Category Archives: Family

Project 365, Sarah

A Blessing of My Own

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Three weeks ago, we had a special skit for the Sparks and Truth & Training kids at AWANA. Each year as Christmas approaches, I try to have a skit that specifically highlights the gospel in a way that the kids can understand. I’m not very good at it, but I always have some kind of ‘altar call’ in which the kids have an opportunity to choose to accept God’s gift of Salvation in a public way.

This year we re-used a skit we had performed before, called The Gift. Our mighty and elite Drama & Serve Team performed it; they did a great job, as usual (especially considering that I made them do it without scripts). Afterward, I explained the skit, and asked the audience of some 80 Sparks and T&T kids if any of them wanted to accept the Gift of God, and if so, to come forward.

Who wouldn't want a gift like this one?

Who wouldn’t want a gift like this one? Especially if they knew who was inside?

Fifteen kids came forward. I explained to them how to accept God’s gift (Admit, Repent, Believe, Tell), and walked them through a simple prayer. It was chaotic, and I was un-prepared for such a large group of kids. I had planned (as is my usual practice) to give them each a Bible, but Kathy suggested we do something different, especially since so many of them were Sparks (Kindergarten through 2nd Grade). She had been told by several of their parents that they were getting Bibles for Christmas, so I promised the kids I would have something else for them, when next we met.

Today was the first AWANA meeting since Christmas. I bought some dog tags from Christian Book Distributors so the kids who had become Christians could wear them and be reminded that they are now children of the King. And Kathy found a cool blessing on Etsy, wherein the text of Numbers 6:24-26 was modified to include the name of each child. We spent a few hours constructing our own version in Publisher, and framed them for the kids. My hope is that they will display the blessings in their room, and remember that they belong to a God who loves them, whenever they see it.

This is the 'girl' version of the blessing we made.

This is the ‘girl’ version of the blessing we made, modeled by Sarah.

Serving in our AWANA program is a huge privilege. Even though I know that some kids don’t really understand the choice they are making, and others have already made the choice, but wanted an opportunity to make it more publicly — still, I rejoice to know that some fifteen hearts have said ‘Yes’ to God’s gift of Salvation.

A somewhat clearer version of the blessing for Sarah.

A somewhat clearer version of the blessing for Sarah.

As Jesus said:

“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Project 365, Day 7
Tim

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Being a Disciple of Jesus, Bible Study, Kathy, Project 365

Bible Journaling

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On shelves and baskets in our home are journals and notebooks of all sizes. I have poured out my heart to the Lord on those pages. I have written down silly thoughts, shared my sorrows, and recorded both struggles and victories. I have chronicled the days, interceded for loved ones, taken notes from God’s Word, and filled pages with pieces of ME.

Current basket on the shelf in the living room.

Prayer journals, Union U devotional, the Psalms in verse, and more.

In my search for an intentional, meaningful, GROWING 2015, I have been drawn to the idea of journaling my Bible or journaling through my Bible study. Several days a week the younger two children and I sit down with our Thankful Journals and write down 10 things for which we are thankful. Our voices lifted to the ONE through whom all blessings flow, we go around and share our praises.

Bible, journal and pens. Potential for new learning.

Bible, journal and pens. Potential for new learning.

I am NOT artistic or creative or crafty. When I put a pencil to paper, ready to illustrate an image or thought, the picture slips away before it reaches the page. At best it resembles something a preschooler would scribble. Embellishments, swirls, elaborate or simple fonts, they elude me. The distance between the picture in my head and the paper beneath my fingers is so vast it’s almost comical.

Yesterday I was writing out a memory verse. “I’ll illustrate it to help remember the phrases,” I thought. But the ear I drew (for ‘heard’) and feet (for ‘walking’) looked more like pieces of a bizarre puzzle than parts of a body. I realized, once again, that drawing would NOT be a helpful tool for me in this endeavor.

A collection of prayers, thoughts, and daily remembrances.

A shelf of journals – random collection of prayers, thoughts, and daily remembrances.

And yet, I find myself drawn to a fresh stack of marking pens (ones that won’t bleed through the sheer pages of my Bible) and a package of colored pencils. I search Pinterest for Bible Journaling ideas. I smile at this amazing woman’s journal and study the posts of another blogger’s foray into artistic Bible journaling. I even discovered an incredible FB group for Bible Journaling.

Through it all, I realize Jesus cares about my FAITH. He cares about my OBEDIENCE. He doesn’t care if I can draw or give life to the pictures in my head. He wants me to dive into His Word. To study it, love it, memorize it, enjoy it, be convicted by it, treasure it, LIVE IT!

A heart that seeks HIM - in b&w and color.

A heart that seeks HIM – in b&w and color.

