Let's talk about Evangelism.

This week, in addition to talking about love, we also touched on Evangelism.  What a cool connection we were able to make between our two curriculums: The Good Samaritan story, being a good neighbor, showing God's love through our actions, and being Evangelists!

A To Do:

Create a LOVE calendar.

An awesome way to do all of the things listed above, is to evangelize through your actions.  There is no better way to share the good news of Jesus, than through acts of service or kindness.

This weekend, create a LOVE calendar for yourself or your family.  Print off a blank calendar, or use a wall calendar or planner that you already have.  Each day, write down the name of someone to whom you can show love.  Whether you give this person something, help this person, or just make someone smile, write it down.  At the end of this month, take a look at how many neighbors you've met and shown love to!  Remember: a neighbor is anyone we can come into contact with.  The Story of the Good Samaritan reminds us of this.

I'd love to see your LOVE Calendars!  Send me an email or post a picture to our facebook page with your in progress LOVE calendars - let's go out and share love!

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth

Austin Icepocolypse 2014 - Did you survive??!!!

It's still soo cold outside, I hope you're staying warm!

In the spirit of winter and family fun time, I've got a winter themed verse/devotional, plus another fun craft to share.  :)

The Verse I want to share with you is Psalm 51:7 "

Psalm 51:7

New International Version (NIV)

⁷ ...wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

 

"When God forgives my sin, he makes my life as clean as the snow. When God looks at me, through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, He sees a soul as pure as the snow on the ground outside my front door.

When you have a snow day, take advantage of the moment to memorize Psalm 51:7 with your kids and to talk about what it means to be washed “whiter than snow.”

• Look at pictures of snowy banks and fields. Talk about how a sinless life looks like an untouched field of snow.

 

• Now look at pictures of played in, dirty snow, and, take another look at the snow. It will be churned up and dirty in places. Talk about how when we sin, our life looks like the churned up snow. Ask your kids what happens when new snow falls. The yard will look beautiful again. Jesus’ death on the cross allows God to see our lives as if they were that untouched, sinless field of snow. He forgives our sins and wipes away the dirt and holes left in our lives by that sin.

• Create a snowman with your kids. As you do, talk about how Jesus’ sacrifice cleared away our sin and made us whiter than snow. God then uses those lives to build something new, just like you’re building a snowman.

• Have a snowball fight. When you’re done and everyone is covered in snow, talk with your kids about how Jesus’ sacrifice covers us and makes us look like we’re whiter than snow (without sin) to God.
• If you live somewhere where it doesn’t snow, buy some of the fake snow, and demonstrate the same lesson with your kids.

As you enjoy your next snow day, remember to look at the time with your kids as a gift. Take advantage of the opportunity to spend some unexpected time together and use the opportunity to provide an object lesson about how God makes us “whiter than snow.”"

Devotional courtesy of Everyday Truth.

Still feeling like having some COLD fun?!  Check out this neat craft and make a BASE CAMP ICE LANTERN!  Full instructions found at D6 Kids!

Happy Wednesday, Friends!  I pray that you are having a blessed week, and that you are staying WARM. Thank you, thank you, Lord - that we may be washed and make new again.  Amen.
Many Smiles,
Elisabeth

Serve It Up

 

For your Family Time this week, choose an act of service that you can do together - then do it! 

 

 

Be sure to comment and let us know how your family chose to serve this week.  We can be the hands and feet of Jesus through our love, kindness and service to others.  I can't wait to hear the stories of how you all have blessed others!

 

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth

 

Family Fun!

So here's a fun activity for this weekend:

Make a toy water-balloon yo-yo!  Make several of these and deliver them to kids in your neighborhood.

Image & additional directions from: http://www.kiwicrate.com/projects/Water-Balloon-Yo-yo/2112

 You will need:
small balloons
puffy paint or markers
large rubber bands
water

First, decorate the balloons.  Then, cut the rubber bands in half.  Fill the balloons half full with water.  Parents and older kids can blow up the balloons to the size of a small ball.  Tie the balloons shut.  Tie one end of each rubber band around the knot of the balloon.  Tie a loop on the other end of the rubber band.  Place the loop around your finger and gently throw the balloon and watch it come back to you!

Have fun!!

And...coming up this Sunday in Roots Troop...we will learn that "it's about Jesus."  Jesus set an example for us.  Read how Jesus helped (Luke 7:36-50), healed (Matthew 15:30, 31), fed those who were hungry (John 6:1-14), served (John 13:1-17), and was a friend to others (John 15:12-17).

I can't wait to see all of you on Sunday morning!  

Have an AWESOME weekend with your family and friends!

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth

Activity and scripture suggestions taken from The Externally Focused Life.  Copyright 2009.  

LifeBridge Christian Church.  All rights reserved.

Family Night Activity: God made us and knows us.

Spend time together.
In this week's lesson, we focused on the fact that God made us and knows us.  He made each person special and God's picture, His puzzle, isn't complete without each of our pieces.  Dig out a puzzle from your closet, or buy or borrow a new one, and spend time putting the puzzle together.  As you work, talk about what makes your family special and how your family wouldn't be complete without each family member.

We love puzzles ~ My mom, aunt & son at Thanksgiving!

 

A puzzling way to reinforce scripture.
Another fun way to spend time together, continue on the path of our puzzle activity, AND reinforce our memory verse, is to create your own puzzle.  Find a piece of cardboard, or cardstock.  Write the memory verse and decorate the picture.  Then, have someone cut it all apart in different shapes.  (Make sure the pieces are large enough to handle, but small enough to create a challenge!)  If you'd like, you can even download a puzzle template, just print it out, decorate, then laminate before you cut!  It will last even longer. Once it's all cut up, put it back together again.  You could even repeat this each week and have a set of puzzles to help you remember key verses!

If you participate in any of our activity suggestions - let me know!  

Leave a comment, or post on our Facebook page.  

Or - just tell me how it all goes!

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth

Portions of this blog post were taken from The Externally Focused Life.  Copyright 2009.  
LifeBridge Christian Church.  All rights reserved.

Celebrate New Year's Eve - Make Family Memories

A New Year

 

Happy (almost) New Year!  Holidays give us a great opportunity to have family moments together - where we can create traditions and build memories to last a lifetime.  This week, in Sunday School, we talked about ways that some people celebrate New Year's.  We even discussed the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah), and ways that they celebrate!  (Side Note: we taught the kids the Hebrew phrase "L'shanah tovah" which translates to "for a good year" - so don't be surprised to hear them speaking Hebrew!)

 In my family, we stay home, invite friends over, and have a "Pancakes & Pajamas" party!  Everyone wears their PJ's, we eat pancakes, bacon, cinnamon rolls and drink OJ and coffee!  We play games, do activities, watch the ball drop on TV, and have a relaxing and fun evening together.  

Items Needed: party horns, blowers, special foods, etc. to celebrate the new year’s arrival; Board game or other family activity.

Idea #1: Play a favorite board game to see who will be the reigning champion for the year. Record the name of the champ on the lid of the box. (Repeat every New Year’s Eve to see who gets to claim bragging rights all year.)

Idea #2: Have each family member and party guest fill out a New Year's "interview" of sorts.  List high's and low's of 2013, and list what you're looking forward to in 2014.  Write down the kids' favorites: food, color, movie, song, etc.  Save the interviews in a special folder, binder or box.  Get them out each year and reflect on the past years accomplishments and stats!

Since we are beginning a new year, invite each family member (including mom and dad) to share something they would like to stop doing OR something they would like to start doing better.

Pray and ask God to help each one (it is only with His help that we could ever hope to live godly).

Happy 2014!  

I pray that you and your families have a super awesome, 

joyful, fun, successful, full-of-laughter and faith filled year!

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth