Bible Resources

I have had several parents ask me lately what Bible to get to read with their children. And I wish that I could say that you could just get any children's Bible to use. But, from what I have found, not all of them are biblically accurate.

So, here is a list of some that I feel would do a wonderful job teaching your children about Jesus and giving them a better look at the story of God.

The Beginner's Bible

We use this one at our house. The stories are great, the characters are fun to follow. And the story is accurate!

The Jesus Storybook Bible

I have not used this one, but have heard wonderful recommendations for it.

You can learn more about this book at: www.jesusstorybookbible.com

The ABC Bible Verse Book

Learn God's Word and the alphabet, too! This fun book presents a Bible verse for each letter of the alphabet with delightful illustrations that encourage children in their faith and learning! Recommended for ages 6 and under

Five Minute Devotions

(I know this isn't a Bible, but it is worth sharing)

Our boys love this wonderful book. Each devotion focuses on a different animal. From each of these animals your children will learn characteristics and attributes that God desires for us to have. Filled with animal facts and Bible verses, this devotional is great!

WHAT DO YOU USE AT YOUR HOUSE? Let me know!

Parenting Beyond Your Capacity Part 2

Into the second week of PBYC.

This weeks talk was about the Stock Family Syndrome. And that God isn't holding up a perfect picture; He's writing a bigger story.

The chapter starts by asking the question, Is your family the picture you had in mind?

This chapter thens describes that we have tried for so long to set our family up against the picture of the stock family. Picture Perfect. There doesn't seem to be any flaws in the stock family. They seem perfect. And we begin to measure our success, our parenting, our marriage, our everything against this stock family.

The problem is that there is not a family that can measure up against that family. Every family is broken. Every family has problems. And so when we measure up against that, we are then discouraged because we can never be that.

We even try to look to the Bible to try to find that Picture Perfect family, but as you turn pages, and look through books, you will fail to find it. The Bible is riddled with families who are far from perfect and are broken.

"God is not trying to paint a picture of an ideal family....He's writing a story." (page 43)

"It seems like God is more interested in using broken people than He is in creating a better picture...it's as if God is saying, I'm going to use churches and families both composed of broken people, as platforms to demonstrate to the world that I am a God of restoration and redemption." (page 44)

The book challenges us to not focus on our picture, but on the bigger story God desires to illustrate through you.

When we become preoccupied with the Stock family, it is easy to fall into a trap where....

- you feel like you never measure up.

- you lose credibility with other parents who recognize the difference in what you are and what you claim to be.

- you discourage other parents with a standard they can never achieve. (page 46)

The book gives us two different approaches to family.

BETTER PICTURE APPROACH: we try to conform every family to our picture of what family should be.

BIGGER STORY APPROACH: we learn to see every family as a potential platform for God to demonstrate His story of redemption and restoration.

God is more interested in using YOU as a broken person, than YOU trying to be picture perfect. God is more interested in using YOU and all of your pieces to tell His story, than He is with you trying to tell your own story through your perfection.

God has be using families for centuries and throughout history to put His glory on display.

Questions for your to ponder on:

You might not feel like your family is ideal, but what does God feel about the imperfections of your family?

Based on the way God feels about your family, how will that impact the way you view and lead your family?

How might the way you see your family change if you started to have the perspective of God's bigger story, redeeming and restoring your family for His purpose?

Keep the conversation going...what do you think about this?

The Joys of Christmas

Celebrating the True Meaning of Christmas!

The Christmas season has become very commercial; from the gifts to the trees, from Santa to the elves. Christmas has lost its meaning in many households throughout the country. In an attempt to bring the true meaning of Christmas back into our families and our lives, I have put together some simple ways that will allow you to celebrate Christmas by sharing and serving the community and spending time with your family. These easy activities will let our children understand that Christmas is not about the presents and the tree, but rather about Jesus Christ and giving to others. Each day of December there will be a different activity for you and your family to participate in. With some help, I think that we can bring true joy back into Christmas and let our families and the community see what Christmas is all about.

December 1: Read the Christmas story to your children, as a family, before you go to sleep tonight! It’s always fun to read the Bible together as a family! Teach them the reason we celebrate Christmas! (Luke 2.1-20)

December 2: Come up with a NEW Christmas tradition for your family to celebrate that involves serving others.

December 3: Make a homemade Christmas card and mail it to a random person in the phone book!

December 4: Make a gingerbread house together as a family. (You could do gingerbread men or graham cracker houses or buy a pre-made kit if you don’t want to make it from scratch!)

December 5: Memorize a Bible verse together as a family. (John 3.16 is our verse this month or you can come up with your own!)

December 6: Make Christmas ornaments out of things around the house. Be creative and take one to a neighbor and hang one on your tree!

December 7: After dinner, sing some Christmas songs together as a family. Parents, teach your preschooler a new song they do not know! Preschoolers LOVE to sing!

December 8: Help clean your brother or sister’s room without complaining!

December 9: Talk about the true meaning of Christmas at dinner as a family. Ask your children what Christmas means to them!

December 10: Have your children make Christmas cards for the fire station and take your children with you to deliver them!

