Clearly, I am no longer in the habit of blogging regularly, and will try to do better in the future. But for now, here are a couple recent conversations I've had with some of my children.
One day last week I noticed that Annie had a half-full fruit punch drink in the fridge. I also noticed some red puddles on the floor near the fridge. Could have been her, could have been one of the other kids. I called her into the kitchen and asked her about. She said that she did not make the mess so I told her that she could go back to whatever she had been doing. I went around the corner to get some disinfectant wipes from under the bathroom sink, and when I returned to the kitchen, she was down on the floor with some wet paper towels cleaning up the mess.
I smiled. And then began looking at other spots on the floor, I joined her in the cleaning. After a minute she said, "A few weeks ago in Sunday School we had a lesson about how if someone takes your coat you should give them your shirt too. I think it was one of those 'Do to others what you want them to do to you' kind of lessons."
I smiled again and said, "You mean kind of like when someone else makes a mess and you decide to help clean it up?"
She grinned, "Yeah. Something like that."
And this is the conversation that took place in the back seat yesterday when I took Max (almost 5) and Noah (3 1/2) with me to run some errands. It started with them talking about video games and how the characters "die" in the game.
Noah: Well, if you die in real life, BAM, you go straight to live with God.
Max: Yeah, and you get a new body with new eyeballs, and new ears, and a new face, and a new arms and everything.
Noah: And new hair?
Max. Yep. And then you become invisible.
Noah: No, you don't become invisible if you get a new body and new eyeballs and everything.
Max: Yes you do. Because when you die, God comes down and takes your spirit to heaven with him. And God is invisible so if we go live with God we must be invisible too.
My kids are awesome.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Monday, December 28, 2009
After Christmas Traditions
There are so many fantastic "before Christmas" traditions, but I seldom hear about many "after Christmas" traditions. I wanted to share 3 post-Christmas activities that I remember from my growing up years and things that we try to incorporate in our family.
1. Christmas Card Prayers - Around new year's we would begin doing Christmas Card Prayers after dinner. My mom would pass around the basket of Christmas cards and each of us kids would get to choose one. We would read the card/letter, talk about any pictures or photos, and then my mom would tell us about who it was from. She would share how they knew that person, where they lived, and any other interesting facts. We would then say a prayer for each person or family whose card we read that evening. Sometimes it would take us until Easter to get through the basket but I always enjoyed doing it. I think this tradition may be why the Christmas cards we receive today are so special to me.
2. Share Piles - I grew up with three brothers and now have 4 kids of my own. Several years ago we started being more intentional about "sharing" old toys to make room for the new ones. We talk with the kids about the new toys they received and what a blessing it is to have new things and then we remind them that not everyone has as many toys as they do. We discuss the importance of sharing and then help them select toys to "share" with a local charity. Our goal is to select something similar in size/value for each gift that they received. It doesn't always work out exactly that way, but the exercise of sharing some toys is a healthy one.
3. Saying Thanks - I'm so grateful that my parents emphasized the importance of saying a proper thank you to people. Christmas time is one of the easiest times to practice this lesson because most kids have at least another week before they go back to school! I started having my kids "do" their own thank you notes when they were two years old. A simple way is type a short message in a bubble font and let the kids color it. You can also let toddlers or preschoolers color on a blank piece of paper (folded to make a card) and attach of photo of the child opening their gift or playing with the new toy. With older preschoolers, I often let them decorate the front of the card with stickers or pre-cut fun foam shapes, write a short message of thanks inside and let the child sign his or her name. By around age 5 or 6 kids can use those "fill-in-the-blank" cards that you can purchase from many stationery stores. Middle elementary age (and up!) should be able to come up with at least 2 good sentences for a thank you letter. Watch for sales on cute Christmas stationery that often goes on sale with the Christmas cards! Just a word of caution - keep in mind your child's personality and attention span and don't expect them to write too many thank you's in one sitting!
God bless you this new year as you begin some new After Christmas Traditions!
1. Christmas Card Prayers - Around new year's we would begin doing Christmas Card Prayers after dinner. My mom would pass around the basket of Christmas cards and each of us kids would get to choose one. We would read the card/letter, talk about any pictures or photos, and then my mom would tell us about who it was from. She would share how they knew that person, where they lived, and any other interesting facts. We would then say a prayer for each person or family whose card we read that evening. Sometimes it would take us until Easter to get through the basket but I always enjoyed doing it. I think this tradition may be why the Christmas cards we receive today are so special to me.
2. Share Piles - I grew up with three brothers and now have 4 kids of my own. Several years ago we started being more intentional about "sharing" old toys to make room for the new ones. We talk with the kids about the new toys they received and what a blessing it is to have new things and then we remind them that not everyone has as many toys as they do. We discuss the importance of sharing and then help them select toys to "share" with a local charity. Our goal is to select something similar in size/value for each gift that they received. It doesn't always work out exactly that way, but the exercise of sharing some toys is a healthy one.
3. Saying Thanks - I'm so grateful that my parents emphasized the importance of saying a proper thank you to people. Christmas time is one of the easiest times to practice this lesson because most kids have at least another week before they go back to school! I started having my kids "do" their own thank you notes when they were two years old. A simple way is type a short message in a bubble font and let the kids color it. You can also let toddlers or preschoolers color on a blank piece of paper (folded to make a card) and attach of photo of the child opening their gift or playing with the new toy. With older preschoolers, I often let them decorate the front of the card with stickers or pre-cut fun foam shapes, write a short message of thanks inside and let the child sign his or her name. By around age 5 or 6 kids can use those "fill-in-the-blank" cards that you can purchase from many stationery stores. Middle elementary age (and up!) should be able to come up with at least 2 good sentences for a thank you letter. Watch for sales on cute Christmas stationery that often goes on sale with the Christmas cards! Just a word of caution - keep in mind your child's personality and attention span and don't expect them to write too many thank you's in one sitting!
God bless you this new year as you begin some new After Christmas Traditions!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
To view our Video Christmas Card, click here.
To read our annual family newsletter, click here.
Merry Christmas from Craig, Vickie, Josh, Annie, Max & Noah
To read our annual family newsletter, click here.
Merry Christmas from Craig, Vickie, Josh, Annie, Max & Noah
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
I Dish You a Merry Christmas
I Dish You a Merry Christmas, A Recipe for being "MERRY" - a "Season" for the Reason
M - Make the season Meaningful
1. Choose traditions that will add spice to your Christmas season.
2. Too much of a good spice may spoil the batch.
3. Too little spice may make your season bland.
E - Evaluate each ingredient
1. Does the ingredient add flavor or does it overpower the recipe?
2. Does the ingredient add to the consistency of the recipe?
3. Do family members like the taste?
4. Sometimes family members will acquire a taste.
R - Remember to Kneed in the Savior
1. Do you have the main ingredient?
2. The Savior adds flavor
R - Re-write your Recipe
1. Consider what needs to be omitted.
2. Consider who or what needs to be added
3. Enjoy your new recip
Y - Yield: A Very Filling MERRY Christmas!
Notes from Terri Llamas' talk at Covenant MOPS tonight. Terri is a good friend and I LOVE this analogy of the recipe for our family's Christmas. What does Christmas taste like? Do I have too many ingredients, or is my Christmas missing something? What do you want Christmas to "taste" like for your family?
Please share what "spices" you add that bring out the flavor of the main ingredient!
M - Make the season Meaningful
1. Choose traditions that will add spice to your Christmas season.
2. Too much of a good spice may spoil the batch.
3. Too little spice may make your season bland.
E - Evaluate each ingredient
1. Does the ingredient add flavor or does it overpower the recipe?
2. Does the ingredient add to the consistency of the recipe?
3. Do family members like the taste?
4. Sometimes family members will acquire a taste.
R - Remember to Kneed in the Savior
1. Do you have the main ingredient?
2. The Savior adds flavor
R - Re-write your Recipe
1. Consider what needs to be omitted.
2. Consider who or what needs to be added
3. Enjoy your new recip
Y - Yield: A Very Filling MERRY Christmas!
Notes from Terri Llamas' talk at Covenant MOPS tonight. Terri is a good friend and I LOVE this analogy of the recipe for our family's Christmas. What does Christmas taste like? Do I have too many ingredients, or is my Christmas missing something? What do you want Christmas to "taste" like for your family?
Please share what "spices" you add that bring out the flavor of the main ingredient!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Horizontal Humanity/Vertical Vicarious Vindication
Today's text was Luke 18:9-14
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Here are my notes:
I. Preface - Jesus tells a story of 2 men praying; the same action, but each with different motives, different prayers, and different outcomes
II. Pharisee - Considers himself one righteous dude...do I think of myself more highly that I ought? Do I realize how often I sin? Do I consider the sanctity of the sabbath when I plan out my week?
III. Publican - ceremonial unclean and unfit to enter the temple; a snapshot of who Jesus came to save. He saw himself as a sinner in need of a savior. Need to check how we are doing with sin and our view of ourselves? Simply check with Matthew 22:38-39, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
IV. People - "You are more wicked than you ever dared believe, but you are more loved than you ever dared hope." We ARE saved by works - Jesus' works. "When we are looking horizontally, we may never see ourselves in the same boat with other sinners. It is only when we look vertically that we see the utter hopelessness of thinking we are better than others and we realize we are all in the same sinking ship with only one Life-Preserver."
V. Purpose - we must recognize our own sinfulness and accept God's forgiveness of our sins
How simple. How amazing.
Today's sermon by Kevin Nolen, Covenant Presbyterian Church
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Here are my notes:
I. Preface - Jesus tells a story of 2 men praying; the same action, but each with different motives, different prayers, and different outcomes
II. Pharisee - Considers himself one righteous dude...do I think of myself more highly that I ought? Do I realize how often I sin? Do I consider the sanctity of the sabbath when I plan out my week?
III. Publican - ceremonial unclean and unfit to enter the temple; a snapshot of who Jesus came to save. He saw himself as a sinner in need of a savior. Need to check how we are doing with sin and our view of ourselves? Simply check with Matthew 22:38-39, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
IV. People - "You are more wicked than you ever dared believe, but you are more loved than you ever dared hope." We ARE saved by works - Jesus' works. "When we are looking horizontally, we may never see ourselves in the same boat with other sinners. It is only when we look vertically that we see the utter hopelessness of thinking we are better than others and we realize we are all in the same sinking ship with only one Life-Preserver."
V. Purpose - we must recognize our own sinfulness and accept God's forgiveness of our sins
How simple. How amazing.
Today's sermon by Kevin Nolen, Covenant Presbyterian Church
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