God With Us

As we approach Christmas Day (4 days!!!!) my prayer for you and your children is that you experience the presence of God in a new way this season. Recently I was reminded of the awesomeness of the God we serve when I witnessed the funeral of 3 children who were taken suddenly from their family two weeks ago. A tragedy that could have turned into despair and an inward focus on loss was turned into an outward display of God's goodness and faithfulness. One of the kids recently told his grandfather that he was going to change the world in one day. With over 4,000 people attending and watching the funeral online, I think he did just that. So listening to their lives unfold, and hearing the stories that have come about from the aftermath of their death, I was reminded of how BIG and AWESOME our God really is!

We are such a tiny part of His plan yet He chose to come to earth as a baby to live among us, showing and teaching us so many things. And if that's not enough, He took our sins and punishment so that we could have life.

Now that's something to celebrate. May you get even just a glimpse of that this Christmas!

Twelve Keys to a Miserable Christmas

Here's a blog post that caught my eye as we get ever closer to Christmas. This has been a great holiday season for me so far. Thanks to the "Presence" challenge I got all of my shopping done early and feel a lot more focused on Jesus and what His birth means for all of us. But I'm hosting a family Christmas this year and have a lot of activities going on over the next few weekends, so I'm beginning to feel that stress creep in. Here are some good reminders of what NOT to do at Christmas.

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Christmas is a bit nerve-wracking, isn’t it? I mean the stakes are high, and you’ve accumulated a few bad experiences along the way to remind you that things don’t always go as planned.
Despite our best intentions, Christmas is a high stress season with so much at stake. To raise the tension a little further, this may be your 35th Christmas, but it might only be your daughter’s fifth. I need to remind myself all the time that I’m writing the story of my kids’ childhood every day.
And we only get about 18 of these holidays before our kids grow up and leave home. So each one matters. Each Christmas is important. It might be just one more holiday for us grown-ups (special, as it is), but for kids, well, they’re like kids at Christmas.
So, how do you make Christmas better this year?
Sometimes the best way to figure out what works is to pay attention to what doesn’t work. In the spirit of Christmas, we thought we’d help. Here’s a list of 12 things guaranteed to help make Christmas miserable.

1. Head into Christmas exhausted, exposing your temper and nerves to everyonee.

2. Speak badly about other family members when they’re not in the room.

3. Overspend this Christmas trying to impress your kids with stuff they’ll throw away two years from now anyway.

4. Ignore the family members and neighbors who usually get ignored at this time of year anyway.

5. Focus the kids on what they’ll get for Christmas—not on what they could give.

6. Leave everything to the last minute so the tension runs high in the moments you should be making great memories.

7. If you share custody of your kids, be greedy in the time you want with the kids and try to outspend and outdo your ex.

8. Do nothing for the poor. Make it all about you and your wants.

9. Focus on what you don’t have, not on what you do have.

10. Obsess about the way your house looks and how perfect the meal needs to be.

11. Argue a lot over small things.

12. Let the celebration of Jesus end at church.

By Carey Nieuwhof

Christmas Stories for Kids

I have always loved reading children's Christmas books during this time of the year. The story of our Saviour's birth is so sweet and simple, much like many of the books written for children. Here are a few examples of some good ones to share with your kids. All of them are on the "Parent Resources" bookshelf in the lower level so feel free to sign them out and share them with your families! And to go along with them, here's an idea from Michael-pick one of these books and talk with your kids about Jesus, the Light of the World. Then talk about what being a light in the darkness means and finish it up with a little fun game of flashlight tag! May your families experience the light of Jesus this Christmas season.

The Christmas Story, told by Carol Heyer 

Christmas in the Barn, by Margaret Wise Brown 

The Christmas Story, retold by Jane Werner 

J is for Jesus, by Crystal Bowman

Thanksgiving Follow-Up

Thanksgiving has come and gone already (that was fast!) so I wanted to update you all on my Thanksgiving projects. I have not gone shopping with the kids yet to pick out items for the Loft but plan on doing that sometime in the next few days. We did, however, start our memories on our "Thankful Tablecloth" and had a lot of fun reflecting on how God has blessed us.
On Thanksgiving morning I pulled out the tablecloth and announced that we were going to write on it! Ben thought I was joking but after I explained what we were going to do he was very excited about the project. So we all thought about what we were thankful for this year and wrote it on the tablecloth along with our names and the year.

 The challenge for upcoming years, especially for the kids, will be to pick specific ways God has blessed them throughout the year. Otherwise we might get "mom" every year. But I guess I'm okay with that. :) It turned out to be a great opportunity to practice thankfulness after all.  And I'm looking forward to looking over our blessings each year when we pull it out.

Top Ten Things Not to Let Your Children Watch

The other week my son Ben was watching football with his dad on a Sunday afternoon. During the first commercial break I was horrified at what I saw when I actually paid attention to the commercials that were airing for my 5 year old to see! From movie previews to news reports I was surprised at the extent of the violence that was shown. We ended up changing the channel or turning the tv off during each break. It was a pain, but well worth it.

We are approaching the holidays, which means kids will have some time off from school. In my experience, that usually means more tv time! So here's something I came across from All Pro Dad that could be very helpful to you. Read over this list and commit to limiting what your child watches on tv every day.

Top Ten Things Not to Let Your Children Watch 

1. Programming with Bad Language and Violence
   Children repeat things that they hear.  Shelter their ears.  They also mimic behavior they see.  Studies have shown that after watching violent programming, children behave more aggressively directly following.  TV-14 is there for a reason, be careful.
2. Nudity and Sexual Content
   Protect their innocent little eyes from nudity and sexual content.  They are too young for it and do not have the maturity to handle it.  Also, you do not want to awaken sexual desires prematurely, it will open a whole load of issues to deal with as a parent.
3. Graphic Scenes on Crime Dramas
   Crime dramas are very popular right now and many children enjoy them.  Some of the content is even educational.  However, shield their eyes from scenes that show the victim or other gruesome scenes with the victim if you still think they should watch the program.
4. Television Versions of Higher Rated Films
   Just because a PG-13 or R rated film was edited for a television audience, it does not mean that is appropriate for a younger audience.  If the film was originally rated PG-13 or R, then the content is likely not appropriate for younger audiences.  Watch the opening of the movie to see what areas the higher rating was for such as violence or language.  And nowadays, you even have to be careful with PG ratings.
5. Higher Rated Films Which You Yourself Have Not Seen
   Do not watch a film that you have never seen, with questionable material, with your child that is rated above their age.  Allowing the kids to watch just because it is more convenient for you is of poor taste.  
6. Adult Cartoons
   Animated does not mean child friendly.  There are adult cartoons that are extremely inappropriate for child audiences.  These cartoons often contain bad language and sexual imagery.
7. Glorifying Alcohol/Drug Use
   Alcohol and drugs can be presented to look very cool and fun without any attention given to their dangers.  Avoid positive representations of alcohol and drugs since children are easily influenced.  Also, explain to your children the risks and health dangers associated with the two.
8. Too Many Commercials
   Television is saturated with commercials trying to sell you something.  During children’s programming, most of the commercials are targeted for children and feature toys.  Their purpose is to get the kids to beg their parents to buy the toy for them.  In turn, these commercials spur greediness and the desire for instant gratification.
9. Inappropriate Music Videos
   The most popular songs of today offer at least a lyric or two that is inappropriate for younger audiences.  The music videos display even more, or perhaps you should say less because of the small amount of clothing usually any them.  Some music videos are fine, but again, just be aware of what your kids are watching.
10. Too much News
    It is important that your children be aware of what is going on in the world.  Let them watch the news with you and discuss it with them.  However, monitor the news and its images; your children do not need to know everything and all of the details.  The news often contains violence and graphic images that can really upset them.

Funny Quote Friday

Humans are the only animals that have children on purpose with the exception of guppies, who like to eat theirs.  ~P.J. O'Rourke

Give Thanks

I'm in total shock that Thanksgiving is just one week away. Where has the time gone? I shouldn't be that surprised, expecially since I've been trying to get my Christmas shopping done before December. I am making this great attempt so I can participate in giving the gift of "presence" that our church is doing together. I do have some gifts but need quite a few more-panic is starting to set in. I might just need a Christmas miracle.

