* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * By: Michelle Lores

* * * * * * * * * * By: Michelle Lores * * * * * * * * * *

This book is dedicated to My niece, Ariana. Ariana, I love your sweetness, And I love joining with you in your play! May you never outgrow your love For learning! I love you, And I so look forward to watching you grow! Love, Auntie Michelle

~Contents~ Chapter 1: Winter with Oscar the Puppy Oscar the Winter Puppy Oscar the Christmas Puppy Oscar the New Year s Puppy Oscar the Valentine s Day Puppy Chapter 2: Spring with Oscar the Puppy Oscar the Springtime Puppy Oscar the St. Patrick s Day Puppy Oscar the Easter Puppy Chapter 3: Summer with Oscar the Puppy Oscar the Summer Puppy Oscar the July 4 th Puppy Oscar the Birthday Puppy Chapter 4: Autumn with Oscar the Puppy Oscar the Autumn Puppy Oscar the Thanksgiving Puppy

Chapter 1: Winter with Oscar the Puppy

Oscar the Winter Puppy Oscar the puppy loved the Winter! He loved watching every perfect snowflake drift down from the wintry sky! He loved that every snowflake was different from the rest! He loved the crunch, crunch, crunch of the snow under his paws as he went on walks in the park with his family. Oscar loved watching the ice skaters on the frozen pond at the park! He loved running back and forth on the snowy bank as he followed the skaters gracefully skating round and round on the ice. Oscar loved seeing the puffs of his breath when he was outside, enjoying the frosty wonder of his white, wintry world! But most of all, Oscar loved coming home to his nice warm house where Dad would build a fire and everyone would snuggle up in front of the fireplace to be cozy and warm. Then Dad would tell a bedtime Bible story to Bobby and Susie and everyone would share about their days and pray together before bed. Oscar loved this time of day during winter most of all, because it was when everything slowed down and God and His Love were the most important things to everyone in the family.

Oscar loved the Winter! He loved the frosty wonderland of the snowy outdoors! But what Oscar loved most of all about winter was when he got to experience the warmth of God s love in front of his fireplace surrounded by his family. What could be better for a puppy like Oscar? Yes, Oscar was definitely a Winter puppy!

Oscar the Christmas Puppy* Oscar the puppy loved everything about Christmas. He loved trotting about in the powdery Christmas snow with his red Santa hat on. He loved catching Christmas snowflakes on his tongue. He loved that each person in his family had a special sparkle in their eye. Oscar loved the fun music that made him want to dance and the special music that sent shivers up and down his spine. He loved all of the yummy treats there were to eat. He loved the bright shining Christmas tree with its glowing colorful lights. He loved the beautiful red, green, and gold ornaments and the shiny silver icicles that decorated the tree. He loved giving gifts and getting them, too! But most of all, Oscar loved Jesus. Oscar knew that Jesus was the reason for Christmas. He knew that Christmas was a celebration of Jesus birth. year. And because Oscar loved Jesus so much, that made Christmas the best time of the

Oscar the New Year s Puppy Oscar the puppy loved celebrating the New Year! He loved that he got to stay up until 12 a.m. with Bobby and Susie to watch the old year end and the New Year begin! He loved the sparkling, fizzy apple cider that his family drank in the tall fancy glasses when the clock chimed 12 a.m.! He loved the funny, bright colored top hats that everyone wore and the noisy party blowers that they blew. midnight. He loved the colorful confetti that his family threw in the air when it turned He loved the fireworks and all of the fun! But most of all, Oscar loved the time of night on New Year s Eve when the family sat down and shared their goals for what they wanted to work on in the New Year. It was such a special time. Each person in the family remembered the year that had passed every season Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn.

They remembered all that God had done in them, through them, and for them and they looked forward to all that God would do in the New Year. When it was nearly midnight and everyone had been given a chance to share, the family joined together in a very special prayer time when each of them gave all of their hopes and goals for the New Year to God, trusting Him and asking Him to have His perfect way in each of their lives. Even Bobby and Susie joined in. They remembered the things that stood out to them about the past year special things that they had seen God do and other things that God had helped them go through. They gave their hopes for the next year a good year in sports for Bobby and a better year at school for Susie to God and trusted Him for His will to be done in their lives. Yes, Oscar loved celebrating the New Year! remember. There were so many fun things to do, and there was so much to reflect on and New Year s was a wonderful time to look back, look ahead, and place complete trust in God for whatever the New Year may hold. Oscar was definitely a New Year s puppy!

