mix it up!

2009-04-09T10:33:00.007-05:00

Pioneer Clubs impacts the lives of kids by building a foundation for their faith and nurturing their relationship with Jesus Christ. But even at very young ages, these kids are impacting the lives of others—their families, their friends, and even people they may never meet. They are finding joy in serving others. Kayla Smith understands how her part in simple service is impacting the lives of other people. She has a great story!

Silence: Lenten Reflection

2009-03-30T12:12:00.004-05:00

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence.”

- Mother Teresa

A Wave to Friends Down Under!

2009-03-24T21:07:00.005-05:00

Imagine our surprise to find this lovely post about Mix It Up! online today. On his blog, Dave Wakerley, who with his wife Beci is a children's pastor in Syndey, Australia, gave us a (virtual) wave.

(It's nice to meet you too - Dave and Beci!)

His site offers links to other high quality blogs and to information on a wide array of topics including parenting, curriculum, music, and communication. What a great resource!

Thanks, too, Dave for the kind words about our "Window of Opportunity" training video. We still find the stats on kids' spiritual development inspiring - and energizing.

All best to you - and to all our readers - who as parents, children's and youth ministers, and volunteers work to introduce young hearts to the love of Christ.

Happy Spring - or, actually, it must be Autumn there now!

Lenten Reflection: Living as a Forgiven Person

2009-03-12T10:06:00.009-05:00

A local Catholic theater troupe is performing "The Seven Last Words of Christ" by Theodore Dubois. It's a classical choral piece that explores the passion of Christ.

What are the last seven things Christ said?

On Got Questions, a website that offers answers to spiritual and Biblical inquiries, the question is answered like this:

The seven statements that Jesus Christ made on the cross were (not in any particular order):

(1) Matthew 27:46 tells us that about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Here, Jesus was expressing His feelings of abandonment as God placed the sins of the world on Him – and because of that, God had to “turn away” from Jesus. As Jesus was feeling that weight of sin, He was experiencing a separation from God for the only time in all of eternity. This was also a fulfillment of the prophetic statement in Psalm 22:1.

(2) “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Those who crucified Jesus were not aware of the full scope of what they were doing because they did not recognize Him as the Messiah. While their ignorance of divine truth did not mean they deserved forgiveness, Christ’s prayer in the midst of their mocking Him is an expression of the limitless compassion of divine grace.

(3) “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). In this passage, Jesus is assuring one of the criminals on the cross that when he died, he would be with Jesus in heaven. This was granted because even at the hour of his death, the criminal had expressed his faith in Jesus, recognizing Him for who He was (Luke 23:42).

(4) “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Here, Jesus is willingly giving up His soul into the Father’s hands, indicating that He was about to die – and that God had accepted His sacrifice. He “offered up Himself unblemished to God” (Hebrews 9:14).

(5) “Dear Woman, here is your son!” and “Here is your mother!” When Jesus saw His mother standing near the cross with the Apostle John, whom He loved, He committed His mother’s care into John’s hands. And from that hour John took her unto his own home (John 19:26-27). In this verse Jesus, ever the compassionate Son, is making sure His earthly mother is cared for after His death.

(6) “I am thirsty” (John 19:28). Jesus was here fulfilling the Messianic prophecy from Psalm 69:21: “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.” By saying He was thirsty, He prompted the Roman guards to give Him vinegar, which was customary at a crucifixion, thereby fulfilling the prophecy.

(7) “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Jesus’ last words meant that His suffering was over and the whole work His Father had given Him to do, which was to preach the Gospel, work miracles, and obtain eternal salvation for His people, was done, accomplished, fulfilled. The debt of sin was paid.

On his blog Mark Roberts also explores the seven last "words" of Christ and offers a Lenten devotion for each, including a reflection, questions to consider, and a prayer.

Here's the prayer suggested by Mark Roberts for the "first word" ("Forgive them for they know not what they do") reflection:

Gracious Lord Jesus, it's easy for me to speak of your forgiveness, even to ask for it and to thank you for it. But do I really believe I'm forgiven? Do I experience the freedom that comes from the assurance that you have cleansed me from my sins? Or do I live as if I'm "semi-forgiven"? Even though I've put my faith in you and confessed my sins, do I live as sin still has power over me? Do I try to prove myself to you, as if I might be able to earn more forgiveness?Dear Lord, though I believe at one level that you have forgiven me, this amazing truth needs to penetrate my heart in new ways. Help me to know with fresh conviction that I am fully and finally forgiven, not because of anything I have done, but because of what you have done for me. May I live today as a forgiven person, opening my heart to you, choosing not to sin because the power of sin has been broken by your salvation. All praise be to you, Lord Jesus, for your matchless forgiveness! Amen.

Preparing for Easter

2009-03-11T09:19:00.006-05:00

What are your plans for your kids for Easter?

Pioneer Clubs offers a complete package of resources in its "Celebrate God's Gift of New Life in Christ" materials. You can look at them here. I like the cross craft. It seems a beautiful representation of the resurrection. (And I always used to love those "scratch art" projects when I was a child.)

Here are some other Bible-based Easter activities and crafts. I like this Easter carol by 19th century author Ellen Robena Field. Teachers could read it to young children while they color an Easter lily picture.

Older kids (perhaps grades 4-8) might enjoy this more intricate coloring page. If some of the children in the class have not memorized John 3:16, this would be a great instrument to encourage that. Older boys might connect with this one, too.

This burnt match stick cross could be a great craft to do with partners or for older kids. Perhaps a more reflective time could be built around this craft. After the matches are ready to glue and construct, the teachers/leaders could play Christian music and allow the kids/tweens to work quietly as they build it. This beautiful stained glass lily picture could be customized as a craft for most ages.

What are some of your best ideas for celebrating the resurrection with the children and youth in your life?

Have You Heard of the Jonas Brothers?

2009-03-06T14:29:00.005-06:00

I was just kidding - of course you have.

Who hasn't?

The Jonas Brothers are three real-life brothers who have made three CDs - the most recent of which was nominated for, but didn't win, a "Best New Artist" Grammy. They aren't marketed as a Christian band, but are open about their faith in Christ.

One recent quote from 19 year-old (middle) brother Joe (and quoted in USA Today):

"Even songs we write today, if you really listen to the lyrics, it can be about love songs, but it's also about our relationship with God. It's simple. We're Christian guys in a rock 'n' roll band."

Kevin Jonas, the eldest of the three, said:

"With our music we're trying to be successful. It's definitely a pop record. It's a pop/rock record for the mainstream. But our whole thing is to play mainstream music but to be a light in a dark world and to tell people that we are Christians when they ask, 'What's so different about you?' We're like, 'Well, we're Christians and we love the Lord.' That's our opportunity to witness to people. We just feel like this is where we belong - 'This is who we are and let's just go for it!'"

Here's one of their music videos, if you've not seen them perform before.

I like that they are sharing their faith with their actions as well as their words - and being as excellent musically as they can be. Theirs is a consistent witness to the love they know in Christ.
So...if your tweens ask to see their new movie, Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience, this weekend...you might want to consider making it a date.

The Least of These?

2009-03-02T09:18:00.006-06:00

This morning I read a story on a friend's blog of his interaction with a family on a subway train in New York and, almost like background music, I kept hearing the words - from Matthew 25 - in my head:

34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

In my friend's blog, in a post called "Hands," he writes:

One stop before the E pulls into Jamaica Center, a young couple enters my car pushing a stroller with wrapped child, swaddling clothes. and the man begins his speech. Spend enough time in New York and you will hear them all—this time it’s an ex-con, recently released, trying to get back on his feet, find a job, pay the rent, support his wife and child, anything will help, any amount will be appreciated, God bless.

My head is full of anger this morning-- the reason is unimportant now just as it will be on my deathbed-- but it is the kind that today will blur my vision, sap my strength, make my thoughts skip in their groove as I fold in upon myself like a paper doll. But somehow I reach for my wallet and open it to three singles and a twenty. My hand crumples the bill into a ball. not out of humility, but humiliation because the thought that always comes to mind first in these situations is “This guy is taking me for a ride,” and if I am willingly going for that ride at least those around me don’t have to see how far I’m being taken.

I fit the bill into the man’s hand.“Thank you. God bless,” says he. And I nod, the anger still sapping away any real care, any humanity. When he reaches the other side of the car and his wife and babe, he says something to her and looks back to me and nods. It was the twenty I had crumpled, and the hand that crumpled it had been moved only by something deeper (hopefully) than the anger, something I pray will always be.

The train hisses, we are in the station now and I climb out, bags in tow. As I struggle to heft my hiking pack the family approaches and the man speaks,

“My wife and I wanted to thank you.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” The anger keeps me even from looking at them. “You just lost your job?”

“No, I was incarcerated. Just got out. I’ve been looking for work but it’s hard to take care of my family and do everything so sometimes we come out asking for help. It costs a lot with the food and diapers and all. Especially, you know, these days.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“But thank you, brother.”