But I don't want to look too far ahead and miss out on the opportunity Thanksgiving provides to be reminded of how thankful I am for all that God has done and IS doing in the lives of my family. So I'm making a conscious effort to bring an attitude of thanks to the forefront of our holiday festivities. Here are a few ideas you can use to practice "thankfulness"as a whole family:

• Find Scriptures that highlight thanks to God and read them together. Talk about how God is working in your family and give thanks to Him together! (Ask your elementary aged kids what their kidSPACE Bible verse is this month to get you started.)

• Buy a white or light colored tablecloth for your Thanksgiving table. Put a fabric marker at each person's place and have them write something they are thankful for (write it for the little ones). Sign and date each entry and reuse the tablecloth each year. Over the years you will enjoy looking back at how God has blessed your family.

• Participate in a giving project as a family. Find something your family can do together to help others. Taking a shopping trip or gathering things together for The Loft would be a great idea!

• Put alphabet magnetic letters in a bucket or can. Take turns pulling one out and thanking God for something that begins with the letter picked.  

                                                                  A B C

                                           

Our family is planning on trying the tablecloth idea as well as gathering/buying things for The Loft. Ask me next week how they went and I'll tell ya!

Speaking your child's love language

Have you ever noticed the bookshelf inside the lower lobby? That bookshelf holds a few books that you might find interesting. But it's hard to find time on Sunday mornings to browse through books, so from time to time I'm going to highlight one of them and let you know what it's about! Feel free to take one home and browse through it-there's a sign-out sheet located on the shelf. Use them as one more tool in your parenting toolbelt!

First up is one of my favorites for kids AND adults. When Bryan and I got engaged I read a book by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell that introduced the idea that everyone has a love language-a way in which they understand love the best. Basically they break it down into five languages:

Physical Touch: person feels love primarily through touch
Words of Affirmation:  person feels love primarily through words
Quality Time: person feels love primarily through spending time with them
Gifts: person feels love primarily through receiving gifts
Acts of Service: person feels love primarily through things done for them

I like to analyze things so I immediately got to work analyzing my love language as well as Bryan's (poor guy, he didn't stand a chance). I found the idea to be pretty true in our lives and was interested to recently find a version for children from the same authors titled The five Love Languages of Children.

I was a little skeptical at first, since children are obviously not adults and grow and change constantly. However I took a look and could definitely see my children in the love languages they talk about. Ben is all about quality time, has been since the day he was born. He would be perfectly happy to never have to be alone again-playing with mom and dad is his favorite thing to do. Knowing that this is his love language I try to "schedule" time to do nothing but play with him. Seeing his whole face light up in those moments makes it all worth it, even though it is inconvenient at times. Luke is young yet, but I can definitely see some pull towards physical touch. He loves to snuggle and is constantly hugging his brother and Bryan and I. It will be interesting to see if that changes at all as he gets older.

So where do you think your kids fall? The authors explain each love language in detail in the book,and also share some insightful thoughts connecting love languages to discipline and learning. It might be worth your while to check it out when you get a chance.

Harvest Party 2011

Two weeks ago our Clubs kids took a break from the regular Clubs routine to enjoy a night in the barn! They celebrated the season and had fun together by visiting various stations around the barn. They played games and completed activities, collecting candy and goodies along the way. And the best part? The weather! It was only a few days before the snow storm but the weather was warm and beautiful, which made the hay ride that much more enjoyable. Here are a few pictures from the night...

 Courtney Whirt is holding the foam pumpkin that was used to make shots in the bball hoop. Yep, it split in half.

                                                                         Hay Rides!

Many thanks to all of the Clubs leaders who manned the stations, as well as the Myers family who contributed time and effort into making the night a success!

Gratitude and Helping

November in kidSPACE is all about Gratitude for the older kids, and Helping for the younger kids. It's going to be a GREAT month! Check out the details below...

