When I was a little girl I was very afraid of the dark; not so much while in the bed and getting ready to go to sleep, but more when I had to walk into a room that was dark. Even before anyone thought much about saving energy, my dad was a stickler for turning off lights when you left a room. (Instead of “do you live in a barn?” associated with open doors, we heard “why is the house lit up like a Christmas tree?!”)
I remember many times coming home from being out all day- probably at the ball park- to a very dark house. Knowing I had to walk down that lonely dark hallway to my room made my stomach jump. There were periodic light switches down the hall before getting to my actual room, where I could also turn on a light, but that didn’t calm my fears.
Enter my hero daddy. Yes, he was the one that made me turn out the lights in the first place, but he was also the one who didn’t make me feel silly about being scared, but instead came to my rescue. Before I put one foot in the hallway, by dad was in front of me. He led the way…more than just into the dark- through it. The dark didn’t seem as if it would envelope me like it did when I thought of going in alone.
My dad went before me. My dad was with me.
This Advent season, we are focusing on Immanuel- “God with us.” How, when, and where is God with us? This past Sunday we introduced the idea that God prepares a way by going before us. In much the same way that my dad’s frame cut through the dark, our Heavenly Father makes a way for us.
Imagine the Israelites following a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, knowing that God was leading the way. Imagine their fears of leaving Egypt and heading into the unknown desert being overcome by the knowledge that God was going before them. God was with them.
As we get ready for Christmas, let’s not forget that our Immanuel- our “God with us” goes before us too. He cuts the dark.
My God goes before me. My God is with me.
This Week’s Announcements:PARK STREET TEACHER APPRECIATION
We will honor, encourage, and thank the teachers and staff at Park Street Elementary with a breakfast on Monday, December 8. To see how you can help, visit www.signupgenius.com and search under my email: penny@stonebridgemarietta.org
GIVING TREE
If you were here on Sunday you may have noticed a Christmas tree in the foyer with lots of ornaments on it. This is our "Giving Tree." There are items listed on each of the ornaments that will benefit families at Park Street Elementary, MUST Ministries, and Cobb Pregnancy Services. Please take an ornament from the tree and purchase the item listed on the tag. Donations may be dropped off at the church and placed under the tree on or before Sunday, December 21st. Items should not be wrapped. Please attach the tag to the item for easier distribution.
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 11/30.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
After sitting for several minutes with her knees curled under her, a first grader announced that she couldn’t stand up. I asked what was wrong, and if her legs had fallen asleep. She said, “No they aren’t asleep- they have fireworks in them and it hurts!” (Best description of the stinging tingles I get when my legs fall asleep)
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
More than a Statistic
One in Three...
If you’re anything like me, you’re not a fan of statistics. The word itself sends chills down my spine as I remember sitting in Mr. Zavonar’s seventh grade science class where the study of genetics was introduced by first having us look at statistics. Genetics and statistics- all at once?! It’s a wonder I don’t automatically fall into the fetal position at the very sight of any word containing “tic!” (God forbid that I couldn’t enjoy Tic-Tacs!)
Besides the bad memories, the reason I dislike statistics is that I’m always skeptical at their accuracy. Growing up hearing “one in three dentists recommend Crest” or “one in three moms use Tide” always made me wonder who they really asked. They never asked my mom, but she used Cheer anyway.
A few statistics floating around these days include things that aren’t very uplifting or encouraging. One in three children are obese, one in three teens will try drugs in high school, and one in three people living in urban environments live below the poverty line. (If you didn’t dislike statistics before, you certainly should now!)
By this point of the blog, you get the idea…and, if I’ve done it right, the phrase “one in three” is firmly planted in your brain. That was the objective!
Two weeks ago as we wrapped up our “It’s a Mystery” Series, this was the phrase I wanted firmly planted in the minds and hearts of our kids. Why? Because that is the Trinity. One God, Three Persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) - still one God. Trying to explain the Trinity is almost as hard as truly understanding it, but God is always faithful to speak Truth to us- despite our very human attempts at doing that Truth justice. Through the use of three forms of water (liquid, solid, and gas) and candy corn, the kids grabbed onto the concept of One in Three/Three in One.
It’s my prayer that our children will have a very different idea of that statistical “one in three” phrase as they grow up. I pray that they won’t attach it to toothpaste or detergent commercials as I did, nor will they attach it to any overwhelming statistic they may read at some point later. I pray that even in the midst of advertising and statistics, they will naturally associate that phrase with our One God Who works as Three Persons, but is still One God.
Wouldn’t it be an amazing thing if our kids sifted all that they read, hear, or see through the Truth of Who God is?! Maybe then the idea of statistics- or genetics- or anything remotely resembling Mr. Zavonar’s science class won’t be so overwhelming.
This Week’s Announcements:
PARK STREET TEACHER APPRECIATION
We will honor, encourage, and thank the teachers and staff at Park Street Elementary with a breakfast on Monday, December 8. To see how you can help, visit www.signupgenius.com and search under my email: penny@stonebridgemarietta.org
GIVING TREE
If you were here on Sunday you may have noticed a Christmas tree in the foyer with lots of ornaments on it. This is our "Giving Tree." There are items listed on each of the ornaments that will benefit families at Park Street Elementary, MUST Ministries, and Cobb Pregnancy Services. Please take an ornament from the tree and purchase the item listed on the tag. Donations may be dropped off at the church and placed under the tree on or before Sunday, December 21st. Items should not be wrapped. Please attach the tag to the item for easier distribution.
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 11/16 and 11/23.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
Don’t you love the conversations you have at bedtime with your children? Here is one a mom sent me recently. Child: “What if your arm got cut off?” Mom: “I guess I'd only have one arm to hug you with.”
Continuing back and forth… What if both of your arms got cut off? Then I couldn't hug you at all! Well then your arm will grow back after a while and you can hug me. No...arms don't grow back if they are cut off. What?...It doesn't grow back?! No. It doesn't grow back, baby. Ever?! Nope...not ever. What about in Heaven? Yeah...God probably gives new arms in Heaven.
The child thinks for a minute and ends this way: “But how does it get on there? Like with glue or something…or maybe God’s imagination? Like He closes His eyes and imagines it and then it's there? Wait....that's teleportation.”
If you’re anything like me, you’re not a fan of statistics. The word itself sends chills down my spine as I remember sitting in Mr. Zavonar’s seventh grade science class where the study of genetics was introduced by first having us look at statistics. Genetics and statistics- all at once?! It’s a wonder I don’t automatically fall into the fetal position at the very sight of any word containing “tic!” (God forbid that I couldn’t enjoy Tic-Tacs!)
Besides the bad memories, the reason I dislike statistics is that I’m always skeptical at their accuracy. Growing up hearing “one in three dentists recommend Crest” or “one in three moms use Tide” always made me wonder who they really asked. They never asked my mom, but she used Cheer anyway.
A few statistics floating around these days include things that aren’t very uplifting or encouraging. One in three children are obese, one in three teens will try drugs in high school, and one in three people living in urban environments live below the poverty line. (If you didn’t dislike statistics before, you certainly should now!)
By this point of the blog, you get the idea…and, if I’ve done it right, the phrase “one in three” is firmly planted in your brain. That was the objective!
Two weeks ago as we wrapped up our “It’s a Mystery” Series, this was the phrase I wanted firmly planted in the minds and hearts of our kids. Why? Because that is the Trinity. One God, Three Persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) - still one God. Trying to explain the Trinity is almost as hard as truly understanding it, but God is always faithful to speak Truth to us- despite our very human attempts at doing that Truth justice. Through the use of three forms of water (liquid, solid, and gas) and candy corn, the kids grabbed onto the concept of One in Three/Three in One.
It’s my prayer that our children will have a very different idea of that statistical “one in three” phrase as they grow up. I pray that they won’t attach it to toothpaste or detergent commercials as I did, nor will they attach it to any overwhelming statistic they may read at some point later. I pray that even in the midst of advertising and statistics, they will naturally associate that phrase with our One God Who works as Three Persons, but is still One God.
Wouldn’t it be an amazing thing if our kids sifted all that they read, hear, or see through the Truth of Who God is?! Maybe then the idea of statistics- or genetics- or anything remotely resembling Mr. Zavonar’s science class won’t be so overwhelming.
This Week’s Announcements:
PARK STREET TEACHER APPRECIATION
We will honor, encourage, and thank the teachers and staff at Park Street Elementary with a breakfast on Monday, December 8. To see how you can help, visit www.signupgenius.com and search under my email: penny@stonebridgemarietta.org
GIVING TREE
If you were here on Sunday you may have noticed a Christmas tree in the foyer with lots of ornaments on it. This is our "Giving Tree." There are items listed on each of the ornaments that will benefit families at Park Street Elementary, MUST Ministries, and Cobb Pregnancy Services. Please take an ornament from the tree and purchase the item listed on the tag. Donations may be dropped off at the church and placed under the tree on or before Sunday, December 21st. Items should not be wrapped. Please attach the tag to the item for easier distribution.
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 11/16 and 11/23.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
Don’t you love the conversations you have at bedtime with your children? Here is one a mom sent me recently. Child: “What if your arm got cut off?” Mom: “I guess I'd only have one arm to hug you with.”
Continuing back and forth… What if both of your arms got cut off? Then I couldn't hug you at all! Well then your arm will grow back after a while and you can hug me. No...arms don't grow back if they are cut off. What?...It doesn't grow back?! No. It doesn't grow back, baby. Ever?! Nope...not ever. What about in Heaven? Yeah...God probably gives new arms in Heaven.
The child thinks for a minute and ends this way: “But how does it get on there? Like with glue or something…or maybe God’s imagination? Like He closes His eyes and imagines it and then it's there? Wait....that's teleportation.”
Monday, November 10, 2014
We All Want to be Included
In the age of Facebook we’ve all had the unpleasant experience of seeing a group of people we know having a wonderful time somewhere equally wonderful without us. If we’re any sort of normal we feel a little pang of hurt or jealousy, or both. No one- no matter how confident- likes to be left out. We all have this innate desire to be a part of a pack in some form.
Some of us find that this desire to be included comes from the fact that we ourselves are “includers.” We don’t like to see anyone left out. In some cases this is so true that we see it as our personal responsibility to include others…everyone. This can be both a blessing and a burden.
If you’ve been a believer for very long at all, you’ve most likely heard this argument… “If God is so loving then how can He leave so many people “out” by saying following Jesus is the only way to Him?”
Maybe the root of this argument is something as simple as those people are themselves includers and/or they know firsthand what it means to be left out. Those that pose what can feel like a very divisive question may be searching for real answers in Jesus, but their hearts are having a hard time accepting that someone – maybe someone they know and love- will be left out.
This is a tough topic, but one I felt very strongly the Lord wanted the kids to know and learn about. This past Sunday we tackled it. We learned that God is both inclusive (He loves the world) and exclusive (Jesus is the only way to Him). With hoola-hoops, stories of walking down different paths at Kennesaw Mountain, examples of being invited to a birthday party, and two important Scriptures (Matthew 7:13-14 and John 3:16), we tackled it.
For a topic that is even hard- and at times divisive- among adults, the kids grabbed hold. For this, I am so very grateful. God is faithful to reveal Himself to us…all of us- no matter the age. God wants us to tackle the hard topics. God wants to include us not just in a loose term sort of way, but in a very literal way.
We have a God Who invites us in; into His family and into what He’s doing. Are we doing the same for Him?
This Week’s Announcements:
What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Want to say ‘thanks’ to those who serve your children? Want to give back in some way? It won’t cost you a thing…except a little time.
Sunday, November 30th is not only the Sunday after Thanksgiving, it is one of those rare (okay…four times a year is not that rare)- 5th Sundays. Since our volunteers are scheduled on a four Sundays a month schedule, this leaves us with some spots to be filled. If you are in town and willing to say “thanks for serving” by serving yourself, please contact Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org to see how you can serve on November 30th. *We will need help in all ages, so claim the spot and age group you want!
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 11/9.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
While making the point about God’s desire to “include” us to a group of 4k and Kindergarten children, I used the example of a birthday party; one where I would personally invite all of them. After describing this party in detail, complete with what we’d do, and how they had the choice to accept my invitation or not, one 4 year old raised her hand. Thinking she had a question about the Truth I had just very eloquently made clear for them, I called on her. Instead of asking a question, she announced that she would have to ask her mom for permission to come to my party. She was concerned that I wanted to play tag at my party because she didn’t know if her mom would let her play that game. This interaction reminded me just how humble kids can keep us!
Some of us find that this desire to be included comes from the fact that we ourselves are “includers.” We don’t like to see anyone left out. In some cases this is so true that we see it as our personal responsibility to include others…everyone. This can be both a blessing and a burden.
If you’ve been a believer for very long at all, you’ve most likely heard this argument… “If God is so loving then how can He leave so many people “out” by saying following Jesus is the only way to Him?”
