Dawn R. Deem Stephens

A Porcupine Named Fluffy – Living Up To “The Name”

Based on A Porcupine Named Fluffy by Helen Lester If you haven’t read this children’s book, you should. I promise you’ll laugh aloud. Mr. and Mrs. Porcupine have their first child and can’t figure out what to name it. After pouring over many choices they decide to name him “Fluffy” As Fluffy grows, he tries very hard to live up to his name. But as you can imagine, being a porcupine, he isn’t at all fluffy.  The illustrations by Lynn Munsinger are hysterical. It isn’t until Fluffy makes friends with a rhinoceros named Hippo that he is able to laugh at his own name and enjoy being himself. As I read this book, I remembered naming my own children. I searched through the books of baby names and felt such pressure to make a decision that I would be happy with forever. I failed, because if I had to do it over, I’d rename 2 out of 3 of them. I also remember being given a plaque with my name on it as a child. It had my name, the meaning of the word and a Bible verse on it. My name is Dawn – and it means “Break of Day” – The Bible verse on the plaque was Psalm 143:8 “Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee”. I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant as a child, but I figured that since my name was “Dawn” it meant I was a morning – person and that I should be cheerful and seek God each morning. So I pretty much have tried to that. Maybe that’s why I like Fluffy so much. He thought he needed to live up to his name just as I did as a child. Having your own children and students research their names and what they mean is a great activity to do with them. In doing so though, take them to the Bible to see “The Name”. All through the Bible we see God put an importance on names. Adam was asked to name the animals. Several people in the Bible were given names or had their named changed to identify who they were and what God promised them. Eve, Abraham, Sarah, Israel, Paul and many others. I find it more interesting though that we call ourselves “Christians” – which means we bear the name of Christ. We pray “In Jesus name” and we are told to go “forth for His name’s sake” (3 John vs7). So I think the real question we can ask ourselves is are we not living up to the name our parents gave us, but are we living up to the name we bear as a Christian. Are we even worthy to bear that name? We are because Christ died for us and took away our unworthiness, -but now that I have the name – “Christian” – I know that I have to live up to that name. Do others see me as “Christ”.  Do they feel that the name of Christ is befitting to my life? hmmmmm – Christian, we have a name to bear that challenges us to do right and live right.  The Biblical lesson today with Fluffy is simple – It’s to live worthy of the name of Christ. I’ll be praying with you that we both can do it! Disclosure: These ideas are that of this blog and teachers using this book, not the author or publisher of the book. To purchase this book through amazon you can click on this widget and help support more Bible Lessons in Children’s Literature

For more Bible Lessons in Children’s Literature click on the links below: Corduroy – The Search For a Friend The True Story of The Three Little Pigs The Tale of Peter Rabbit Seven Blind Mice and the Cure to Our Blindness The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Hungry Christian = New Life Learning the Bible from Pinocchio -by Debbie Boush Harry the Dirty Dog: Lost Dog, Lost Son Where The Wild Things Are

1. Twitted by dawnstephens Says:
   December 3rd, 2009 at 1:21 pm

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2. Dawn Stephens Books » Blog Archive » Town Mouse, Country Mouse, Content Mouse Says:
   December 21st, 2009 at 7:23 pm

   [...] A Porcupine Named Fluffy – Living Up To “The Name” [...]

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