and it’s still part of our rhythm. Moms at home with a houseful of young children might enjoy it too.
On weekdays, one child and I take 30 minutes away from everyone else, still at the house, to do something together. The name started out as a joke, “Moments with Mom,” said in a sing-songy way like a radio jingle, and it stuck.
When there are many children in a family vying for one mom’s attention, all parties benefit from some one-on-one time.
Here are a few activities that we’ve done over the years, most several times. Sometimes I give the child suggestions, but often they have our time already planned out.
Lego-building
Magna-tile building
Paint a picture
Bake a treat
Playdough
Draw digital art
Tea Party
Origami
Learn animated drawing on my iPad
Handstands and cartwheels in the front yard
Jump on the trampoline (a frequent request)
Play basketball
Read a book aloud
Sketch
Learn a song on the piano
Play a board game
Paint nails
Play Dolls
Play Store
Create a comic strip
Listen to an audiobook
Play soccer
Create a stop-motion video
In the past, I’ve tried to make this a screen-free time, mainly because I fear if watching something was an option that’s all they would choose! I’ve adjusted this for the older ones now as they might want to look up certain videos they are interested in and we have fun watching a short something together.
A few practical thoughts on making this sustainable:
Typically, I only do one Moments with Mom per day, total. So ideally, in our family each child gets one time per week.
I set a timer for 30 minutes. This might seem insensitive at first, but I’ve found it’s a good thing. When I’ve gone over, things in other parts of the house can start getting out of hand. Also, if I subconsciously feel like this is a major hours-long undertaking, it’s harder to mentally fit it into the day. You might even need to start with 15 minutes instead of 30. This will largely depend on the capacity of the other children in the house to occupy themselves. (Also, when the timer signals that Moments with Mom is over, it’s the bad guy, not me!)
When we used to do this with four much younger ones, it was HARD to manage, but we stumbled through and I continually saw how it was worth it. I tried to set the others up for success by having them all play in a room with the oldest “in charge” or having them all play in the backyard while I watched from the window as I had time with the fourth. If sitting everyone else in front of the TV to keep them in one place feels like the only option, I’ve utilized shows that are maybe a little less enticing, like a nature show or something educational. Easier for the fourth child to pass on, but still captivates a young, otherwise into-everything audience.
This is not meant to be a stressful burden, but a blessing! When days are missed, as they often are, we just pick back up again in a few days with the next person in line. Rather than constantly feeling I’m struggling to fit everything in for everyone, I know there’s an upcoming time slot for it, which relieves an emotional burden.
Moments with Mom will be one of those memories I will really cherish from my children’s childhoods. Just the other day one of them asked when we were going to start back up again for the summer, so I think they will too!