For Little Friends

By Diane Marie Franson

The Beautiful Green Glass

By Diane Marie Franson

(Based on a true story)

Jesus … said, It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

1. “Lunch is ready!” Mom called.

2. Three-year-old Trevor raced to the kitchen and quickly sat down on the stool.

3. His eyes flew past his peanut butter and jelly sandwich and apple slices to the shiny green glass full of milk.

4. “Hooray!” he exclaimed. Trevor and his five-year-old sister, Andrea, both liked to drink from the beautiful green glass. Since there was only one green glass, they took turns. Today was Trevor’s day.

5. “But, Mom, I really wanted to have that glass today!” Andrea declared. The look on her face was stormy and disappointed as she stomped to the counter.

6. “I’m sorry, it’s Trevor’s turn today,” Mom said.

7. Trevor looked at his sister. He knew she had a cold and didn’t feel well. She was always loving and kind to him. She was quick to share, and she was a great playmate. Trevor knew he loved the green glass, but he loved Andrea more.

8. “Here, sister,” he said simply as he slid the glass by her plate. “In nursery, the teacher said when people are sad, we share.”

9. “Oh, Trevor!” Andrea said with a smiling face as she gave him a hug. Trevor knew her happy face and warm hug were better than drinking from the green glass.

Illustrations by Elise Black

Let’s Plant a Garden

By Lorena Moody

planting a garden actions(click to view larger)

Illustrations by Val C. Bagley

Today, let’s plant a garden!
(Make a digging motion with your hands.)
Come, let’s get the seeds.
(Put one hand palm up and pretend to pick up seeds with the other hand.)
Push them in the dark earth.
(Take each seed from palm-up hand and poke it in the ground.)
Pull out all the weeds.
(With hand pull up weeds from the ground.)
Look, the seeds are sprouting.
(Point to the floor. Place hand behind horizontal arm and move straight fingers up.)
Green leaves in a row.
(Hold hands and fingers straight up with thumbs next to each other to form a row.)
The Lord sends sun and water.
(Form a circle with arms and hands. Then make a sprinkling motion with wriggling fingers.)
Watch our garden grow!
(Put hand behind horizontal arm and move straight fingers up.)

Handy Pencil Holder

By Jane Scherer

To make a pencil holder, you will need: scissors, a seed packet with a picture of a flower or vegetable on the front, a ruler, a small piece of lightweight cardboard, narrow ribbon 20 inches (51 cm) long, glue, and two new pencils.

  1. 1.

    Neatly cut off the top of the seed packet. Save the seeds to plant later.

  2. 2.

    Make a small bow with an 11-inch (28-cm) length of ribbon. Glue it to the outside of the packet.

  3. 3.

    Using the remaining length of ribbon, glue an end to the inside of each side of the packet and let dry.

  4. 4.

    Cut the cardboard slightly less than the width of the packet by 1/2 inch (1.3 cm). With the ruler, crease the cardboard through the middle. Glue the cardboard across the inside bottom of the package to make it stronger.

  5. 5.

    Place two pencils inside the packet.

illustration of pencil holder

Illustrations by Val C. Bagley