say thanks
We set aside one day a year to remember to say “thank you.” What about the other 364 days? These are 2 hard words to keep in the front of our vocabulary and often get left out. Check out this article.
Entries Tagged as 'Educational'
A big job
We have jobs and responsibilities everyday. Some jobs are harder than others; some jobs take more time to plan. We must remember to rely on God for guidance in planning and working on our jobs and responsibilities.
In Jeremiah 29, beginning in verse 11 (the Message translation), God reminds us: “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for…when you come looking for me, you’ll find me.”
Why hurry?
Why are we always in a hurry? Why don’t we ever give ourselves enough time to go somewhere or do something?
The commercial side of life is fast-paced, always trying to do things faster. The Comcast Cable commercial is funny but true in today’s fast-paced lifestyle, showing everything moving faster and faster but the Slowsky’s (the turtle family) want to slow down.
Fast is good at times but when we’re always in a rush, we sometimes miss something. This Holiday Christmas season let’s slow down: enjoy God, enjoy life, enjoy ourselves, enjoy our family and friends.
boys or girls
Throughout my several years of teaching elementary students, early childhood students, and doing children’s-family ministry, I haven’t encountered any children who acted like or wanted to be the opposite gender than the one in which they were created. However, after reading 2 recent articles (this article and this article) on transgender children, it makes me think about what we are facing in 21st Century children’s ministry.
This isn’t a time of children’s ministry as in the 1980’s or even in the 1990’s. We cannot plan and develop small group classes like we used to. We must form groups to meet the needs of all children in attendance. Maybe segregated classes don’t meet children’s needs; maybe we should form co-ed classes with the occasional boys’ group and girls’ group. Of course, small group formation all depends on who is in attendance and the needs of the group and the needs of community. One region of the country may be dealing with different circumstances and needs than other regions.
We must do our research. Get out of the office. Talk to and meet people. Find out what they are dealing with and guide our churches and ministries to develop a plan to help.
A help resource for tween girls
Issues that once faced teen girls are now, and have been for many years, facing tween-age girls, and some girls even younger than that. It’s amazing how girls are pushed, forced, and encouraged to “grow up” and act older than their age. A multitude of factors contribute to this push: friends, family, media. Emotionally some girls are ready; some are not.
Here is an article about an author who writes fiction and non-fiction books for tween girls. Amazing story.
Top reasons to vote
1. We are electing a new president.
2. Your vote does count.
3. You may reside in a swing state where it is crucial to make your vote count.
4. You need to elect your representatives to Congress.
5. Local elections are just as crucial as presidential elections.
6. You need to voice your vote on amendments.
7. Life is a democracy. A democratic government requires citizen participation and this is chiefly done through the ballot box.
So, go VOTE. It’s your right and responsibility.
Eat, Pray, Love
I ran across a newspaper article on the author of Eat, Pray, Love. I was intrigued by the title of this book and had to see what the article was about since I haven’t read the book. Amazon describes the book as “One woman’s search for everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia.” That wasn’t what I was expecting to be the content of the book, but it inspired me to think of how we, as Christ-followers, should follow the words of the title.
But maybe we don’t even need to use all 3 words, or in that order. I suggest maybe we use Pray, Love, Eat. If we start with prayer for others, add in love for them, then share a meal with them, then we can build a relationship possibly lasting a lifetime. Just as Jesus did.
Or maybe we just use the words Pray, Like, Eat. If we start with prayer for others and then share a meal or maybe only coffee with them, then the Like may turn to Love as it grows and blossoms later, as the relationship builds.
Walk to School
I guess it depends a lot on where you live and where you have to walk, but this Walk to School Day could be a good idea for physical activity and avoiding the overcrowding of vehicles in front of schools. Safety would definitely need to be of utmost importance.
What if we tried that with Walk to Church Day? Many of us would probably choose churches closer to home and within our neighborhoods. This concept may get us out of the house and out of the car and out to meet new friends.
Everything goes Green
With an Earth-friendly emphasis, why not have an Earth-friendly Green Bible?
It’s what’s inside
I love the motto for Lanier office products. Everything we do and say on the outside comes from what’s inside. It’s what’s inside that makes us who we are on the outside. This concept is applied to many aspects of life: personal, business, church.
Jesus looked at our hearts. What’s inside our hearts mattered the most to Him. What’s inside our hearts comes out for everyone to see and hear and experience.
May the love of Jesus be in our hearts and shine brightly outside for all to experience.