Oh, Baby!

Baby Massage class was so relaxing last night. The room smelled so good of the oil, we warmed it up with space heaters and the sounds of lullabies and cooing babies was almost dreamlike. The coolesst thing of all was to see the babies have such strong eye contact with their moms and grandmas. They knew it was special,too. What a great bonding time! Thanks to Jenny for leading it - great job!

Clown's Nose, Handsoap,Wooden Doll, Bee and Prayer

Here are a few more thoughts on how prayer is like an object from family night. Aren't these creative?
Clown's Nose: A clown's nose is missing a section an sometimes our prayers a missing something. Sometimes we forget to say thankyou or express how we have sinned. Handsoap: reminds us of prayer because it washes away our sins when we ask for forgiveness and it's like a sweet incense.
Wooden doll within a doll, within a doll: prayer and doll come in many shapes and sizes, it has different souls, because we pray for little babies.
Bee:As we ask for prayers it is passed from one person to the next, just like bees polinate a flower - one to another.Bees wok together to get more done, when more than one prays we get more accomplished in fellowship and prayer.

Basketball, Seashell, Turtle and Prayer?

Here are some more ideas shared at our last Family Night. How are these objects like prayer? Read what these tables thought and guess which object they go with. This can be a family activity!

1.When you fold your hands to pray they look like a this.. Prayer goes up and down (you to God, you to God). It reminds us that prayer comes down from God. If you use it often, you'll win!

2. Your prayers can take their time before they are answered, moving in a slow but deliberate fashion. The shell protects the turtle like prayer protects us.

3. Answers can be small and quiet. They are everywhere. They are like a phone.

Sandwich Prayers

No - not prayers for your left over turkey sandwiches (although we certainly should be thankful even for leftovers!). I'm talking about a special way of praying that encourages kid's involvement - here's how it works: I tell the kids that we're going to do a sandwich prayer I'll be the bread on both sides and they can be the good stuff on the inside. . . I will start the prayer with a few sentences and leave one unfinished. Here's a few examples:
Thanksgiving: Dear God, everything we have has come from you. Today we want to thank you for these things: our house, . . . . . . .
Praise: God you are amazing. You have done miraculous things! Some of your great works are: when you walked on water, . . . .
Praying for others: Dear God, we know that you want us to help others. Help us to notice when people have a need, and give us a heart to help them. Today we pray for those who are: hungry,and those who are . . .
After the kids and others have a chance to add their thoughts, close it off with a quick ending and Amen.
I promised that I would add a new idea for family prayers each week at our Family Night this week. Here's installment number one. In the back of your prayers journal, you can start a list of kind of prayer - Sandwich Prayers being number one. Next week: popcorn prayers. Tell me your stories of how you used this. Comment here . . .

Prayer is Like . . .

Tonight at family night, we had a fun gathering activity. There was an object on each table and the families were to work together to consider how the object might be like prayer. Here are a few of the thoughts. See if you can match the object with the thoughts below.

Along with the really cool, smart people, photo one has a a tape measure, photo two has a silver creamer, and photo three has a maraca.

Which of these comments matches which object:

A.Prayer and this object are both like music, the duration of each depends on you, you get out of them what you put into them, they are both beautiful, everytime you use it it sounds different,like every prayer sounds different.
B.Prayer and this object can be long or short, there are many uses for them, they are both tools, anyone can use them.
C.Prayer and this object are both strong, old, silent and quiet, used for pouring something out,both can fill you up, can be shared with others.

Aren't those great! What creative families we have. Keep posted - I have more for another time!

Hope/Manure/Compost

My dad has been struggling with some pneumonia this fall and has been laying low. He and my mom had discussed not putting the leaves into the compost pile because that would involve breathing up a lot of dust to dig the new hole. Not good, but what? No compost pile? What will happen to the garden next summer? That was a hard day: to give up hope because of the circumstances you're in today? That will ultimately mean giving up on the future, too.
Kyle Becklin came over and took care of the digging and others got the leaves to the backyard. The leaves will rot and become minerals for great, big tomatoes. The world came back into order. Hope of next year's salsa returned.
A week later at Tuesday school I was expounding on the merits of different animals that we could "vote" on with our offerings. Would they rather send a goat or a pig, a duck or a rabbit to give hope to a family in another country? Under every animals' resume, "manure" was listed as an asset. How interesting it is that part of the hope that the animal brings to a family is their stink! Perspective can change anything!
While I was out raking in the yard I was thinking about how the compost and manure and the messy things in our lives are what can make our lives richer - it all depends on how we view it. Do I view my brokenness as rot and manure, or as opportunites for new growth? It was a refreshing rake!

Oreo Truffles - from the Mo/Daug retreat

I promised I would post this for the girls from this fall's retreat. They were delicious! Thanks, girls for making them for us! Messy, but worth it!
Oreo Truffles (Makes 3 1/2 dozen)

Ingredients
* 45 Oreo cookies, divided (1 package)
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 2 (8 ounce) packages semisweet baking chocolate, melted
Directions
1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor; reserve for later use. (This can also be done in a resealable bag with a rolling pin.).
2. Crush the remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs and place in a medium bowl.
3. Add the cream cheese and mix until well blended.
4. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1" in diameter.
5. Dip the balls in the melted chocolate and place them on a wax paper covered baking sheet. (Any left over chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.).
6. Sprinkle the tops of the truffles with the reserved cookie crumbs.
7. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
8. Store leftover truffles, covered, in the refrigerator.

Cabellas for Moms and Dads

How many hours of training did you have before you could take your driver's test? How much training to hold down the job you have now? How many magazine articles, books, videos have you partaken of to help you be a better _____________(fill in the blank: golfer, runner, hunter, cook, scrapbooker . . .) How many hours of training have you had for your most important job of parenting? I sure know that I am excited to spend a day thoughtful about how I am shaping my children. I know that they are truly both God's kids, but He needs me to be as equipped as possible for this job. I can't get this stuff at Cabella's or REI. Can't wait. Jump from here to the website to sign up.
November 22, 9:00-3:00. Lunch and childcare included in the price.
$30.00 for singles. $50.00 for couples.
For parents with kids birth through high school.

Get Out and Vote! (For a Duck?)

This week at Tuesday school, the kids are going to get to vote on which animal they want to buy through the Heifer Project. They get to vote with money.We will be collecting until Christmas. Take a look at the website, it is a gift that keeps on giving! (They actually had homework - to figure out how many rabbits a family would have at the end of one year)

History In the Making

No matter how difficult it has been, and no matter who the winner is, the results of tomorrow's election will be historical. Take time to explain to your children that their children will study this in their schools in 40 years.
The way that we respond to it will send a message to our children. God asks us to be faithful to Him and Him alone.And God asks us to support and pray for our leaders. No matter if your candidates win or lose, take time to pray on Wednesday morning with your children for our new leaders. Your actions and attitudes will make history that your children will be modeling to their children in 40 years. Two great messages that helped me open my mind are linked here - something better to listen to than the pundits! Pastor Johannson's weekend message right here in River City and Mark Batterson who pastors a church in Washington,D.C.