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3 Fun Ways to Celebrate Earth Day from a Biblical Worldview · 5–Minute Parenting: Tips to Help You Raise Competent, Godly Kids.

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to another episode of the Five Minute Parenting Podcast.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Karen Ferguson, wife, mom, grandmom, and children's book author with a background in K-8 education and a passion for equipping parents to raise confident and God-confident kids.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: In this podcast, we'll cover parenting practices from both a practical view and a biblical view.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Our goal is to help you raise kids with a positive, godly self-image so they can become all they were created to be.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: I know you're busy, so we'll keep it short.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Let's take just five minutes and dive in.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, listeners, Earth Day is just days away.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: So is it Mother Earth or Creator God?
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: I say no contest.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: The Bible makes it clear there is only one creator of all things, and that's Elohim, Creator God, the same God who created the human family in his image and gave us dominion over this earth.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: The one who invites us into a relationship through his son, who paid the highest price for our sins on the cross.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: The one who rose again, defeating sin, death, and hell for all who believe.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: This contradicts just about everything the world tells us.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: And this month, the world is talking a lot to our kids about this earth and how we need to save it.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: As parents and grandparents, with many of our kids in public schools, how can we approach Earth Day?
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: I say let's be bold and intentional and take the focus off the fictional character of Mother Earth and put it right where it belongs, on God, our Creator.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: I believe as Christians, we should celebrate Earth Day, but from a biblical perspective, rather than remain silent on the issue and leave the lessons to the classroom, let's use the secular holiday as a teachable moment to point our children to the beauty and intentional design of God's creation.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: Here are three simple ways you can celebrate Earth Day with your children.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: First, you can take your children on a scavenger hunt for signs of new life.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Bring a notebook and write down or draw every hint of new life you see.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: This includes things like birds' nest, blossoms on tree branches, uh, shoots of plants, baby trees, big trees, animal tracts, birds, rabbits, squirrels, deer, and caterpillars.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: Read Genesis 1 and discuss on which day God created each one.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Second, encourage the artist in your child by allowing them to recreate one of God's beautiful creations out in nature using art supplies like paint, crayons, markers, pencils, glue, tape, popsicle sticks, and also natural materials like tree sticks, blossoms, fallen leaves, rocks, and pine cones.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Talk about why your child chose that specific creation and why they think God created it.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: You can also visit a park, hiking trail, or national preserve.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: Go with a group of family and friends if you can.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: Give each person a specific amount of time with a camera to take pictures of the most beautiful and interesting piece of God's creation they can capture.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: But only one photo.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Then share those photos with each other and have each person explain why they took their photo of what they did.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: Have some fun with it and make it retro and get a Polaroid camera.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: Show your kids how we used to take pictures.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: But that way they can print them out right away.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: I've included a couple links to some Polaroid options in the show notes for you, parents.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: And lastly, I invite you to download your free Let's Celebrate God's Earth activity workbook that I've included in the show notes.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: This workbook has 12 pages of fun and meaningful activities you can do with your elementary age children and even younger ones to celebrate God's beautiful earth.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's it for day for today.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to hear your ideas for celebrating Earth Day.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Please reach out to me on my website, which is also in the show notes.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: And be sure to join us again next week for another episode of Five Minute Parenting.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: Have a blessed week.