Once again it is December and Christmas is almost here. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is always my favorite time of year. It isn’t Christmas day that I love, so much as the time of preparation before Christmas day. It is the baking and decorating. The shopping and Christmas carols that play over the radio and in the malls. There is a feeling of anticipation and expectation that is felt in the month or so before Christmas that is unlike any other time of year.
Just for Kids
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and as the weather in the states grows cooler, your family might be making plans to go visit grandparents or relatives. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because not only do I get to eat as much pie as I want, it also provides an opportunity for me to thank God for all the blessings that he has given me. Surrounded by family, friends and great food, it is hard not to be thankful for God's blessings in our lives.
Just for Kids
One day, when Jesus was with his disciples some people came to ask him if he was the one everyone had been waiting for, or if someone else was coming later. Rather than saying, “yes, I am” or “no, I'm not,” Jesus said, “The blind see, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Matthew 11:5) Why do you think he answered the way he did? Do you think he answered their question?
Just for Kids: Library
When was the last time you visited the library? It could be the public library or the library at school. When I lived in Memphis I used to go to the Library almost every week. I would take the children I babysat for story time, and they would walk up and down the aisles and aisles of books, randomly pulling picture books off the shelf, while I sorted out which ones we would check out and which ones we would leave on the cart to be re shelved.Think about the last book you checked out. Was it a novel or a picture book? Maybe you checked out a book because you had to write a report for school. Did you enjoy it? Was it useful?
Just for Kids
When I was a girl, my family would pack up our red Toyota truck, and drive across the country to go camping for weeks at a time. It was always a lot of fun for my sisters and I as children, because we got to run and play outside, explore new places, and just be kids.At the end of the two or three weeks, though, we were ready to be sleeping in our own beds, watching TV, and having a refrigerator full of food ready to be eaten. Now imagine if you had to spend your whole life on one long camping trip? The children of Israel did just that for forty years.
Just for Kids: Emperor's New Groove
I'm sure many of you have seen The Emperor's New Groove. In the movie, Kuzco is the emperor of the Incas and decides to use his power to take away the home of a poor man who takes care of llamas, so that he can have two homes. If you have seen the movie, what do you think Kuzco learns about friendship, family, and the value of others?
Just for Kids
When I was a child, I remember sitting in church with my parents. Unlike some children, I was not allowed to have a coloring book or activity to occupy my time, and there was one very big rule: Be Quiet. Unfortunately, I was not naturally a quiet child. I think you all know what happens when a child doesn’t obey, so I think you can all guess what happened when I wasn’t quiet. That’s right, I was punished. So this month, this article is for all the children out there who wiggle, and whis- per, and can’t seem to sit still even though you know what will happen if you disobey.
Just for Kids
Just for Kids
Sometimes it is hard to follow Jesus. Your mom may ask you to clean your room, and you choose not to obey, or you are unkind to another kid at school. Whenever we decide to do what we want to do, instead of what we know we should do, we don't follow where Jesus leads us. There are also times when we disobey, because we care more about doing what we want, than the consequences we will face later. We have been learning about how Jesus is our shepherd, and we are his sheep.