Preschool-
Your preschoolers will learn that there are many Happy Helpers in the Bible. First, they will hear how Ruth helped Naomi and then Boaz helped Ruth. That was one happy helping family. Then, they will learn of the great friends David and Jonathan and how Jonathan helped David by saving his live. Then, David helped Jonathans' son, Mephibosheth. Through all these stories, your preschoolers will learn that God places people in our lives to help us. He also places us in people's lives in order for them to help us.

Elementary-

God made us so that we are not self-reliant. We need God, and we need other people. We are all sinners in need of a Savior, and God met that need when He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sin. Because of God’s sacrifice, we can have eternal life with Him in heaven. That means that every day we have a very good reason to be grateful to God for saving us and preparing a place for us in eternity.

But there are other things to be grateful for as well. Do you have shelter? Food? Clean water? What about friends or family? We have many things that are easy to take for granted. But God wants us to remember that every good and perfect gift comes from Him, and we should be grateful to Him for what He has given.

The Bible also tells us that it’s not enough just to show gratitude to God. We should also use the same gratitude to show our appreciation to the people who help us every day. Sometimes, it’s as simple as just remembering to say “Thank you.” Sometimes, it means writing a special note or giving someone a hug. The important thing is that we remember what others do for us, and we remember to give them credit for their help.

Raising Strong Men

Here it is, the post I promised yesterday about sons. As a mother of two boys I'm always trying to understand what makes my boys tick. Here's a little insight that hopefully resonates with all of you men out there.

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Author John Eldredge comes quite close to the truth, I think, when he says the question every young woman asks is “Am I captivating?” While the question every young man asks is “Do I have what it takes?”
Sure, we live in a culture where teenage boys shave their chests and tone muscles for hours on end in the gym. But I don’t think that’s where guys really rise and fall. Underneath our style (or lack of it, which is also a style) there is a question I think every man eventually asks:  Do I have what it takes?  Am I good enough? Do I measure up?

I think most men start out believing that this question can be answered by proving ourselves. So we:

strive to be the best on the team.

become an expert at something (from karate to chess club).

try to mark out our space  in the marketplace.

drive nice cars or buy toys that make us feel like we’re something (what lipstick is to a woman, cars, guns or toys are to a man – they make us feel complete…for a short while).

become dominant at something, even, sadly, if it means the only arena in which you are dominant is your home.

All of these things (and more) pretend to answer the question “Do I have what it takes”, but the older we get we realize that none of this is ultimately satisfying. That all of it leaves us empty on the other side. And after multiple conquests, we are still left unsatisfied.
And that’s where our use of power falls short. That’s where our understanding of strength fails. If that’s what it takes to be a man, we will always be boys.
So what is it that makes us men?
I think there may be more than one answer to the question, but here is mine.

Power is best exercised when used in service of others.

Left unchecked, us men most naturally use power to advance ourselves. But when we see power taught and modeled to use in the service of others, we realize that power is best used to serve others.
All of us know this instinctively:

It’s why we commend the man who holds the door open for those behind him.

It’s why we admire successful people known as much for their charity as their title.

It’s why we celebrate heros, who put themselves at risk to save the life of others.

It’s why people who aren’t even Christian admire Jesus, who laid down his life in service of others.

It’s how God uses his power. Maybe the key to being a man does indeed have something to do with power. More precisely, it’s about how we use power.
So how do you encourage boys and young men to use their power this way?

1. Model it. How do you as a dad serve your wife and children? How have they seen you use your power for their benefit? Do you use your strength and power to serve your wife, or do you rule over her?

2. Teach it. I had never heard this teaching until I was an adult. Explaining to your sons why power is best used can be a powerful shaper.

3. Practice it. Encourage your ten-year old to rake leaves for a senior adults neighbor (for free). If he’s a good student or athelete, have him come someone else who is struggling in that same area and befriend and encourage them.

4. Give something away. What you do (and they do) with money is critical. Surplus isn’t designed to fund excess. Share it with those in need.

Fathers [and mothers], if we can train our sons to use their power in service of others, we will indeed have raised strong men. What have you done to help your sons use their power to help others?

written by Carey Nieuwhof

Raising Beautiful Girls

I found two great posts by other bloggers I want to share with you. Refreshing reminders of how to share with our sons and daughters how unique they are-not based on the world's standards, but based on the fact that they are made by our Heavenly Father! Today I'm sharing the post on daughters-tomorrow I'll share the post on sons.