And so here we are, in a fresh year; with the chance to begin again. To try new things. To return to old, faithful treasured habits. To revive an apathetic and lazy heart. In the newness of 2015, I have decided to SOAK up the Word of God. Using my ESV study Bible, an enormous blank journal, mugs full of marking pencils and pens, and following my ESV read through the Bible plan, I will:

Study SCRIPTURE - OBSERVE the Word – APPLY truth – and KNEEL in prayer.

My journal will have color and life, it will be pretty and joyful, it will be fresh and REAL. It will be messy and full of brokenness, transparency and truth. It will be a humble offering to the ONE who creates beauty in all things.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Ps 19:14

Project 365 – Day 6
Kathy

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David, Joshua, Project 365

Return of the Josh

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We have a tradition in our home. Well, we have lots of traditions, truth be told.

Sometimes books are made into movies. Usually, no one really cares, except maybe the author. But every now and then, Hollywood decides to make a good book into a movie, and they incur the wrath of many who loved that book.

We had to evict a cat so Joshua could have the comfy reading chair.

We had to evict a cat so Joshua could have the comfy reading chair.

My oldest son has come to really love the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and he insists that no one should be allowed to watch any of Peter Jackson’s movies until they have actually read the book(s) covered by the movie. Of course, recently, that hasn’t been very difficult, since it took Jackson 3 movies to cover a single novel that was originally written for children. Maybe if he wasn’t so busy adding extra characters, he could have done it in two movies, but (based on box office returns) perhaps he is happy with his decision to go for three.

This year it is David’s turn. At 13, he is really wanting to watch the final Lord of the Rings movie, based on The Return of the King, which he has not yet read. So Joshua decided to read it aloud to him, sprinkling chapters throughout our recently-ended Christmas break. As we begin the new year, we are down to our last four chapters in Tolkien’s conclusion to the saga.

David plays games on his Kindle Fire while listening. I think there should be a quiz, to make sure he is listening.

David plays games on his Kindle Fire while listening. I think there should be a quiz, to make sure he is listening.

Soon we will be able to watch the final Lord of the Rings movie with wild abandon, except that Sarah will have to be sent away. (Not that she minds — she doesn’t like Orcs or Nazgul very much.)

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Daniel, Project 365

Choosing a Path

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Over the past few days, I’ve been working on a PowerPoint presentation for my middle son, Daniel. Some people actually talk to their children, but I prefer PowerPoint.

OK, not really. But sometimes, it is better to put things down in writing, and some concepts are easier to explain with cartoon clip-art characters.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Daniel’s future. As he finishes his Senior year in High School, the opportunities multiply, and may seem overwhelming. On the flip side, some young adults can get locked into a single vision for the future, and I worry that Daniel may feel he has no other options.

When I was a young man, I wanted to get out on my own so badly, I grabbed at the first opportunity as my ticket to freedom, not really thinking about what would be required of me. As it turns out, when you accept a 4-year ROTC scholarship and use it to attend college, they want you to actually go to class from time to time.

Later, when I lost the scholarship and found my life in ruins, I regretted having put so little effort into choosing my path more carefully. It took several years and a considerable amount of pain to get my life back on the rails.

So I put together a 20-slide deck to cast a vision to Dan of his future. We went out to dinner at Red Robin and talked about it.

We forgot to take a picture at Red Robin, so we staged this picture back at home.

We forgot to take a picture at Red Robin, so we staged this picture back at home.

In many ways, a young man who graduates from high school is in a very enviable position. He usually has no bills, no commitments, no dependents, no obligations. He is probably more free to choose than he will ever be again.

It is exciting to think of what path Daniel will choose, and of what God will do in his life.

Project 365 – Day 3
Tim

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Project 365, Rachel

Christmas Good-byes

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Hellos are some of my very favorite things – HELLO, Summer! HELLO, Spring Break! HELLO, Mamie! HELLO, Beloved College Kids!!

Sweet family picture at the airport curb.

Sweet family picture at the airport curb.

Good-byes, I guess, have their place as well. I don’t mind saying good-bye to winter or a long school year or extra pounds.

Driving to the airport, however, and dropping off beloved family members is NOT my favorite thing. Last week we said good-bye to Mamie (my mom) and she flew home to Michigan. Today we drove Rachel to the airport to return to TN for the January term at Union University. Sigh.

How many people does it take to drop off one college student?

How many people does it take to drop off one college student?

We loved having Rachel home with us this Christmas break. Such a sweet time of relaxing, celebrating, shopping, playing cards and games, baking Christmas cookies, watching movies, visiting friends, and so on. As always, we will long for her return in the spring and another HELLO.

Project 365 – Day 2
Kathy

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