ABC: Bible Meditation for Me!: C Is for Calm!

ABC:  Bible Meditation for Me!: C Is for Calm!

ABC:  Bible Meditation for Me!: Bible Meditation Vs. Eastern Meditation 

Introduction:
This lesson is one of twenty-six ABC lessons for parents, grandparents, kids, and teachers.  Already posted is A, B, D, E, F, H, L, O, P, Q, R, T, U, V, W, X, and Z.  Please scroll back to read the others.

C Is for Calm

C is for calm,
the way I can be
if I trust in the Lord
to watch over me!

B Is for Bible

B is for Bible,
M is for meditation,
turning over
in our minds
Bible quotations.

A Calm Alarm!

The cry these days is help kids get calm.  It's like a "Calm Alarm!" To help kids achieve this educators, doctors, scientists, and parents say try mindfulness, yoga, or both. There's even a group called: "Yoga Calm."  But instead, there's a Bible way.  And that is by trusting in the Lord Jesus as Savior to give us peace and in His word to give us hope.

A Calming Psalm

One of the favorite Bible Psalms is the twenty-third Psalm!  Read it!  It says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."  Is He your shepherd?  If not, Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:11)  He died on a cross for you to take your sins away. And if you will pray, ask him to forgive your sins, and trust him as your Savior he will be your shepherd.

As our shepherd, the Lord gives us peace.  Psalm twenty-three says: "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me by the still waters."  His word can help us feel tranquil, still and calm our emotions. It goes on: "He restoreth my soul."  He can help us get over being very hurt or  angry.  It also says if we should die he will be with us  It ends, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

Ruth Meets the Shepherd

There's a wonderful children's book The Tanglewood Secret by Patricia St. John that tells the story of a missionary child who was living with her aunt.  Her name was Ruth.  Now Ruth wasn't someone who was calm often disobeying her aunt, while her very serene, kind brother Philip always obeyed.  In the book Ruth meets Mr. Tandy, a shepherd, who had a little lamb, and later Ruth meets the Good Shepherd, Jesus, who changes Ruth from an angry child into a calmer one who loves Him and others.  If you've never read this book, how I'd encourage you to do so.
https://www.lighthousetrails.com/ages-7-12/37-the-tanglewoods-secret.html

Balms That Calm!

Sometimes if our lips hurt we use lip balm to help make them feel much better--to calm down the soreness.  An old lotion, folks used to use to soothe and calm down dry red skin, is called Italian Balm.  These balms are calming and soothing; they help us.  So the Lord Jesus calms us down when we get all upset and angry.

Meditation Reflection

Psalm 4:8  "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me to dwell in safety."  Sometimes kids have trouble getting to sleep or have bad dreams, but the Lord says we can trust in him to keep us safe.  He's always awake!  Sleep on this!

Attractive Reflection Marker  

If you have drawer liner roll (the one with tiny holes) cut a strip 16"X 2 n' 1/2".  Fold over so it is 8" long.  Inside slip a strip about 8"X2 n' 1/4" cut from the side of a birthday gift bag or like paper.  Slip this colorful strip inside the folded drawer liner, and staple closed at the top/sides.  At the top tape a small rectangle of the same colorful material inside your marker.  Onto that small rectangle stick a gummed sticker of Jesus. A little lower down tape another rectangle of same material as top rectangle to make a tiny pocket.  Find a small paper; print Ps.4:8 on it.  Place your marker in your Bible.         

Eastern Meditation

C Is for Calm

C is for calm,
M is for meditations,
the cure they say that
will stop our frustrations!

The Bedtime Book: Yawning Yoga

Laurie Jordan has written a bedtime book full of yoga poses for a four-eight year old to do with "Om" mantras to repeat to calm kids' minds for sleep. One "Here Wee Read" reviewer raves over the book's unusual dreamy soothing illustrations.  She relates she has used the book's suggestions as a regular sleep routine with her children.
http://hereweeread.com/2016/12/yawning-yoga-laurie-jordan-book-review.html

The text written in rhyme includes these lines:  "Yawning yoga helps me unwind, thank my body, my spirit, my mind.  So after pjs, brush, and comb, I settle down with a gentle Om. Connecting with the soothing sound, Connecting with the world around."  On another page Jordan spells out exactly how a child should "Om." The book closes with an afterword how yoga is much more than just a set of poses which is exactly what ABC: Bible Meditation for Me! is warning about.   "Look inside" here:
https://www.amazon.com/Yawning-Yoga-Laurie-Jordan/dp/1939775108#reader_1939775108

My Calm Place: (Card Set) Yoga, Mindfulness, and Meditation

Take a look at this card set with its various card activities by Barbara Neiman and Shiela Lewis.  This is just one in a myriad of similar card sets.  One card "Energize Your Battery" tells the child to do a "Ha" mountain pose as well as chant a "Ha" mantra.  Look inside the pack here:
https://www.amazon.com/Calm-Place-Mindfulness-Meditation-Strategies/dp/1683730011

Calming Moovlee Monkey Video 

There's a whole series of wordless videos using  movements of the most mesmerizing little monkey doing all sorts of yoga and meditative moves.  Many of these are made for toddlers!  Here is just one sample of the Moovlee monkey.  Innocent, not!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXYHdRP8DsA

Andrew Nance's New Book: The Lion in Me

Coming in September 2019 is another Andrew Nance mindfulness picture book The Lion in Me.  Nance, as mentioned in the "P Is For Present, Being Present!" lesson, wrote Puppy Mind equating our mind to a puppy wandering from place to place.  Endorsed by his friend Sylvia Boorstein, co-founder teacher of the Spirit Rock Center, and author of Happiness Is an Inside Job, Nance's book is about a young boy learning to calm his ferocious anger by using deep breaths.  Nance's stance is Buddhist through and through.  Coincidentally, there's a Buddhist periodical entitled: "The Lion's Roar!"
https://www.lionsroar.com/reverence-for-life/

Parental Suggestion:

Nance's Book The Lion in Me Is Featured on Christianbook.com!

Of all books for a so-called "Christian Book" seller to feature would be this Nance book, but even Christian book sellers are profiting from this mindfulness tsunami that has come into our culture right around every corner.  View the book here!
https://www.christianbook.com/the-lion-in-me/andrew-nance/9781946764416/pd/764416

P.S.  Write letters or e-mails to inform Christianbook.com what this book is all about and where it comes from.  Encourage your older kids to write letters or e-mails too.