Maybe the root of this argument is something as simple as those people are themselves includers and/or they know firsthand what it means to be left out. Those that pose what can feel like a very divisive question may be searching for real answers in Jesus, but their hearts are having a hard time accepting that someone – maybe someone they know and love- will be left out.
This is a tough topic, but one I felt very strongly the Lord wanted the kids to know and learn about. This past Sunday we tackled it. We learned that God is both inclusive (He loves the world) and exclusive (Jesus is the only way to Him). With hoola-hoops, stories of walking down different paths at Kennesaw Mountain, examples of being invited to a birthday party, and two important Scriptures (Matthew 7:13-14 and John 3:16), we tackled it.
For a topic that is even hard- and at times divisive- among adults, the kids grabbed hold. For this, I am so very grateful. God is faithful to reveal Himself to us…all of us- no matter the age. God wants us to tackle the hard topics. God wants to include us not just in a loose term sort of way, but in a very literal way.
We have a God Who invites us in; into His family and into what He’s doing. Are we doing the same for Him?
This Week’s Announcements:
What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Want to say ‘thanks’ to those who serve your children? Want to give back in some way? It won’t cost you a thing…except a little time.
Sunday, November 30th is not only the Sunday after Thanksgiving, it is one of those rare (okay…four times a year is not that rare)- 5th Sundays. Since our volunteers are scheduled on a four Sundays a month schedule, this leaves us with some spots to be filled. If you are in town and willing to say “thanks for serving” by serving yourself, please contact Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org to see how you can serve on November 30th. *We will need help in all ages, so claim the spot and age group you want!
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 11/9.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
While making the point about God’s desire to “include” us to a group of 4k and Kindergarten children, I used the example of a birthday party; one where I would personally invite all of them. After describing this party in detail, complete with what we’d do, and how they had the choice to accept my invitation or not, one 4 year old raised her hand. Thinking she had a question about the Truth I had just very eloquently made clear for them, I called on her. Instead of asking a question, she announced that she would have to ask her mom for permission to come to my party. She was concerned that I wanted to play tag at my party because she didn’t know if her mom would let her play that game. This interaction reminded me just how humble kids can keep us!
Monday, November 3, 2014
Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words
Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words…really?
Kids love to draw pictures. Rainbows, animals, trees, flowers, and the people they love- just to name a few. Our refrigerator doors, bulletin boards, or the walls of our garage all become museums for those priceless drawings that little chubby hands create. The most precious of those are the ones handed over with the words, “I made this for you.” Oh, how I miss those beautiful scribblings once made by my two boys. Taking a close look at whatever is conjured up in their little minds is a window into what our kids see as important and worth thinking about.
If their creations let us in on what they think is important, then what do we gain by asking them to draw what we think is important? When we take the opportunity to request a drawing, we get to see how they view something. Simply think about the times you’ve asked your child to draw your family. We’ve all seen those drawings with arms coming out of heads, a mom’s smiling face, or a dad who is significantly taller than everyone else in the picture. Their little hearts and minds put on paper how they view any given topic.
This very idea is why I asked kids to draw their perception of God. I emphasized that there was no right or wrong answer…this was to be their view of Him. What does He look like? What is around Him? Is He sitting or standing? After they had time to draw this, I asked them to then put themselves in the picture. Where are they in relation to God in that drawing? Again…no right or wrong answers.
The pictures were as varied as the children who drew them. Some put God in the sky on a cloud with themselves on the ground. Others made God so big with light all around Him that they couldn’t fit in the picture at all. Still others drew a very human appearing God, so personal that His arms were stretched out toward the drawing of themselves.
We serve a God Who is all of these things and more. He is above us, in front of us, behind us, and through the Holy Spirit- in us. He sees all things, He knows all things, He holds all things together. The earth is like His footstool. He knows and numbers the stars and at the very same time, knows and numbers the very hairs of our heads. Two words describe this kind of God. Sovereign and Intimate.
The Psalmist David “put on paper” for us many reminders of the God we serve. I found none that described both God’s sovereignty and His intimacy with us more vividly that Psalm 139:1-18. This was David’s drawing of God and where he was in the picture.
We all draw things as we view them. Those sweet creations our kids paper our homes with- the ones with dad bigger and mommy smiling- let us know that our child sees his/her world as wonderful. Do we know how our kids view God…really? Ask them to draw Him, and see for yourself. Maybe a picture really is worth a thousand words, and then some.
This Week’s Announcements:
What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Want to say ‘thanks’ to those who serve your children? Want to give back in some way? It won’t cost you a thing…except a little time.
Sunday, November 30th is not only the Sunday after Thanksgiving, it is one of those rare (okay…four times a year is not that rare)- 5th Sundays. Since our volunteers are scheduled on a four Sundays a month schedule, this leaves us with some spots to be filled. If you are in town and willing to say “thanks for serving” by serving yourself, please contact Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org to see how you can serve on November 30th. *We will need help in all ages, so claim the spot and age group you want!
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 11/2.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
One mom reported that during BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) they had been learning about how God provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness. At the end of one morning’s study, the mom asked her 3 year old what God gave the Israelites to eat. Finding the right answer in her memory was a quick process. She proudly said "mayonnaise!" (Yuck…I would’ve starved!)
Kids love to draw pictures. Rainbows, animals, trees, flowers, and the people they love- just to name a few. Our refrigerator doors, bulletin boards, or the walls of our garage all become museums for those priceless drawings that little chubby hands create. The most precious of those are the ones handed over with the words, “I made this for you.” Oh, how I miss those beautiful scribblings once made by my two boys. Taking a close look at whatever is conjured up in their little minds is a window into what our kids see as important and worth thinking about.
If their creations let us in on what they think is important, then what do we gain by asking them to draw what we think is important? When we take the opportunity to request a drawing, we get to see how they view something. Simply think about the times you’ve asked your child to draw your family. We’ve all seen those drawings with arms coming out of heads, a mom’s smiling face, or a dad who is significantly taller than everyone else in the picture. Their little hearts and minds put on paper how they view any given topic.
This very idea is why I asked kids to draw their perception of God. I emphasized that there was no right or wrong answer…this was to be their view of Him. What does He look like? What is around Him? Is He sitting or standing? After they had time to draw this, I asked them to then put themselves in the picture. Where are they in relation to God in that drawing? Again…no right or wrong answers.
The pictures were as varied as the children who drew them. Some put God in the sky on a cloud with themselves on the ground. Others made God so big with light all around Him that they couldn’t fit in the picture at all. Still others drew a very human appearing God, so personal that His arms were stretched out toward the drawing of themselves.
We serve a God Who is all of these things and more. He is above us, in front of us, behind us, and through the Holy Spirit- in us. He sees all things, He knows all things, He holds all things together. The earth is like His footstool. He knows and numbers the stars and at the very same time, knows and numbers the very hairs of our heads. Two words describe this kind of God. Sovereign and Intimate.
The Psalmist David “put on paper” for us many reminders of the God we serve. I found none that described both God’s sovereignty and His intimacy with us more vividly that Psalm 139:1-18. This was David’s drawing of God and where he was in the picture.
We all draw things as we view them. Those sweet creations our kids paper our homes with- the ones with dad bigger and mommy smiling- let us know that our child sees his/her world as wonderful. Do we know how our kids view God…really? Ask them to draw Him, and see for yourself. Maybe a picture really is worth a thousand words, and then some.
This Week’s Announcements:
What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Want to say ‘thanks’ to those who serve your children? Want to give back in some way? It won’t cost you a thing…except a little time.
Sunday, November 30th is not only the Sunday after Thanksgiving, it is one of those rare (okay…four times a year is not that rare)- 5th Sundays. Since our volunteers are scheduled on a four Sundays a month schedule, this leaves us with some spots to be filled. If you are in town and willing to say “thanks for serving” by serving yourself, please contact Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org to see how you can serve on November 30th. *We will need help in all ages, so claim the spot and age group you want!
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 11/2.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
One mom reported that during BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) they had been learning about how God provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness. At the end of one morning’s study, the mom asked her 3 year old what God gave the Israelites to eat. Finding the right answer in her memory was a quick process. She proudly said "mayonnaise!" (Yuck…I would’ve starved!)
Monday, October 27, 2014
What Happened to all the See-Saws?
What Happened to All the See-Saws?
If you are of a certain age you most likely remember a playground or park with see-saws. Several years ago in an effort to make playgrounds safer, see-saws were taken away. (Some playgrounds don’t even have swings anymore…don’t get me started on that trend!)
Anyway…because of the no see-saw rule, many children have not experienced the power rush of jumping from the top, sending your see-saw mate crashing to the ground. Neither have they encountered the awesome experience of being that friend who, while falling to the ground, has to decide in a split second whether to be okay hitting the ground or risk trying to get his feet down fast enough to catch himself. (Side note: I was the kid who BEGGED my friends not to make me fall before I would even agree to get on the see-saw) Yep, gone are the days of risking life and limb in the pursuit of fun.
As I ‘wax nostalgic’ for a bit, I did wonder what our kids are losing - all in an attempt to keep them safer. This reality became apparent to me two Sundays ago as I was reviewing the topics we’ve covered in the “It’s a Mystery” series.
Introducing kids to the idea of how God keeps all things in balance, specifically being both a God of answers and mystery seemed like a large topic to tackle. Since I’m very visual myself, I’ve tried to help children connect a visual with this concept. A simple balance scale seemed like my best bet. For kids who have seen these in school, it was a great option. For others, who have never seen one, I had to teach them what it was, how it was used, and what it meant to be balanced before I could use it to demonstrate my point.
I couldn’t relate the mechanical genius of a balance scale to the see-saw because no one knew what I was talking about. Literally…I don’t remember a single child who knew what I was describing when I referenced the see-saw. Big deal- right?
Probably not a big deal, but then again I think the see-saw is the perfect picture of another layer of God’s balance- and the balance He wants us to keep in our minds and hearts. Picture this…
If a person doesn’t fully understand that God has the answers; if he/she thinks they do, they are out of balance. Any person who thinks they have all the answers themselves will also think they don’t need God. They are what we as Christians would call- “lost.” On the other side of that is a person who thinks that life is one big mystery- there is no purpose to it at all; we’re all just spinning in space until we die. These people are also lost.
If we’re doing it right, we’re staying right in the middle of both- we’re in balance. We know that God is a God of answers, that He wants us to know and understand Him and His world. At the same time, we understand that God is a God of mystery- His thoughts are not our thoughts.
What does this have to do with see-saws? I think- if we’re really honest, our minds and hearts do an up and down with this balance thing. Depending on what is going on in our lives, we’re either trusting God fully for the answers, or we’re questioning His mysteries. Leaning too far to one side or the other is a dangerous thing- much like jumping off the top or plummeting to the bottom. Wherever we are, we need to ask God to keep us in balance. We want to ride but we want to be safe…better yet, secure.
If you think about it, and actually have memories of riding a see-saw, wasn’t it great fun to sit in the middle and just enjoy the up and down with no fear of falling off?
This Week’s Announcements:
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 10/19 and 10/26.
*Note that no lessons are included for 4k-5th grade for 10/26. This is because small groups did not meet; children were engaged in outreach projects instead.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
While leading the outreach project with the 4k/K children this past Sunday, the leader was telling the story of the 10 Lepers who Jesus healed. (If you don’t remember the story, look it up in Luke 17) As she told the story, one child yelled out, “I know about lepers! They have spots so they can hide in the jungle.” Hmm…I think that’s leopards- just a little different.
If you are of a certain age you most likely remember a playground or park with see-saws. Several years ago in an effort to make playgrounds safer, see-saws were taken away. (Some playgrounds don’t even have swings anymore…don’t get me started on that trend!)
Anyway…because of the no see-saw rule, many children have not experienced the power rush of jumping from the top, sending your see-saw mate crashing to the ground. Neither have they encountered the awesome experience of being that friend who, while falling to the ground, has to decide in a split second whether to be okay hitting the ground or risk trying to get his feet down fast enough to catch himself. (Side note: I was the kid who BEGGED my friends not to make me fall before I would even agree to get on the see-saw) Yep, gone are the days of risking life and limb in the pursuit of fun.
As I ‘wax nostalgic’ for a bit, I did wonder what our kids are losing - all in an attempt to keep them safer. This reality became apparent to me two Sundays ago as I was reviewing the topics we’ve covered in the “It’s a Mystery” series.
Introducing kids to the idea of how God keeps all things in balance, specifically being both a God of answers and mystery seemed like a large topic to tackle. Since I’m very visual myself, I’ve tried to help children connect a visual with this concept. A simple balance scale seemed like my best bet. For kids who have seen these in school, it was a great option. For others, who have never seen one, I had to teach them what it was, how it was used, and what it meant to be balanced before I could use it to demonstrate my point.
I couldn’t relate the mechanical genius of a balance scale to the see-saw because no one knew what I was talking about. Literally…I don’t remember a single child who knew what I was describing when I referenced the see-saw. Big deal- right?
Probably not a big deal, but then again I think the see-saw is the perfect picture of another layer of God’s balance- and the balance He wants us to keep in our minds and hearts. Picture this…
If a person doesn’t fully understand that God has the answers; if he/she thinks they do, they are out of balance. Any person who thinks they have all the answers themselves will also think they don’t need God. They are what we as Christians would call- “lost.” On the other side of that is a person who thinks that life is one big mystery- there is no purpose to it at all; we’re all just spinning in space until we die. These people are also lost.
If we’re doing it right, we’re staying right in the middle of both- we’re in balance. We know that God is a God of answers, that He wants us to know and understand Him and His world. At the same time, we understand that God is a God of mystery- His thoughts are not our thoughts.
What does this have to do with see-saws? I think- if we’re really honest, our minds and hearts do an up and down with this balance thing. Depending on what is going on in our lives, we’re either trusting God fully for the answers, or we’re questioning His mysteries. Leaning too far to one side or the other is a dangerous thing- much like jumping off the top or plummeting to the bottom. Wherever we are, we need to ask God to keep us in balance. We want to ride but we want to be safe…better yet, secure.
If you think about it, and actually have memories of riding a see-saw, wasn’t it great fun to sit in the middle and just enjoy the up and down with no fear of falling off?
This Week’s Announcements:
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 10/19 and 10/26.
*Note that no lessons are included for 4k-5th grade for 10/26. This is because small groups did not meet; children were engaged in outreach projects instead.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
While leading the outreach project with the 4k/K children this past Sunday, the leader was telling the story of the 10 Lepers who Jesus healed. (If you don’t remember the story, look it up in Luke 17) As she told the story, one child yelled out, “I know about lepers! They have spots so they can hide in the jungle.” Hmm…I think that’s leopards- just a little different.
Monday, October 13, 2014
A Game of Uncle
A Game of “Uncle”…or better named- “Mercy”
If you are of a certain age, you’ve undoubtedly played a game of “uncle” at some point in your life. That same game of torture is known now as “mercy.” In case you’ve forgotten, you grab hands with another person (most commonly played with a vicious sibling) and then try pushing their hand back until they yell, “mercy!” This is a game that many of us- myself included- tried to avoid at all costs since you were never quite sure if you’d be the victor or the victim.
When we consider God’s mercy, we certainly don’t think of a game of torture; however, it is interesting that the very definition of godly mercy is “compassion when you have the power and/or right to punish.” I guess calling ‘mercy’ in the game is calling for such compassion.
This past Sunday we explored the next “both-em” of God- mercy and justice. God holds both of these in perfect balance. They are not opposites; they aren’t even at odds with each other. In reality God’s justice is really His mercy.
Since justice is best understood in a child’s mind as discipline/consequences, let’s think of it that way too for a moment. Think of how you mead out justice in your household. You direct and guide your children. When they make a decision to stray from your direction with disobedience in some form, you discipline them. Is this because you want to be mean? Is this because you’ve stopped loving them? On both counts- of course not! You correct because you love them.
The same is true of God’s justice in our lives. His correction is always because He loves us. Sometimes that correction is gentle, and sometimes it feels more heavy-handed. Either way, it’s always mixed with a heavy dose of His mercy.
We live lives that cry out for God’s justice. We can also cry out for His mercy. When we cry out for one, we receive both. And…if we’re smart, we won’t wait until our hands are being twisted in pain to cry out for either.
This Week’s Announcements:Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 10/12.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
On any Sunday in the fall, you can find at least one child who wants to discuss a college football game from the day before. (It’s not just the boys!) This week one guy was talking about his beloved Clemson Tigers. Another child, overhearing only a portion of the conversation, interjected, “I like tigers, but I like rhinos more!” Confused…I asked, “What team is that… with a rhino as their mascot?” Puzzled look, and then, “Oh, I thought y’all were just talking about your favorite animals.”
If you are of a certain age, you’ve undoubtedly played a game of “uncle” at some point in your life. That same game of torture is known now as “mercy.” In case you’ve forgotten, you grab hands with another person (most commonly played with a vicious sibling) and then try pushing their hand back until they yell, “mercy!” This is a game that many of us- myself included- tried to avoid at all costs since you were never quite sure if you’d be the victor or the victim.
When we consider God’s mercy, we certainly don’t think of a game of torture; however, it is interesting that the very definition of godly mercy is “compassion when you have the power and/or right to punish.” I guess calling ‘mercy’ in the game is calling for such compassion.
This past Sunday we explored the next “both-em” of God- mercy and justice. God holds both of these in perfect balance. They are not opposites; they aren’t even at odds with each other. In reality God’s justice is really His mercy.
Since justice is best understood in a child’s mind as discipline/consequences, let’s think of it that way too for a moment. Think of how you mead out justice in your household. You direct and guide your children. When they make a decision to stray from your direction with disobedience in some form, you discipline them. Is this because you want to be mean? Is this because you’ve stopped loving them? On both counts- of course not! You correct because you love them.
The same is true of God’s justice in our lives. His correction is always because He loves us. Sometimes that correction is gentle, and sometimes it feels more heavy-handed. Either way, it’s always mixed with a heavy dose of His mercy.
We live lives that cry out for God’s justice. We can also cry out for His mercy. When we cry out for one, we receive both. And…if we’re smart, we won’t wait until our hands are being twisted in pain to cry out for either.
This Week’s Announcements:Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 10/12.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
On any Sunday in the fall, you can find at least one child who wants to discuss a college football game from the day before. (It’s not just the boys!) This week one guy was talking about his beloved Clemson Tigers. Another child, overhearing only a portion of the conversation, interjected, “I like tigers, but I like rhinos more!” Confused…I asked, “What team is that… with a rhino as their mascot?” Puzzled look, and then, “Oh, I thought y’all were just talking about your favorite animals.”
The Ugly Truth about Wrath
The Ugly Truth about Wrath
From A to Z, there are words in the Bible that many of us can’t pronounce. Need some examples? Here you go: Artaxerxes and Zerubbabel. That’s just one A and one Z… think of all the others in between! In addition to the brain-boggling task of deciphering some terms in God’s Word, there are also those words that we just don’t understand.
These words are easily pronounced for most anyone. We can read a definition in the dictionary or a Bible commentary. We may even have some way of defining it in our own words, but do we really understand them? You know the words…wrath, justice, judgment…just to name a few. Do we really understand God’s wrath, tempered with grace?
Wrath was the topic of last Sunday’s lessons for our elementary kids. Kids understand anger. Just imagine the sea of hands raised when I asked if anyone had ever been mad at a brother or sister. And…I won’t tell you how many kids (unsolicited) wanted to tell how mom or dad showed wrath!
Wrath is a word that is not talked about a lot in children’s ministry. God is loving. God is kind. God is powerful. Kids “get” a God that is loving, kind, and powerful, but looking at a God Who is also capable of great anger is a little harder.
The ugly truth about wrath is that…well, it’s Truth. The Bible is chockfull of times when God’s wrath was “poured out.” This makes us uncomfortable so we skip over those stories. The reality is that we shouldn’t skip over anything that gives us a better understanding of God’s character, including the parts that make us scratch our heads or shift in our seats.
Look at those stories where God’s wrath was poured out. What is He mad about? Sin. God is holy so therefore He cannot tolerate anything that is unholy.
It was explained this way to children…
Imagine that you created something perfect and wonderful. You loved your creation so much that you wanted to hang it on the refrigerator so you could enjoy its beauty every day. Now imagine that a big, hairy, nasty, slobbering (they loved that part) monster rips it off the fridge, tears it up, stomps on it, and then takes it outside to roll it in the mud. How would you feel? Mad!
Now, think about what happened to God’s world…
He created a perfect world and put His most prized creations right in the middle of it. He said, “This is very good.” He wanted to spend time with His creations, and enjoy the beauty of what He’d created. Enter the big, hairy, nasty, slobbering monster- sin. The enemy and sin are all about destroying God’s creation. How does God feel? Mad! That is what God’s wrath is about. He is mad at sin, BUT He is kind (in the form of grace) to us.
Wrath is ugly, but it’s Truth worth exploring. When we better understand what God’s wrath is about, we also understand more about those “comfortable” things too- His love, kindness, and power in our lives.
This Week’s Announcements:
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 9/28 and 10/05.
This link is no longer available
From A to Z, there are words in the Bible that many of us can’t pronounce. Need some examples? Here you go: Artaxerxes and Zerubbabel. That’s just one A and one Z… think of all the others in between! In addition to the brain-boggling task of deciphering some terms in God’s Word, there are also those words that we just don’t understand.
These words are easily pronounced for most anyone. We can read a definition in the dictionary or a Bible commentary. We may even have some way of defining it in our own words, but do we really understand them? You know the words…wrath, justice, judgment…just to name a few. Do we really understand God’s wrath, tempered with grace?
Wrath was the topic of last Sunday’s lessons for our elementary kids. Kids understand anger. Just imagine the sea of hands raised when I asked if anyone had ever been mad at a brother or sister. And…I won’t tell you how many kids (unsolicited) wanted to tell how mom or dad showed wrath!
Wrath is a word that is not talked about a lot in children’s ministry. God is loving. God is kind. God is powerful. Kids “get” a God that is loving, kind, and powerful, but looking at a God Who is also capable of great anger is a little harder.
The ugly truth about wrath is that…well, it’s Truth. The Bible is chockfull of times when God’s wrath was “poured out.” This makes us uncomfortable so we skip over those stories. The reality is that we shouldn’t skip over anything that gives us a better understanding of God’s character, including the parts that make us scratch our heads or shift in our seats.
Look at those stories where God’s wrath was poured out. What is He mad about? Sin. God is holy so therefore He cannot tolerate anything that is unholy.
It was explained this way to children…
Imagine that you created something perfect and wonderful. You loved your creation so much that you wanted to hang it on the refrigerator so you could enjoy its beauty every day. Now imagine that a big, hairy, nasty, slobbering (they loved that part) monster rips it off the fridge, tears it up, stomps on it, and then takes it outside to roll it in the mud. How would you feel? Mad!
Now, think about what happened to God’s world…
He created a perfect world and put His most prized creations right in the middle of it. He said, “This is very good.” He wanted to spend time with His creations, and enjoy the beauty of what He’d created. Enter the big, hairy, nasty, slobbering monster- sin. The enemy and sin are all about destroying God’s creation. How does God feel? Mad! That is what God’s wrath is about. He is mad at sin, BUT He is kind (in the form of grace) to us.
Wrath is ugly, but it’s Truth worth exploring. When we better understand what God’s wrath is about, we also understand more about those “comfortable” things too- His love, kindness, and power in our lives.
This Week’s Announcements:
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 9/28 and 10/05.
This link is no longer available
Monday, September 22, 2014
Scooby-Doo and Other Mystery Hunters
Scooby-Doo and Other Mystery Hunters
Children have this natural curiosity and love of mystery that is lost on most adults. Adults want answers…all the time. I’m not sure who started Wikipedia (I’m sure google could tell me), but my guess is it was someone who not only wanted answers, but thought they knew them as well.
In a world where there are so many questions…
“Why should I blend up my spinach and drink it when I can simply eat a salad?” (Just to name one!)
…we are always looking for answers.
What if we didn’t look for answers as much as we searched our hearts and minds for questions. This is the thought around “It’s a Mystery” - our fall series in PathFinders. This fall we will explore what it means to ask questions of God, about God, and about His Word. We will embrace the fact that God is a God of answers, but also a God of mystery.
This past Sunday we learned that God holds both sides of that- answer and mystery- in perfect balance. There is tension and therefore power in having faith in a God that can be both. If we had all the answers, we’d assume that we are just like God ourselves, but on the other hand, if we had only questions, we’d stay confused. This is God’s perfect balance. He gives us answers through His Word, through our time with Him in prayer, and through the Holy Spirit, while also remaining a great mystery. After all, His ways are not our ways; His thoughts are not our thoughts.
So what does it mean to be a mystery hunter in the Spiritual sense? Scooby- Doo…Where are you?!
For those true Scooby-Doo fans (the original “Scooby Doo- Where are you?” is the only one that counts) there is no doubt that you understand the concept of a hidden in plain sight answer to a mystery. Who doesn’t remember Miner Forty-Niner scaring off employees and guests at the Gold City Guest Ranch? [Cue the chase scene music in your head] Even the bumbling mystery gang was able to catch the real culprit...old Hank in costume.
Many of the things we find mysterious about God may actually be hidden in plain sight. We may simply be asking the wrong questions… or asking no questions at all. There is no easy google answer to how, why, and when God works. There is no Wikipedia contributor, co-contributor, or fact checker (does Wikipedia have those?!) that has all the answers.
There are questions, and there is One who answers. There are answers, and there is also mystery. Just like Scooby-Doo, we may discover by chance (or more likely through a Holy-download) the answer to one mystery, only to learn that there is a new one to investigate.
