I love to garden in the summertime. This year, I was so excited to plant purple and yellow pansies in my garden. They were colourful and pretty, and they made me very happy … until I went outside to find they had been eaten by squirrels! I didn’t know that squirrels liked pansies. The following week, I tried planting different flowers. They ate those, too! They dug up the roots and chewed on the leaves.
The squirrels were taking over my backyard and I felt defeated. But when I thought about it, I realized that is just what squirrels do. They eat nuts, leaves, grass, roots and berries that they find in nature because they don’t have refrigerators and grocery stores like us.
God put all those things on earth so that animals such as squirrels could eat and live.
God created the soil, water and sunshine that makes plants grow. He created animals to eat plants (even beautiful purple pansies) and He created humans to take care of it all. You can read more about God’s creations in this issue of Just for Kids.
So, this summer, I’m trying to make friends with the squirrels and take good care of them.
Your friend, Abby
Draw an animal you might find in the garden.
ISSUE
When God created the world, it didn’t have any shape, and it was dark. Then God spoke. He said, “Let there be light.” And daylight appeared. God gave the land its form. He made the sun, the moon and the stars.
When everything on the earth was ready, God made the animals. He made some to live on the land, others to swim in the water and more to fly in the air. Then God made a human being and breathed life into him. God named the human Adam, and gave him a beautiful garden to live in.
God gave Adam a job to do. He told Adam to take care of his garden home and all of the animals that lived in it. Adam gave the animals names, just as God had named him.
But Adam was a little lonely, so God made another human, a woman named Eve. Adam and Eve lived in the garden. They took care of it and spent time talking with God.
Did You Know?
There are 22 different species of squirrel found in Canada. They are great eaters, jumpers and collectors. Squirrels, like chipmunks, have special pouches in their cheeks where they store food as they collect it. They also have big, bushy tails that help them balance on narrow surfaces such as tree branches, and jump from one spot to the next without falling.
Connect the Dots
Whenever I discover a new song or watch a great movie, I can’t wait to tell my friends about it. I want everyone to know how awesome it is!
Being a Christian is like that. We know about God—how He created the world and everything in it, how He loves us and protects us, and all the incredible things He does for us. God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to save us from our sins.
While Jesus was here, He performed amazing miracles that showed people the power of God. They were so excited by what they saw, they wanted to tell everyone about it! Read this issue of Just for Kids to learn about one of Jesus’ miracles.
Your friend, Abby
Match each sea creature to its correct shadow.
ISSUE32
Find 10 Differences
Fishermen Follow Jesus
Peter and Andrew were fishermen. Fishing was how they earned money.
One day Jesus came to the Sea of Galilee where they were fishing and mending their nets. Many people wanted to hear Jesus teach. The people kept crowding around Him, trying to get closer. Jesus got into Peter’s boat which was at the water’s edge. Then Jesus sat down and taught all the people who were crowded on the beach.
Luke 5:1-11
When Jesus finished talking, Jesus told Peter to take the boat out into deeper water. Then Jesus told Peter to let down his nets to catch some fish. When Peter and Andrew let down the nets, they caught so many fish that the nets began to break! Peter and Andrew called to their partners in another boat to come and help them. There were so many fish that when they pulled the nets with the fish into the boats, the boats began to sink. Quickly, the men rowed to shore. Jesus said: “From now on you will catch people.” Jesus meant Peter and Andrew would tell lots of people the good news about Jesus. Peter and Andrew and their partners pulled their boats up on the beach, left everything and followed Jesus.
A Fishy Puzzle
Match the fish and the words to read Acts 10:43.
Hi kids! Summer comes when the sun is closest to the earth. This is why all the snow melts and it gets very hot! With the sun shining so bright in the summer, we often have to protect ourselves from it. If we go to the beach, we wear sunblock, sunglasses and hats so we don’t get a sunburn. If you go to the beach in Bermuda, which is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, you will swim in saltwater. While it is very fun to swim in the ocean, you cannot drink ocean water because of how salty it is. In the Bible, Jesus uses the examples of light and salt to help us understand how we should act as His followers.
Read the Bible story to find out more.
Your friend, Abby
Salt and Light
One day, Jesus saw a big crowd of people, so He went up on top of a mountain to teach them. His disciples came over, too, and sat around Him. In His lesson, He used two examples to help the people understand how they are to live as a follower of Jesus. First, He talked about “salt.” Next, He spoke about “light.” He told the people that salt is only good when it tastes salty or else it is not useful. He then went on to talk about light, telling the people that they are to be “the light of the world.” He said that no one lights a lamp only to hide it under a bowl, but rather puts it on a stand to have it shine for everyone in the house. He used these two examples to teach us that when people see us do good things it will bring glory to God.
ISSUE
Summer Shadow Match
I Spy at the Beach
How many of each object can you find?
Matthew 5:13-16
Hi kids!
Last summer, I tried wakeboarding for the first time. Wakeboarding is when you strap your feet to a flat board (kind of like a skateboard or snowboard), and you are pulled behind a boat. If you are good at it, you can glide along the water and even ride on top of the waves.
I was not good at it.
As soon as the boat started to move, my arms were pulled forward and my feet stayed in one spot, and I flew face first into the water. My body was sore the next day!
Spot 10 Differences
In this issue of Just for Kids, you’ll read a story about someone who had no trouble staying above water. A group of Jesus’ followers were in a boat one night when a storm came. They were so afraid that the boat would sink until a strange figure appeared on the water. Read the story to find out what happened.
Your friend, Abby
Find
What does the ocean say to the beach?
Nothing, it just waves!
Why did the teacher jump into the pool?
She wanted to test the water
The Sun of God
Complete the math problems, match the answer to the correct word and then fill in the blanks. The ________ ________ is like the ________ that ________ us ________ .
________ is like a ________ that ________ us ________ (Psalm 84:11).
ne evening, Jesus’ disciples went down to the Sea of Galilee. Jesus went up the mountain to pray.
The disciples took a boat a long way from the shore. A strong wind was blowing and the water was rough. Then they saw Jesus coming toward the boat. He was walking on the water. They were terrified.
“It’s a ghost!” they said. But Jesus said, “Be brave! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, is it You?” Peter asked. “If it is, tell me to come to You on the water.”
“Come,” Jesus said. So Peter got out of the boat. He walked on the water toward Jesus. But when Peter saw the waves, he was afraid. He began to sink. He cried out, “Lord! Save me!”
Right away Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “Your faith is so small!” He said. “Why did you doubt Me?”
When they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then the disciples worshipped Jesus, saying, “You really are the Son of God!”
Hi kids!
How do you show people that you love them?
God showed His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. In this week’s Bible story, you’ll see how one woman showed her love for Jesus. She had a very expensive jar of perfume. It was worth more than a year’s pay. And she chose to pour the oil on Jesus because she loved Him.
The men who saw her do this were angry. They thought she was wasting her expensive oil. But Jesus thought her actions were beautiful (see Mark 14:6).
What can you do this week to show Jesus that you love Him?
Your friend, Abby
Find 3 Differences
Jesus Forgives a Woman
Spy
Love Languages
How do you say “love” in 10 languages? Find the words in the puzzle and write the leftover letters on the blanks below to read the hidden message.