“No thank you." JUST SPEAK says something/But you don't even feel it says another. "Truth is, I’ve been in a pretty dark place this morning and it’s good to get out of myself, you know, so thank you for that.” It’s true-- I know it, though I do not feel it. “I’m John.”

His hand extends. “Angel. This is my wife, Nikki. And that’s Nathaniel.”

I wave to Nathaniel-- this sweet little unknowing thing being rolled about in the subway, and then for some reason my hand pauses in the air and I make the sign of the cross over him. Unknowing myself, as if the hand were moved by another, and something breaks a little inside me. I'm angry for myself that something has to break, that my heart is so wrapped up in itself, still angry for my own unimportant reason, still angry to have to talk to another human being and not be able to retract into self again.
“Well, God bless, take care.”

“Yeah, you, too. Bless you.”

I’m moving away now, still aware that my own heart is a mess, praying that I wake soon, that a joy and a love return with abiding heat to move my hands, my feet, rather than this that moves them now, but I know that this, too, is enough, that Angel and Nikki and most importantly little Nathaniel need most my crumpled bill and not my best mood. I know my heart will return, I pray that all our hearts will return.

I like that John realized, in talking with this needy couple, that it was he (John) who was the least of these. It was his heart that was "a mess."

Where will I see Christ today?

Lenten Prayer

2009-02-27T16:09:00.004-06:00

How often have I lived through these weeks without paying much attention to penance, fasting, and prayer? How often have I missed the spiritual fruits of the season without even being aware of it? But how can I ever really celebrate Easter without observing Lent? How can I rejoice fully in your Resurrection when I have avoided participating in your death? Yes, Lord, I have to die—with you, through you, and in you—and thus become ready to recognize you when you appear to me in your Resurrection. There is so much in me that needs to die: false attachments, greed and anger, impatience and stinginess.... I see clearly now how little I have died with you, really gone your way and been faithful to it. O Lord, make this Lenten season different from the other ones. Let me find you again. Amen. (Henri Nouwen)

Ash Wednesday: Burning Bush Moments

2009-02-25T10:26:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Cathleen Falsani wrote about Shrove Tuesday and about looking for "burning bush moments" during the season of Lent. In her blog, "The Dude Abides," Falsani wrote:

The Anglican tradition calls today Shrove Tuesday. "To shrive" is an old-timey English word that means to hear someone's confession -- an accounting of someone's sins -- followed by dispensing spiritual advice and assuring the confessor that he or she is loved by God.

Later in the post, she quotes a Rabbi friend of hers. He said that Americans can forget who we really are if we focus only on our struggling global economy and other bad news. He said:

Most Americans have not lost their homes. Most Americans still have what it is we most basically need, and that puts us in a whole different place than most of the rest of the planet. People can help other people. That's how you find out you actually have more than you could have imagined. From a penny to a minute, you can give something."

Realizing this, The Rabbi says, is a "burning-bush moment." Like Moses on Mt. Sinai, who could have walked by the burning bramble had he been distracted by all the drama surrounding him, we, too, will miss out if we're not paying attention.

So, Lent can be a time for all of us, to pay attention to how God is speaking to us and making Himself known in our world. And we can choose to focus on serving others, especially as we prepare for Easter.

I appreciate the reminder.

Ash Wednesday

2009-02-23T09:34:00.009-06:00

In two days, it will be Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Depending on your church's tradition, you may not be familiar with Ash Wednesday. I came across a blog post from pastor and author Mark D. Roberts that, for me, served as a beautiful Ash Wednesday reflection. I'll except his words (first posted in February 2005), below.

To read more about Rev. Dr. Mark Roberts, visit his website.

He begins the reflection by quoting the lyrics of "Dust in the Wind," the 1978 song (note the groovy video!) by the band "Kansas."

From Rev. Roberts' blog:

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone

All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity

Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.

Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea

All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see

Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind.

Don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky

It slips away, and all your money won't another minute buy.

Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind.

Dust in the wind, everything is dust in the wind.

"When I was in college one of my favorite songs was “Dust in the Wind” by the band Kansas. Part of what attracted me to the song was the haunting music... But the lyrics were equally haunting and unsettling. “Dust in the Wind” reminds me of the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes, in which we read "[H]umans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them? (Eccles 3:19-22)

As a Christian I don’t share the hollow despair of “Dust in the Wind,” yet I am moved by its profound statement of what life without God would be like. Like Ecclesiastes, “Dust in the Wind” doesn’t proclaim the Christian gospel. But it does encapsulate the bad news that prepares us to hear the good news of what God has done in Christ. Apart from Jesus, “all we are is dust in the wind. Everything is dust in the wind.”

On Ash Wednesday we remember that we are dust. Of course we also realize that we are far more than merely dust. But Ash Wednesday gives us a chance to focus on our “dustiness,” if you will. It’s a day to remember the bad news of who we are apart from Christ so that we can begin to prepare for the great news of Good Friday and Easter.

Though I grew up as an active Christian, I had very little idea of Ash Wednesday until I was well into my thirties. I always had thought of it as some arcane Catholic holiday that, thank God, we Protestants didn’t have to worry about. But in the last fifteen years I have come, not only to understand Ash Wednesday, but also to treasure its meaning.

Like Christmas, Ash Wednesday is a Christian holiday (holy day) that is not required in Scripture. So it’s nothing that all Christians must recognize. However, the day has been set apart by Christians for over a thousand years. It is the first day of Lent, a forty-day season of preparation for Holy Week and Easter.

For centuries Christians have had ashes placed on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes remind us of our mortality. As they are being “imposed” on our foreheads we hear the bad news from Ecclesiastes 3: “You’ve come from dust, and to dust you will return.” Yet, because the ashes are imposed in the shape of the cross, they also suggest the good news that is yet to come, that which will deliver us from eternal death.

Throughout my pastoral tenure at Irvine Presbyterian Church I’ve put ashes on hundreds of foreheads. It’s both a strange and a wonderful thing to do. It’s strange to tell people, in so many words, “You’re mortal and you’re going to die.” Yet it’s wonderful to remind people of why they need a Savior, and to invite them to begin getting ready for a deeper experience of God’s grace on Good Friday and Easter – even seven weeks before Holy Week begins.

I remember distinctly times when I have put ashes on the forehead of a dear member of my church who was nearing death. And I remember occasions when I have imposed ashes on the foreheads of newborn infants. The point is that, whether old or young, we are all mortal. We are all caught in death grip of sin. And we all need a Savior.

I’ve had some church members complain about our Ash Wednesday service as “a downer.” To be sure it is not joyous in the way of most worship services. Yet we don’t simply leave ourselves to wallow in our dusty mortality. We take extra time to pray for ourselves and for each other, remembering God’s mercy. And, though we don’t yet focus on the full good news yet to come, we do sing “Great Is They Faithfulness” as we remember God’s grace. Apart from God we are indeed “dust in the wind.” Yet into our dust God has breathed, not only the breath of earthly life, but also the breath of his Spirit. Thus Ash Wednesday’s vivid reminder of our mortality leads us, not to despair, but to hope. It points not to defeat, but to the coming victory of Easter."

"Tea Parties with a Purpose" Author Bobbie Wolgemuth

2009-02-20T09:19:00.009-06:00

Five Questions for Bobbie Wolgemuth, author of the series Hymns for a Child’s Heart and the book Tea Parties with a Purpose: 10 Simple and Fun Party Ideas for Kids of All Ages:

1. What was your home life like when you were a child?

I had every material thing a girl could want, but I had no Bible background. I didn’t know who God was. My grandparents were Christians and I know now that they were praying for me, but my parents were not. They were living the country club lifestyle.

2. How did you get involved in Pioneer Clubs?

I had a good friend across the street whose family began taking me to church. I felt so loved and special whenever I was with this family. They invited my older sister to Pioneer Girls (as it was called back then) and soon after I began to go as well.

3. What was your first impression of Pioneer Girls?

I absolutely loved it! I couldn’t believe how kind the women were and I couldn’t understand why they would be there. They weren’t fancy like my mother’s friends, but they hugged me and held my hand. I was overwhelmed by their kindness.

4. Other than the care and love of your leaders, what do you remember most about your Pioneer Clubs experience?

We started every session with the same verse, Psalm 119:105, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” It was a seed planted in my mind. Eventually, I grew to love the Bible more than anything in my life.

5. How would you encourage Pioneer Club leaders today?

When you have Jesus in your heart, it shows. Through your love and care and focus on eternal values, you are planting acorns that will some day grow to be great oaks. Reaching kids when their hearts are tender can save them from a lifetime of going the wrong way. If it wasn’t for those precious women, I really don’t know where I’d be today.

Learn more about Bobbie on her blog: http://teapartieswithapurpose.blogspot.com/

Battle Cry

2009-02-18T10:58:00.007-06:00

Have you heard of Battle Cry?

It's a book, an online community, a series of conferences for youth ministers and the youth with whom they work - it's a movement that incites and supports American teens as they question the messages of popular culture and bring the light and love of Christ to others.

This video, called "Here Comes Trouble," gives a taste of what Battle Cry is like.