Ask the questions, look and listen for the answers, and then…embrace the mystery.
This Week’s Announcements:
PathFinders Camping Day- Saturday, October 18th
If you have a child in 1st-5th grade, this day is for them! Sign up by clicking on the link in this week’s email update. Registration is required and will close out (no exceptions) on the registration dead-line. Payment of $15 per child is due at time of registration. **If you are interested in being one of the adult drivers and/or chaperones for this event, contact me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 9/21/2014.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
While doing a school project on Egypt, one little guy was so fascinated by the culture, he decided that he must have actually lived during that time. He believed he may have been born then. When his parents questioned him further, saying- “you were not reincarnated and you couldn’t have been born then and still live now…so, huh?!” After some thought, he acquiesced by saying… “I meant my ansisters lived then!” {That’s not a typo- ansisters to a five year old is ancestors to us}
Children have this natural curiosity and love of mystery that is lost on most adults. Adults want answers…all the time. I’m not sure who started Wikipedia (I’m sure google could tell me), but my guess is it was someone who not only wanted answers, but thought they knew them as well.
In a world where there are so many questions…
“Why should I blend up my spinach and drink it when I can simply eat a salad?” (Just to name one!)
…we are always looking for answers.
What if we didn’t look for answers as much as we searched our hearts and minds for questions. This is the thought around “It’s a Mystery” - our fall series in PathFinders. This fall we will explore what it means to ask questions of God, about God, and about His Word. We will embrace the fact that God is a God of answers, but also a God of mystery.
This past Sunday we learned that God holds both sides of that- answer and mystery- in perfect balance. There is tension and therefore power in having faith in a God that can be both. If we had all the answers, we’d assume that we are just like God ourselves, but on the other hand, if we had only questions, we’d stay confused. This is God’s perfect balance. He gives us answers through His Word, through our time with Him in prayer, and through the Holy Spirit, while also remaining a great mystery. After all, His ways are not our ways; His thoughts are not our thoughts.
So what does it mean to be a mystery hunter in the Spiritual sense? Scooby- Doo…Where are you?!
For those true Scooby-Doo fans (the original “Scooby Doo- Where are you?” is the only one that counts) there is no doubt that you understand the concept of a hidden in plain sight answer to a mystery. Who doesn’t remember Miner Forty-Niner scaring off employees and guests at the Gold City Guest Ranch? [Cue the chase scene music in your head] Even the bumbling mystery gang was able to catch the real culprit...old Hank in costume.
Many of the things we find mysterious about God may actually be hidden in plain sight. We may simply be asking the wrong questions… or asking no questions at all. There is no easy google answer to how, why, and when God works. There is no Wikipedia contributor, co-contributor, or fact checker (does Wikipedia have those?!) that has all the answers.
There are questions, and there is One who answers. There are answers, and there is also mystery. Just like Scooby-Doo, we may discover by chance (or more likely through a Holy-download) the answer to one mystery, only to learn that there is a new one to investigate.
Ask the questions, look and listen for the answers, and then…embrace the mystery.
This Week’s Announcements:
PathFinders Camping Day- Saturday, October 18th
If you have a child in 1st-5th grade, this day is for them! Sign up by clicking on the link in this week’s email update. Registration is required and will close out (no exceptions) on the registration dead-line. Payment of $15 per child is due at time of registration. **If you are interested in being one of the adult drivers and/or chaperones for this event, contact me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 9/21/2014.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
While doing a school project on Egypt, one little guy was so fascinated by the culture, he decided that he must have actually lived during that time. He believed he may have been born then. When his parents questioned him further, saying- “you were not reincarnated and you couldn’t have been born then and still live now…so, huh?!” After some thought, he acquiesced by saying… “I meant my ansisters lived then!” {That’s not a typo- ansisters to a five year old is ancestors to us}
Monday, September 15, 2014
When "Because I said So!" Doesn't Work
When “Because I said So!” Doesn’t Work
A child asks “why?” and we give the parental answer that has stood the test of time. Our parents said it, our grandparents said it, and (at least in my case) our great grandparents said it. We’ve all heard it, and most likely we’ve all said it -at least once. You know it well…“Because I said so!” After saying it, our assumption is that one thing is clearly understood- no more questions! And here, my fellow parents, in lies the problem.
(Pause for thought) Now, you may be thinking…wait a cotton-pickin’ minute…I want my kids to obey with no questions. Sometimes they don’t get to ask why I tell them something- they just have to trust me and do it. Isn’t that what first time obedience is all about?
I get it. We all want obedient and polite children. So, let me make one thing clear- I’m not talking about when you yell “STOP” as they start to cross the street without looking. There is no time for them to ask why nor for you to explain. This is something altogether different…hang with me.
“When ‘because I said so’ doesn’t work” is not about obedience, it’s about questions, and more importantly finding the answers to those questions.
Simple example- when my kids were little I taught them to take their shoes off as soon as we walked in the door. They were taught early on that once they removed those shoes, they went in a basket near the door that we entered and exited through every time we came and left our home. One day my three year old asked why we had to do that. In my haste to avoid another string of “whys” – I said it- “because I said so.” I could just as easily taken the time to explain my reasoning- that it helped us find our shoes quickly, while also helping mom keep the floors a little cleaner. So…one day, when I left our house with no shoes myself, he reminded me of the shoe basket and why (he thought) we used it. “Mom- your shoes got lost ‘cuz they weren’t in the basket!” (The master had become the student)
Now this seems like a silly example, but realistically he answered his own question through ‘study’ and experience. Isn’t this the best way to learn anything? As babies, we let our children (where safe) put things in their mouths, and we want them to touch and feel everything possible. As they get older, we know better than to do our kids’ homework for them. We’re tempted sometimes, but we know if we did it, they would never learn it for themselves. We welcome our children’s use of imagination and experiments to learn about the world around them. Seriously, if your child said, “Why does 2+2=4?”- you would not answer with “because I said so!” Most likely, you’d show them, and then encourage them to test it for themselves.
Okay…you get it, ‘because I said so’ doesn’t work in all situations. Here is my challenge…why do we think it works in the area of Spiritual growth? We are great at giving our children information about the Lord and the Truth of His Word. We read to them, we talk to them, we pray with them. For any child of a parent who is following the Lord and wants their kids to do the same, there is no lack of information. But what about the questions?
As adults we don’t know all there is to know about God; we have questions, we have doubts, there are things we don’t understand. If we feel this way, can you just imagine how our children feel? Our children can’t come to know the Lord “because we said so”- they have to know Him for themselves.
We have to leave room for them to study and experience God and His Word for themselves. We have to leave room for them to ask questions, and even to doubt. Then…here’s the really tough part- we have to be willing to say that we don’t have all the answers, but we know the One who does.
We may be tempted to say “because I said so” this week…or even today. Okay...but make it about shoe baskets, eating green peas, or not hitting your sister, but not about Who God is. Sometimes “because I said so” is not only a really bad answer- it’s a dangerous one.
This Week’s Announcements:
Baby Dedication Orientation – Tuesday, September 16th; 6:30-7:30pm
If you have (or will have) a child aged 3months-2 years old between now and March, 2015, and would like to publically dedicate him/her to the Lord, this orientation is for you. Parents wishing to participate in a baby dedication for their child at StoneBridge should attend one of our Baby Dedication Orientation sessions. These sessions will be held twice a year. September’s orientation is open to parents who wish to dedicate their baby before our next session in March. Please sign up by emailing me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org Childcare during the orientation will be provided with reservations.
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 9/14/2014.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
Few things are funnier or cuter than when a child calls something by the wrong name. What’s even cuter is when what they call it actually makes sense when we see it from their perspective. A few I’ve heard lately: Lego instruction books being called “the constructions” and binoculars being called “my close up glasses.” My favorite has to be when a child was describing something crazy. She spun her pointed index finger at the side of her head (making the universal sign for crazy), but then said, “That is roundy!”
A child asks “why?” and we give the parental answer that has stood the test of time. Our parents said it, our grandparents said it, and (at least in my case) our great grandparents said it. We’ve all heard it, and most likely we’ve all said it -at least once. You know it well…“Because I said so!” After saying it, our assumption is that one thing is clearly understood- no more questions! And here, my fellow parents, in lies the problem.
(Pause for thought) Now, you may be thinking…wait a cotton-pickin’ minute…I want my kids to obey with no questions. Sometimes they don’t get to ask why I tell them something- they just have to trust me and do it. Isn’t that what first time obedience is all about?
I get it. We all want obedient and polite children. So, let me make one thing clear- I’m not talking about when you yell “STOP” as they start to cross the street without looking. There is no time for them to ask why nor for you to explain. This is something altogether different…hang with me.
“When ‘because I said so’ doesn’t work” is not about obedience, it’s about questions, and more importantly finding the answers to those questions.
Simple example- when my kids were little I taught them to take their shoes off as soon as we walked in the door. They were taught early on that once they removed those shoes, they went in a basket near the door that we entered and exited through every time we came and left our home. One day my three year old asked why we had to do that. In my haste to avoid another string of “whys” – I said it- “because I said so.” I could just as easily taken the time to explain my reasoning- that it helped us find our shoes quickly, while also helping mom keep the floors a little cleaner. So…one day, when I left our house with no shoes myself, he reminded me of the shoe basket and why (he thought) we used it. “Mom- your shoes got lost ‘cuz they weren’t in the basket!” (The master had become the student)
Now this seems like a silly example, but realistically he answered his own question through ‘study’ and experience. Isn’t this the best way to learn anything? As babies, we let our children (where safe) put things in their mouths, and we want them to touch and feel everything possible. As they get older, we know better than to do our kids’ homework for them. We’re tempted sometimes, but we know if we did it, they would never learn it for themselves. We welcome our children’s use of imagination and experiments to learn about the world around them. Seriously, if your child said, “Why does 2+2=4?”- you would not answer with “because I said so!” Most likely, you’d show them, and then encourage them to test it for themselves.
Okay…you get it, ‘because I said so’ doesn’t work in all situations. Here is my challenge…why do we think it works in the area of Spiritual growth? We are great at giving our children information about the Lord and the Truth of His Word. We read to them, we talk to them, we pray with them. For any child of a parent who is following the Lord and wants their kids to do the same, there is no lack of information. But what about the questions?
As adults we don’t know all there is to know about God; we have questions, we have doubts, there are things we don’t understand. If we feel this way, can you just imagine how our children feel? Our children can’t come to know the Lord “because we said so”- they have to know Him for themselves.
We have to leave room for them to study and experience God and His Word for themselves. We have to leave room for them to ask questions, and even to doubt. Then…here’s the really tough part- we have to be willing to say that we don’t have all the answers, but we know the One who does.
We may be tempted to say “because I said so” this week…or even today. Okay...but make it about shoe baskets, eating green peas, or not hitting your sister, but not about Who God is. Sometimes “because I said so” is not only a really bad answer- it’s a dangerous one.
This Week’s Announcements:
Baby Dedication Orientation – Tuesday, September 16th; 6:30-7:30pm
If you have (or will have) a child aged 3months-2 years old between now and March, 2015, and would like to publically dedicate him/her to the Lord, this orientation is for you. Parents wishing to participate in a baby dedication for their child at StoneBridge should attend one of our Baby Dedication Orientation sessions. These sessions will be held twice a year. September’s orientation is open to parents who wish to dedicate their baby before our next session in March. Please sign up by emailing me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org Childcare during the orientation will be provided with reservations.
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the links below to view our lessons from 9/14/2014.
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
Few things are funnier or cuter than when a child calls something by the wrong name. What’s even cuter is when what they call it actually makes sense when we see it from their perspective. A few I’ve heard lately: Lego instruction books being called “the constructions” and binoculars being called “my close up glasses.” My favorite has to be when a child was describing something crazy. She spun her pointed index finger at the side of her head (making the universal sign for crazy), but then said, “That is roundy!”
Monday, September 8, 2014
Welcome Back!
Welcome back to our blog!
Welcome back? You may be thinking… “But, I didn’t go anywhere!”
True, you may have been right where you are now- looking at your computer and wondering- where are the updates? OR- You may never have realized it wasn’t updated because you never checked it.
No matter…clean slate…new year…welcome back! (Or welcome for the first time!)
This one will start simply by reminding you of why I do a blog for PathFinders. It’s simple- I want to keep you informed about what is going on in our Children’s Ministry here at StoneBridge.
I think it’s safe to say that you are involved, well-informed parents already. I know your smart, alert, curious, and wonderful children; they didn’t get that way because no one was paying attention. You pay attention to what they eat, what they watch, who they spend time with, and what they are learning in school. (And that’s just the beginning of a very long list!) So, why not pay attention to what they are being taught and who is teaching them in your church home?
Nothing…nothing…nothing is more important that making sure your child is receiving biblically sound guidance. I encourage you to stay informed. Keep me accountable, and I will do the same for you. My job as your child’s pastor is to partner with you. You are the first (and last) ones responsible for your child’s Spiritual growth. The Lord entrusted them to you; however, He didn’t say you had to do it alone.
