The SG Notebook

Our spring sale is just getting under way and I hope you are aware of the good deal which can be yours with regard to the Dover Little Activity books. I would not steer you wrong–these books are great. Younger children love them. We have a small supply of them leftover from the days of our fun bags, which always included one of these books. Dover sold them for $1.00 for years, but the price has increased and the same books are now $1.50 each for retail. We think we’re offering quite a nice deal on an assortment of the sticker little activity books by offering a bundle of 9 for just $4.50.

You never know when having some of these around will come in handy. Just one is a nice little gift to give to a small child when you go to their home for a visit, or they come to yours. Great stocking gift at Christmas time. Wonderful prize for Sunday school or VBS. Great prize for anything, for that matter.

While you’re at our spring sale page, look at the other items that we have, especially the cassettes. Also, you’ll want to throw in a pack or two of the blank puzzles (six pack for $1.00) with your order. This is another item that children enjoy receiving as prizes. You can use them yourself and write out verses or messages on them, break them apart, and mail or give them to children to put the puzzle together.

Tell others about it, won’t you?

Talk to you soon.

Maxine (a/k/a Nanna)

Those who have known us for a while know how we feel about the Kids of Courage website. In fact, our Child of Courage Speakable is always based on an article from that site. I can’t tell you how important it is to have your children feel something of the weight of what others their age are going through by way of suffering and/or starvation. It’s a necessary part of their upbringing, I would say, and I think you would agree that it would be a great flaw in our parenting if we allowed them to view life only from the vantage of “what’s in this for me?” Stacy at the Persecution Blog talks a little about the KOC site and also has a link to the location where you can sign up for their newsletter.

Surely this newsletter would have a good use in your home school, Sunday school, Christian school, and family life. Also, let us help. We always have a child from somewhere in the world featured on a Speakable. The current one is here if you want to use it for a writing project. Don’t forget to click on the blinking “push pin” to go to the bulletin board where you can always find short think questions about the Speakables.

Blessings for the Lord’s Day tomorrow.

It’s just been a couple of days that I’ve gotten around to visiting folks for the blog party. Well, better late than never. It’s been during that time that I’ve just discovered that my settings were off and people have been unable to leave comments if they came! Apparently, it’s been that way for a good while. (Oh my!)

I hope if you’re a late visitor, and if I’ve fixed the settings properly, that you’ll leave a comment to let me know you’ve been by!

God bless all. From what I’m seeing, everyone is enjoying the party.

Hello all!
Welcome to the Speakable Gifts blog, The SG Notebook. We are so excited to have this opportunity to party with all of you!

My name is Maxine (also known as Nanna), and I am married to Chuck. We have two daughters, Beverly and Neesie. My daughter Beverly is married, and has two girls of her own. She has recently joined me in this venture. My younger daughter Neesie is 16, and still living at home with us. We have homeschooled her since kindergarten.

I’d love to introduce you to Speakable Gifts! As a homeschooling mom of two, long time Sunday School teacher, and now a Nanna, I feel the burden to provide wholesome, character building products and publications for our young ones. In this society especially, we at Speakable Gifts feel that this is so important.

A division of Speakable Gifts is Speakable Press. I’ve written a devotional for children called Bright Gems For His Crown. Bright Gems, and a lot of other items are currently being sold at reduced prices, so check them out at our Spring Sale Page if you like! At our website you can also check out our Speakables for Children, and sign up for our bimonthly newsletter, Helping Children Grow.
Most importantly, to God be the glory!

Sincerely,

Maxine

From one of my groups, I found out about a really neat blog site. Scripture Lady.com is one lady’s ministry which has the purpose of helping others get kids interested in the Word of God. Now I would say that’s a pretty worthwhile cause, wouldn’t you? From what I see of it so far, it’s geared primarily toward’s younger children, so there’s probably not much for our high school here, but definitely there are probably some ideas for teaching Sunday school and perhaps VBS. But for those of you homeschooling younger ones, this seems to be a good site to bookmark. I’m sure going to.

I think it’s so wonderful how various people have found meaningful ways to use their blogs to be a help to others.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

We sang this song in our evening service tonight. Perhaps we have sung it at our church before but I don’t remember it if we have. This is the sweetest little children’s song you ever wanted to hear. You know how many of the children’s songs sound, it’s hard to explain what a delight those little childish rhythms are. The words of this one are great to teach to your preschoolers and primary kids.

