Friends, here is a review of a new book to bless you and your church family of all ages. Read on to see how it could shape your summer enrichment plans.
“In the rustling grass I hear God pass. God speaks to me everywhere.” That’s one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite hymns, and I think of it when I listen for God in the great cathedral of creation. I also thought of it as I read Glenys Nellist’s new book, Song of the Seasons. It is based on Psalm 98, and echoes other psalms and scriptures, too. Readers follow along as two children explore the cathedral of creation, noting the wonders of each of the four seasons.
Spring flowers and rustling grasses declare their maker’s glory, then their song gives way to that of their summer siblings. The bright blue summer sky and full-leafed trees sing, as does the water rippling and splashing on the shore. Fall’s royal reds, golds, and browns take up the song while animals follow their creator’s ingenious plan, storing food for winter. Autumn light slants in. As birds fly south, honking geese sing a particularly loud song calling all to notice God’s presence all around. In winter bare trees reach toward the One who made them. Snowflakes whisper, and twinkling stars sing along in the clear, cold sky. Water in its frozen state adds yet another harmony. The earth rests in God’s care. Soon the voice of spring will be heard again. The first and last stanzas summarize the whole book:
The earth sings God a brand-new song
From grass to mountain peak,
And if you pause and close your eyes
You’ll hear the seasons speak.
Deeply hued art brings out the special beauties of each season, and the joy on the children’s faces is infectious. When you read this book with your own children, you can seek and find the treasures on every page. The author has created resources for parents and others who nurture children’s spirituality that can be freely downloaded from Paraclete Press’s web site. They include a parent pack with coloring sheets and printable Bible verse cards, a plan for a story walk of eighteen stations inviting exploration, discussion, and creativity, and a thirty-two page resource booklet that can be used in a variety of formats, including five-day Vacation Bible School. I’m so glad to have these resources! Enjoy this book, and sing a new song, for God truly has done marvelous things!
You can find out more at Paraclete Press.
Visit the author at www.glenysnellist.com.
The Mustard Seed Journal 