December 11: Take some homemade cookies to a nursing home. (email Cass if you want to take them to a church member and he can get the name of someone for you!)

December 12: Bring a gently used book or toy to church to donate to a needy family! (Parents – encourage your child to choose one of their toys to give!)

December 13: Help your mom or dad empty the trash and clean the house.

December 14: Make homemade hot chocolate mix together as a family and deliver it to neighbors! (recipe included at end of list)

December 15: Go outside and look at the stars. Read Matthew 1:18-2:2 and talk about the star the wise men followed to come and see Jesus!

December 16: Help clean up after dinner by helping with the dishes.

December 17: Wear your pajamas, grab a snack, and drive around to look at Christmas lights as a family. Talk to your children about how Jesus is the Light of the World!

December 18: Snuggle with your family in your parents bed and talk about things that you love about your family. Sing a Christmas song, or two, while you snuggle!

December 19: Talk about five things, with your family, that you are thankful for.

December 20: Make a special Christmas snack and look at a Nativity set and talk about the roles of each of the characters. (ie. Shepherds, Wise Men, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the angel, etc…) as a family.

December 21: Show your Mommy and Daddy how much you love them through your actions today!

December 22: Watch a Christmas movie together before going to sleep!

December 23: Decide on a way your family can serve someone in need next month and come up with a plan on how you will make it happen! Make it fun for your children and let them help decide what your family service project will be!

December 24: Have a birthday party for Jesus with your family! Make a cake with a cake mix, decorate it, place candles on top and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus!

December 25: Take a moment from this day and take cookies, card, gifts, etc., to someone who has to work on Christmas day. (i.e. Policeman, Nurse, Waiter, Grocery store worker, etc.)

Coats For Kids

We teach our preschoolers that God made us, God loves us, and God will take care of us. One of the ways He takes care of us is by giving us people to care for us, people to help us. He can also use us to help others. That’s a hard concept for preschoolers, but we want them to begin to grasp it. We want them to learn that we can help others just like God helps us. We want to make a connection between how much God loves and helps us and how He wants us to help others.

Now, the danger in having young children participate in a giving initiative is that if we are not careful, parents will go and buy what is needed and just drop it off. The preschool child never really experiences the process of giving. So, we came up with an idea that we think will help make this connection personal.

We decided to focus on a physical need to which all young children can relate. You see, every child has been cold. And, most children have had the experience of putting on a nice, warm coat and getting toasty warm again. We thought that this would be an easy connection for young children and that they could feel empathy for another child who might not have a coat to keep them warm.

SO, during the month of November, we will be collecting New or Gently Used Coats for Kids. There will be orange tubs around the church where you can place your coats and help teach your preschooler how they can take care of someone, just as God has taken care of them.

Also, during the worship services, on November 21st, parents will have a chance to bring their coats to the front of the church. We will then display all the coats at the Thanksgiving Meal that Sunday night.

Bring your coats and we look forward to sharing the caring love of God with the community!!!

I wanted to make you aware of the curriculum that we are using in the Treetop Ministries! It is called First Look! FL centers around giving preschoolers their First Look at their heavenly Father. There are three Basic Truths that the each child should know by the time that they leave the Treetop Ministries, and those are:

- God Loves Me

- God Made Me, and

- Jesus wants to be my friend forever!

Each month a Basic Truth is looked at and gives the direction for what is being taught that month! Each month also includes a Bottom Line (i.e. Jesus Loves Everyone (March's BL)), and a memory verse!

This curriculum really reaches to touch all of your child's senses and give them their First Look at Jesus!!!

BUT, we cannot do this alone! There are 8736 hours in each year! If you were to take the 104 hours (that's 2 hours a week) that you might be at church, and 2920 hours of sleep (average 8 a night), then you are left with just over 5700 hours that are yours.

What are you doing with those hours? Each month, the First Look curriculum, gives you what you need to re-emphasize what your child is learning at church! Each month you are given a take home sheet that gives you ideas on how to take what they are learning here, home!!

(many of you probably take that sheet and put it right in the trash!!!)

Through BathTime, PlayTime, DriveTime, and CuddleTime, you can spend the day teaching your child exactly what they are learning in the Treetop! Please take this sheet and put it somewhere that will remind you to live out Deuteronomy 6!

This is a huge partnership that everyone will benefit from! The church only has about 104 hours to make an impact on your child...you have over 5700 hours!

We want to partner with you to help give you the tools to make a spiritual impact on your child! These take home sheets are just a small way where you can help teach your child that God Loves Me, God Made Me, and Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Parent and Child Dedication

The next Parent and Child Dedication is going to be on Sunday, May 9th, during the 11:05 worship service.

This is a very special time for you as a parent, but also for the church! As parents, you will have the opportunity to dedicate your child to the Lord and also make the commitment to raising your child in a godly home, bringing them to church regularly, upholding God's Word as a pattern for your life, and releasing that child to God, so that one day that child will come to know Christ personally.

The church is also being asked to commit their time, resources, and prayer to help create an all-inclusive community of loving people where you, as a parent, can raise your child!

This is a BIG deal, and we want you to be a part of it!

If you are interested in taking part in this next dedication, please contact Cass Brannan, Minister to Preschool.