So…welcome – or welcome back. Let’s get started.
This Week’s Announcements:
Baby Dedication Orientation – Tuesday, September 16th; 6:30-7:30pm
If you have (or will have) a child aged 3months-2 years old between now and March, 2015, and would like to publically dedicate him/her to the Lord, this orientation is for you. Parents wishing to participate in a baby dedication for their child at StoneBridge should attend one of our Baby Dedication Orientation sessions. These sessions will be held twice a year. September’s orientation is open to parents who wish to dedicate their baby before our next session in March. Please sign up by emailing me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org Childcare during the orientation will be provided with reservations.
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the link below to view our lessons from 9/07/2014.
*Note that lessons for 4k/K and 1st-5th were “get to know you” lessons to help small groups build community*
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
While playing a game of banana grams with a small group of elementary kids, one child received the dreaded “x” tile. (It’s better only to the “Q” tile) He very seriously looked at his tiles, then at me, then back at his tiles. Then, in all prudent seriousness asked, “Can I please trade in my “e”…I only have two other letters left- this x and an s. I don’t think there is a word I can make with this e, but if I’m lucky and get an “i” – then I can spell six.” Bless him! (And, yes…it really happened- you can’t make this stuff up!)
Welcome back? You may be thinking… “But, I didn’t go anywhere!”
True, you may have been right where you are now- looking at your computer and wondering- where are the updates? OR- You may never have realized it wasn’t updated because you never checked it.
No matter…clean slate…new year…welcome back! (Or welcome for the first time!)
This one will start simply by reminding you of why I do a blog for PathFinders. It’s simple- I want to keep you informed about what is going on in our Children’s Ministry here at StoneBridge.
I think it’s safe to say that you are involved, well-informed parents already. I know your smart, alert, curious, and wonderful children; they didn’t get that way because no one was paying attention. You pay attention to what they eat, what they watch, who they spend time with, and what they are learning in school. (And that’s just the beginning of a very long list!) So, why not pay attention to what they are being taught and who is teaching them in your church home?
Nothing…nothing…nothing is more important that making sure your child is receiving biblically sound guidance. I encourage you to stay informed. Keep me accountable, and I will do the same for you. My job as your child’s pastor is to partner with you. You are the first (and last) ones responsible for your child’s Spiritual growth. The Lord entrusted them to you; however, He didn’t say you had to do it alone.
So…welcome – or welcome back. Let’s get started.
This Week’s Announcements:
Baby Dedication Orientation – Tuesday, September 16th; 6:30-7:30pm
If you have (or will have) a child aged 3months-2 years old between now and March, 2015, and would like to publically dedicate him/her to the Lord, this orientation is for you. Parents wishing to participate in a baby dedication for their child at StoneBridge should attend one of our Baby Dedication Orientation sessions. These sessions will be held twice a year. September’s orientation is open to parents who wish to dedicate their baby before our next session in March. Please sign up by emailing me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org Childcare during the orientation will be provided with reservations.
Help still needed!
We are so blessed to have more than 80(!) volunteers who said YES to serving your children.
Even with that incredible number, we are still in need of help in certain rooms/areas.
Our specific needs are:
An adult male to lead 3rd-5th grade boys as a small group leader at 9am
Nursery help at 9am and 11am
What God is Teaching Us:
This section will have links to the previous Sunday’s lessons. Feel free (I encourage it!) to open, read, and review with your children. Click on the link below to view our lessons from 9/07/2014.
*Note that lessons for 4k/K and 1st-5th were “get to know you” lessons to help small groups build community*
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
While playing a game of banana grams with a small group of elementary kids, one child received the dreaded “x” tile. (It’s better only to the “Q” tile) He very seriously looked at his tiles, then at me, then back at his tiles. Then, in all prudent seriousness asked, “Can I please trade in my “e”…I only have two other letters left- this x and an s. I don’t think there is a word I can make with this e, but if I’m lucky and get an “i” – then I can spell six.” Bless him! (And, yes…it really happened- you can’t make this stuff up!)
Thursday, April 24, 2014
All week I’ve felt like I was missing something. You know that feeling when you’re looking around wondering what you’ve left behind, or you check your calendar multiple times in one day just to be sure you haven’t forgotten a meeting or an appointment? That is how I’ve felt all week…like I’m supposed to be somewhere or doing something, and that I’ve undoubtedly dropped one of the many plates I’m usually spinning. No amount of worrying this week ever brought to mind what that ‘forgotten’ or ‘missing’ thing was, so I gave up.
Then…like a bolt this afternoon, it hit me. I wonder if there is such a thing as excitement deficit disorder. Yep…I think there is, and I think I have it. I experienced a lot of excitement over the last 7-10 days, all of which is over now.
Easter Sunday has come and gone. My son’s high school soccer team was crowned Area Champs after beating our most staunch (I would say hated but I’m a Christian) competitors, and a little dinner party I had planned is now over. After spending almost two weeks on edge with all I had to do, I think I have an excitement deficit; I’m diagnosing myself with EDD.
In an effort to make this relevant for those of you reading this blog, stay with me here…
Jesus has been crucified and buried. It seems the end has come. We know it’s not because we sit this side of the resurrection, but “they” didn’t know that…yet. For three heart wrenching days, the promise of Jesus being Who He claimed to be seems nothing more than futile hope. The excitement that surrounded encountering the Messiah has died (literally) at Golgotha.
I joke about EDD in my own life, and certainly cannot compare having a less than busy schedule to the crucifixion, but can you imagine - even for a moment- that Jesus’ followers must have felt a letdown of excitement.
What is so incredible is that the real excitement was still to come. Jesus’ Resurrection- for lack of a better word- resurrected excitement. He overcame sin, death, and the grave. He was and is alive! I’m not sure you could find anything in this world that would get your heart pumping more than going to someone’s grave and finding them not just gone, but standing in the garden talking to you.
Living this life is a series of exciting times, followed by (and sometimes very welcome) periods of a lull in the action. I wonder – in my EDD state- if I let down my guard and actually miss the still very real excitement that comes with living a life of following Jesus. I wonder if I, like I imagine Jesus’ followers did, miss the clues about what is to come because I’m stuck on what I’ve lost.
I’m sure there is a lesson for me…for our kids…for all of us in there somewhere. EDD or not, we live on this side of the Resurrection, and that is more than exciting, it’s the promise of abundant life!
This Week’s Announcements:
Don’t forget that this weekend is a BIG weekend on the Square! Because of Taste of Marietta, we will not have two services on Sunday. We will have ONE service on Saturday at 5pm (to replace our 11am Sunday service), and then ONE on Sunday at 9am. As a rule of thumb (and to help us with numbers)- if you normally attend the 11am service, please come at 5pm on Saturday, and if you normally attend 9am, please come at your usual time.
What God is Teaching Us:
Click on the links below to view our lessons from Easter Sunday
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
Nothing came to mind this week for this section, but stay tuned. With Mother’s Day looming, we’re about to ask kids questions about their moms, and that will be funny!
Then…like a bolt this afternoon, it hit me. I wonder if there is such a thing as excitement deficit disorder. Yep…I think there is, and I think I have it. I experienced a lot of excitement over the last 7-10 days, all of which is over now.
Easter Sunday has come and gone. My son’s high school soccer team was crowned Area Champs after beating our most staunch (I would say hated but I’m a Christian) competitors, and a little dinner party I had planned is now over. After spending almost two weeks on edge with all I had to do, I think I have an excitement deficit; I’m diagnosing myself with EDD.
In an effort to make this relevant for those of you reading this blog, stay with me here…
Jesus has been crucified and buried. It seems the end has come. We know it’s not because we sit this side of the resurrection, but “they” didn’t know that…yet. For three heart wrenching days, the promise of Jesus being Who He claimed to be seems nothing more than futile hope. The excitement that surrounded encountering the Messiah has died (literally) at Golgotha.
I joke about EDD in my own life, and certainly cannot compare having a less than busy schedule to the crucifixion, but can you imagine - even for a moment- that Jesus’ followers must have felt a letdown of excitement.
What is so incredible is that the real excitement was still to come. Jesus’ Resurrection- for lack of a better word- resurrected excitement. He overcame sin, death, and the grave. He was and is alive! I’m not sure you could find anything in this world that would get your heart pumping more than going to someone’s grave and finding them not just gone, but standing in the garden talking to you.
Living this life is a series of exciting times, followed by (and sometimes very welcome) periods of a lull in the action. I wonder – in my EDD state- if I let down my guard and actually miss the still very real excitement that comes with living a life of following Jesus. I wonder if I, like I imagine Jesus’ followers did, miss the clues about what is to come because I’m stuck on what I’ve lost.
I’m sure there is a lesson for me…for our kids…for all of us in there somewhere. EDD or not, we live on this side of the Resurrection, and that is more than exciting, it’s the promise of abundant life!
This Week’s Announcements:
Don’t forget that this weekend is a BIG weekend on the Square! Because of Taste of Marietta, we will not have two services on Sunday. We will have ONE service on Saturday at 5pm (to replace our 11am Sunday service), and then ONE on Sunday at 9am. As a rule of thumb (and to help us with numbers)- if you normally attend the 11am service, please come at 5pm on Saturday, and if you normally attend 9am, please come at your usual time.
What God is Teaching Us:
Click on the links below to view our lessons from Easter Sunday
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
Nothing came to mind this week for this section, but stay tuned. With Mother’s Day looming, we’re about to ask kids questions about their moms, and that will be funny!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
As moms, there are times when we want to fix things for our children. Who are we kidding…there aren’t “times” – there is always. Since I’m a mom, I can’t speak to how dads feel, but I imagine they feel this way too. I’ll rephrase to include dads…as parents, there are times when we want to fix things for our children.
When we take on the role of parent our lives as we knew them change in ways we only heard or read about in books. One of those many changes is our capacity to see the future. You know it’s true. Your kid is running with something sharp, and you immediately know a fall is in his/her future. Your child is playing with grandma’s pearls and you don’t need a crystal ball to tell you that you will soon be on your hands and knees trying to find all the scattered beads that are running all over the floor. Parents can tell the future.
I think it is the moments of “revelation” (we’ll call them) that help and hurt us as parents- or at the very least induce anxiety. There is wisdom in revelation of course. We intuitively know that anytime a two year old is running with something sharp will not turn out well. That kind of future-telling/revelation - or just good common sense - is helpful. But because we have so many “I knew it” moments early on, we may fall into the trap of thinking we can not only tell the future, but control it.
As a mom of much older children than most of you reading this blog, I have experienced this firsthand. My youngest is in the process of visiting colleges and trying to “figure it out” when it comes to what is next after high school. We’ve had a lot of starts and stops as he’s made his way through his junior year. In my attempt to ‘tell the future’…okay, control the future, I’ve given advice, ultimatums, consequences, encouragement, and encouragement disguised as advice, ultimatums, and consequences.
I know what’s best…right? I’m the mom! (I’m sure there’s a t-shirt for that somewhere) Here’s the thing that the Lord has been working on in this momma’s heart…
I can’t see the future, pure and simple. He has purposes and plans for all of us (Ephesians 2:10) which of course includes my son. God’s purposes don’t change, even when we get off track. I can rest in that…I have to rest in that. I have to stop trying to control or even see the future. God holds all things together and that alone gives me the peace I need to be hands-off.
Moms will never stop wanting the best for their kids. We wouldn’t be doing a very good job if we did, but we also have to remember that no matter how well we do, God does it better. My prayer for my children is simple- that they will love and listen to the Lord more than they love and listen to their momma.
One last thought…as we make our way through Holy Week, I wonder how this very simple truth of knowing we cannot change the plans and purposes God has for our kids (we can only slow them down if we get in the way)- must have resonated and broken the heart of Mary. Can you imagine what she was feeling as she saw her son walking to Golgotha carrying a cross? She certainly knew full well where this was going, and I’m sure every part of her wanted to change the future. We know on the other side of her pain, there would be resurrection and eternal joy, but she didn’t know that at the time.
In light of that, it seems really silly for me to worry about how well my son will finish high school and where he will go to college. God’s plans and purposes for us do not change…we may slow them down…we may get off the path or hit a few speed bumps…we may even experience some pain along the way…but ultimately if we’re asking Him to lead, wherever we end up will be good.
Let’s not try to see the future for our kids, but instead trust the One that holds their future in His hands.
(But…I think He’s okay with you getting your toddler off the chair!)
This Week’s Announcements:
Ways you can help:
- This Sunday, April 20th is EASTER! This is the Super Bowl of Sundays, and we can always use extra helping hands. There are three services: 7am, 9am, and 11am. We need help at 9am and 11am. Please contact me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org if you would like to know more about this opportunity to serve.
What God is Teaching Us:
Click on the links below to view our lessons for the last two Sundays. God is truly preparing our hearts for Easter!
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
One of our toddlers has a new “friend” as she has fallen in love with the teen helper in her room. Her parents told the adult leader that when they woke up and were telling her that it was church day, she excitedly said, "See Andy?!" They were racking their brains trying to remember a 1-2 year old named Andy and couldn't. When they walked into 164 and she saw him, this sweet little girl lit up and pointed, "There's Andy!!" It seems she likes older ‘men’ :)
One of our 4k boys asked if he could borrow the Lego Bible last week. He wanted to take it home and have his dad read it to him. Not to be one to discourage the reading of the Word, I told him that he could indeed borrow it…especially if I could have a hug first. (Yep, I bribe kids for affection) After some time of looking at the Bible very excitedly, he looked up at me and asked, “If I give you more hugs, can I have it forever?!” He gets me.
When we take on the role of parent our lives as we knew them change in ways we only heard or read about in books. One of those many changes is our capacity to see the future. You know it’s true. Your kid is running with something sharp, and you immediately know a fall is in his/her future. Your child is playing with grandma’s pearls and you don’t need a crystal ball to tell you that you will soon be on your hands and knees trying to find all the scattered beads that are running all over the floor. Parents can tell the future.
I think it is the moments of “revelation” (we’ll call them) that help and hurt us as parents- or at the very least induce anxiety. There is wisdom in revelation of course. We intuitively know that anytime a two year old is running with something sharp will not turn out well. That kind of future-telling/revelation - or just good common sense - is helpful. But because we have so many “I knew it” moments early on, we may fall into the trap of thinking we can not only tell the future, but control it.
As a mom of much older children than most of you reading this blog, I have experienced this firsthand. My youngest is in the process of visiting colleges and trying to “figure it out” when it comes to what is next after high school. We’ve had a lot of starts and stops as he’s made his way through his junior year. In my attempt to ‘tell the future’…okay, control the future, I’ve given advice, ultimatums, consequences, encouragement, and encouragement disguised as advice, ultimatums, and consequences.
I know what’s best…right? I’m the mom! (I’m sure there’s a t-shirt for that somewhere) Here’s the thing that the Lord has been working on in this momma’s heart…
I can’t see the future, pure and simple. He has purposes and plans for all of us (Ephesians 2:10) which of course includes my son. God’s purposes don’t change, even when we get off track. I can rest in that…I have to rest in that. I have to stop trying to control or even see the future. God holds all things together and that alone gives me the peace I need to be hands-off.
Moms will never stop wanting the best for their kids. We wouldn’t be doing a very good job if we did, but we also have to remember that no matter how well we do, God does it better. My prayer for my children is simple- that they will love and listen to the Lord more than they love and listen to their momma.
One last thought…as we make our way through Holy Week, I wonder how this very simple truth of knowing we cannot change the plans and purposes God has for our kids (we can only slow them down if we get in the way)- must have resonated and broken the heart of Mary. Can you imagine what she was feeling as she saw her son walking to Golgotha carrying a cross? She certainly knew full well where this was going, and I’m sure every part of her wanted to change the future. We know on the other side of her pain, there would be resurrection and eternal joy, but she didn’t know that at the time.
In light of that, it seems really silly for me to worry about how well my son will finish high school and where he will go to college. God’s plans and purposes for us do not change…we may slow them down…we may get off the path or hit a few speed bumps…we may even experience some pain along the way…but ultimately if we’re asking Him to lead, wherever we end up will be good.
Let’s not try to see the future for our kids, but instead trust the One that holds their future in His hands.
(But…I think He’s okay with you getting your toddler off the chair!)
This Week’s Announcements:
Ways you can help:
- This Sunday, April 20th is EASTER! This is the Super Bowl of Sundays, and we can always use extra helping hands. There are three services: 7am, 9am, and 11am. We need help at 9am and 11am. Please contact me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org if you would like to know more about this opportunity to serve.
What God is Teaching Us:
Click on the links below to view our lessons for the last two Sundays. God is truly preparing our hearts for Easter!
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
One of our toddlers has a new “friend” as she has fallen in love with the teen helper in her room. Her parents told the adult leader that when they woke up and were telling her that it was church day, she excitedly said, "See Andy?!" They were racking their brains trying to remember a 1-2 year old named Andy and couldn't. When they walked into 164 and she saw him, this sweet little girl lit up and pointed, "There's Andy!!" It seems she likes older ‘men’ :)
One of our 4k boys asked if he could borrow the Lego Bible last week. He wanted to take it home and have his dad read it to him. Not to be one to discourage the reading of the Word, I told him that he could indeed borrow it…especially if I could have a hug first. (Yep, I bribe kids for affection) After some time of looking at the Bible very excitedly, he looked up at me and asked, “If I give you more hugs, can I have it forever?!” He gets me.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Playing catch, catch-up, and ketchup (?)…
As of late I’ve found myself in catch-up mode. Being behind on this blog by more than 5 weeks is just one example. When I set out to catch up this week on the blog (among many other things), three words kept running through my head- catch, catch-up, and ketchup. So, after a few days of processing, here goes…
We try to catch time, catch our kids being good, and catch moments that will last. When we feel as if we’ve missed the mark, then we panic and suddenly feel as if we’re playing catch-up. We try to catch-up on missed time or opportunities, catch-up to their development or how they’ve changed, afraid that if we don’t all will be lost. And what about ketchup…that comes later…wait for it.
I think all parents in one way or another want to play catch well so playing catch-up is not necessary. Is this even possible or just a dream that lives in Hallmark cards, or shows like Leave It to Beaver, The Wonder Years, and After-school Specials? I think it’s possible, and although I’m far from mastering the skill to make it happen every time, I have hope that I’ve caught more than I’ve dropped the proverbial ball.
Every time we read a story to our kids, pray with them, play a game with them, cheer them on, direct/correct/redirect them, discipline with love, and do it all again- we’re catching. Think about the actual game of catch for a moment- it takes at least two people committed to the game. There is a give and take happening. You have to be watching- paying attention. There is a repeated to almost monotonous level of activity, but somehow that monotony becomes a fun part of the process. When Matthew and I play catch (yes, I still do that sort of thing) we like to count to see how far we can get before dropping the ball…okay, before I drop the ball. The point is, the monotony of it becomes part of the fun. Reading the SAME story every night becomes tedious, but isn’t it worth it to know that you’ve caught a moment with your child? Monotony suddenly becomes, well…less monotonous. Parenting is an ongoing game of catch, and that is why we worry, fret, and lose sleep over dropping the ball.
For sake of argument, we have to admit as parents that we do drop the ball every now and then. We’ve all missed opportunities, we’ve all raised our voice and later regretted it, and we’ve all wanted a do-over. This is when we feel the need to catch-up. What if I didn’t teach them enough, what if I said the wrong thing? I think catch-up is slightly futile. Maybe I’m kidding myself, but I trust that if I’ve missed it, God will give me another opportunity. This doesn’t mean I have an excuse to be a lazy parent, but it does mean that there is grace for me- even when I’ve missed it- or messed up. God loves our kids more than we do, so I have to trust that He will make sure that any gaps I’ve left along the way (and there will be lots) are filled in a way only He can do.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
This doesn’t mean I don’t have some slight anxiety at times when it comes to my children. I’m human and I’m a mom…this means I’ll mess up and then I’ll worry about it. This is where ketchup comes in- french fries and ketchup. Nothing says “I’m sorry” and “I love you” like sitting across a table with your kid sharing a big plate of salty fried spuds. And even if your kid (like mine) would rather have ranch dressing, I’ll take mine with a healthy serving of ketchup on the side…and some catch-up time, and a new round of catch.
This Week’s Announcements:
Ways you can help:
- Sunday, March 30th is a 5th Sunday. Our nursery volunteers run on a 4 week rotation so this means we will be short-handed next Sunday. Please contact Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org if you can help fill in for us in nursery-3k preschool
- Sunday, March 30th is also an outreach Sunday for our children in 4k-5th grade. Our small group leaders will be “off” that day. Please contact me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org if you would like to know more about this opportunity to serve.
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past SEVERAL Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
As part of a game, a small group leader passed around a basket of Starburst candy. One little guy, trying his best to use self-control planned to put his candy in his pocket to save for later. (He had mentioned earlier that he had to ask his dad if he could have it). Well…temptation won and the little guy ate the candy. Realizing that he may be caught by dad at the end of the morning- he ran over to his small group leader, blew in her face, and asked “Can you smell Starburst on my breath?! Do you think my dad will smell it?”
As of late I’ve found myself in catch-up mode. Being behind on this blog by more than 5 weeks is just one example. When I set out to catch up this week on the blog (among many other things), three words kept running through my head- catch, catch-up, and ketchup. So, after a few days of processing, here goes…
We try to catch time, catch our kids being good, and catch moments that will last. When we feel as if we’ve missed the mark, then we panic and suddenly feel as if we’re playing catch-up. We try to catch-up on missed time or opportunities, catch-up to their development or how they’ve changed, afraid that if we don’t all will be lost. And what about ketchup…that comes later…wait for it.
I think all parents in one way or another want to play catch well so playing catch-up is not necessary. Is this even possible or just a dream that lives in Hallmark cards, or shows like Leave It to Beaver, The Wonder Years, and After-school Specials? I think it’s possible, and although I’m far from mastering the skill to make it happen every time, I have hope that I’ve caught more than I’ve dropped the proverbial ball.
Every time we read a story to our kids, pray with them, play a game with them, cheer them on, direct/correct/redirect them, discipline with love, and do it all again- we’re catching. Think about the actual game of catch for a moment- it takes at least two people committed to the game. There is a give and take happening. You have to be watching- paying attention. There is a repeated to almost monotonous level of activity, but somehow that monotony becomes a fun part of the process. When Matthew and I play catch (yes, I still do that sort of thing) we like to count to see how far we can get before dropping the ball…okay, before I drop the ball. The point is, the monotony of it becomes part of the fun. Reading the SAME story every night becomes tedious, but isn’t it worth it to know that you’ve caught a moment with your child? Monotony suddenly becomes, well…less monotonous. Parenting is an ongoing game of catch, and that is why we worry, fret, and lose sleep over dropping the ball.
For sake of argument, we have to admit as parents that we do drop the ball every now and then. We’ve all missed opportunities, we’ve all raised our voice and later regretted it, and we’ve all wanted a do-over. This is when we feel the need to catch-up. What if I didn’t teach them enough, what if I said the wrong thing? I think catch-up is slightly futile. Maybe I’m kidding myself, but I trust that if I’ve missed it, God will give me another opportunity. This doesn’t mean I have an excuse to be a lazy parent, but it does mean that there is grace for me- even when I’ve missed it- or messed up. God loves our kids more than we do, so I have to trust that He will make sure that any gaps I’ve left along the way (and there will be lots) are filled in a way only He can do.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
This doesn’t mean I don’t have some slight anxiety at times when it comes to my children. I’m human and I’m a mom…this means I’ll mess up and then I’ll worry about it. This is where ketchup comes in- french fries and ketchup. Nothing says “I’m sorry” and “I love you” like sitting across a table with your kid sharing a big plate of salty fried spuds. And even if your kid (like mine) would rather have ranch dressing, I’ll take mine with a healthy serving of ketchup on the side…and some catch-up time, and a new round of catch.
This Week’s Announcements:
Ways you can help:
- Sunday, March 30th is a 5th Sunday. Our nursery volunteers run on a 4 week rotation so this means we will be short-handed next Sunday. Please contact Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org if you can help fill in for us in nursery-3k preschool
- Sunday, March 30th is also an outreach Sunday for our children in 4k-5th grade. Our small group leaders will be “off” that day. Please contact me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org if you would like to know more about this opportunity to serve.
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past SEVERAL Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
As part of a game, a small group leader passed around a basket of Starburst candy. One little guy, trying his best to use self-control planned to put his candy in his pocket to save for later. (He had mentioned earlier that he had to ask his dad if he could have it). Well…temptation won and the little guy ate the candy. Realizing that he may be caught by dad at the end of the morning- he ran over to his small group leader, blew in her face, and asked “Can you smell Starburst on my breath?! Do you think my dad will smell it?”
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Unless you’ve been out of the country, don’t own a TV or computer (then how are you reading this?), or just have a strong affinity to what my Aussie friend calls, “that other kind of football”- then you know there was a big sporting event last Sunday night. I personally love the Super Bowl; not because I’m looking for a big score on a bet, but because I love any excuse to sit around eating junk food with no guilt.
It’s always interesting to me that on the first Sunday in February every year, Americans (including myself) cheer for teams they have no connection to, watch to see if the halftime show will be any good, and suddenly take an interest in commercials. I mean, how many of us even watch commercials anymore? If you have a DVR, you are skipping commercials, am I right? But, not on Super Bowl Sunday. The commercials get as much airtime days before and after the Super Bowl as the game itself. Amazing.