Oscar the Valentine s Day Puppy Oscar the puppy loved Valentine s Day! He loved seeing Dad with a special twinkle in his eye when he looked at Mom! He loved seeing Mom hug and kiss Dad when Dad gave her a dozen red roses and a heart shaped box full of chocolates! He loved the delicious smells coming from the kitchen as Mom baked and cooked in her white frilly apron, working hard to prepare Dad s favorite meal and dessert for a special candlelight dinner. He loved seeing the valentines that the kids made for each other! Susie cut out a white lacy heart and Bobby drew a big red one on a white piece of paper. Oscar loved watching the kids exchange their valentines with one another and give each other a big hug and a sincere I love you! from the heart. Oscar loved the little candy hearts with messages on them that the kids shared with him. They were crunchy, colorful, and sweet! But most of all, Oscar loved that Valentine s Day was a day all about love. He had heard Dad tell Bobby and Susie that God wants us to love each other more than we love ourselves every day of the year.

Oscar loved Valentine s Day because he saw his family loving each other better than themselves all day long on a fun-filled day! Oscar loved the sweet-smelling roses and all of the delicious smells and sweets of Valentine s Day! But most of all, Oscar loved watching his family share God s Love with each other. To Oscar, that made Valentine s Day a truly beautiful day. Yes, Oscar was definitely a Valentine s Day puppy!

Chapter 2: Spring with Oscar the Puppy

Oscar the Springtime Puppy Oscar the puppy loved the Spring! He loved the new life that he saw springing up all around him. He loved all of the colorful flowers. He loved the fresh smells in the air. He loved the warmth of the sun on his face. He loved the return of the green, green grass and the sprouting of the leaves on the trees. He loved that he could play outside for hours with Bobby and Susie and all of the kids in the neighborhood. He loved that new beginnings and fresh starts were in the air. But most of all, Oscar loved what the springtime reminded him of. Jesus Christ. Spring reminded Oscar of the New Life that God gives His children through His Son, Oscar had heard about this New Life from his family and he had seen it lived out in their actions and their love for one another every day.

Oscar knew this New Life from God was real, because he experienced the effects of it every day in the lives of his family. Yes, Oscar loved the Spring! New life was everywhere he looked outside! But most of all, Oscar loved the Spring because it reminded him of the New Life from Jesus that had brought God s Love into his family and that Love was the reason why Oscar s life was so blessed. Yes, Oscar was definitely a Springtime puppy!

Oscar the St. Patrick s Day Puppy Oscar the puppy loved St. Patrick s Day! He loved that everyone wore green because green was Oscar s favorite color! He loved that Mom fixed corned beef and cabbage for dinner she loved celebrating her Irish roots! He loved the cookies with green icing, the lemon-lime soda with lime sherbet in it, the green applesauce, and the moist green cupcakes! He loved the green hats and the hot, crusty Irish soda bread! He loved seeing the green shamrocks that the kids colored and cut out. Oscar loved the green three leaf clovers that he saw everyone wearing. He heard Mom say that the three leaf clover represented the trinity God being three yet One all at the same time God the Father, Jesus the Son of God, and the Holy Spirt individual but each One being the same God. But what Oscar loved most of all was learning that one of the reasons we celebrate St. Patrick s Day is because of the original arrival of Christianity and the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ in Ireland. A man named St. Patrick is celebrated because of what he did to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the people of that country. Oscar believed that this was a real reason to celebrate!

Oscar loved St. Patrick s Day! clothes. He loved all of the yummy green treats, the Irish soda bread, and the fun green But most of all, Oscar loved that St. Patrick s Day was also a celebration of the arrival of Jesus message of Good News in Ireland. Yes, Oscar was definitely a St. Patrick s Day puppy!

