Making the Write Connections: Prayer

Friday, November 15, 2013

PPBF: "Prayer for a Child"

I have a classic Caldecott Award winner for you today, as we look towards Thanksgiving:

Author: Rachel Field ("Hitty, Her First Hundred Years")

Illustrator: Elizabeth Orton Jones

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Date: 1941

Ages: 4-7

Genre: non-fiction/Religious

Themes: prayer, thankfulness

Inside Jacket Flap: "This is a prayer written for one little girl, but it is a prayer for boys and girls all over the world. It is full of the intimate gentleness for familiar things, the love of friends and family, and the kindly protection of God. It carries universal appeal for all ages and races, and brings to our hearts and minds the deep responsibility of preserving for all times the faith and hopes of little children."

First Lines: "Bless this milk and bless this bread. Bless this soft and waiting bed."

Why I Like This Book: It's no wonder this was given a Caldecott Award! The illustrations are gentle and charming, reminding me of the "Little Golden Books" I read during my childhood. And even more charming is the fact that Rachel Field wrote this prayer for her daughter. Our everyday experiences CAN influence our writing!

RESOURCES:

Teaching resources for K-3 for Simon and Schuster books HERE.

Fascinating facts about the author HERE.

Comprehensive but well written biography of Rachel Field HERE.

Pinterest "prayer stations" board HERE.

Prayer activities for children HERE.

Hope you enjoyed today's offering for Perfect Picture Book Fridays, when we review picture books which we deem worthy of mention. This concept was created by Susanna Hill, and is a helpful resource for librarians, teachers and parents. For a list of all books reviewed so far, along with activities to complement them, click here.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Puritan Prayers: A to Z Blogging Challenge

I admire the Puritans! They have been given a bad reputation, mostly unfounded, because they were a group of English who believed that the church was becoming secularized, and thus, was forgetting their first love...GOD. They desired to 'purify' the church of it's ungodliness, and bring it back to honor and obedience to the Word of God.

http://ushistoryimages.com

Hear a portion of their prayers prayed over the centuries, taken from "The Valley of Vision":

Faith and the World p.107

..Thy Word is full of promises...

May I be made rich in its riches,
Be strong in its power,
Be happy in its joy,
Abide in its sweetness,
Feast on its preciousness,
Draw vigor from its manna.

Lord, increase my faith.

VOYAGE p. 110

O Lord of the Oceans,
My little bark sails on a restless sea,
Grant that Jesus may sit at the helm and steer me safely;
Suffer no adverse currents to divert my heavenward course;
Let not my faith be wrecked amid storms and shoals;
Bring me to Harbour with flying pennants,
                                       Hull unbreached,
                                       Cargo unspoiled....

The Family p. 113

..Let those who are united to me in tender ties
Be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory.
Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion,
                                     Instruction,
                                     Discipline,
                                     Example,
That my house may be a nursery for Heaven,
My church the garden of the Lord,
Enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting,
                                                             For thy glory;...

MORNING NEEDS p. 118

..Teach me how to use the world, and not abuse it,
                                   To improve my talents,
                                   To redeem my time,
                                   To walk in wisdom towards those without,
                                         And in kindness to those within,
                                     To do good to all men,
                                         And especially to my fellow Christians...