What do you think of the tone and message of Battle Cry? Have you ever been to a Battle Cry conference or read the book? In what ways do you teach the tweens and teens with whom you work to question some of the messages of popular culture?

Does Your Church Twitter?

2009-02-17T14:03:00.007-06:00

Is your church Twittering?

Reverend Mark Brown thinks it should be. Brown is the CEO of The Bible Society in New Zealand, an Anglican priest, and the founder of the Anglican Church in the virtual world of Second Life.

(What is the virtual world of the Second Life? Thought you’d ask: to learn more, click here.)

In a recent blogpost, Brown interviewed Anthony Coppedge, author of the new book “Why Your Church Must Twitter.” Coppedge said he wrote the book to “introduce the concept, possibilities and ministry value of this particular tool” and that “there’s not a faster or easier way to reach your congregation and community on their cell phones in real time. If your church is about reaching people, don’t you want to literally reach them?”

Of course, Brown and Coppedge aren’t the only people in ministry who are exploring how and why churches use social media sites like MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook.

In a newspaper story published today, Cheryl Anderson (a reporter in Wisconsin with the Gannet News Service) looks at the issue and references the recent “Ministry 2.0” conference that was held this past November in Franklin, Tennessee. Anderson quotes a Lutheran minister who says (of using social media sites like MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook for the church, "It's similar to Christ going to the people rather than the people coming to him, and talking in a language they understood using parables and stories of the day."

What do you think? Is your church using Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites? Do you think it should?

Post your comments below.

If you’d like to download a copy of “The Reason Your Church Must Twitter,” click here. To follow Anthony Coppedge on Twitter click here or to follow Mark Brown on Twitter, click here.

Love

2009-02-13T10:22:00.003-06:00

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us."

St. Augustine

Reaching Children for God

2009-02-11T11:05:00.004-06:00

He was an evangelist and a master preacher. He affected forever the course of Christian missions. He founded Moody Church and Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. After his death, one pastor said of Moody: “His love for Jesus was a passion; and he loved people, good and bad, because Jesus loved them.” And David J. Brewer, then the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, said: "His end was peace. His message to all is service. 'Whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant.' The world needs a successor. Who will he be?"

And do you know what Dwight L. Moody once said about his own life?

"If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!"

Gearing Up for Valentine's Day

2009-02-10T12:55:00.006-06:00

A heart-shaped box of chocolates. A dozen red roses. A romantic, candlelit dinner. Seeing paper hearts taped to store windows, watching married coworkers scurry out during the lunch hour to find just the right gift for their spouses, and the endless commercials detailing what cell phone or kind of chocolate will be most appreciated by a loved one on February 14 can heighten, for some singles, a sense of loneliness.

We all can shift focus – regardless of our marital status or whether we’re in a relationship – from the kind of love expressed by the annual exchange of romantic greeting cards to the love God has for us. And we can thank for our friends, like this blogger suggests:

"If we had a fearless hero, we might be tempted to think too highly of that hero. We might actually become too dependent on our hero. But when we spread our dependence around among our friends, it is easier for us to see that Jesus is the one who is really providing the help. Jesus is the one who is helping us reach our goals and helping us solve our problems. Jesus is here for us to depend on now. And we have the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that we will be with Jesus for all of eternity. I think it works to our advantage that we do not have any fearless heroes. After a hero's work is done, he rides off into the sunset. He has other dragons to slay in distant lands. After a fearless hero rescues you from your problems and the dust has settled, he will always leave you standing alone. But after a faithful friend has helped you put out your fires and the smoke has cleared, he will still be a part of your life. And he will still be your friend."

On Valentine’s Day, let's remind ourselves and each other of God's profound gift of love for us.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" (Ephesians 3:16-21).

Why Children's Ministry?

2009-02-05T15:09:00.004-06:00

Here are a few facts for you, thanks to Petra College - a South African institution whose focus is on equipping students for a career in children's ministry. The numbers they quote are in line with ones that other organizations use.

The college's website says that:

"Research has proven that all facets of moral and spiritual development - whether or not it relates to our concept of the world, our faith or our behaviour - start by the tender age of 2. After that the process accelerates, and by the age of 9 the spiritual foundation of a child's life has been laid and will undergo very little change from this age onwards. 86% of people who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, have done so before the age of 15 years. Up to 85% of people turning to the Lord, do so between the ages 4 and 14."

Given those compelling numbers, what is the best way to run programs for children? Do midweek programs fit into a 21st century child's (and family's) busy schedule? Are kids motivated to learn Bible verses or come every week to a Sunday School class or midweek program by awards? (Stickers? Candy? Small toys? Merit badges? Certificates?) Is there a place for Christian videos in VBS, midweek, or Sunday School programs?

What do you think?

The Survey Says...

2009-02-04T11:52:00.014-06:00

This won’t come as a shock to you, but people aren’t always entirely …ahem… honest on surveys. People who work in offices underreport how many pads of sticky notes end up traveling from the office to their homes. When asked about church attendance, people claim to go much more often than they do. We give somewhat less to charity, watch somewhat more TV, and surely consume more calories a day than we admit on surveys.

But, still, surveys are useful. They give fresh insights into trends, behaviors, and attitudes about everything from dishwashing liquid to Labradoodles to depression. And these insights can help those who create products and programs better meet people's needs.

And, we’ve got one for you.

Taking this short survey on children’s ministry won’t only help us as we continue our ministry of sharing Christ with children, but will help you as well. After the results have been analyzed, we’ll share them with you on our blog.

Wouldn’t you like to know how important it is to others in children’s ministry whether a program:

· emphasizes Bible memory,
· includes downloadable and/or multimedia content, and
· emphasizes salvation?

Those issues and many more are explored in the survey. We look forward to hearing from – and sharing our results with – you.

Thanks for all you do to bring God’s love to the children and youth in your churches and communities.

Nurturing Boys

2009-02-03T10:28:00.008-06:00

Do you know the story "Where the Wild Things Are" by heart? When my younger son was very little, it was his favorite book. He had a wild thing toy - a tiny Max. He had a framed image (from the rumpus part of the story) on his wall. In traffic or sitting in waiting rooms, I could recite the story to him and he would stop squirming and return again into the world of that story. (Want to see and hear the book read? -Check out this video!)

I've recently learned about a new book called Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys . The authors plays on themes from Sendak's original story in what looks to be a practical book on raising sons. (I'm planning to order it today.) I learned about it from this blogger. I appreciate what I think of as "The Wonder of Boys" literature - so named for the first book of that kind of writing that I read.

Here's how online booksellers describe the book:

Playing off the themes in the Caldecott Medal-winning children's book Where the Wild Things Are, this informative, practical, and encouraging guide will help parents guide boys down the path to healthy and authentic manhood. Wild Things addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual parts of a boy, written by two therapists who are currently engaged in clinical work with boys and their parents and who are also fathers raising five sons. Contains chapters such as "Sit Still! Pay Attention!" "Deficits and Disappointments," and "Rituals, Ceremonies, and Rites of Passage."

What are your favorite books on raising sons? Do you think there's a need for gender-specific books like these?

Fresh Ideas for Tweens and Teens

2009-01-29T10:16:00.008-06:00

I ran across this blog today - it has a number of creative suggestions for conversation starters to use with tweens and teens. I also really liked the suggestions on teaching kids to "pray the Psalms." Here's another very good blog on youth ministry - I like the discussion of the song "World" by "Five for Fighting." I agree with the blogger - what a hopeful song.

Psalm 31:24

Be strong and take heart,

all you who hope in the LORD.

Lost Generation?

2009-01-28T12:39:00.004-06:00

Watch this with tweens and teens for a great conversation starter.

And remind them that:

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

(Ephesians 3:20, The Message)

Preparing for Lent and Easter

2009-01-27T12:33:00.006-06:00

You may be putting the finishing touches on your plans for Valentine's Day, but it is well to note that the season of Lent begins on February 25th this year. How, if at all, does your church and/or your family participate in this season?

This article explains that:

"Lent is like the 'cry in the wilderness' to prepare for the way of the Lord. The season of Lent serves a two-fold purpose. First, it allows you to meet the Lord in solitary actions and devotions. In Lent you join the Church in a time of self-examination with the goal of bringing before the Lord those maladies of the soul that need grace and healing. Second, Lent unites you with that great host of all believers that prepare for Holy Week. Participation in Lent is like 'setting your face toward Jerusalem.' You are moving with the Church to once again witness the suffering of Christ and celebrate the triumph of his resurrection."

How could Lent be used in your children's ministry program? Here are a number of ideas for kids through 8th grade. You could adapt the Lenten lesson plan (with its discussion of the Biblical significance of the number forty), look ahead to the Palm Sunday crafts, and also create a lesson for older kids and youth on what "prepare the way" of the Lord means. How can Lent be a season for you and the kids with whom you work to reflect on grace, on healing, and on the universal church, whose members - all over the world - see this as a season of focusing on -and becoming closer to - Christ?

Post any ideas, suggested resources, or comments below!