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I have three girls. When they were little I was all about the hair bows, the ruffled socks, and the cute shoes. I loved getting them ready for the day. They were so cute!

It was so easy back then.  I thought they were beautiful. Their daddy thought they were beautiful. In their little world, who else mattered?

Ah, but little girls grow up. They become sixth graders. Have you ever met a sixth grade little girl? They are just beautiful. They are gangly and unique. They are natural and fresh. They are awkward and wearing braces. They are stuck between a little girl and all grown up.
Like I said, they’re beautiful.
I remember like it was yesterday when my daughter, who is now 18, was in sixth grade. She used to get ready for school in my bathroom every morning.
One morning she was fixing her hair. She first put it up in a ponytail, then huffed in disgust, and took down. Then she curled it. Then she straightened it. Then she pulled it back. She was getting more and more frustrated with her hair. I offered to help.
She said, “Mom, I hate my hair.” I couldn’t believe my ears. This was my kid who was born with a full head of beautiful dark hair. Total strangers would stop me to tell me how beautiful her hair was. She undeniably had the most beautiful hair in our family, and yet when she looked in the mirror, she hated her hair.
Clearly she was not seeing what I saw.
Our girls need us to reflect back to them the truth about who they are. There is so much more to them than what they look like. They were created to be so much more than a pretty face. But this world works against them. It reflects something totally different back to them.
In the eyes of the world, our girls don’t measure up. They aren’t thin enough, tall enough, or beautiful enough.
Very few women make it through those early years completely unscathed. But if our girls are to grow up and thrive with confidence in spite of the standards of this world, they need our help.
Here are a few ideas:

Recognize and praise their non-appearance strengths.
Are they a fast runner, a great friend, a creative writer, or an excellent dancer? Celebrate the qualities that make them unique.

Encourage and teach them how to take care of themselves.
Teach them that they need to get enough rest, exercise, eat right, shower, take care of their skin, and brush their teeth. When these things are lacking, it takes a toll on their confidence.

Don’t allow yourself to obsess, publically talk about, or criticize the physical flaws of your girls.
As moms we can be the worst. Imagine a mom talking to Aunt Betty….“Have you seen Sarah’s front tooth? It sticks way out in the front and it’s huge!” We look at it like it’s a medical or dental issue to be taken care of. Braces are a good thing! We have to remember that our words are a reflection back to our daughters of how we view them.

Celebrate uniqueness.
Point out the unique qualities that you see in them that make them special. We all know that young girl who looks ordinary to the average observer, but when she smiles, the whole room lights up. Point out and celebrate the differences more than you celebrate the sameness.

Teach your daughter from the beginning that God made them.
What if your daughter grew up believing that the God of the universe who created her uniquely knew her by name, had a plan for her life, and loved her? How would this change the way that she viewed herself and her purpose in this world?

Some of our girls will struggle with this more than others. It’s our job as parents to keep reflecting back to them a healthy and true sense of who they are and who God created them to be.

written by Kendra Fleming

Movie Review-Real Steel

Your child hears about a movie from a friend and wants to watch it. Or sees a movie advertised on tv and is determined to see it.

So begins the parenting duty of determining which movies are acceptable for your child to watch. Here on our kidSPACE blog we are going to start collecting reviews of movies our children want to see. I will attempt to find faith based reviews of some of the most popular movies kids want to see so you have some tools in your toolbelt when you go to make your viewing decisions.

And by no means am I the most up to date individual when it comes to movies and what kids are watching. So please comment or drop me a line if there is a particular movie you would like to know about, or one you have seen that would be a good choice for families.

First up is Real Steel, which is in theatres now.

Rating: PG-13 (for some violence, intense action and brief language)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sports, Drama
Run Time: 127 min.
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Being a boxer in the year 2020 is no picnic. When the boxing biz banned all flesh-and-blood bouts and turned to 1,000 lb robot battles, it certainly gave fans more bang for the buck, but it left Charlie Kenton hanging.

Instead of being a contender, Charlie's relegated to being a nobody who's left to cart a jury-rigged contraption of a robot to rinky-dink county fairs. And then, when his mech is dismantled and demolished by a gigantic bull, he loses even that small hold on his life.

What's next? Well, the news that his ex-girlfriend has passed away and he's the sole guardian of their son, Max. Not that Charlie would even know the kid's name. He's never met the 11-year-old. And he doesn't really want to have anything to do with him now.

Except.

Maybe.

Make some money off him. It's seems Max's aunt wants to take charge of the kid. And her rich husband will even fork over a substantial under-the-table payoff if Charlie will sign over his parental rights. Oh, and keep the boy for the summer so they don't have to give up their fancy vacation.

That suits Charlie just fine. Maybe he can stick the kid with his current girlfriend for a few months. And if not, well, what's the harm in letting the lad tag along on the battlebot circuit? After all, the money's he's making off the deal makes it possible to buy another mech.

CAUTIONS:

• Drugs/Alcohol: Social drinking, plus Charlie has empty beer bottles all over the floor of his trailer.
• Language/Profanity: Less than most PG-13 movies, but there are a couple of instances of sh-- (once it’s Max who says it), da--, as-, bit--, plus several exclamations of God’s name.
• Sex/Nudity: Some passionate kissing. A couple of scenes with women in skimpy-ish attire.
• Thematic Material: Max’s mother died, and his dad wants very little to do with him at first. Max also discovers that his dad was paid to sign him over to his aunt and uncle.
• Violence: Most of the violence involves stylized battles between robots in the boxing ring. The clash of metal on metal is similar to what goes down in a regular boxing match. Charlie and Max also attend some underground fights that are rather rowdy. Charlie gets beat up for not paying a gambling debt, and Max is right there as it’s all going down. In a scene that’s more scary than violent, Max falls from a high spot but is saved at the last minute.

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Reviewed by Christa Banister and Bob Hoose
Focus on the Family and Crosswalk.com

Funny Friday

This is self explanatory. :)

Dominos

Do you remember the days of Dominos as a kid?  After setting up the dominos in a line, one tiny push of the first domino would start a long cascading effect.

Here’s some ideas for launching a domino effect in your family (courtesy of allpro dad):

1.     Eliminate television during family meal times:

Have some conversation starters in your pocket. Require participation. Nobody leaves till the parents say the meal is over. More family time, plus less media equals win-win.

2.     Spend five one-on-one, undistracted minutes with each child, every day:

This will soon become one of your favorite activities, and it will grow. It’s a family relationship primer.  Use the kidSPACE take-home paper and you are building a relationship with them and helping them build a relationship with God.

3.     Go to each child’s room after they’re asleep, put your hand on their head, and pray for them.

4.     Plan and then implement one random act of kindness, targeting your wife, once a week, for the next three months:

OK, so it’s not random if you plan it. But the others will be. This one will grow also.

5.     Write a short sentence of encouragement and affirmation for each member of your family (wife, children), then post it in a place they can’t miss:

Some things need to be said out loud, and often. “I love you.” “You are an awesome kid.” “I’m so glad I’m your dad.” “I still get misty-eyed when I think that you chose to marry me….”

Opportunity

Being the children's director at Millersville definitely has its advantages. I look over the curriculum each month for kidSPACE so I have the privilege of knowing in detail what my child is learning about each month. And I have been pleasantly surpised many times to hear him refer to stories or concepts he is learning about in his everyday conversations with me. So when I hear them, I make sure to put them to good use by talking with him even more about the stories or helping him think through what they mean for his life. And if I didn't know what he was learning about, I would completely miss out on all of those opportunities.

I do not want you to miss out on these opportunities. So today I'm going to share with you how you can find out what your child is learning about in kidSPACE, just in case you didn't already know! The easiest way is to look at the monthly take home papers that are sent home the first week of each month. All ages have one, and it states the theme, bible verse, and specific bible stories kids learn about each week. If you miss the first week, there are extras hanging on the bulletin board in the preschool hallway.

Another way to find out is through this blog! Each month I will give a brief intro of the monthly themes and bible verses. Use this information to expand on what your child is learning in kidSPACE. It's an opportunity you will not want to miss!

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Preschool: Fantastically Made is the theme for our preschoolers this month. We want our preschoolers to know without a doubt that their heavenly Father made them and adores them. We want our preschoolers to know that God made them wonderfully. He made them with a plan and a purpose. He made them to praise Him. God made them, each and every one of them. We want our preschoolers to know that they are unique and special creations and that God loves them oh, so much. It's going to be a great month!

Elementary: The theme for this month? Creativity! The apostle Paul wrote about it this way. He said, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We are created by a creative God. He’s imparted some of His own creativity into us, so that we are a remarkable and creative species.

But what does all of this mean? We are creative, but so what? It means that we have creative minds which enable us to solve problems and lead others to accomplish remarkable tasks. It means that we have creative hands that can make art and music and write stories. It also means that we have a unique ability to use our creativity to make a difference in this world by helping others. So this month, we want to help them discover the creativity that God has given them, and find a way to put this remarkable creativity into practice.

Cell Phone Accountability

Does your child have a cell phone, or are you thinking about getting one for them? Check out this link for a cool idea on how to establish guidelines for phone usage.

http://www.allprodad.com/tools-and-resources/training-tools/cell-phone-contract/

Funny Quote Friday

Time for more fun on ANOTHER rainy Friday. Enjoy!

"A two-year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it."
                      -Jerry Seinfeld

Disqualified Parents

Some days I feel like I am not qualified to be a parent. I worry that my kids will remember the mistakes I make and will even copy that behavior when they are parents themselves! Now there's a worrying thought. If you have ever felt that way, here is something for you. Written by a pastor in Toronto named Carey Nieuwhof, it's a great reminder of how God can use grace in our lives to impact those around us, including and especially our children!
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Because when you find yourself the villain in the story you have written

It’s plain to see

That sometimes the best intentions are in need of redemption

Would you agree?

- Death Cab for Cutie, “You Are a Tourist”

So Death Cab for Cutie is a band –just to be clear–one that’s on my playlist a lot these days. As that song played through my earbuds, it hit me that it describes how I sometimes feel about my parenting.

No new parent begins by saying “I hope I mess up my child’s life.” Who ever sets out to be the villain in the story? But at one point or another, we end up there, don’t we?

You leave for vacation but are yelling at the kids before you’re even out of town.

You’re at home most nights, but you’re far too tired to engage.

Your kids repeated patterns of behavior drive you crazy, and you end up resenting them.

Your date night to nurture your marriage starts with an argument and ends with a meltdown.

You make empty threats to your kids that would make you wince if you heard other parents make them. But you are all out of tricks, so you threaten anyway.

And sometimes the temptation is to think that our failures should disqualify us as a parent. At least as a good parent.. It must certainly disqualify us from being a godly parent.

But when you think that, you would be wrong.

What if that actually puts you in line with a great list of characters God used in significant ways?  What if that actually qualifies you?

Peter was Jesus’ best friend, but Peter betrayed Jesus–badly. You would think that would put you out of the running to be a New Testament hero. But Jesus built the church on Peter anyway.

Moses seemed like a fine fellow until he murdered someone. Shouldn’t that push him off God’s short list?
Apparently not. God made him into one of the greatest leaders in the Old Testament.

Why? Why does God use people as flawed as that?

I think weakness puts us in touch with our need for God. It reminds us that God is God and we are not. That we need help. That there is a power greater than our natural brilliance (or lack of it) at work in the world.

And that grace flows between the cracks in our lives.

God’s strength is most evident when the people He’s working with are weak.

What if the very thing you think is disqualifying you right now is actually qualifying you for a new chapter in your life in Christ? What if your weakness was a portal to new strength?

What if you are a parent turning in a brand new way to Christ’s love and you were able to give your son and daughter a front row seat to the grace of God?

I bet your kids would never forget the change they see in you. And you could one day tell them how it happened.

I Want to Ask You a Favor

Life can be tough when you're a kid.

Like if you get a bad grade on a test or have a mean substitute teacher. When there's a rainy day-because then you don't get any outside recess. Times when bullies pick on kids, or when fights happen. When teachers give you a ton of homework on a busy night-or any night, I guess. When you go outside to play and nobody else is around to do anything with you. Or if you come home to an empty house. It's real tough when your parents go through a divorce, my friends tell me.

Kids hear some rough things, too! Like mean comments about the clothes you wear-because they don't come from popular stores. Rude remarks because you look or sound different. Pressure for you to work faster from a teacher. Sometimes it's hard when the whole class laughs at someone who gives a really wrong answer-or when other dancers make a person feel bad about donig the wrong step. Nobody wants to feel stupid or clumsy. Do you? Some kids feel like their best isn't good enough-according to their parents. And there are times when parents have bad days and then lose patience with their kids. That never happens at my house (ha ha!).

All kids have their ups and downs. Some more than others. So why am I telling you all this?

Well, because I want to ask you a favor-please talk with your kids. Maybe all the stuff that I described doesn't happen every day. But each day has its own challenges; that's for sure. So kids need a person who they can share anything that's on the mind with. They need to hear loving words so they don't believe all the rough stuff that they hear everywhere else. And you are the person who needs to tell them those words. If you're not that person, who is?

So talk with your kids. Tell them the words they need to hear.

*This was written by Erin Staal, age 11-she volunteers at her church as part of a worship team and in the Toddlers room.*                     

                                                    Excerpted from Words Kids Need to Hear by David Staal

Funny Quote Friday

I see the sun! Even if it only peeks out for a moment, I'll take it. With all of the clouds and rain it's time for some fun. So every now and then on Fridays I will post something to lighten your day. Enjoy!

"Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day. It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken." ~Bill Dodds

Bored Kids, Bathtub Scuba and Noah's Ark

So how is everyone doing out there? I ventured out this morning briefly and the water laying everywhere is quite astounding. I wasn't alive for Hurricane Agnes so this is the worst flooding I can remember in my lifetime. And with all of the water came cancellations of school and activities, which means day 2 of being stuck inside with nothing to do! So here are some ideas to make this time fun instead of dreadful-

-kidSPACE activities: pull out your monthly cue cards or Godtime cards and do some of those activities with your kids
-Noah's Ark-perfect time for an in depth study on that story! There's nothing like firsthand experience to make stories come alive for children
-Pitch a Tent: put up an indoor tent or use blankets and sheets to make an indoor fort
-Baking Bonanza: bake cookies or soft pretzels together
-Fitness Fun: bust out a fitness video and do it together
-Balloon Volleyball: blow up some balloons, make a net with string or rope, and play volleyball
-Twenty Questions: one player thinks of a famous person, place or thing and others have 20 questions to guess
-Indoor Scuba Session: get kids in their bathing suits, put lots of water toys in the bathtub and let the fun begin

Have fun and stay safe!

After School Snacks

You know it's back to school time when buses abound and school pictures are popping up daily on facebook. So how is your child adjusting to their new year of school? Here's an idea to spark some after school conversations with your child. Have a special snack waiting for them when they get home from school, something that will get their attention and make them smile! Then pull up a chair, ask some questions, and listen to them share. Not at home after school? Make it a bedtime snack instead. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Fruit Flowers

Grapefruit (or Orange!) Pal

School of Fish

Confessions of a Children's Director

Being a children’s director at a church does not ensure that you are the perfect parent (surprise, surprise). In fact sometimes I think the odds are against me. Let’s just say that some days I am glad there are four walls around my home that are pretty soundproof. Whether I'm dealing with a temper tantrum, trying to encourage independence, or figuring out how to answer tough questions there are many days where I wish I could just talk to someone or pick up a book and find the answers to all my questions. So I'm hoping we can use this blog to connect with resources that will encourage and inspire us in our everyday lives. There will be book reviews, guest bloggers, info about what's going on in kidSPACE, and thoughts of encouragement. Not to mention that one of the best resources we have is each other! So there will be opportunities for you to contribute as well. All of the lessons we are learning as parents are worth sharing. After surviving (we have to make it sound good) the earthquake and hurricane Irene, we could probably use a little encouragement. So here’s your first sharing opportunity: What is one of your greatest joys of being a parent?