Oscar the Easter Puppy Oscar the puppy loved Easter! He loved all of the colorful candy eggs. He loved the Easter baskets filled with colorful Easter grass. the eggs! He loved joining the kids in Easter egg hunts he helped Bobby and Susie find all of He loved seeing the fluffy bunnies and the fuzzy chicks. But there was another side of Easter that Oscar loved even more! sin and death. Oscar loved Easter because it was the celebration of the triumph of Jesus Christ over Oscar loved to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with his family. He knew that it was because of Jesus victory over sin that his family could be saved from their sins and could live forever with God in heaven when they died. Oscar knew that Easter was a holiday of victory and Joy. He loved his family, and he loved the abundant life that they lived every day.

He knew that the reason they had that abundant life was all because of what Jesus had done for them in dying on the cross and being raised to life again by God on the third day after He died and was buried. Oscar loved Easter! He loved all of the colorful eggs and fun activities. But most of all, Oscar loved Jesus. He was so glad to celebrate the truth that Jesus is alive today and that Jesus offers His Life to any who will accept Him as God s Son, ask Him to take away their sins, and give their life to follow Him! Yes, Oscar was definitely an Easter puppy! What is sin? Sin is anything that God s Word, the Bible, says is wrong for people to do or say or think. The Bible says that all people have sinned (Romans 3:23). What is resurrection? Resurrection is being raised to life from the dead. The resurrection mentioned here is when God s Son, Jesus Christ, was raised from the dead by God came back to life by God s power after He died on the cross so we could be saved from our sins.

Jesus gained victory over the power of sin that leads to death when He was raised back to life. He gives that same victory over sin and death to all who believe in Him to those who receive His forgiveness for their sins, having their lives transformed as they are given His Holy Spirit to live inside of them and are now able to follow Him in obedience. Jesus also gives His followers the gift of living forever with Him when they die.

Chapter 3: Summer with Oscar the Puppy

Oscar the Summer Puppy Oscar the puppy loved the Summer! He loved the lemonade stand that the kids in his family Bobby and Susie made to sell tall, cool glasses of lemonade to their friends. He loved hearing all about the vacation Bible school that Bobby and Susie went to, where they did fun crafts and learned more about Jesus and the Bible. He loved going to the beach and feeling the warm sand between his toes and learning how to ride a boogie board! He loved the warm sun and the cool water that cooled him off. He loved playing ball and all sorts of sports with Bobby and Susie and Mom and Dad! He loved going for a swim in the pool! Bobby and Susie each took turns throwing a tennis ball for him to fetch and bring back to them. Swimming and playing games in the pool was so much fun! But most of all, Oscar loved what the warm sun of the summertime reminded him of. It reminded him of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Just like the sun always seemed to be shining in the Summer giving off warmth and enabling life and growth to be possible Jesus, God s Son, is always there to offer the only Way to true Life and Growth and the only way to God.

Oscar had learned that Jesus was like the Sonshine to his family. They needed Him to have true Life. Without His presence in their lives, they would not ever be able to know God or His love for themselves. Yes, Oscar loved the Summer! He loved the activities and all of the great fun! But what Oscar loved most about the Summer was the sun, because it reminded him of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who offers His great love to every person on earth. Yes, Oscar was definitely a Summer puppy! John 14:6* The only way to come to God the Heavenly Father is through Jesus. He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. No one can come to God except through Him. *(My Paraphrase)

Oscar the July 4 th Puppy Oscar the puppy loved July 4 th! He loved the cookout his family had! He loved the steamy hot dogs! He loved the chargrilled hamburgers hot off the grill! He loved the warm apple pie and the creamy vanilla ice cream! He loved the tall, cool glasses of iced tea and frosty lemonade! He loved the fun red, white, and blue parades during the day and the fireworks going BOOM up in the sky at night! the country. He loved the American flags he saw everywhere that showed respect and honor for But most of all, Oscar loved the reminder to be thankful for the freedoms we have here in the United States of America. He loved that his family spent time on this day remembering all of those men and women who had given their lives to give us those freedoms.

Oscar s favorite part of the holiday was family time when Dad would pray and thank God for the blessing of living in the United States of America. He would ask God to show them how they as a family could continue to share their blessings with others in their country and around the world. Yes, Oscar loved July 4 th! It was such a fun and special day! The fireworks were fantastic, and the food was great! But what Oscar loved most of all was when his family thanked God for their freedom and looked for ways to share their blessings with others as they celebrated this special day. Oscar was definitely a July 4 th puppy!

Oscar the Birthday Puppy Oscar the puppy loved birthdays! He loved all of the people in the house for him to play with! He loved all of the pretty gifts with crinkly wrapping paper for him to tug at and tear apart! He loved the cake and ice cream with colorful candy sprinkles! He got to try some one time, and he was zooming around everywhere for 30 whole minutes! Oscar loved joining in on the fun games that everyone played! He loved the happy music that he could dance and sing a doggy song to with his howls, barks, and yips. But most of all, Oscar loved the time when everyone quieted down and went around the room to offer a birthday blessing for the coming year to the birthday boy or girl and to say why they were thankful for them. Then Dad would lead everyone in prayer, and anyone who wanted to pray for the birthday boy or girl would join in when it was their turn. Mom would be the one to end the prayer time by saying the final prayer.

Oscar loved this part of the day best because it was a wonderful reminder to the birthday boy or girl that they were loved and special in God s eyes that they were made for a purpose and fashioned by the hands of God Himself. Oscar loved the spoken blessings that his family received from others on their birthdays, because those special words turned his family s attention to God their Heavenly Father who made them and loved them more than anyone else ever could the One from whom all blessings come. Yes, Oscar loved birthdays! He loved the cake! And He loved the fun! But most of all, Oscar loved how God used other people to bless his family with love and to remind them that they were each very special because the One and only true God loved them and made them to know Him, walk with Him, and talk with Him every day. Yes, Oscar was definitely a birthday puppy!

Chapter 4: Autumn with Oscar the Puppy

Oscar the Autumn Puppy Oscar the puppy loved the Autumn! He loved the beautiful colors of the leaves on the trees. He loved the crisp coolness that was in the air. He loved that smell which could only be smelled when Autumn arrives. He loved jumping and playing in the piles of leaves that Dad and Bobby had raked up in the front yard. He loved stepping on the dry leaves on the ground to hear them crunch under his paws and he loved running around carrying big, colorful leaves in his mouth! But most of all, Oscar loved the Autumn because it represented something to him and his family. to the Winter. To Oscar, Autumn was like a door that was being closed on the summer and opened The Autumn brought cool air, family time, and Thanksgiving. It was a season of change, leading to the close of another year. Oscar liked this time of year because it reminded him of something Dad always said. Dad said that the end of something we like will always mean that something new is on its way for us to experience a new leaf to turn over and explore.

Yes, Oscar loved the Autumn. It reminded him that even though life would bring many goodbyes and changes, it would also bring with it many new leaves to turn over and explore! Oscar was definitely an Autumn puppy!

Oscar the Thanksgiving Puppy Oscar the puppy loved the fall. He loved the beautiful colors of the autumn leaves. He loved diving into the huge mound of crunchy fallen leaves piled in his front yard! He loved the walks with his family in the crisp fall air that smelled different from the rest of the year. But what Oscar loved most about the fall was Thanksgiving! He loved the smell of all of the yummy foods! He loved the scraps that Grandpa fed him under the table! He loved when the house was full of people for him to greet and play with. Most of all, Oscar loved the special time when right before dinner everyone went around the table and said what they were thankful to God for. Then Dad prayed to God and thanked Him for His goodness to all of them and for sending Jesus so we may have life. Oscar loved when, after dinner, everyone would catch up with one another s lives and their needs and pray for one another.

Oscar loved Thanksgiving. He loved the food! He loved the family and new friends! But most of all, Oscar loved that on such a special day, his great God was given so much love and thanks for all He is and all He has done. Yes, Oscar was definitely a Thanksgiving puppy!

The End for now! Have fun playing until next time! : )