In Search of St. Valentine

2009-01-22T14:58:00.007-06:00

What do you know about St. Valentine? It seems that the saint whose life is connected to the modern, February 14 celebration of love may either have been a priest in Rome, a bishop, or a martyr in Africa. Most of the stories that connect St. Valentine with romantic love begin to appear in texts from the Middle Ages. It seems that we can thank Geoffrey Chaucer, at least in part, for that! Whatever its origins and whoever is the true namesake of the day, Valentine's Day affords us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our love for spouses, parents, children, and other people in our lives - and to celebrate God's gift of love to us.

If you are a Pioneer Clubs leader - or if you work with your church's children's ministry in any capacity - check out this "Share the Love" party kit. It contains invitations, posters, valentines, a craft, and a complete lesson plan - all on a CD. If you've been curious to explore Pioneer Clubs, take this opportunity to get to know the program and use the kit at your church to plan a memorable and fun party to celebrate God's love!

Playing Dress-up

2009-01-21T10:35:00.006-06:00

My boys used to be knights. Almost daily, they would disappear down the stairs into the basement and return in full armor. They brandished carved wooden swords (with blunt ends!) and shields bought from a Renaissance Faire. (Here's the one they demanded we visit every summer - you can see a fun little video of it here.) Later, I had daughters who joined in as knights sometimes, but mostly returned up those basement stairs as princesses in flowing skirts and dangly "pearl" necklaces and clip-on earrings. They still get into costume every so often - especially my six year-old who goes to great lengths to complete her look - she coats her lips in a glittery lip gloss and wears a plastic tiara. She walks a taller as a princess. She smiles nobly. She holds her chin high.

Today's reading in The One Year® Devotions for Preschoolers got me remembering how every day was dress up day when my four kids were younger.

It reads:

"Do you ever get dressed up and pretend you are someone very important? Maybe you like to pretend you are a beautiful princess or a handsome prince. It's fun to pretend. But do you know what? You don't have to pretend, because you are important! ...God is your Father and you are his child. And since God is the King, you are a child of the king."

I look forward to sharing this tonight with my daughter - who may or may not be wearing a tiara at the time!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

2009-01-19T14:29:00.006-06:00

It's noted again and again...this year, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday has a particular poignance because a day after we remember the life and work of Dr. King, Americans will witness the inauguration of the country's first African-American president. Regardless of our various political convictions, most of us acknowledge with hope what this might mean for our country. We hope for increased racial reconciliation. Most of us are optimistic (as we Americans tend to be) about our country's future.

What are you teaching your children about Dr. King today? They might know about his most famous speech, they might have read the wonderful children's book Martin's Big Words, and they might even know about legislation that the Civil Rights Movement brought about, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

You can also talk to your kids about what King said about Christ's love. He said that the cross "is the eternal expression of the length to which God will go in order to restore broken community" and King encouraged others to follow Christ's example of forgiveness and "going the extra mile" in service to others. (You can read more here.) For quizzes, projects, and other ideas of ways to celebrate the life and work of Dr. King, click here. Enjoy this "day of service" as the country pauses before a new beginning to look back on the life of a great American.

A Small Church - A Big Mission

2009-01-15T12:31:00.012-06:00

According to this website, 75% of all churches in the United States have an average weekly attendance of 150 or fewer people. These churches may be smack-dab in the middle of a city - or be set among the cornfields far from the nearest metropolis. Regardless of their locations, small churches face specific challenges that rarely are thought of by those of us who attend mid-sized or large churches. This report states that only about 2% of churches in the U.S. have weekly attendance of 1000 or more people - and 'megachurches' are the communities of faith that seem to get the most media attention. Their pastors write books. Their services are sometimes televised. Meanwhile, the small church continues its ministry with a limited budget and a small number of committed volunteers.

If you are a parent at a small church, or a children's minister, or in other ways are committed to your small(er) church, check out the Pioneer Clubs Discovery Program as a way to bring new kids from the community into your church and to serve the ones you know and love so well. The 24-week program is customizable and was created to serve small churches like yours with features like relevant multi-age curriculum and Scripture memory and skill-building activities that help build meaningful relationships with adults in the congregation.

Midyear is a great time to begin a midweek program - check it out!

Happy (Chinese) New Year!

2009-01-14T14:27:00.008-06:00

Are you looking out at a snow-covered landscape? Does the sound of plows, going back and forth in front of your home lull you to sleep at night? Do your kids have chapped lips, dry hands, and a fervent desire for Spring? Perhaps shaking things up, bringing a little color and spice into your home, and celebrating a holiday you may not have had the opportunity to celebrate before will help ease the frustration of too many cold, snowy days. (And if you are reading this from a warm, balmy climate...you can enjoy these activities too!)

Chinese New Year is January 26th. To learn about the holiday, click here. This beautiful plum blossom craft looks simple enough even for younger kids to create. Enjoy take-out Chinese food - or try some simple recipes at home. You can take the opportunity to teach your kids about Chinese culture, to remind them that in Christ there are no divisions between people (Galatians 3:28), and to think about the big, diverse world that God has created. (And, tell them this surprising fact - Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world. Did you know that?)

míng tiān jiàn (明天見)

See you tomorrow!

Devos for Girls

2009-01-13T14:58:00.003-06:00

Over the past few months, several of my friends have had babies. And the names they gave their newborns are as, well, diverse as my friends themselves. Among them: Norah, Roger, Liberty, Winifred, and even Akian.

Did you know that "Winifred" means "friend of peace" or that Akian is the Russian word for "ocean?" Neither did I - until these babies' parents informed me.

Today's reading in The One Year® Devos for Girls is called "The Name Craze." The reading begins with a story about a little girl wondering about the meaning of her name and regretting that her name wasn't a Biblical one, rich with meaning. In the text, the girl's pastor asks the congregation "...what does your name mean to God?"

"Does he think 'patience' or 'my faithful servant'?"

I like the conclusion that is given - first that God knows each of us by name and that "Your name can be a good name as you choose to love God and live as he wants you to live."

(Excerpt used with kind permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

New Ways to Reach Kids

2009-01-12T13:28:00.008-06:00

You know that old adage: "There's no such thing as a free lunch?"

Well, I beg to differ - and want to invite you to a free, working luncheon hosted by Pioneer Clubs in Wheaton, IL. If you live in Illinois - or are in the mood for a road trip - and if you, like most of us, are on the lookout for fresh ideas for reaching the kids you work with, check this out.

We'll explore questions like..."How do we create ministry activities that grab - and keep - kids' attention?" and "How do we integrate the Bible into kids' lives in the era of video games and texting?"

Our guest speaker will be children's marketing expert, Kathy Needham, who is one of the people credited with starting Zonderkidz, a division of Zondervan Publishing. Kathy has directed some of industry's best-selling brands including Narnia (print and 3d products), VeggieTales books, FaithGirlz, and much more. Kathy will highlight new ideas and trends in communicating with today's child.

Hope you can make it!

Six Ways to Promote Bible Memorization

2009-01-09T18:09:00.010-06:00

(The ideas below are taken from Pioneer Clubs' kidsministrytips newsletter.)

Ways to Make Learning Bible Verses Fun!

1. Cover with Coins. On a piece of paper, write each word or phrase of the verse inside a circle about the size of a penny. Work in pairs--one club member covers some circles with pennies while the other says the verse.

2. Sing. Put the verse to a tune club members know (such as, "Mary Had a Little Lamb"). Or have them compose their own tune.

3. Pop Balloons. Write the verse on several balloons. Give one balloon to each club member. Have everyone say the verse while reading balloons. Pop one balloon at a time and say the verse until all the balloons are popped. (Best used with older children.)

4. Mix and Order. Write the words of the verse on index cards. Mix them up. Have club members put the words in the correct order.

5. Make Motions. Make up motions for key words. Say the verse with the motions several times. Then try motions only, verse only, and verse with motions again.

6. Start and Stop. The leader starts saying the verse, stops partway through, and points to someone to finish the verse. Do this a few times, stopping at different places. Then let volunteers take turns being the verse starter.

Our flexible, kid-friendly, Christ-centered midweek programs incorporate Bible memory in an atmosphere that's welcoming, fun and non-competitive! Midyear is a great time to start a midweek program - learn more about Pioneer Clubs programs.

Fruit of the Spirit

2009-01-08T18:26:00.007-06:00

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Against such things there is no law.

(Galatians 5:22-23)

Galatians 5:22-23 is the theme verse for Pioneer Clubs this year. What wonderful verses for your children to memorize - for any of us, for that matter! Here's a cool YouTube video that illustrates it. I like this little lesson - which is probably best for younger kids - that talks about what fruit is "good."

Enjoy!

Children's Ministry: A Wise Investment

2009-01-07T17:35:00.008-06:00

I ran across this interview with Pastor Bill Hybels today. In it, he expresses his hope for a "revolution in children's ministry" and stresses the vital importance of churches growing strong children's ministry programs.

Here's an excerpt:

(Interviewer:) On a number of occasions you've said, "Senior pastors, if you have one ministry card to play, invest in your children's ministry." What do you mean?