If you watched the game or have at least read or heard about it this week, then you know the commercials were far more interesting. My guess is that the only people who loved this year’s game were those ‘12th man’ diehard Seahawks fans. It was a blowout of historical proportions. Don’t quote me on this, but I believe there has only been one other Super Bowl where the score was more skewed than this year.
Before the game begins each year, Matthew and I pick our teams. We have no connection to either team, but we pick one to root for during the game. I picked the Seahawks, and he picked the Broncos. Now…you would think I took bragging rights early and frequently, but actually something else happened.
As soon as the first snap of the game went flying over Peyton Manning’s head, my devotion changed. Without any real conscious decision, I almost immediately began to root for the Broncos. I found myself cheering aloud and internally for something to go right for the team where everything seemed to be just the opposite. I think there is something about applauding the underdog that innately resonates with all of us. I’ve been wondering off and on all week why that is.
If we’re made in God’s image then there must be something of God’s character in us that leads us to support those who need support. Look at the evidence…
God chose the underdog over and over to carry out His plans (Moses, Gideon, etc.). God rescues the sinners (what could be more of an underdog) - not the saint. Jesus ate with the hated tax collectors, and tells us that whatever we “do for the least of these” we do for Him. I think I’m pretty safe in likening “the least of these” to underdogs.
This week I’m discussing with our kids how the “modern” idols in our lives are just as dangerous as the false gods and idols worshipped in the Old Testament. One of the things worshipping false idols can lead to is pride, along with its ugly cousin, entitlement. Every one of us can fall into the ditch where pride and entitlement live. I think one way to crawl out of that ditch is to ask ourselves, “Am I putting myself first or am I doing my part to lift up the little guy?”
Jesus doesn’t pick teams- He loves the sinner and the saint. He loves to see justice for the underdog, and He loves those who bring about that justice. He said this…
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3-12)
I wonder if the bullying in our schools would cease to exist if we had more people cheering for the underdog…
This Week’s Announcements:
Ways you can help:
- We are growing! We need additional leaders in some of our age groups. Please let us know if you’d like to help disciple children.
- Subs needed: Sometimes we need subs for our regular volunteers. Take this past Sunday for example- 3 volunteers woke up with the stomach bug. Please let us know if you can be considered as an ‘on call’ sub for us. Email Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org if you can help us in this way.
- One-on-one special friends are needed for some of our children. Please contact me (Penny) at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org if you would like to know more about this opportunity to serve.
A friendly public service announcement….
I’ve noticed over the last several weeks that some children are being dropped in the wrong age rooms. Many of them are being placed in rooms with younger siblings. I know some of you may be unaware that this is even happening. Since elementary age children walk themselves upstairs, some of them are ‘sneaking’ into younger rooms without your knowledge. Some of you may be aware, and just haven’t thought of it as any kind of problem. Please help us with drop off of your children, specifically making sure that they are in the right age/grade group. Here is why…as I write lessons each week, I spend a great deal of time praying and thinking about what is age appropriate and at the same time will challenge kids in their Spiritual growth. Obviously what is best for a 2nd grader is not the same thing for a 4k preschooler. When an older child is in the room with younger kids, I see two things happen. One, the older child is not being challenged. Two, younger kids don’t participate in discussion as freely when older kids are in their midst. The older kids answer quicker, and younger kids are left out of the discussion. Our heart in PathFinders is to partner with you in the Spiritual growth of your children. We want to do our part to provide a fun, safe, and challenging environment for all ages. We have kids grouped by age/grade to help with this environment. Please help us maintain those guidelines. *For those of you who think logistically, I’ll throw in this added reason…the rooms are full as is, so adding kids who don’t belong in those rooms throws off our adult to child ratios. If you have any concerns or special requests about this topic, please feel free to contact me.
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past two Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
Two children’s leaders were talking about God's knowledge as revealed in His Word....
The teacher asked, "What is the most reliable source of knowledge we have?” A child answered, "THE INTERNET!"
Don't think that was answer she was looking for.
It’s always interesting to me that on the first Sunday in February every year, Americans (including myself) cheer for teams they have no connection to, watch to see if the halftime show will be any good, and suddenly take an interest in commercials. I mean, how many of us even watch commercials anymore? If you have a DVR, you are skipping commercials, am I right? But, not on Super Bowl Sunday. The commercials get as much airtime days before and after the Super Bowl as the game itself. Amazing.
If you watched the game or have at least read or heard about it this week, then you know the commercials were far more interesting. My guess is that the only people who loved this year’s game were those ‘12th man’ diehard Seahawks fans. It was a blowout of historical proportions. Don’t quote me on this, but I believe there has only been one other Super Bowl where the score was more skewed than this year.
Before the game begins each year, Matthew and I pick our teams. We have no connection to either team, but we pick one to root for during the game. I picked the Seahawks, and he picked the Broncos. Now…you would think I took bragging rights early and frequently, but actually something else happened.
As soon as the first snap of the game went flying over Peyton Manning’s head, my devotion changed. Without any real conscious decision, I almost immediately began to root for the Broncos. I found myself cheering aloud and internally for something to go right for the team where everything seemed to be just the opposite. I think there is something about applauding the underdog that innately resonates with all of us. I’ve been wondering off and on all week why that is.
If we’re made in God’s image then there must be something of God’s character in us that leads us to support those who need support. Look at the evidence…
God chose the underdog over and over to carry out His plans (Moses, Gideon, etc.). God rescues the sinners (what could be more of an underdog) - not the saint. Jesus ate with the hated tax collectors, and tells us that whatever we “do for the least of these” we do for Him. I think I’m pretty safe in likening “the least of these” to underdogs.
This week I’m discussing with our kids how the “modern” idols in our lives are just as dangerous as the false gods and idols worshipped in the Old Testament. One of the things worshipping false idols can lead to is pride, along with its ugly cousin, entitlement. Every one of us can fall into the ditch where pride and entitlement live. I think one way to crawl out of that ditch is to ask ourselves, “Am I putting myself first or am I doing my part to lift up the little guy?”
Jesus doesn’t pick teams- He loves the sinner and the saint. He loves to see justice for the underdog, and He loves those who bring about that justice. He said this…
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3-12)
I wonder if the bullying in our schools would cease to exist if we had more people cheering for the underdog…
This Week’s Announcements:
Ways you can help:
- We are growing! We need additional leaders in some of our age groups. Please let us know if you’d like to help disciple children.
- Subs needed: Sometimes we need subs for our regular volunteers. Take this past Sunday for example- 3 volunteers woke up with the stomach bug. Please let us know if you can be considered as an ‘on call’ sub for us. Email Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org if you can help us in this way.
- One-on-one special friends are needed for some of our children. Please contact me (Penny) at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org if you would like to know more about this opportunity to serve.
A friendly public service announcement….
I’ve noticed over the last several weeks that some children are being dropped in the wrong age rooms. Many of them are being placed in rooms with younger siblings. I know some of you may be unaware that this is even happening. Since elementary age children walk themselves upstairs, some of them are ‘sneaking’ into younger rooms without your knowledge. Some of you may be aware, and just haven’t thought of it as any kind of problem. Please help us with drop off of your children, specifically making sure that they are in the right age/grade group. Here is why…as I write lessons each week, I spend a great deal of time praying and thinking about what is age appropriate and at the same time will challenge kids in their Spiritual growth. Obviously what is best for a 2nd grader is not the same thing for a 4k preschooler. When an older child is in the room with younger kids, I see two things happen. One, the older child is not being challenged. Two, younger kids don’t participate in discussion as freely when older kids are in their midst. The older kids answer quicker, and younger kids are left out of the discussion. Our heart in PathFinders is to partner with you in the Spiritual growth of your children. We want to do our part to provide a fun, safe, and challenging environment for all ages. We have kids grouped by age/grade to help with this environment. Please help us maintain those guidelines. *For those of you who think logistically, I’ll throw in this added reason…the rooms are full as is, so adding kids who don’t belong in those rooms throws off our adult to child ratios. If you have any concerns or special requests about this topic, please feel free to contact me.
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past two Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
Two children’s leaders were talking about God's knowledge as revealed in His Word....
The teacher asked, "What is the most reliable source of knowledge we have?” A child answered, "THE INTERNET!"
Don't think that was answer she was looking for.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Last week I found myself in the middle of the same conversation I’ve had over and over since having children. The topic…food; specifically what my kids eat. I have a 16 year old boy which means one thing- a high grocery bill! A mom of another teenage boy and I were comparing notes on how much they eat. Let’s just say, it’s a lot. No one won the comparison contest…we both lose when it comes to the amount of time we spend either buying or making food to fill our bottomless pits.
The food discussions didn’t start when my boys hit puberty. It was long before that. Think about all the time we as parents spend discussing food and our kids. Breast fed or bottle fed, when to start solid food, when to give them peanut butter, only to find out that they have a food allergy. It’s an ongoing, never ending topic of conversation among moms.
Before I continue, I feel the need to interject two things…
One, I wonder if we discuss it so much because it’s a topic where we can safely make comparisons without the risk of feeling like we’ve failed in some way as a parent. The friendly competition of “my kid eats more than yours” doesn’t really set us up for hard feelings.
And, two, I proudly admit that I’m very happy my children were “raised” in the era of chicken nuggets and Kraft mac and cheese. Just ten years ago we moms didn’t worry about our veggies being organic or making gluten free brownies as an option for the birthday party. I’m sorry that moms have that added pressure in childrearing these days.
Back to topic…
Our children don’t live on milk forever; they graduate to solid food, and then to eating us out of house and home. We spend many waking hours buying and preparing food for them. We agonize over whether or not they are getting enough of what they need.
As I thought about all the food discussions I find myself in with other moms, the verse in Hebrews about milk and solid food came to mind.
Hebrews 5:13-14 “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
This verse is somewhat of an admonishment for those who were slow to listen and learn the Truth of the Gospel. Some commentaries liken it to the fact that those “living on milk” are “not acquainted” with the Gospel due to simply not making a practice of studying it.
Think about how this is related to feeding our children. If we gave them only liquid sustenance forever not only would they miss out on the good stuff, they wouldn’t grow. We’d have some unhappy and unhealthy kids on our hands.
The same is true spiritually. We have to feed our kids. It’s our responsibility as parents to make sure our kids are getting what they need to not only sustain them, but to help them grow strong Spiritual muscles. This means teaching our kids at a young age the basic Spiritual disciplines of reading the Bible and prayer, not to mention the “meat” of what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
My boys graduated a long time ago from milk as a source of nutrition, and as I’ve said, now eat until the pantry is bare. I am blessed to say that despite chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, they are very healthy.
I hope, that in time, I can say with as much certainty that my boys have the strong Spiritual muscles I’ve tried to help them grow. Wouldn’t we as parents be better served in our conversations to encourage the nutrition of our kids’ spiritual growth as much as we discuss what we made them for dinner? Even better, wouldn’t we all love to have that conversation without fear of comparisons?
This Week’s Announcements:
Daddy/Daughter Dance ~ Friday, February 7th, beginning at 6:30pm. This event is open to dads of all ages and girls age 3years through 5th grade. The cost is $10 per family. Registration closes at noon on February 4th so sign up quickly. To register, go to www.signupgenius.com and search under penny@stonebridgemarietta.org
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past two Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
*Note that there are no lessons attached for 4k-5th grade for Jan. 26 because it was an outreach Sunday.
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
As I asked the kids if they had anything special to share from the last week, one boy raised his hand and called out, “I got a crushed.” Not sure what he meant, (did he mean he had a crush on someone, or someone had a crush on him…?) I waded in…“What do you mean- someone has a crush on you?” Luckily, this particular child has a great sense of humor and laughed along with the other kids. He then corrected me and said, “No…I mean my team got crushed in basketball.” Oh…that makes more sense.
The food discussions didn’t start when my boys hit puberty. It was long before that. Think about all the time we as parents spend discussing food and our kids. Breast fed or bottle fed, when to start solid food, when to give them peanut butter, only to find out that they have a food allergy. It’s an ongoing, never ending topic of conversation among moms.
Before I continue, I feel the need to interject two things…
One, I wonder if we discuss it so much because it’s a topic where we can safely make comparisons without the risk of feeling like we’ve failed in some way as a parent. The friendly competition of “my kid eats more than yours” doesn’t really set us up for hard feelings.
And, two, I proudly admit that I’m very happy my children were “raised” in the era of chicken nuggets and Kraft mac and cheese. Just ten years ago we moms didn’t worry about our veggies being organic or making gluten free brownies as an option for the birthday party. I’m sorry that moms have that added pressure in childrearing these days.
Back to topic…
Our children don’t live on milk forever; they graduate to solid food, and then to eating us out of house and home. We spend many waking hours buying and preparing food for them. We agonize over whether or not they are getting enough of what they need.
As I thought about all the food discussions I find myself in with other moms, the verse in Hebrews about milk and solid food came to mind.
