Memory Verse:
Philippians 4:8
In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy.

Assignment:
Share a field trip/lifestyle learning experience where you really felt you were bringing good things to life for your children, where something came alive for them, or ignited a passion.

There have been so many events in my children’s lives that seemed to give them passion about something. Simple life experiences spark their interests and they take it from there.

When my oldest was young we really thought that he would work on or with heavy equipment. At 3 years old he would spend literally hours playing with his Matchbox trucks along the bay window sill. He would watch and imitate the construction workers who were just outside the window preparing the road in front of the house for paving. Then when he was about 6 we were stuck in traffic because of a fire and we watched as the firemen put it out. When he was a young teen he was given an old IBM Tandy computer and he learned, on his own, computer language. By the time he was 14 or 15, he had taught himself PowerPoint, created a presentation and won 1st place nationally and 2nd place internationally in competition. Now as an adult he is a Computer Systems Specialist with a pretty big company and wants to be a fireman.

All of my children have always been the outdoorsy types, but my younger son has a passion for it and animals. When he was younger he watched my husband and father take down a dead tree and he wanted to be a ‘tree-cutter man’. From a very early age, his room has housed various collections of ‘habitats’ that he has created for an unending number of creeping and crawling creatures. He has captured lizards, pollywogs, tree frogs, and various insects. He creates appropriate homes for them, studies them then lets them go. He has observed the metamorphosis of a frog, done experiments regarding the camouflage traits of lizards, and most recently learned he doesn’t want crickets in his room because they kept him up at night with their songs. When not in school, he can easily be found either in the garage building something to house creatures or somewhere outside. He wanted to be a marine biologist engineer, but I have a strong feeling he may become a Ranger or something of the like.

When my daughter was a toddler she always wanted to see your teeth and would insist on looking into your mouth. She would go to the dentist with me and sit on the floor watching as the dentist worked on my teeth. She is now debating on her future as either a dental hygienist or a meteorologist. Her favorite channel is the Weather Channel, and has been for years. She watches it all the time. Weather has always held her interest. While she does not like it when the skies become dark and becomes fixated about knowing the current conditions, she is our resident weather girl giving us forecasts on a regular basis.

As I see it, there doesn’t seem to be any one particular incident that sparks interest in my children, but a series of many events that shapes and forms their passions and desires. I can’t take the credit for specific events that lead to these interests. God has already placed these fires in their hearts and I am privy to be able to see them develop.