May 2011
God, our Creator, has a plan and purpose for every life.
According to the National Organization on Disability, 54 million Americans have a disability. That’s one in every five people. And a significant number of them are children. Many churches now have special-needs ministries, and more kids with disabilities are being mainstreamed into school classrooms. That means your children likely spend time with kids they may consider “different.”
Use these tips to emphasize everyone’s worth:
• Build relationships. Show your children that it’s okay to talk to people with disabilities and to treat them as you would treat anyone else. Introduce yourself to parents of special-needs children and discover what types of assistance they could use.
• Clarify misconceptions. Children notice differences, so address their already-established stereotypes and oversimplified generalizations about groups of people. Watch and correct judgmental statements and actions. Be a role model by valuing diversity, celebrating individuality, and respecting differences.
Discuss people’s unique needs by using these conversation-starting questions:
1. Why do you think God made people with different appearances, gifts, and abilities?
2. How do you feel and react to someone who’s different from you?
3. What’s the best way to respond when other people point out your weaknesses or flaws?
4. What types of things can we learn from people who are different from us? How can we get to know them better?
POWERSOURCE
ASK GOD:
1. To help your children look beyond differences to see that God made everyone in a special way.
2. To give your children compassionate hearts and helping hands for people with special needs.
3. To show how you can assist families dealing with disabilities.
RESEARCH INSIGHTS
• About 90% of families with a special-needs child are unchurched. (pastors.com)
• According to various sources, divorce rates for couples who have a special-needs child are as high as 75% or 85%.
• In the United States, an estimated 100,000 children are waiting to be adopted, and many of them have special needs.
“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. … Our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. … Some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.”
(1 Corinthians 12:12, 18, 22)
Teachable Moments
1. Lovely Reflections—With babies and toddlers, hold up a mirror so they can see their reflection. Show them that everyone looks different in a mirror but emphasize that everyone is special—regardless of skin color or appearance.
2. Role-Plays—Help children practice what they might do or say in real-life situations. Propose various encounters with children who have different challenges. Then debrief each role-play to point out the positive things children did or said.
3. Special Friends—Seek out people in your family, church, or neighborhood who are coping with physical challenges. Spend time with them as a family, providing assistance and companionship. These low-key experiences will show children how much they have in common with people who appear to be different from them. Discuss people’s unique needs by using these conversation-starting questions:
1. Why do you think God made people with different appearances, gifts, and abilities?
2. How do you feel and react to someone who’s different from you?
3. What’s the best way to respond when other people point out your weaknesses or flaws?
4. What types of things can we learn from people who are different from us? How can we get to know them better?
FAMILY EXPERIENCE
Learn valuable lessons with these fun activities:
• In Full Bloom—You'll need chenille craft wires and various colors of tissue paper cut into 10x20-inch wide strips. Have family members stack six tissue paper strips and then smooth them flat. Fold the stacks lengthwise, accordion-style, in 2-inch sections, making five folds. Then twist a wire tightly around the center of the accordion-folded paper. To create the blossoms, spread the folds on both sides of the wire and gently pull each layer of tissue paper toward the center. When all the layers have been pulled, a beautiful flower blossom remains. Read aloud Psalm 139:13-14. Ask: “How are all our flowers like the people God made? What would it be like if every flower looked the same or if every person looked the same? What traits or characteristics set you apart from everyone else?”
• Mixed Together—You’ll need a bowl of cookie dough, some flour, an egg, a spoon, and a variety of chips and sprinkles. Hold up the flour and egg, and ask: “Who’d like to try these ingredients? How can these ingredients become something that tastes better?” Say: “We need to mix these with other ingredients.” Read aloud 1 Corinthians 12:14-17, 27. Say: “What would happen if we left out an ingredient from our recipe? What would happen if one of us wasn’t part of our family or church?” Hand out cookie dough so each person can add chips and sprinkles. Then bake the cookies. While enjoying them, discuss ways that all of you are important “ingredients.”
