After recently returning from a visit out East to spend time with my daughter and her family, I have pondered over a teachable moment that took place with my daughter and her four year old son.
It is tradition for my grandchildren to take turns sleeping with me when I visit. This was the first visit that my grandson realized he had been missing out on this fun tradition and requested his turn. I reluctantly said we would give it a try, remembering the previous night when he was crying in his room at bedtime because he wanted his Mommy. I went in to see if I could console him since Mommy was occupied with the older girls and he demanded I leave and proceeded to throw his pillow and hit me in the back of the head as I departed, thus resulting in a spanking from Mommy and a tearful apology to me.
As bedtime approached the next evening, Noah arrived in my room with pillow, blanket, and stuffed dog to sleep with his 
Mamie. Like bedtime with all of my grandchildren, I attempted to read a bible story and pray with him all the while he was turning somersaults, jumping up and down, and riding his dog like a horse.
After about 20 minutes of this, I told him I was going to count to 3 (which I never did with my children) and if he wasn’t lying down by then he would have to go to his own room to sleep. I counted to 3 and, without a word, he gathered up his blanket, pillow, and dog and went to his own room.
His Mommy, seeing him pass through the hallway, went to tuck him in and ask him why he wasn’t sleeping with Mamie. He told her he had been bad and she asked him why, to which he replied, “I haven’t figured that out yet.” Seconds later he said his heart made him be bad. His Mommy told him she knew what they could do about that and they could pray that God would give him a heart like His because God’s heart is never bad.
So they prayed.
The part I was pondering since returning home is do we, as parents and grandparents, take advantage of those teachable moments, no matter how frustrating the events that lead up to them, resulting in our kids being changed by God and Him receiving the glory?
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10
Children’s Christmas Celebration
Yes, it really is getting close to the holiday season, whether we are ready for it or not. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we are making plans for our annual Children’s Christmas Celebration, which takes place December 15 at 4:30.
Last year we changed it up a little and stayed in our building instead of caroling outside. Our plan is to do the same this year with a program, dinner, birthday cake for Jesus, games, and Christmas crafts.
Some of your children will participate in reading a verse for the program and some are being photographed on Sunday mornings for the program.
Mark this event on your calendars and invite the whole family for a fun night of Christmas celebration and fellowship! We might even include a competition for the ugliest Christmas sweater.
Teaching time in Promiseland
Our 3-5 year old class is ending the Fall with stories of Old Testament Heroes. Through seeing how God provided for Moses, Joshua, David, and Daniel in difficult situations, the children will learn God helps us.
As the K-1st graders end their journey through the Old Testament, they will learn about the importance of obeying and following God. Through the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho, they will see they can trust and obey God because He knows everything. David fights Goliath and shows us God will give us courage when we follow Him. Daniel will teach us God is the One True God and we can follow Him even when we are thrown in with the lions. Nehemiah works with a group of people and rebuilds the wall around Jerusalem, showing them the blessings that come from doing God’s work together. Finally, they will review all the stories from this quarter and discover God wants them to be a part of His story.
The 2nd-3rd graders are finishing their journey through the Old Testament. The stories included are exciting, action-filled accounts about important people of the Old Testament. The lessons focus on deepening the kids’ relationships with God. The kids will learn about prayer and Bible reading, confession of sin, making God first priority, loving God wholeheartedly, and standing up for God.
The journey through the Old Testament comes to a completion in the 4th-5th grade room by looking at key characters of the Bible and how their lives reflected their walk with God. Through an exciting game show format, the kids will be introduced to Big doGs (disciples of God) and how their lives influenced those around them. Boaz teaches about following God first, Gideon challenges the kids to choose to obey God, Solomon helps the kids know where to “dig” for wisdom, Esther teaches about taking risks for God, and Nehemiah models being a Big doG with a servant’s attitude.
Families, have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Dar Muehlhausen
Children’s Ministry Director