Guest Post Month: And the Winner is…

Please welcome Traci Creel, winner of this month’s guest blog contest!  Her post reveals her precious mommy heart…that her children would know and love Christ.  She also shares some very handy questions that we can use to challenge our little ones and ourselves.

So without further ado…Traci Creel everyone!! 🙂

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Gospel Conversations To Have With Your Children…… From the Movie “FROZEN”!

Ariel.  Cinderella.  Rapunzel.  Belle.  Snow White.  Aurora.  Jasmine.  And now, Anna and Elsa.

These are the princesses I get to spend my mornings with on almost a daily basis. I often get to eat breakfast with Cinderella, and only an hour later I get to push Snow White on the swing.  We have all the dresses, shoes, crowns, gloves, and even wigs for each princess.

I am constantly thinking about how to talk to my three year old, Amelia, about what true beauty is, what a true prince is, and WHO our true Prince is.

I want her to see Cinderella as a servant of those who do not deserve to be served.  To see Belle as young girl who looks at the heart of a man (the beast) instead of his external appearances.  And to see Ariel as one who longs for a different world to live in as we ,too, should long to live in our true Heavenly home.

Thinking like this does not come easy or natural.  That is why my desire is to train my daughters to look at the world around them and build convictions according to what the Bible says is true.

One of the best ways to form these kind of thoughts in my life and theirs is by asking questions.  Actually answering questions helps you to THINK and to PROCESS what you believe.  I want my children to learn to ask the question, “How do I see the GOSPEL in this situation, movie, argument, etc.?

The most recent movie I watched with my excited daughter was FROZEN! The 1 billion dollar money maker. She sat up straight on the floor with a huge smile the entire movie. We laughed. Sang the songs. And laughed more. It was a “date night” for the two of us that I will not forget!

As I went to bed thinking about the movie two words came to my mind.  LOVE AND SACRIFICE.
I thought this movie was such a beautiful picture of the Gospel.  Below I have listed 5 verses that go along with specific themes from the film.  Each verse has a few questions to go along with it to help you dialogue with your child.  Some of them are appropriate for a three-year-old and others are appropriate for older children…or even for you!

1.  I John 3:18  ”Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Anna loved her sister dearly and she showed this love by her ACTIONS.

• What action steps did Anna take to show her sister how she loved her?
• What things can we do to show others we love them?
• What did Jesus do to show us He loves us?

2.  John 15:13  “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Anna SACRIFICED her life for her sister.

• What does it mean to sacrifice something?
• What was sacrificed in the Old Testament?
• What was the ultimate sacrifice in the Bible?

3.  1 John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
As Elsa’s fear increased so did her powers. But, when she was shown love and was able to love she no longer had fear.

• What did Elsa fear? What made Elsa begin to love and not fear?
• What is something that you fear?
• Who loves you with a perfect Love?
• If God loves you with a perfect love and you believe He cares for you, should you be afraid?

4.  Jeremiah 17:9  “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
Anna “fell in love” with prince Han in only one day. She agreed to marry him and did not even know him well.

• Do you think it was a wise decision for Anna to agree to marry Hans? Why or why not?
• When you start to have feelings for a boy, what would be some wise things for you to do?

5.  1 John 4:18  “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
Elsa thought that the loving thing to do was to hide and to isolate herself from her family and community. She was trying to protect others and herself.

• What do you think motivated Elsa to isolate herself?
• When are you most tempted to hide from others?
• When we are secure in the Love of Christ, do you think we would hide from others?

I hope this is helpful for you!  These kinds of questions can be asked while playing outside, helping mommy cook dinner, cleaning the house, fighting with siblings, watching movies, etc. All of these daily activities provide great opportunities to develop the way our children process life.

Please share ways that you and your child use the world around you to understand the Gospel better!

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Traci Creel and her husband, Jason, have three small children.  Amelia is 3, Carson is 2, and Sadie is 8 months.  She wants to love her husband and children the way that her Savior has loved her…uncondionally and sacraficially.

Traci enjoys writing, working out, cooking, and decorating.  She and her husband are also creative and courageous entrepreneurs, having started several successful small businesses.

Header photo by:  Jordan Smith

Lauren Souers

Hi, my name is Lauren. I am the wife of one fine man and the momma of four (huge) young children – three boys and one princess! I love all of them. I mostly clean up messes and feed people all day, and it’s really fun to write about it. Jesus is the rock of my family – we love and serve a mighty King! I hope you leave here full of hope that “tired” can be good.