Hebrews 5:13-14 “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
This verse is somewhat of an admonishment for those who were slow to listen and learn the Truth of the Gospel. Some commentaries liken it to the fact that those “living on milk” are “not acquainted” with the Gospel due to simply not making a practice of studying it.
Think about how this is related to feeding our children. If we gave them only liquid sustenance forever not only would they miss out on the good stuff, they wouldn’t grow. We’d have some unhappy and unhealthy kids on our hands.
The same is true spiritually. We have to feed our kids. It’s our responsibility as parents to make sure our kids are getting what they need to not only sustain them, but to help them grow strong Spiritual muscles. This means teaching our kids at a young age the basic Spiritual disciplines of reading the Bible and prayer, not to mention the “meat” of what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
My boys graduated a long time ago from milk as a source of nutrition, and as I’ve said, now eat until the pantry is bare. I am blessed to say that despite chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, they are very healthy.
I hope, that in time, I can say with as much certainty that my boys have the strong Spiritual muscles I’ve tried to help them grow. Wouldn’t we as parents be better served in our conversations to encourage the nutrition of our kids’ spiritual growth as much as we discuss what we made them for dinner? Even better, wouldn’t we all love to have that conversation without fear of comparisons?
This Week’s Announcements:
Daddy/Daughter Dance ~ Friday, February 7th, beginning at 6:30pm. This event is open to dads of all ages and girls age 3years through 5th grade. The cost is $10 per family. Registration closes at noon on February 4th so sign up quickly. To register, go to www.signupgenius.com and search under penny@stonebridgemarietta.org
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past two Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
*Note that there are no lessons attached for 4k-5th grade for Jan. 26 because it was an outreach Sunday.
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
As I asked the kids if they had anything special to share from the last week, one boy raised his hand and called out, “I got a crushed.” Not sure what he meant, (did he mean he had a crush on someone, or someone had a crush on him…?) I waded in…“What do you mean- someone has a crush on you?” Luckily, this particular child has a great sense of humor and laughed along with the other kids. He then corrected me and said, “No…I mean my team got crushed in basketball.” Oh…that makes more sense.
Monday, January 13, 2014
On Saturday my oldest son left home to return to college. He was home one month, but it seemed like a day. I’m not the Lord- OBVIOUSLY- but it felt like the whole “a thousand years is but a day” thing happened. (Look at 2Peter 3:8 if I’ve just completely confused you)
Anyway…he left on Saturday at 4am. As we hugged goodbye for about the 5th time, he said, “Mom, I left a little part of me behind for you.” After the comment he chuckled and said, “I mean I didn’t make up my bed.”
For this to have relevance you must know this about my eldest- he is messy. I don’t mean that he just leaves things lying around every now and then; he is the messiest person I’ve ever had the privilege of living with. No…scratch that, he’s the messiest person I’ve ever known.
Leaving his bed unmade was no surprise- I would’ve expected nothing different. Comforter half on the bed and half in the floor, one pillow smashed in a corner against the wall, the other at the foot of the bed, sheets so tangled that you wonder if he can tie knots with his feet….all of it was much more than just another example of his messiness; it was a picture of something he wanted me to “get.”
Even more than the unmade bed, his pointing it out in the way he did was his way of saying something to me. He was saying, “I’ve been here and I want you to remember that I’ve been here.”
I think as human beings we want to be remembered. We want to know that when we’re gone, we’ve left something behind that someone can look at and say, “That was (fill in the blank with your name).” We want to leave our fingerprints on things, but more than that, we want to leave our mark on the hearts of others.
We leave our fingerprints all over the people we influence. Isn’t this the antithesis of why we as parents are at times so neurotic about how we raise our kids? There are many quotes in the annals of parenthood (“Stop crying or I’ll give you something to cry about!”), but none more often used than this one- “Don’t do as I do, do as I say.” And why is that? Fingerprints.
The truth is whether it’s what we say or what we do, we leave a mark. Our life with the people we love might be neat and tidy at times, or it may be messy…really messy…knots in the sheets messy. The point is that we want to be there- for better or worse. The dinners we eat together, the conversations we have, the laughter, the tears, even the fights, they all mean something- or at least they should.
I want few things more in this life than for my kids to look back and say, “She left a little part of herself behind for me…and it was a good part.” I want to leave my fingerprints, even if they are a little smudged in certain places.
If I’m really honest, I wouldn’t mind if they also said something along the lines of … “the days were like years (there was so much packed into them), and the years were like a day (because it wasn’t long enough).” I would take a chance, write my own eulogy, and hide it for later, but no one would ever find it with all the unmade beds.
This Week’s Announcements:
Our next welcome reception is on Sunday, January 26th. If you are new to StoneBridge or just want some answers to those “burning questions” you have, join us at 7:30pm in the 164 space. Childcare is provided WITH reservations. Contact Kim Kremer at kim@stonebridgemarietta.org to sign up.
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past two Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
As one 4k/Kindergarten leader was reviewing Bible stories we have discussed this year, she drew pictures (like Pictionary) so the children could guess the story. After correctly guessing the story, they would discuss what they remembered about the story and God’s Truth from that story. On one turn, she drew a large wall surrounding a city. The kids correctly guess “Jericho!” As they discussed what God instructed Joshua and his men to do, the leader asked, “Do you remember how many days God told them to march around the city?” One very proud little boy yelled out, “I do…40 days and 40 nights!” Good answer, wrong story. Here is the well-known (although unspoken) fact among kids at church- the answer is always “God” or “40 days and 40 nights.”
Anyway…he left on Saturday at 4am. As we hugged goodbye for about the 5th time, he said, “Mom, I left a little part of me behind for you.” After the comment he chuckled and said, “I mean I didn’t make up my bed.”
For this to have relevance you must know this about my eldest- he is messy. I don’t mean that he just leaves things lying around every now and then; he is the messiest person I’ve ever had the privilege of living with. No…scratch that, he’s the messiest person I’ve ever known.
Leaving his bed unmade was no surprise- I would’ve expected nothing different. Comforter half on the bed and half in the floor, one pillow smashed in a corner against the wall, the other at the foot of the bed, sheets so tangled that you wonder if he can tie knots with his feet….all of it was much more than just another example of his messiness; it was a picture of something he wanted me to “get.”
Even more than the unmade bed, his pointing it out in the way he did was his way of saying something to me. He was saying, “I’ve been here and I want you to remember that I’ve been here.”
I think as human beings we want to be remembered. We want to know that when we’re gone, we’ve left something behind that someone can look at and say, “That was (fill in the blank with your name).” We want to leave our fingerprints on things, but more than that, we want to leave our mark on the hearts of others.
We leave our fingerprints all over the people we influence. Isn’t this the antithesis of why we as parents are at times so neurotic about how we raise our kids? There are many quotes in the annals of parenthood (“Stop crying or I’ll give you something to cry about!”), but none more often used than this one- “Don’t do as I do, do as I say.” And why is that? Fingerprints.
The truth is whether it’s what we say or what we do, we leave a mark. Our life with the people we love might be neat and tidy at times, or it may be messy…really messy…knots in the sheets messy. The point is that we want to be there- for better or worse. The dinners we eat together, the conversations we have, the laughter, the tears, even the fights, they all mean something- or at least they should.
I want few things more in this life than for my kids to look back and say, “She left a little part of herself behind for me…and it was a good part.” I want to leave my fingerprints, even if they are a little smudged in certain places.
If I’m really honest, I wouldn’t mind if they also said something along the lines of … “the days were like years (there was so much packed into them), and the years were like a day (because it wasn’t long enough).” I would take a chance, write my own eulogy, and hide it for later, but no one would ever find it with all the unmade beds.
This Week’s Announcements:
Our next welcome reception is on Sunday, January 26th. If you are new to StoneBridge or just want some answers to those “burning questions” you have, join us at 7:30pm in the 164 space. Childcare is provided WITH reservations. Contact Kim Kremer at kim@stonebridgemarietta.org to sign up.
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past two Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
As one 4k/Kindergarten leader was reviewing Bible stories we have discussed this year, she drew pictures (like Pictionary) so the children could guess the story. After correctly guessing the story, they would discuss what they remembered about the story and God’s Truth from that story. On one turn, she drew a large wall surrounding a city. The kids correctly guess “Jericho!” As they discussed what God instructed Joshua and his men to do, the leader asked, “Do you remember how many days God told them to march around the city?” One very proud little boy yelled out, “I do…40 days and 40 nights!” Good answer, wrong story. Here is the well-known (although unspoken) fact among kids at church- the answer is always “God” or “40 days and 40 nights.”
Saturday, January 4, 2014
I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions. I’m not taking a stand or making some sort of grand gesture…I’m just- well…either lazy or realistic. I’ve made my share of them over the almost 50 years of my life. Let’s see, there has been the obligatory losing weight resolution, along with exercising more. I’ve resolved to get more organized, eat healthier, save money, cook more/eat out less, watch less TV, and read more. I’ve resolved to clean out clutter, drink less coffee (what was that about?!), and get all of my yearly health check-ups. The list could go on and on, but why do that, when I can just say- I kept none of them for long.
So this year, again, not as some grand gesture, I’ve decided to resolve nothing. Maybe I’m lazy, or maybe I’m just realistic. Or…maybe my self-esteem can’t take one more failure. Whatever the real reason, I’m not doing it.
Someone actually asked me if not making a resolution is actually making a resolution not to change…hmm…? That may be the conclusion in all of this, but I certainly don’t think that’s my heart. I want to change as much as anyone else. Don’t we all have things we wished we were better at doing or not doing? Of course we do.
Here is the bottom line of what I’ve decided on the topic…I’ll make this the year of change not through my resolve, but through “God-solve.” Cliché- maybe. Corny- probably. More realistic- for sure. None of us can change no matter how hard we try unless God is leading that change. So this year will be about the changes that God brings, not what I decide.
I’ve asked my boys (who don’t make resolutions either- unless you count, “not taking out the trash” a resolution) to think and pray about this too. We know God is never done with us so there are things He wants to do in and through us. He just needs an open door invitation into our lives.
Okay…so it’s no grand gesture, but I am taking a stand. I’m standing still at the door and saying, come on in God…do what You must, solve what only You can. It’s not a resolution, but maybe it’s a goal. The goal for 2014…an open door.
Revelation 3:20 ~ “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
Praying that we all - as individuals, as families, and as the Body of Christ- open the door wide so He can step inside.
This Week’s Announcements:
No new announcements for this week! Nothing you have to remember…Happy New Year!
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past two Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
I was handed a very wonderful Christmas gift on Christmas Eve. The gift was from one of our third grade boys. It was a handmade card and note that said, “Dear Ms. Penny, thank you for all you do for me!” He signed it and then put an arrow pointing inside the card with the caption- your gift is inside. When I opened the card, a $1 bill fell out. I told him how generous he was, to which he replied, “I wanted to give you more, but I couldn’t find any more of my money. My dad made me take it to the bank last week.” To say the least, it was one of my favorite gifts of the season!
So this year, again, not as some grand gesture, I’ve decided to resolve nothing. Maybe I’m lazy, or maybe I’m just realistic. Or…maybe my self-esteem can’t take one more failure. Whatever the real reason, I’m not doing it.
Someone actually asked me if not making a resolution is actually making a resolution not to change…hmm…? That may be the conclusion in all of this, but I certainly don’t think that’s my heart. I want to change as much as anyone else. Don’t we all have things we wished we were better at doing or not doing? Of course we do.
Here is the bottom line of what I’ve decided on the topic…I’ll make this the year of change not through my resolve, but through “God-solve.” Cliché- maybe. Corny- probably. More realistic- for sure. None of us can change no matter how hard we try unless God is leading that change. So this year will be about the changes that God brings, not what I decide.
I’ve asked my boys (who don’t make resolutions either- unless you count, “not taking out the trash” a resolution) to think and pray about this too. We know God is never done with us so there are things He wants to do in and through us. He just needs an open door invitation into our lives.
Okay…so it’s no grand gesture, but I am taking a stand. I’m standing still at the door and saying, come on in God…do what You must, solve what only You can. It’s not a resolution, but maybe it’s a goal. The goal for 2014…an open door.
Revelation 3:20 ~ “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
Praying that we all - as individuals, as families, and as the Body of Christ- open the door wide so He can step inside.
This Week’s Announcements:
No new announcements for this week! Nothing you have to remember…Happy New Year!
What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the links below to see the past two Sunday’s curriculum:
This link is no longer available
Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
I was handed a very wonderful Christmas gift on Christmas Eve. The gift was from one of our third grade boys. It was a handmade card and note that said, “Dear Ms. Penny, thank you for all you do for me!” He signed it and then put an arrow pointing inside the card with the caption- your gift is inside. When I opened the card, a $1 bill fell out. I told him how generous he was, to which he replied, “I wanted to give you more, but I couldn’t find any more of my money. My dad made me take it to the bank last week.” To say the least, it was one of my favorite gifts of the season!
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