(Hybels:) Throughout the years, society offers the church just a certain number of entrance ramps into the "non-church" world. At times it's been sports. Then came marriage enrichment. Today I believe the single remaining common interest or entrance point for non-churched people into the life of the church is children. No matter how lost a guy is, he still usually loves his son. And no matter how off track a woman is, she still has a soft place in her heart for her kids. This means we have a wide open door to almost every family in every community worldwide when we love and serve their kids. If a kid comes home from a children's ministry and says, "I met some kids, I had fun and loved it, and I want to go back," most of the time a parent will say "Okay" and then return to that church. From a strategic standpoint to reach families, it's a wise investment. From the perspective that a lot of volunteers are raised up, it's also a win. There are church-wide benefits on all sides of a thriving children's ministry.

Midyear is a great time to start a midweek program. Check out what Pioneer Clubs has to offer to churches of different sizes - the relevant, customizable program is indeed a wise investment in your children.

It takes a...

2009-01-06T13:35:00.008-06:00

Last night I got an email from a friend. The email was addressed to me and another of our friends and the subject was HELP! My friend was scheduled to leave early this morning to visit her father who is ill and lives out of state. As she hurriedly packed her bag, she remembered that this Friday her daughter has a presentation due. For the school project, her daughter has to dress as Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. A boa! A tutu! White tights! A leotard! My friend didn't want to add yet another task onto her husband's already busy week while he managed work and the children. She couldn't run out herself as it was late and stores were closed. So, she wisely raised her hand (so to speak) and asked for help. The two of us who received the email felt honored to help. One of us (not me) can sew and promised to make a perfectly Pavlovian (!) tutu by Thursday. I have errands planned for tomorrow and know just where to get the other things "Anna" needs. When my friend and her husband sent us emailed notes of thanks, all I could think was "...it takes a village!"

I ran across a wonderful blog today written by two sisters - both are mothers of three children - who have committed to helping each other raise their children and raise them as children who know God's love. You can read their blog here. The post I read today talks about the children's decisions to give their lives to Christ and the fact that their pastor, their kids' Sunday School classes, and the Pioneer Clubs program they attend all contributed to the kids' choice to follow Jesus. How wonderful to be in community and know we aren't on our own. I don't know anyone who can deal with ALL the details of life alone (tutus, rides to and from every practice, and even helping to cultivate our kids' spiritual lives...to name a few). I encourage us all to know when to raise our hands and ask for help and also to invest in relationships (like the "Sisters with Three") that nurture and affirm not only ourselves but our children as they grow in their love of God.

GodTube's Top 8 of 2008

2009-01-05T15:32:00.008-06:00

Have you checked out GodTube yet? It’s a site, like YouTube, where people upload clips from TV shows, homemade comedy or music videos, and how-to videos…among other things.

(There’s all kinds of odd stuff on YouTube. I like Make Magazine’s videos. I don’t think I’ll ever subscribe to the actual magazine and doubt I’ll ever own a hacksaw or do the plastic bag crochet project, but I think the videos are fun to watch. Don’t ask me why…)

GodTube is an explicitly Christian site. Here’s how its creators describe it:

“GodTube is a global online community that creates social networking tools for the faith-based, family friendly marketplace, allowing users to connect and share their faith and lives with others through videos, photos, blogs, prayers and more.”

GodTube has published a list of the 8 Most Watched Videos on their site from 2008. They include some original music by “Coffey,” a guy who has great energy, is wonderfully talented, and somewhere in his voice, I hear the musical flavor of singer Tracy Chapman. Be patient at the beginning when he is teaching the chords – it’s worth a listen. I didn’t connect with the video “Cletus Take the Reel” by a Christian comedian, but see that it’s a parody of a Carrie Underwood song. I don’t know the original, so the parody is lost on me. Of the remaining top-watched videos on GodTube’s list are a snippet from a moving sermon by Louie Giglio, a video of a little girl singing in her church, a taped performance of a dance performance, and a few others.

The video that most grabbed me is called 99 Balloons. It is a story told in the form of a letter from a father to his son Eliot – from the time the boy is two months from birth to his death. Before he was born, Eliot’s parents learned that their baby had Trisomy 18 and would likely never live outside the womb. They asked God for a miracle. Eliot was born and each of the 99 days that Eliot lived was a day his parents celebrated. As much as I grew to care for and admire these parents from the 99 Balloons video, I appreciate them even more after reading their blog. Among other things, Eliot’s father makes clear that the video shows only a part of their experience – but doesn’t show his own shortcomings and weakness. I am impressed that he is uncomfortable with the praise he’s received (the family was even on Oprah on a “miracle children” episode).

He writes,

“Within the thousands of e-mails, letters, and blog comments that we have received there have been a few common themes. One of them is something to the effect of commenting on how great Ginny and I are- either we were the greatest parents, or so wise to enjoy the time we were given, or my favorite- how we are “great Christians”- whatever that means.While we really do appreciate the gesture, we constantly remind folks that the video was only 6 minutes long. Also, for some reason, the guys at IgniterMedia didn’t seem to focus the video on my problem with pride, lust, and just basic sin. This is not an attempt to feign humility and therefore really do the opposite. It’s just the pent up grimaces and desire to set the record straight.”

What vulnerability! I highly recommend the 99 Balloons video and their blogs.

Watch some of the videos and share your comments. What GodTube videos didn’t make the “top 8” list but should have?

New Year's Eve - "Blessings All Year"

2008-12-31T10:01:00.005-06:00

Today’s reading in The One Year® Devotions for Preschoolers, there is a sweet reflection on expressing gratitude to God for all of his blessings. I read it with my daughters and we talked about ways God has shown his love to us. Both of them are thankful for loving teachers and new friends. Both thought of funny stories from a vacation we took in August – including when their older brother was bit by a fish in the middle of a lake. (It didn’t hurt – it was more like a kiss and he laughed and laughed.) I encouraged them to think about the blessings they have received this year and to say prayers of thanks to God during the day.

What a wonderful way to end the year with little ones.

From the devotion for December 31:

“Can you think of special ways that God has blessed you and took care of you this year? As you celebrate the end of the year, remember to say thank you to God for his many blessings.”

(Reprinted with kind permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

Hope for 2009

2008-12-30T12:37:00.008-06:00

"As Christians, we are prisoners of hope."

- Desmond Tutu

I'm a Tutu fan - and when I first read this quote, I was intrigued. What could he mean, exactly, that we are "prisoners of hope?" The phrase has obviously caught more than my imagination: there are many books, churches, and organizations that employ that phrase. There is a movie by that title about prisoners of war during the Vietnam war. There is a hymn - attributed to Charles Wesley - whose first lines are:

"Prisoners of hope, arise, and see your Lord appear;

Lo! on the wings of love He flies, and brings redemption near;

Redemption in His blood He calls you to receive:

“Look unto Me, the pardoning God.

Believe,” He cries, “believe!”

The phrase originated in the Bible - Zechariah 9:12 says, "Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you." (New King James Version)

As 2009 fast approaches, what are the hopes to which you are prisoner? What do you need God to restore to you? A sense of purpose in your work? Close friendships? Joy? Faith in God's presence and love? The end of Zechariah 9 is all about God restoring His people - check it out.

Wishing you restoration and hope in the new year!

Aim Lower...on Children's Ministry

2008-12-29T13:16:00.004-06:00

Aim lower.
Think smaller.
Give up.
Go get a cup of coffee.

That’s the advice offered by this compelling video on children’s ministry.

What do you think?

Advent Poem

2008-12-23T15:02:00.002-06:00

Advent

by Sheldon Vanauken

Two thousand years go by while on the Cross
Our Lord is suffering still—there is no end
Of pain: the spear pierces, nails rend—
And we below with Mary weep our loss.
The chilling edge of night crawls round the earth;
At every second of the centuries
The dark comes somewhere down, with dreadful ease
Slaying the sun, denying light’s rebirth.
But if the agony and death go on,
Our Lady’s tears, Our Lord’s most mortal cry,
So, too, the timeless lovely birth again—
And the forsaken tomb. Today: the dawn
That never ended and can never die
In breaking glory ushers in the slain.

(from A Severe Mercy)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-22T11:52:00.006-06:00

The Voyagers (1st and 2nd grade girls) at

Ward Presbyterian Church

wish all a very

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Waiting - An Advent Reflection

2008-12-19T10:39:00.001-06:00

Waiting for God: An Advent reflection by Molly Marsh

The Bridge

2008-12-18T09:31:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I discovered this video. It’s a shortened version of the film Most (which means "the bridge" in Czech). Most was nominated for an Academy Award in 2003. The film is great art – and tells the gospel story in a stunningly fresh and moving way.

I recommend that you preview the video (and the film) before showing it to your children, but teens and young adults will likely connect strongly to it. The short video here contains some upsetting images, including that of a person preparing to use drugs...so wait until your kids aren't looking over your shoulder to watch it.

After watching it, I thought about the incarnation all day with a renewed sense of gratitude. It's a wonderful way to reflect on Advent.