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Help Kids Use Positive Language
As the Bible describes in James 3, the tongue may be small, but it can do an awful lot of damage. Unfortunately, name-calling, cursing, bickering, whining, and putdowns find their way into most homes. Yet our words also have the power to heal, mend rifts, encourage other people, and praise God. Proverbs 25:11 (NIV) compares well-chosen and well-timed words to “apples of gold in settings of silver.”
This month’s newsletter explores ways to get your children talking in positive, God-pleasing ways. Use these tips to get started:
Walk the walk, talk the talk. Kids are listening, so watch your own language and model appropriate talk—even when you think little ears aren’t listening.
Teach children how to apologize. Hurtful words can’t be “unsaid,” but people can offer heartfelt apologies and change their ways. Offer examples of how to say sorry, and remember to seek children’s forgiveness when you mess up.
Listen up! Proverbs 10:19 contains valuable advice that often goes unheeded: “Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.” Help children understand the importance of stopping to think before you speak. When in doubt, it’s always better to seal your lips rather than say something you may regret.
Praise God throughout the day. Talk frequently about how good God is and thank him for his many blessings. Share favorite Bible passages, pray with one another, and brainstorm ways you can serve God and other people. When we focus on God and good words, our mouths and lives will bear good fruit.
Ask God:
1. To help you and your kids use positive, God-pleasing words.
2. To guard your tongue from temptations to curse or use his name in vain.
3. To help your family members use words that uplift one another.
Say What?!
The use of profanity among young children is on the rise, according to researcher Timothy Jay. Kids no longer learn curse words from peers at school; instead, they hear them at home. Nearly two-thirds of surveyed adults said that despite prohibiting their children from swearing at home, they break their own rules regularly. This double standard confuses and irritates kids, most of whom say they’re frightened when their parents curse.
(www.livescience.com, www.findarticles.com)
Parenting Insights
These guidelines from Children’s Ministry Magazine describe how profanity affects children:
Ages 2 to 5
Preschoolers simply repeat what they hear, so try to limit media exposure. Don’t react to foul language with shock or anger; calmly explain that those words hurt people’s feelings.
Ages 6 to 9
Explain that words are “bad” when they’re used to hurt others. Also explain that misusing God’s name is disrespectful. Tell children we can use God’s name to praise him or pray to him.
Ages 10 to 12
Preteens use profanity to get a reaction from adults and to impress friends. Let them know that obscene language and gestures aren’t acceptable, and teach them discernment to censor their own language.
“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
Ephesians 4:29
Words are powerful. God tells us to use language to build people up, not tear them down.
Teachable Moments
1. “Cheer”ful Words—As a family, come up with catchy cheers for praising God. Also create a personalized, encouraging cheer for each family member.
2. It’s All in the Delivery—When speaking, watch your tone and delivery. Say some words short, or staccato, and draw out others. You can also vary the volume. These changes will keep your words interesting to children and just plain fun.
3. Sign Up—Children love to learn sign language, so use motions to reinforce Bible lessons. Check out a library book or video about sign language. Learn how to sign phrases such as “Jesus loves me” or “Jesus is our healer.”
4. Out-of-This-World Names—Help children come up with creative names for God that describe what he’s done for us, such as heart-fixer-upper, happily-dappily-loveful, sunny-joy-rageous.
Explore children’s thoughts about words by asking these discussion questions:
1. Why are words so powerful? How does it feel to know that you can help or hurt someone just by what you say?
2. What do our words say about us? What do they say about God or our relationship with him?
3. Why can it be so hard to tame our tongue? How can we help each other remember to use positive, kind language?
4. What words best describe how you feel about God, and why?
Family Experience: What’s the Word?
Use these devotional ideas to get your family talking about language—and how we use it.
Picture This—Use word pictures to verbally illustrate Bible truths. For example, discuss the importance of having clean thoughts and using clean words, based on 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV): “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Talk about a lasso and how it’s used. Give each family member a small piece of rope and let them tie a lasso. Then discuss what it would be like to “lasso” a bad thought or word.