I just thought this was the perfect opportunity to remind folks of the calendar that we publish which is inspired by this hymn. We even titled it the same. This is a do-it-yourself calendar; the children color the pictures for each month, fill in the monthly Bible verse, and keep up with the birthdays and other special days of the year with “stickers” they cut out and glue on. Many character building lessons are sprinkled throughout.

It’s a seasonal product – available from the September through January months. I’ve given it to students in my Sunday school class on several occasions (when the class is small). It just occurred to me that maybe it would be a good idea to sell slightly larger quantities to teachers at a reduced price. Maybe we could do that if given sufficient advanced notice. Hmmm. I’ll think about that and talk to Bev. If so, we’ll let you know this summer.

Now for the words of this delightful hymn, which teaches an important truth for all ages-we love Jesus, because He first loved us: (Tune here)

Savior, teach me day by day
Love’s sweet lesson to obey,
Sweeter lesson cannot be,
Loving Him Who first loved me.

With a child’s glad heart of love
At Thy bidding may I move,
Prompt to serve and follow Thee,
Loving Him Who first loved me.

Teach me thus Thy steps to trace,
Strong to follow in Thy grace,
Learning how to love from Thee,
Loving Him Who first loved me.

Love in loving finds employ,
In obedience all her joy;
Ever new that joy will be,
Loving Him Who first loved me

~ Jane E. Leeson

Hope this is the beginning of a blessed week for all.

Maxine, a/k/a/ Nanna

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

Do you like the word “tickle?” I do. Now I said I like the word, not the feeling you get when someone does it to you. But we all like to be tickled through the eyegate and earwaves now and then, don’t we? Well, as a service to our friends and customers, don’t be surprised if a “tickle” shows up on this blog now and then. No special reason other than to help us all feel better. So for all of you who have or love babies (isn’t that everyone?), here are a few for today:

What did the baby corn say to the mommy corn? “Where is pop-corn?”

What snakes do babies like? Rattlesnakes.

Why do mothers carry their babies? Because the mothers are too heavy for the babies to carry.

Why did the Army begin drafting babies? It was trying to build up the infantry.

Have a nice day!

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

(Riddles from Lots o” Riddles, published by Barbour Publishing, Ind. Used by permission.)

Aren’t computers wonderful? That is, they are when they work okay. Sometimes they get a little stubborn and when they do, they sure can cause us a many woes. Such is the case with my laptop, which is stubbornly refusing to send out our current issue of the newsletter. My apologies to our subscribers. I’ve sent out an email to let everyone know what’s happening and now I’m in the process of getting ready for the May/June issue. Unfortunately, I’ll need to be starting from scratch, but that’s not so bad because a new design would be quite appropriate. Why? Because as I just told you in the last post, lots of new changes are going on around here and one such change will be a new website look.

So keep hanging around. Speakable Gifts is all excited–sort of like a lady who is in the midst of redecorating her house!

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

One of the many changes that we hope to bring in the coming months is our desire to put our children’s cassette on a CD. Of all the items we’ve sold over the years, this is still the leading in volume of sales. It brings me much joy that this little musical tape, produced over ten years ago, is still in the home of many families and is still listened to by babies and children. People still tell me about how their littlest ones learn to repeat the words to songs and hymns. My oldest granddaughter loves it!

There are reasons that have made me more hopeful that this will happen in coming days. May the Lord in His mercies allow us to still produce this work in a form that even more people can listen to in their cars and homes. I’ve had quite a few inquiries about this and will let you know right away when we have the resources to do it and it’s in the works.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

We will be having lots to tell you as much is going to be changing at Speakable Gifts! Promise you’ll be coming back to check on us frequently in the coming weeks? For one thing, we are going to be changing the business form of the entity and my oldest daughter has joined me in the business. We’re both excited about it. More about that later.

Because of the upcoming changes, this Nanna has been rejuvenated and I’m off to a new start with my writing projects and marketing! I’m very thankful for this new turn of events. No longer does everything rest on me! I have a lot more to tell you and from now on, this blog will be picking up once again. This is the place where we will let you know what’s going on and it’s also the place where we expect and hope to give you lots of good tips for your household. Also come here to find out what new things are happening with activities and contests in the children’s section.

And my thanks for being patient with SG as we make these changes! BTW, we’re fooling around with the website these days, so if you find anything out of whack, please understand that it’s probably something we’ve done!

For His Glory,

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna