Welcome Spring! A Family Activity: Planted in Good Soil

Planted in Good Soil

Items needed: Packet of seeds; Flowerpots or starter pots; Soil

Plant some seeds (that can later be transplanted into your garden or yard) as a way to talk about how the different kinds of soils (hearts) received the seed (the Word).

Some questions to ask:

Does it matter where the seed is planted?

What might happen to the seed if the ground is hard or rocky or filled with thorns?

Why is important for the seed to be planted in good soil?

Jesus said the Word of God is like a seed. Our hearts are the different types of soil. (If you want to refresh your memory about the different soils/hearts, read Mark 4:3-8; 14-20.)

How is the Bible like a seed? (The Bible has everything in it to make you grow into a strong Christian. 1 Peter 2:2)

The Bible is God’s truth and contains all we need to grow to be more like Jesus. It can help us learn how to get to heaven, to be a good friend, to forgive our enemies, and to grow in love and many other good qualities.

What things can keep God’s Word from helping us? (We don’t listen to it; we don’t do what it says; we don’t think about it; we are more concerned about other things; etc.)

Just as we must plant the seed in good soil, we must also pay attention to it. We must water it and give it sunlight. If we neglect the plant for too long, it will wither and die. We must pay attention to God’s Word. We must read it, think about it, do what it says…then it will produce good things in us.

 

Hi Friends!  I'm so excited that Spring has sprung!  I love when the time changes, our days are longer, the temperatures are perfect, the birds are singing, and we are spending time outside.  Here at RHCC, Spring is also a great time of renewal.  As we go through our Lent journey, I like to remind myself that we are constantly planting seeds.  In our kids, in our friends, in our homes.  There are many days where I don't feel adequate, or that I am "good enough" or that I am capable of growing my babies up right.  Then I remember...I am a seed planter.  There are always going to be days that it seems like I don't water my seeds enough, or they don't get enought Sonlight.  But as long as we are planting seeds, and tending to them as much as possible - they will take root and they will grow and flourish.  I pray that you know that too!

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth

 

*Devotional and Family Activity taken from D6 Splink Conversation Starters.

Week Two: Don't Give Up Movies For Lent: "Acts of God"

 

Here are the details for the next film in the pre-Easter Series "Don't Give Up Movies for Lent!"

If you have any questions, please ask!

Theater Details

"Acts of God"

7:15 pm

Fellowship Hall

Rolling Hills Community Church

It's absolutely free; no tickets necessary!

Table-Talk Afterwards

Fellowship Hall

Rolling Hills Community Church

menu: bring the snack foods and drinks you would have

as if you were watching a movie at home (... excepting alcohol!)

To Look at Before You Go

(1) Retired pastor Bob Russell wrote the screenplay, as well as plays the pastor in the movie; hear a great explanation for what he wrote and what you will see:

http://www.actsofgodthemovie.com/gallery/

(2) Pastor Bob has a son who is both an actor and is in law enforcement; meet his son Phil, who plays in "Acts of God":

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1413251/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

RSVP: leadpastor@rhcc4.org

Movie # 1 "The Monuments Men" - Details, Table Talk Info HERE!

Here are the details for the first in the pre-Easter Series "Don't Give Up Movies for Lent!"

 

If you have any questions, please ask!

 

Theater Details

 

"The Monuments Men"

 

Wednesday, March 5

7:40 pm

Cinemark Cedar Park -- 1890 Ranch Shopping Center

 

you can buy your tickets ahead of time online if you want at either:

 

http://www.cinemark.com/theatre-detail.aspx?node_id=1710#3/5/2014

 

 or

 

http://www.fandango.com/themonumentsmen_161603/movietimes?location=78613&date=3%2f5%2f2014

 

 Table-Talk Afterwards

IHOP Restaurant (24 hours!)

800 E Whitestone Blvd, Cedar Park

 

menu at http://www.ihop.com/menus/main-menu

To Look at Before You Go

 

(1) Ephesians 2:10

 

For a look in several English translations, go to

 

http://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Ephesians%202:10

 

 (2) Two historic pieces of Christian art that the movie highlights:

 

"Madonna" (sculpture,1505) by Michelangelo, Bruges Belgium, Church of Our Lady

https://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/belgium/bruges/michelangelo/madonna.html

 

"Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" (a.k.a. "The Ghent Altarpiece") (painting, 1432) Jan and Hubert van Eyck, Ghent, Belgium, St. Bavo Cathedral

https://www.getty.edu/foundation/initiatives/current/panelpaintings/panel_paintings_ghent.html

 

PLEASE RSVP IF YOU ARE GOING

LeadPastor@rhcc4.org

 

--
The Rev. Dr. Gary Olsen
Lead Pastor, Rolling Hills Community Church
see more at www.rhcc4.org

"Don't Give Up Movies for Lent" series 2014‏

Tonight is "Shrove Tuesday", and tomorrow is Ash Wednesday - or, the start of Lent.

Traditionally, the church has spent the weeks leading up to Easter to help people live the Christian life with new inspiration and commitment. They called it "Lent" from the word "lengthen," since it is the time of year that the sunlight of each day noticeably lengthens. This year, there is an unprecedented number of movie releases increasing the Son light coming from the movie projectors; let's go to see and support these movies for Lent!

Join us for a new take on your Lent journey.

All films are playing on Wednesday nights, and the films may all be showing at different places and times ... we will announce details each weekend before! Also, we will always go for a sip and/or a bite afterwards in order to talk about the movie. Just meet us, dutch-treat!

Join Joyce and Pastor Gary for an unprecedented feature-film filled Lent! If you decide to come, email us at LeadPastor@rhcc4.org so we know to look for you!  Also, please check out the BLOG for weekly updates on the movie time/location as well as some scriptural references to check out before the movie!  We are looking forward to experiencing this with you!!

Click on the links below to see the movie previews:

March 5 - "The Monuments Men"

http://www.monumentsmen.com/

March 12 - "Acts of God"

http://www.lifeway.com/n/product-family/acts-of-god

March 19 -"Son of God"

http://www.sonofgodmovie.com/videos-1.html

March 26 -"Veil of Tears"

http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/Veil-of-Tears

April 2 -"God's Not Dead"

http://godsnotdeadthemovie.com/photosvideos

 April 9 -"Noah"

http://www.noahmovie.com/videos

 April 16 -"Heaven Is for Real"

http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/heavenisforreal/

P.S. Again, if you decide to come, email us at LeadPastor@rhcc4.org so we know to look for you! G.O.

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

Guess How Much I Love You?!

So, as I write this blog each week, I like to do a couple of things to get inspiration.  Obviously, I always pray that God gives me the words and direction.  I also like to listen to music, and, my favorite thing: google image search!  A lot of times, I have an idea of what scripture to share, so I do a google image search for that particular search.  I find a lot of inspiration in that!

Right now, I'm pretty wrapped up in Love.  Loving my family, my friends, my neighbors, and loving our God.  An image popped up in a search this week, and it was the cover of one of my favorite children's books:  Guess How Much I Love You.

 

I have loved this book for a long time - so long, in fact, I gave my college boyfriend a copy of it for Valentine's Day one year.  Lucky for me, that boyfriend is now my husband and daddy to our precious boys.  :)  So yes...I love that book.

My kids have both heard it many times, and have a copy in each of their rooms.

If you haven't read the story, it's a daddy rabbit and his baby, and the baby tells him how much he loves him through a serious of wonderful descriptions - each getting bigger and bigger.  Each time, the daddy replies and "one ups" the baby bunny - basically saying, I love you more.

The daddy realizes that the baby is never going to stop, and so as baby bunny falls asleep, he and gives one more fantastic description of how much he loves daddy bunny, the daddy lets him rest.  Then, after the baby is sleeping, says (in other words), I love you more.

My son, Hudson, and I play this game regularly and have been for years.  He fills my heart so full, I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it.  The love that I have for him and so huge - and to have that reciprocated is just awesome. 

I started thinking about it this week - and the story of the daddy bunny and his baby, is such a great reflection of our relationship with God.  We can love Him, and love Him, but He will always love us more.  Even when we're feeling sad and lonely, we must always hold that in our heart - that we have an eternal Daddy who is always loving us more.

 

Happy Wednesday, friends.  Go out and love each other.

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth

February: It's All About Love

Don't you love God's perfect timing?  As we have been working our way through the Externally Focused Life series, this past Sunday, February 2nd, we focused on the theme: It's About Love.

In Sunday School, we chatted about The Good Samaritan, and continued to explore ways to help our neighbor - even those that we may not be friends with.  (More on The Good Samaritan later this week!)

The Memory Verse for the week was Luke 10:27 (Look it up!) - the Roots Troop kids are totally familiar with this verse, as it's one that I teach and talk about almost every single week.  I shared my favorite verse of all time - the one that I write on cards, sign letters with, and share with anyone who ever asks:  John 15:17.  I love it because it's so simple - but completely emcompasses the charge that Jesus has given to each of us: to love one another.

Our Heavenly Father showed us the greatest love - one that we cannot even begin to fathom: He sent is ONLY son to us...only to have him die, so that WE can be saved and have eternal life.  Even though we do not deserve it.  We deserve punishment when we break God's rules - Jesus did nothing wrong.  He showed love and compassion to everyone; He did not judge or condemn anyone.  Yet He took our punishment for us.  Wow.

At our house, we're going to focus not only on showing love to each other, and to others, but also on showing our love to God.  Not just through our actions and words EXTERNALLY, but also within our prayers and our conversations with kid. 

Pray a prayer of ADORATION to God.

I know that I give thanks in my prayers regularly, and I ask God for things all of the time - for patience, for wisdom and courage, to make me a better wife, mother, friend, and daughter.  This week - I want to focus on praising Him and really spending time adoring my Heavenly Father.  He is so awesome - and He has given us so much.  Help your kids, teens, spouse, and friends to do the same. 

Not sure what to say or where to start?  Pray the lyrics of an adoration song.  A great example is from our Kids Choir Musical - it's called "I Love You, Lord".

I love you Lord
and I lift my voice
To worship you
Oh my soul rejoice

Take joy my king
in what you hear
May it be a sweet sweet sound
in your ear 

 

Amen.

What is your favorite praise and worship song?  Tell me about in the comments, or on our facebook page - I'd love to share it on the blog!