Speak Up!—Emphasize that God wants us to communicate and work together—even when we all seem to be speaking different languages. You’ll need a bunch of toilet paper rolls, clear cellophane tape, and a slip of paper for each family member with one of these directions written on it: “Say the opposite of what you mean,” “Remain silent and use no body language,” “Gesture with your hands,” “Ask questions,” and “Talk in baby talk.” Have each person take a slip and keep the directions secret. Say: “You have to build a tower as high as you can in three minutes. You’re allowed to communicate only the way your slip of paper instructs.” Afterward, ask: “How did it feel to communicate this way? Have you ever felt like that in our family? Explain.” Read aloud Genesis 11:1-9. Ask: “Why do you think God confused the people’s languages?” Say: “God doesn’t want us to rebel like the people in our story. He wants us to communicate well with our family members and work together.” Close in prayer, asking God to help you all speak in kind, helpful ways.
As the Bible describes in James 3, the tongue may be small, but it can do an awful lot of damage. Unfortunately, name-calling, cursing, bickering, whining, and putdowns find their way into most homes. Yet our words also have the power to heal, mend rifts, encourage other people, and praise God. Proverbs 25:11 (NIV) compares well-chosen and well-timed words to “apples of gold in settings of silver.”
This month’s newsletter explores ways to get your children talking in positive, God-pleasing ways. Use these tips to get started:
Walk the walk, talk the talk. Kids are listening, so watch your own language and model appropriate talk—even when you think little ears aren’t listening.
Teach children how to apologize. Hurtful words can’t be “unsaid,” but people can offer heartfelt apologies and change their ways. Offer examples of how to say sorry, and remember to seek children’s forgiveness when you mess up.
Listen up! Proverbs 10:19 contains valuable advice that often goes unheeded: “Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.” Help children understand the importance of stopping to think before you speak. When in doubt, it’s always better to seal your lips rather than say something you may regret.
Praise God throughout the day. Talk frequently about how good God is and thank him for his many blessings. Share favorite Bible passages, pray with one another, and brainstorm ways you can serve God and other people. When we focus on God and good words, our mouths and lives will bear good fruit.
Ask God:
1. To help you and your kids use positive, God-pleasing words.
2. To guard your tongue from temptations to curse or use his name in vain.
3. To help your family members use words that uplift one another.
Say What?!
The use of profanity among young children is on the rise, according to researcher Timothy Jay. Kids no longer learn curse words from peers at school; instead, they hear them at home. Nearly two-thirds of surveyed adults said that despite prohibiting their children from swearing at home, they break their own rules regularly. This double standard confuses and irritates kids, most of whom say they’re frightened when their parents curse.
(www.livescience.com, www.findarticles.com)
Parenting Insights
These guidelines from Children’s Ministry Magazine describe how profanity affects children:
Ages 2 to 5
Preschoolers simply repeat what they hear, so try to limit media exposure. Don’t react to foul language with shock or anger; calmly explain that those words hurt people’s feelings.
Ages 6 to 9
Explain that words are “bad” when they’re used to hurt others. Also explain that misusing God’s name is disrespectful. Tell children we can use God’s name to praise him or pray to him.
Ages 10 to 12
Preteens use profanity to get a reaction from adults and to impress friends. Let them know that obscene language and gestures aren’t acceptable, and teach them discernment to censor their own language.
“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
Ephesians 4:29
Words are powerful. God tells us to use language to build people up, not tear them down.
Teachable Moments
1. “Cheer”ful Words—As a family, come up with catchy cheers for praising God. Also create a personalized, encouraging cheer for each family member.
2. It’s All in the Delivery—When speaking, watch your tone and delivery. Say some words short, or staccato, and draw out others. You can also vary the volume. These changes will keep your words interesting to children and just plain fun.
3. Sign Up—Children love to learn sign language, so use motions to reinforce Bible lessons. Check out a library book or video about sign language. Learn how to sign phrases such as “Jesus loves me” or “Jesus is our healer.”
4. Out-of-This-World Names—Help children come up with creative names for God that describe what he’s done for us, such as heart-fixer-upper, happily-dappily-loveful, sunny-joy-rageous.
Explore children’s thoughts about words by asking these discussion questions:
1. Why are words so powerful? How does it feel to know that you can help or hurt someone just by what you say?
2. What do our words say about us? What do they say about God or our relationship with him?
3. Why can it be so hard to tame our tongue? How can we help each other remember to use positive, kind language?
4. What words best describe how you feel about God, and why?
Family Experience: What’s the Word?
Use these devotional ideas to get your family talking about language—and how we use it.
Picture This—Use word pictures to verbally illustrate Bible truths. For example, discuss the importance of having clean thoughts and using clean words, based on 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV): “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Talk about a lasso and how it’s used. Give each family member a small piece of rope and let them tie a lasso. Then discuss what it would be like to “lasso” a bad thought or word.
Speak Up!—Emphasize that God wants us to communicate and work together—even when we all seem to be speaking different languages. You’ll need a bunch of toilet paper rolls, clear cellophane tape, and a slip of paper for each family member with one of these directions written on it: “Say the opposite of what you mean,” “Remain silent and use no body language,” “Gesture with your hands,” “Ask questions,” and “Talk in baby talk.” Have each person take a slip and keep the directions secret. Say: “You have to build a tower as high as you can in three minutes. You’re allowed to communicate only the way your slip of paper instructs.” Afterward, ask: “How did it feel to communicate this way? Have you ever felt like that in our family? Explain.” Read aloud Genesis 11:1-9. Ask: “Why do you think God confused the people’s languages?” Say: “God doesn’t want us to rebel like the people in our story. He wants us to communicate well with our family members and work together.” Close in prayer, asking God to help you all speak in kind, helpful ways.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Celebrate Spiritual Milestones
Marking children’s physical “firsts,” such as first steps and first words, is an exciting and memorable part of parenting. Just as important, and just as worthy of celebration, are spiritual firsts, or faith milestones.
These milestones, or rites, help children know they’re growing up as Christians and continually reconnecting to their faith family. Milestones also allow churches and parents to partner together to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus.
Spiritual occasions that warrant family celebrations include:
Baptism or Dedication—Because children are a gift from God, we “give” them back to God by committing their lives to him. By witnessing a baptism or dedication, fellow church members agree to partner with parents to help raise children in the Christian faith.
Receiving a First Bible—When children receive God’s Word, it’s like their very own special love letter from God. He wants us to read the Bible and apply it to our lives. Making a “big deal” out of getting a Bible shows kids how important the book is to our faith and its growth.
Transitioning to the Preteen Years—Leaving behind elementary school symbolizes that preteens are beginning to “own” their faith. Somewhere along their spiritual journey, they’ll decide whether to draw closer to God or reject him. The great thing is that God is always there, waiting for young people to find him. And he’s always there for parents, too, guiding us as we lead our children through faith milestones.
Teachable Moments
1. Celebrate Baptisms—After seeing a baptism, talk to your children about their own baptisms—or their desire to be baptized. Tell them God washes away our sins. As a family, make handmade cards for newly baptized people.
2. Make the Bible Relevant—Show children how God’s Word applies to their lives. Talk about biblical heroes and how they both stumbled and grew in faith. Tie Bible verses into kids’ interests, from music or poetry to travel or adventure.
3. Model Lifelong Learning—Preteens often feel as if they’ve outgrown Sunday school. Provide age-appropriate Bibles and devotionals for preteens who are forming their identity in Christ. Also help them anticipate the future rather than be anxious about it.
Get your children thinking about their own faith milestones by asking these discussion-starter questions:
1. What times or events in your walk with God stand out the most to you, and why?
2. As you grow up as a Christian, what occasions would you like to celebrate, and how?
3. In what ways has your faith changed since you were younger?
4. What can I do to help your faith grow even stronger?
Good Intentions Don’t Always Pan Out
• In a Barna Group survey, 85% of parents said they believe they have the primary responsibility for teaching their children about religious beliefs and spiritual matters.
• But in another Barna study, fewer than 10% of parents who regularly attend church have consistent family time with God.
Ask God:
1. To help you nurture your children’s developing faith.
2. To show your children how he’s with them as they grow.
3. To help you make faith milestones important.
Parenting Insights
In Shift (Group), Brian Haynes discusses the value of at-home “Faith Talks” for leading kids spiritually:
1. Faith Talks should occur regularly and be age-appropriate. Each week, set aside time to focus on biblical truth in a relational way.
2. Faith Talks should focus on God’s Word. Read the Bible together, celebrate it, and adjust your lives accordingly.
3. Faith Talks don’t have to be difficult or formal. Make them fun; for example, go outside on a hot day and compare standing in the sun and shade. Then read and discuss Psalm 121:5.
4. Faith Talks are a priority. They shouldn’t depend on children’s choices or attitudes. God instructs parents to be intentional about leading their children spiritually.
Family Experience: Journeys With Jesus
Use these activities to celebrate your family’s past and future.
• Family Timelines—You’ll need a 6-foot piece of butcher paper, markers, masking tape, and a Bible. Tape the butcher paper to a wall. Together, create a timeline of your family’s journey with God using words, drawings, and Bible verses. Include marriages, birthdays, and milestones, such as when a child entered preschool or when you moved. Add fun memories and difficult times that affected everyone (illnesses or injuries, vacations, job or school changes, and so on).
Afterward, discuss these questions: “What are our best memories? What difficult events have we overcome? How did those events make us closer? How have you seen God moving in our family through the years? How have we experienced God’s faithfulness? What are our future dreams for our family?”
• God’s Path—You’ll need a map of your hometown, a highlighter, a Bible, and a red marker. Mark important spots on the map, such as your home, school, church, friends’ houses, and more. Highlight the roads your family uses most often. Read aloud Psalm 139:1-3. Say: “God always knows where we are, what we’re doing, and where we’re going. He has big plans for us as we grow and get to know him better. God loves us and will always be with us.” With a red marker, draw a large heart around all the map sites you’ve highlighted. Hang up the map as a reminder of God’s promises.
Marking children’s physical “firsts,” such as first steps and first words, is an exciting and memorable part of parenting. Just as important, and just as worthy of celebration, are spiritual firsts, or faith milestones.
These milestones, or rites, help children know they’re growing up as Christians and continually reconnecting to their faith family. Milestones also allow churches and parents to partner together to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus.
Spiritual occasions that warrant family celebrations include:
Baptism or Dedication—Because children are a gift from God, we “give” them back to God by committing their lives to him. By witnessing a baptism or dedication, fellow church members agree to partner with parents to help raise children in the Christian faith.
Receiving a First Bible—When children receive God’s Word, it’s like their very own special love letter from God. He wants us to read the Bible and apply it to our lives. Making a “big deal” out of getting a Bible shows kids how important the book is to our faith and its growth.
Transitioning to the Preteen Years—Leaving behind elementary school symbolizes that preteens are beginning to “own” their faith. Somewhere along their spiritual journey, they’ll decide whether to draw closer to God or reject him. The great thing is that God is always there, waiting for young people to find him. And he’s always there for parents, too, guiding us as we lead our children through faith milestones.
Teachable Moments
1. Celebrate Baptisms—After seeing a baptism, talk to your children about their own baptisms—or their desire to be baptized. Tell them God washes away our sins. As a family, make handmade cards for newly baptized people.
2. Make the Bible Relevant—Show children how God’s Word applies to their lives. Talk about biblical heroes and how they both stumbled and grew in faith. Tie Bible verses into kids’ interests, from music or poetry to travel or adventure.
3. Model Lifelong Learning—Preteens often feel as if they’ve outgrown Sunday school. Provide age-appropriate Bibles and devotionals for preteens who are forming their identity in Christ. Also help them anticipate the future rather than be anxious about it.
Get your children thinking about their own faith milestones by asking these discussion-starter questions:
1. What times or events in your walk with God stand out the most to you, and why?
2. As you grow up as a Christian, what occasions would you like to celebrate, and how?
3. In what ways has your faith changed since you were younger?
4. What can I do to help your faith grow even stronger?
Good Intentions Don’t Always Pan Out
• In a Barna Group survey, 85% of parents said they believe they have the primary responsibility for teaching their children about religious beliefs and spiritual matters.
• But in another Barna study, fewer than 10% of parents who regularly attend church have consistent family time with God.
Ask God:
1. To help you nurture your children’s developing faith.
2. To show your children how he’s with them as they grow.
3. To help you make faith milestones important.
Parenting Insights
In Shift (Group), Brian Haynes discusses the value of at-home “Faith Talks” for leading kids spiritually:
1. Faith Talks should occur regularly and be age-appropriate. Each week, set aside time to focus on biblical truth in a relational way.
2. Faith Talks should focus on God’s Word. Read the Bible together, celebrate it, and adjust your lives accordingly.
3. Faith Talks don’t have to be difficult or formal. Make them fun; for example, go outside on a hot day and compare standing in the sun and shade. Then read and discuss Psalm 121:5.
4. Faith Talks are a priority. They shouldn’t depend on children’s choices or attitudes. God instructs parents to be intentional about leading their children spiritually.
Family Experience: Journeys With Jesus
Use these activities to celebrate your family’s past and future.
• Family Timelines—You’ll need a 6-foot piece of butcher paper, markers, masking tape, and a Bible. Tape the butcher paper to a wall. Together, create a timeline of your family’s journey with God using words, drawings, and Bible verses. Include marriages, birthdays, and milestones, such as when a child entered preschool or when you moved. Add fun memories and difficult times that affected everyone (illnesses or injuries, vacations, job or school changes, and so on).
Afterward, discuss these questions: “What are our best memories? What difficult events have we overcome? How did those events make us closer? How have you seen God moving in our family through the years? How have we experienced God’s faithfulness? What are our future dreams for our family?”
• God’s Path—You’ll need a map of your hometown, a highlighter, a Bible, and a red marker. Mark important spots on the map, such as your home, school, church, friends’ houses, and more. Highlight the roads your family uses most often. Read aloud Psalm 139:1-3. Say: “God always knows where we are, what we’re doing, and where we’re going. He has big plans for us as we grow and get to know him better. God loves us and will always be with us.” With a red marker, draw a large heart around all the map sites you’ve highlighted. Hang up the map as a reminder of God’s promises.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Make Faith-Friendly Resolutions
The beginning of a new year offers the promise of a fresh start. Many people celebrate by resolving to make changes, often related to how they care for their bodies.
This year, take time to reflect on what you can do differently in your home to strengthen your family—and each member’s faith in God. Use these ideas to transform your family in 2011:
***Begin the day with music. Mornings are hectic in most houses. Play some soft Christian music to wake everyone up and to set the tone for a calm, God-directed day.
***Reclaim mealtime. Eat together as often as possible. Research points to all kinds of child-development benefits from this practice. But family meals also help you get to know one another better—and provide opportunities for faith growth. For example, ask specific, open-ended questions, such as “What’s the best thing that happened to you today? the worst?”
***Make devotions fun and active. Bible reading should be a social, bonding opportunity, not a dry discipline devoid of purpose. Use resources such as the “Family Night Tool Chest” series by Jim Weidmann and others (Chariot Victor), the “Not-So-Quiet Times” devotion series by Tracy Harrast (Standard), and 52 Fun Family Devotions by Mike and Amy Nappa (Augsburg Fortress).
***Develop a family mission statement. As a family, pinpoint your worthy purposes, worthy visions, and worthy values. A mission statement will unite you because everyone gives input into your family’s “big picture.” And God will be placed at the center of your home on purpose, not by chance.
__________________________________________________________
Start a Parenting Revolution
According to research by the Barna Group, fewer than 10 percent of parents who regularly attend church have consistent family time with God. George Barna’s book Revolutionary Parenting applies modern-day research to show that parents who faithfully apply God’s instructions for family life raise spiritual champions. Unfortunately, most people parent “by default” or use “trial-and-error parenting,” according to Barna.
Ask God:
1. To bless and guide your family during the year ahead.
2. To help you all embrace new habits so you grow closer to God and each other.
3. To grow each family member’s faith this year.
_______________________________________________
Parenting Insights
Thom Schultz, president of Group Publishing, offers these tips for helping children’s faith take root:
1. See the sacred in the ordinary. Attach "God thoughts" to daily activities. Bathing a child can remind you of baptism, and talking with one another can remind you of the gift of prayer.
2. Be alert to teachable moments. Put up your “God antennae.” For example, use the media as a teaching tool that sparks discussions.
3. Just “be” with your kids. Simply be present without an agenda. When you stop trying so hard, it’s freeing—and you’ll actually relate better.
4. Realize your family doesn’t have to be perfect. Read the Bible together to see that God’s grace was—and still is— sufficient for imperfect people.
“Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Jesus offers us a fresh start not only on New Year’s but each and every day. By paying the price for our sins, Jesus made each of his children a new creation.
_______________________________________________________
Teachable Moments
1. Keep It Short—You can make a big impact even when you’re short on time. For example, read aloud one Bible verse at the breakfast table to start the day. At bedtime, tell a Bible story in your own words. Remember: “Short passages for short people.”
2. Take a Pause—Your family doesn’t always need to be on the go. This year, make it a priority to step away from some commitments and shorten your to-do list. Use the extra time to regroup, reconnect, and recharge.
3. Be Peacemakers—If one of your goals is less sibling conflict, help redirect tension by focusing on positive qualities. Whenever one family member is mean-spirited to another, have the offender say or write three things he or she appreciates about the other person. This will make your family more tenderhearted and thankful for one another.
********************************************************************
Begin a conversation with your children about the new year by asking them these questions:
1. What excites you the most about the new year, and why? What are you the most uncertain about, and why?
2. What are some things you want to do differently or change in the upcoming year?
3. What types of goals do you think our family should set, and how can we work together to meet them?
4. What are your suggestions for a family mission statement? What best describes who we are and what we want to do?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Family Experience: A Fresh Start
Celebrate new beginnings with these Bible-based activities:
• Goal Tenders. Hold up an empty bowl and say, “This bowl reminds me of a new year, ready to be filled with new experiences and people.” Hand each family some buttons and say, “Let’s pretend these represent all those fun things. Your goal is to toss the buttons into the empty bowl from three feet away.”
After everyone has a turn, say, “A new year is a good time to set goals, but achieving them takes persistence. God gives us each a special goal to strive for every day, week, month, and year.” Read aloud Philippians 3:12-14 and discuss the goal of becoming what God wants us to be—and how we can pursue it. Close by having family members each toss one button into the bowl while thinking of a way to become what God wants them to be (for example, praying more often, being kind to others, etc.).
• Presto Chango!—Mix two parts glue with one part liquid starch. Stir well. Continue adding starch one spoonful at a time, using your fingers to work the mixture into a smooth putty. Press the putty onto a colored comic picture and then pull it off. Say, “This putty was plain, but it changed when it came into contact with the picture.” Read aloud 2 Corinthians 5:17. Say, “When we believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in us and changes us. He helps us meet our goal of becoming more like Jesus.” Close in prayer, thanking God for the gift of a new year and for giving us new life in him.
The beginning of a new year offers the promise of a fresh start. Many people celebrate by resolving to make changes, often related to how they care for their bodies.
This year, take time to reflect on what you can do differently in your home to strengthen your family—and each member’s faith in God. Use these ideas to transform your family in 2011:
***Begin the day with music. Mornings are hectic in most houses. Play some soft Christian music to wake everyone up and to set the tone for a calm, God-directed day.
***Reclaim mealtime. Eat together as often as possible. Research points to all kinds of child-development benefits from this practice. But family meals also help you get to know one another better—and provide opportunities for faith growth. For example, ask specific, open-ended questions, such as “What’s the best thing that happened to you today? the worst?”
***Make devotions fun and active. Bible reading should be a social, bonding opportunity, not a dry discipline devoid of purpose. Use resources such as the “Family Night Tool Chest” series by Jim Weidmann and others (Chariot Victor), the “Not-So-Quiet Times” devotion series by Tracy Harrast (Standard), and 52 Fun Family Devotions by Mike and Amy Nappa (Augsburg Fortress).
***Develop a family mission statement. As a family, pinpoint your worthy purposes, worthy visions, and worthy values. A mission statement will unite you because everyone gives input into your family’s “big picture.” And God will be placed at the center of your home on purpose, not by chance.
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Start a Parenting Revolution
According to research by the Barna Group, fewer than 10 percent of parents who regularly attend church have consistent family time with God. George Barna’s book Revolutionary Parenting applies modern-day research to show that parents who faithfully apply God’s instructions for family life raise spiritual champions. Unfortunately, most people parent “by default” or use “trial-and-error parenting,” according to Barna.
Ask God:
1. To bless and guide your family during the year ahead.
2. To help you all embrace new habits so you grow closer to God and each other.
3. To grow each family member’s faith this year.
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Parenting Insights
Thom Schultz, president of Group Publishing, offers these tips for helping children’s faith take root:
1. See the sacred in the ordinary. Attach "God thoughts" to daily activities. Bathing a child can remind you of baptism, and talking with one another can remind you of the gift of prayer.
2. Be alert to teachable moments. Put up your “God antennae.” For example, use the media as a teaching tool that sparks discussions.
3. Just “be” with your kids. Simply be present without an agenda. When you stop trying so hard, it’s freeing—and you’ll actually relate better.
4. Realize your family doesn’t have to be perfect. Read the Bible together to see that God’s grace was—and still is— sufficient for imperfect people.
“Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Jesus offers us a fresh start not only on New Year’s but each and every day. By paying the price for our sins, Jesus made each of his children a new creation.
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Teachable Moments
1. Keep It Short—You can make a big impact even when you’re short on time. For example, read aloud one Bible verse at the breakfast table to start the day. At bedtime, tell a Bible story in your own words. Remember: “Short passages for short people.”
2. Take a Pause—Your family doesn’t always need to be on the go. This year, make it a priority to step away from some commitments and shorten your to-do list. Use the extra time to regroup, reconnect, and recharge.
3. Be Peacemakers—If one of your goals is less sibling conflict, help redirect tension by focusing on positive qualities. Whenever one family member is mean-spirited to another, have the offender say or write three things he or she appreciates about the other person. This will make your family more tenderhearted and thankful for one another.
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Begin a conversation with your children about the new year by asking them these questions:
1. What excites you the most about the new year, and why? What are you the most uncertain about, and why?
2. What are some things you want to do differently or change in the upcoming year?
3. What types of goals do you think our family should set, and how can we work together to meet them?
4. What are your suggestions for a family mission statement? What best describes who we are and what we want to do?
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Family Experience: A Fresh Start
Celebrate new beginnings with these Bible-based activities:
• Goal Tenders. Hold up an empty bowl and say, “This bowl reminds me of a new year, ready to be filled with new experiences and people.” Hand each family some buttons and say, “Let’s pretend these represent all those fun things. Your goal is to toss the buttons into the empty bowl from three feet away.”
After everyone has a turn, say, “A new year is a good time to set goals, but achieving them takes persistence. God gives us each a special goal to strive for every day, week, month, and year.” Read aloud Philippians 3:12-14 and discuss the goal of becoming what God wants us to be—and how we can pursue it. Close by having family members each toss one button into the bowl while thinking of a way to become what God wants them to be (for example, praying more often, being kind to others, etc.).
• Presto Chango!—Mix two parts glue with one part liquid starch. Stir well. Continue adding starch one spoonful at a time, using your fingers to work the mixture into a smooth putty. Press the putty onto a colored comic picture and then pull it off. Say, “This putty was plain, but it changed when it came into contact with the picture.” Read aloud 2 Corinthians 5:17. Say, “When we believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in us and changes us. He helps us meet our goal of becoming more like Jesus.” Close in prayer, thanking God for the gift of a new year and for giving us new life in him.
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