Children and Spirituality

2008-12-17T13:18:00.005-06:00

“Rather than point your child in "the right direction," it's best to encourage him or her to express thoughts or question religious principles without becoming judgmental. Comments like "What you just said about God is really interesting to me. Tell me more," will encourage children to express their own ideas. "We don't believe that" will likely have the opposite effect.” (From an article called Children’s Development of Spirituality by Katy Ebel.) What do you think? How do you talk with your kids about your faith and theirs?

The God who spoke is speaking still…

2008-12-17T13:05:00.002-06:00

I love this music video – The Miracle of Christmas - by Steven Curtis Chapman.

In the Bleak Midwinter

2008-12-16T10:38:00.003-06:00

Do you know the singer-songwriter Corrinne May? I’m just getting to know her music – and love her performance of “In the Bleak Midwinter” – one of my very favorite Christmas carols.

Advent Devotions for Preschoolers

2008-12-16T09:57:00.004-06:00

Today’s reading from The One Year® Devotions for Preschoolers is titled “A Time to Rejoice.” Elena Kucharik’s illustration is of three small children decorating a Christmas tree. I like the fact that, in very simple terms (using everyday language to speak to children), the passage points out that ornaments on a Christmas tree have special meanings.

“The angels told shepherds that Jesus was born. And the star helped wise men find him. And some ornaments are just for fun. But all of them remind us that Christmas is a time to be happy and rejoice.”

The day’s devotion ends with, “I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:18, New Living Translation)

I so appreciate this resource for my six year-old. She’s not a preschooler, but the reading level is just right for her to read independently and the messages clear and applicable for her life as she grows in her Christian faith.

(Excerpt reprinted with kind permission from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

Christmas Craft Ideas

2008-12-15T11:25:00.003-06:00

Here are a few Christmas craft ideas, including a classic - the paper plate angel. I’ve found it to be a good choice for kids of various ages. The possibilities for making the angel into a work of art are countless: spray paint her silver or gold, add yarn hair, use colored pencils for a detailed face, glue feathers on her wings, or just let preschoolers go crazy with a box of crayons. It’s a cute, inexpensive, eco-friendly gift for parents, a nice centerpiece for Christmas dinner, and of course it helps to tell the nativity story.

Speaking of nativities, kids love making their own sets. All too often, the nativity sets in their homes or churches – although beautiful – are tainted by warning that they are for “looking, NOT touching.” But when kids make their own paper or clay pot nativities, they can move the figures around and interact with the story of Jesus’ birth in a tactile way. This easy preschool/kindergartner-friendly nativity craft has templates and a Bible lesson. This one could be used for older kids – and using mini terra cotta pots or paper cups (like the ones that hang beside water coolers) would be more earth-friendly than using Styrofoam cups.

What are your favorite Advent and Christmas craft ideas?

Labels

2008-12-12T12:41:00.006-06:00

I like this video about the (usually confining) labels older kids use to define each other. It's called "Mix It Up" - but it's not connected in any way to this blog. But...I think it's very effective. And a great conversation starter for tweens and teens. Useful? What do you think?

Linus Van Pelt

2008-12-12T12:26:00.003-06:00

Linus Van Pelt: brother, thumb-sucker, and sage.

Advent: Devotions for Boys

2008-12-12T10:58:00.012-06:00

Today The One Year® Devotions for Boys looks at James 4:13-15:

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

My kids have heard a lot of bad news lately. The death of a boy in our community from leukemia. The struggling U.S. economy. And, this week, they have heard all too much about a governor who went on what has been called a "corruption crime spree." They heard the sad fact that, if "Blago" is imprisoned, 4 of the 8 previous Illinois governors will end their tenure in prison. 50%. (Honest Abe would not be impressed.) As my kids have heard snippets about this case, I've talked to them about putting our trust, not in people, but in God. Parents, teachers, pastors, elected leaders are human - in some way they will fail us. (Not usually as...ahem...spectacularly or with such a foul mouth as Mr. Blagojevich has...but it's true all the same.)

I like this passage from James for this week - it's an appropriate Advent reflection, shifts the focus from worrying over earthly matters (business, money, schedules, travel, corrupt governors) to engaging in a right relationship with God.

The One Year® Devotions for Boys (aimed at 8-12 year olds - my sons are in that group) looks at what will be a good piece of news - one that you can't worry over or plan for - Jesus' return. You can learn more about The One Year® Devotions for Boys here.

No Partridge in this Pear Tree

2008-12-11T16:37:00.004-06:00

Pioneer Clubs' 12 Days of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my club leader sent to me

Twelve daily devotionals,

Eleven Pioneer Club pencils,

Ten award badges,

Nine take home papers,

Eight straws for game-time,

Seven pinecar kits,

Six activity stickers,

Five yellow shares,

Four club tee-shirts,

Three bible verses,

Two scooter handbooks,

And a Bi-ble with my name on it.

(Used with kind permission of the author, Pioneer Clubs leader Shannon Vis Mitchell)

Taking a Moment

2008-12-11T09:11:00.009-06:00

It was a snowy night. The roads were slick and the falling snow in the headlights came straight at the windshield. The big flakes were magical somehow. My 7th grade son had an orchestra concert and my family of six arrived early so that he could tune his cello. Outside the auditorium was a bake sale to raise money for a young boy's bone marrow transplant.

Or so I thought.

"Hey - Isaac didn't die, did he?" my husband whispered to me.

"No, no, no. They're raising money for a second bone marrow transplant."

"But the sign said it was a 'memorial' bake sale," he said. "Oh, they're kids. Maybe they don't know what that would mean to adults..."

I leaned forward and whispered to a friend sitting in front of me. "Isaac didn't die, did he?"

"Yes. Last Monday. He just got too sick," she said, and then she turned back around in her seat.

The orchestra took the stage. Clunky black music stands knocked into each other, kids plucked and tuned their instruments, and some craned their necks and looked into the crowded auditorium to see if they could find the familiar faces of their parents. The school's vice principal walked onto the stage. He announced six grader Isaac's death, telling the story now familiar to many in our town. Isaac battled leukemia for six years and died at age 11.

I have known the parents in a peripheral way for years. Mark, Isaac's Dad, was a coach on the school's chess team and my kids played alongside his for years. My children liked "Coach" Mark, his easy manner, quick smile, and the quiet authority he held over the big - sometimes rowdy - bunch of elementary school kids. Nathaniel, Isaac's older brother, was on my son's soccer team although this past fall he had to miss most of the games in order to spend time with his little brother.

The family lives next door to one of my good friends. Last summer when I was driving to Michigan, my friend asked me to buy a few big boxes of blueberries for her from a farm stand on my way home. She handed me a few crumpled bills. "It's all that tastes good to Isaac right now."

The vice principal said the community was full of sadness about Isaac's death. I believed him when he said his heart went out to the family. He looked weary - a stark contrast to cellos hung with Christmas lights and to stockings made of construction paper decorating music stands. Then he did something that startled me. "Now. In whatever way you feel is appropriate, I'd like us all to...take a moment and...think of Isaac."

He bowed his head. The kids on stage were as still as statues. The families in the audience were quiet. I brought my heavy heart to God and said a prayer for Isaac's parents and his brother.

Somehow, in our public school, the death of a little boy brought us all to...well, prayer. I appreciated the vice principal's boldness in asking for us to "take a moment." (Some school administrators would probably shy away from that, fearing lawsuits.)

The swell of energy I felt in those few moments of quiet time made me quite certain that, corporately, our hearts were reaching toward God, asking His comfort for Isaac's family, bringing our collective grief to him. I felt grateful not only for the moment to pray after learning the news, but for the opportunity to pray in union, silent unison, with our school community. I felt God's presence - right there in the auditorium. Emmanuel. God with us.

And, when the music started - festive songs about dreidels and snowy rooftops and telling it on the mountain, it felt appropriate to let the joy of the season sweep over us. I know we all felt the same way.

(The Wrights have lost a son - and continue to be burdened with staggering medical bills. The organization that collected donations for his planned bone marrow transplant now is accepting donations for the family to pay off their bills. All contributions are tax-deductible.)

Spreading Joy at Christmas

2008-12-10T09:54:00.007-06:00

Yesterday my 6 year-old daughter's Brownie troop went to a nearby nursing home on a field trip. The girls were divided into groups of 4 or 5 and spread out over the home, visiting every resident's room, and singing Christmas carols for each person.

My daughter had a strong sense of how happy the visit made the older people. She described the way one resident pulled her blanket up over her face, almost overtaken with delight. (Well, that's not the way she said it. She said, "She was so happy she pulled up her cover. She smiled THIS BIG." Visual: my daughter - four teeth missing on the top - smiling her huge, gappy smile and then bursting into giggles.)

A few weeks before the field trip, the girls made Christmas cards for the home's residents, announcing their upcoming visit. Yesterday, several of the residents showed the girls the cards they'd received from them. These little tokens of love obviously were special to them.

I told my daughter that the cards, the visit, and the carols reminded me of some of my favorite verses from the Bible - when Jesus says what we do for "the least of these," we do for Him.

Elderly folks in a nursing home aren't, in our minds, "the least" but they sure seem to be quickly forgotten, lonely in their nursing homes, unable to run out to church or a mall or for a walk along a nature path. In a culture that idolizes youth and busy-ness, they just don't fit.

I'm going to ask my Sunday School class to make some ornaments in the next few weeks. Some can be given as gifts to their parents, but I hope to deliver some to that nursing home as well as to people serving time in our county jail. I like this felt ornaments craft. The felt for younger kids could be pre-cut. Older kids (maybe 4th grade and older) could design their own templates and do all the work themselves. I like a number of these Christmas ornament ideas, too.

Matthew 25:34-40 (New International Version)

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Let us now remember...

2008-12-09T09:55:00.013-06:00

I thought it was so cool. As a child, my teenage brothers and sister tucked their big, green Living Bibles under their arms on the way to church or youth group. It seemed so grown up. So important. So...heavy! Later I'd get a Living Bible of my own - it felt like a rite of passage. I had arrived!

I see the same spark of interest in my young daughter's eyes when she sees her big brother put The Message into his backpack on Tuesdays before an early morning Bible study. It's so grown up. So important. So...heavy!

Today I watched this video about Tyndale children's Bibles and devotional books. I was glad to be reminded about how Ken Taylor was inspired to create Bibles in "everyday English" because his own (TEN!) children were having a hard time understanding the Bible.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ken Taylor a few years ago. I was impressed by his gentleness and humility. He seemed comfortable citing the ways he felt he'd failed in his life, the ways he could have been a better father, and the ways he was strained by financial pressures at different points in his life. But he looked over all the success, the ways he felt he had fallen short, and the gifts in his life with the peaceful perspective of someone who - as an old man - could see the big picture. It felt very clear to him that God had walked along with him through it all. He hadn't always been aware of that, but that perspective seemed one of the gifts of his older age. I remember doing that interview on a day like it is here today - gray skies, chilly, a little bleak. But the sense of God's faithfulness and the example of this godly man left me feeling peaceful and full of optimism.

Here's the obituary that Christianity Today published after his death in 2005. Let us now remember famous men - or at least their call to speak to kids about our faith by using everyday English.

Jelly Telly

2008-12-07T21:00:00.008-06:00

Have you seen Jelly Telly? It's the most recent brainchild of Phil Vischer who created VeggieTales.

(True story: today a five year-old in my Sunday School class was holding forth on people in Bible times who didn't know about God's love so they slapped each other with fish...it took me a moment, but then I remembered that scene from VeggieTales...wasn't that in the Jonah movie?)

You can visit the Jelly Telly site here. The (big) idea - yes, pun intended - seems to be to create a place where kids can watch Bible-based media, perhaps replacing some of the dozens of hours they spend watching Disney or Nickelodeon shows with ones that are creative and engaging - and that underscore the Christian values kids are learning at home. (Kinda like...VeggieTales perhaps.)

I haven't subscribed to Jelly Telly and don't yet know much about it, but appreciated Vischer's message to "grown ups" on the site. (You can watch it for free, but I think much of the site may require that you first subscribe.) He says that (and I'll paraphrase here) kids spend about an hour in church every week and 20+ hours watching TV at home. He cites those statistics to make the case for Jelly Telly (which they do, effectively), but they made me think about midweek programs as well.

Wouldn't it be even better to have kids building community, gathering (live and in person) to explore the Bible, and developing positive relationships with adults in their churches?

I think Vischer's idea is great - and hope it's something that catches fire and is successful, and I also hope that my kids continue to develop relationships - formal mentoring ones, or just friendships - with people older than themselves in their local churches. People they can go to when, for whatever reason, they can't go to their parents. People who see them as part of their extended family. People who keep them in prayer, who delight in their personalities, and who see them growing and changing as each year passes.

If you are thinking about starting a midweek program midyear - check out Pioneer Clubs. You can begin in January, do it for however many weeks are left in your program year, and pick up again in the fall. (It's a 24 week program, but isn't tied to the seasons or calendar, so you can play around with it.) Some churches use it through the summer for VBS as well. Depending on the size of your program and how you choose to customize it, Pioneer Clubs can cost somewhere between 80 cents and upwards of $1.50 per kid per week.

I like what Phil Vischer has done in the past. I like the notion of making wonderfully creative movies and television shows that support what parents and Sunday School teachers are trying to grow in their kids (their spiritual lives)...and I also like the idea of being in community with real people in your real church.

Welcoming the Stranger

2008-12-05T09:51:00.012-06:00

As a child, did you ever feel troubled that no one invited Mary and Joseph to spend the night with them in Bethlehem? Even if they didn't know that she was carrying Jesus, she was - after all - very pregnant and tired. I remember one year feeling distracted by that fact every time I heard a Sunday School lesson or sermon about the birth of Christ. Could no one have invited them in?

As an Advent reflection on welcoming the stranger, here is a book review by L. Gregory Jones, professor of theology at Loyola College in Baltimore. (This first appeared in The Christian Century in January 2000.) Read the whole review here or an excerpt below. The book he reviews is Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition by Christine Pohl (Eerdmans).

"We become proficient in a skill by performing it regularly, and by learning from persons who are masters of it," she (Pohl) says at the outset. "Hospitality is a skill and a gift, but it is also a practice which flourishes as multiple skills are developed, as particular commitments and values are nurtured, and as certain settings are cultivated. In addition to theological and historical discussions of the practice of hospitality, we need contemporary models from whom we can learn what hospitality to strangers might look like today."

Pohl provides such contemporary models to learn from, focusing not so much on individual masters as on communities of Christians for whom hospitality is a way of life. Some of the communities she visited and learned from are well known: the Catholic Worker, L’Arche, Benedictine monasteries, the Open Door Community. ... These communities are expressive of Christian identity and are nourished by rich spiritual practices. Their lives and activities are shaped by "the kinds of guests they welcome, the types of spaces they inhabit, and the theological traditions on which they draw."

For some, the guests are predominantly the urban poor. For others, the guests are persons with disabilities, students and seekers, homeless people, or refugees. Some operate in rural areas, others in urban settings; some are linked physically to large church spaces, others exist as homes or monasteries. Some of the communities are rooted in the evangelical tradition, some mainline Protestant, some Roman Catholic, some ecumenical. Pohl displays the diverse convictions that undergird these communities, the practices that shape them, and the hopes and struggles they face.

They serve as a touchstone and an inspiration, enabling readers to gain a sense of just what Pohl means when she describes hospitality as a way of life that embraces both skill and gift.
Yet the stories of these communities are not the conceptual heart of Pohl’s book. Indeed, in many ways they serve as a counterpoint to the focus of her investigation. How is it, Pohl wonders, that the practice of hospitality -- a practice that was central to Christian identity for so much of the church’s history -- has been largely eclipsed in the modern period?

Pohl emphasizes that "hospitality is central to the meaning of the gospel." Jesus’ ministry and proclamation of the kingdom are inexplicable apart from issues of hospitality; Paul urges fellow disciples to welcome one another as Christ had welcomed them; the writer to the Hebrews enjoins readers not to neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for like Abraham and Sarah they may be entertaining angels unawares; and the letter of James offers a powerful critique of showing partiality to the rich at the expense of the poor.

It is probably no accident that those whom we lift up as saints, both those officially recognized and those whom we hold close to our hearts, are typically people who embody powerful habits of hospitality. Pohl’s instructive and insightful book shows, through its engagement with scripture and tradition as well as in its powerful evocation of contemporary communities, how lives can be shaped by practices such as hospitality and the habits developed through those practices. As my wife and I discovered afresh in our conversation with our friends, it is a powerful experience to behold the holy glow of people who not only have practiced hospitality, but who have become hospitable people.

Advent Devotions for Children

2008-12-03T09:22:00.007-06:00

In the spirit of making Advent a reflective time for the whole family (mine includes four kids ages 6-12 years old), over the next few weeks I’ll let you know some of the ways my family is gathering together to focus on the coming of Christ.

I know this particular book is marketed for preschoolers, but I find it a great jumping off place for my six year-old. She can read it independently, but I like to sit with her most of the time so we can talk about it and take turns reading aloud. She likes the drawings (done by Elena Kucharik of Care Bears fame) and I like the text’s simplicity, the recurring characters, and each day’s prayers that we can read and pray together.

Today’s devotion is about a little girl looking at dead leaves on the ground. She’s wondering about what will last and the devotion says, “…some things last forever. The Bible was written thousands of years ago, and it’s still here so that we can listen to it and learn from it! God’s Word will never die. It will last forever.”

This kind of simple, clear message is just the kind that my daughter will remember.

You can learn more about The One Year® Devotions for Preschoolers here.

(Excerpt reprinted with kind permission from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

On Advent

2008-12-03T09:14:00.005-06:00

"Advent, like its cousin Lent, is a season for prayer and reformation of our hearts. Since it comes at winter time, fire is a fitting sign to help us celebrate Advent…If Christ is to come more fully into our lives this Christmas, if God is to become really incarnate for us, then fire will have to be present in our prayer. Our worship and devotion will have to stoke the kind of fire in our souls that can truly change our hearts. Ours is a great responsibility not to waste this Advent time."

(Edward Hays, from A Pilgrim's Almanac)

Prince Caspian

2008-12-02T10:24:00.003-06:00

Prince Caspian was released today. I pre-ordered it months ago for my Narnia-crazy sons, ages 10 and 12. My kids' obsession with the books and the first movie doesn't bother me; I'm a big fan myself. In graduate school, on learning that I had graduated from Wheaton College, a professor visiting from Harvard dropped to his knees, raised his hands over his head, and said, "All Hail C.S. Lewis!" I said we were honored to accept his tribute. I have peered into what many believe was the warddrobe that inspired C.S. Lewis (Click on the virtual tour of the Marion E. Wade Center here.) One summer, when I was about 11, I read through the Narnia Chronicles and, on finishing the last book (The Last Battle), I went back to the first book and read the series all the way through again. So...yes...I bought my boys the DVD months before it was released.

Is it a good fit for your family?

Here's a review of the DVD set:

http://www.zap2it.com/dvd/reviews/zap-dvdreview-chroniclesofnarniaprincecaspian,0,5576911.story

Here's a parents' guide for the movie's content:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499448/parentalguide

Here's an idea for talking with kids about their faith, using the story as a jumping-off place:

http://www.kidology.org/store/catalog.asp?item=1578

(Look at the sample lesson - although the cover of the book looks like it's geared toward very young kids, the lesson seems like it would be of use to kids through middle school.)

E N J O Y !

Overview of Advent

2008-12-01T14:41:00.006-06:00

I like this overview of the colors, music, and traditions of Advent. There is a list of Advent carols and a discussion of whether to sing Christmas carols during the season. One of my favorite Advent hymns so perfectly captures the expectation, yearning even, of the season - O Come O Come Emmanuel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice!
Rejoice!
Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html#Colors%20of%20Advent

Devos for Girls

2008-11-30T22:25:00.007-06:00

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Today’s Scripture reading from “The One Year® Devos for Girls” is Ephesians 4:17-24 (New Living Translation)

Living as Children of Light

17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

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from “The One Year® Devos for Girls:”

LITTLE BY LITTLE

“…that’s like my Sunday School lesson last week. It was about our consciences being seared. My teacher says it means that, little by little, we get used to things that are wrong. Then before we realize it, our consciences don’t bother us at all, and we don’t even think of our sin as wrong anymore. That’s worse than Mrs. Brown and Aunt Allie getting used to those awful smells, isn’t it?”

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Are you growing used to the sin in your life that once bothered you? Confess it today, and ask the Lord to keep your conscience alert and sensitive to sin. Ask him to remind you of things that are wrong and then to help you live a life pleasing to him.

Read more about "The One Year® Devos for Girls" here.

(reprinted with kind permission from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

2008-11-25T10:11:00.005-06:00

Great resource from Scholastic on the first Thanksgiving:

http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/

Hospitality

2008-11-22T18:15:00.004-06:00

from 3 John 1:5-8 (The Message)

Dear friend, when you extend hospitality

to Christian brothers and sisters,

even when they are strangers,

you make the faith visible.

Thanksgiving Hospitality

2008-11-22T17:57:00.009-06:00

For those of you who will welcome friends and family this Thursday,

click on the link below for ideas on how to create:

centerpieces made of leaves, pine cones, and twigs
guest rooms that are most welcoming
mantles with a Thanksgiving theme
and more...

I like these ideas - none are complicated or extravagant and many use materials you'll find on the sidewalk out your front door.

http://interiordec.about.com/od/thanksgivin1/a/hol_fallthanksg.htm

Thanksgiving

2008-11-21T09:55:00.004-06:00

Here are some Thanksgiving coloring pages and other free "printables" and lesson plans.

http://www.calvarywilliamsport.com/thanks.html

Fruit of the Spirit

2008-11-20T11:01:00.000-06:00

(Pioneer Clubs 2008-2009 theme verses: Galations 5:22-23)

Some good lesson plan/craft ideas. Check them out for Sunday School, use at home, Thanksgiving day, midweek programs...

http://www.treasurekeys.com/fruitspirit.html

http://www.dltk-bible.com/guides/fruit_of_the_spirit.htm

Grace

2008-11-19T15:13:00.001-06:00

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/video/812.html

Loved this interview with writer Cathleen Falsani on PBS.

Thanksgiving Snack Idea

2008-11-19T12:36:00.000-06:00

Okay, usually we won't post snack ideas, but here's one for Thanksgiving (Sunday School treats? Thanksgiving Day for kids who aren't into pumpkin pie? Your midweek clubs?).

You've got to admit, it is pretty cute.

And who doesn't like Oreos?

(From Family Fun magazine)

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50605

Gratitude

2008-11-18T14:13:00.001-06:00

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Gratitude

2008-11-18T14:11:00.000-06:00

Brother David Steindl-Rast :

Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more.

The Hundred Dollar Holiday

2008-11-17T13:21:00.000-06:00

Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case For A More Joyful Christmas by Bill McKibben

From Publishers Weekly:

Environmental author McKibben (Maybe One; The End of Nature, etc.) makes an impassioned plea for a less consumer-oriented, more meaningful Christmas celebration.

But this book is more than just an echo of the recent vogue for simplicity. Tracing the history of American observance of the holiday season, McKibben discusses both the needs such festivities have filled and the excesses and problems they have created. McKibben avoids the trap of nostalgia for a nonexistent time when Christmas was free of commercialism or drunken reveling, but he recognizes the current holiday frenzy, dread and depression as symptomatic of "the underlying discontent in our lives."

He offers thoughtful "new forms of celebration" to fill the cravings for "silence and solitude," "connection with each other and the natural world" and "some relationship with the divine" that plague these times. McKibben also blasts "those relentless commercial forces" that lead Americans to annual overspending. Instead, he suggests making the holidays as much fun as possible, filled with song and food, creativity and connection.

One hundred dollars, McKibben says, is not a magic number or even the point, but rather a simple reminder "to give things that matter." Begun as a project for the author's rural Methodist church, this slim book offers us tips on giving one another the priceless Christmas gifts of time, attention and fellowship.

Advent/Christmas Books on "Simplifying Christmas"

2008-11-17T13:15:00.000-06:00

A Simple Christmas: A Faith-filled Guide to a Meaningful And Stress-free Christmas (Spirit of Simple Living) by Sharon Hanby-Robie

from www.amazon.com:

"Oh, the sweet joy of Christmas! What more could we want than family, friends, goodwill, and the peace and hope of Christ's birth to celebrate in our hearts? But how can we keep the holiday simple and meaningful? How can we slow the rush, preserve the sacred and truly savour this special holiday? With inspiring narrative, real-examples and expert tips, and eight pages of full-colour photos, Sharon Hanby-Robie helps readers make choices that keep them attuned to the true spirit of the season. Topics include setting realistic expectations, developing creative ideas, initiating new traditions and activities, overcoming the holiday blues, and adding sparkle and glitter to holiday decorations. Readers can stop the worry, take a deep breath, and find out how "A Simple Christmas" can help move them brilliantly through the holiday season that God wants us all to enjoy."

The Night Before the Christmas Season

2008-11-17T10:36:00.000-06:00

The event of Christ is the only event in human history that promises relocation and centering, meaning and purpose. This promise and its fulfillment evoke passionate and heartfelt praise and thanks, especially for those aware of their own brokenness and the healing which Christ brings into their lives.

Robert Webber Worship Resources for the Local Church

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For the past decade or so, I've tried to keep the month of December as sane as possible...so that my family and I can focus more on the coming of Christ and less on the shopping and frantic pace that our culture relentlessly tells us is what Christmas has to be like.

Some years I'm more successful than others, but I'm always glad for whatever ways I've planned ahead. It's like making children's lunches, laying out their clothes, and packing their backpacks the night before a school day. School mornings, then, can be a quieter, closer family time.

I think of November as "the night before" the Christmas season.

Before flipping the calendar page to December, I try to get as many of the tasks related to celebrating Christmas done. Cookie dough is made and frozen. Gifts are ordered or bought. (When I'm really organized - they are wrapped too - and stacked in a closet.) Dates for dinner parties and cookie exchanges are marked on the calendar. Favorite Christmas music, books, and Advent calendars are located and set out. Christmas cards are addressed and stamped and the first few notes written.

When I've gotten organized "the night before" the Christmas season, I'm more able to lend a hand when asked to help with a food drive or service project. I'm more calm and available to drop whatever little chore I'm doing and read books about the nativity to my children. And when there is an opportunity for a special Advent service or a chance to just sit still, I'm more likely to do those things.

In a word, when I have gotten many of the details of preparing for Christmas taken care of, I can step back and - to echo Robert Webber's words above - give praise to - and become centered on -Christ.

And then Christmas comes and I'm in the right mind to celebrate it fully.

__________________________

I'll post a few of our favorite Advent/Christmas resources here. We'd love to know what means the most to you this time of year - and how you keep your thoughts centered on Christ even when the noise outside can be distracting.