Lord of the Rings Birthday

This year Isaac decided on a Lord of the Rings party.  Followed the storyline of the movie and began with Bilbo's birthday feast, hobbit style.

We made Isaac's rice krispie cake into a hobbit hole. 

Rivendell Activity - At the council of Elrond, where we explained what the night would be about and showed a few scenes from the movie to help them understand, we gave each child a costume to wear and keep.  Abby is modeling the "Elf capes" we made just by cutting fleece.  

Along with the elf cape, each girl got an Arwin necklace. 

The boys each got a hobbit cape...

...and elf leaf.

Rohan Activity - We set up an orc archery range in the back yard.

These were Daddy's shots!

Gondor Activity - In one room we set up the supplies the kids would need to create a shield (cardboard, tape, scissors, and twine) that we would use for a sponge war. 

Shelob Activity - we set up a yarn spider web on the stairs.  

The web leads up to "Shelob's lair" upstairs, where we created a spider out of a balloon-filled garbage bag (with taped up garbage bag legs...classy)...that also had goodies inside (ring pops, of course!).

I didn't get a good picture of our spider before she was destroyed but this is the general idea. 

Mordor Activity - we also used red plastic tables cloths as lava and black paper plates as rocks to create an obstacle course that ended in knocking Gollum into the lava. 

The RIGHT way to celebrate Christmas?!

I came across Jen Hatmaker's blog The Christmas Conundrum, about her conviction to cut back this Christmas.  To do less.  To worship more.  As I read it, I thought, "Yes!"  My favorite line from her article is: "Our family is going to celebrate Jesus this year in a manner worthy of a humble Savior who was born to two poor teenagers in a barn and yet still managed to rescue humanity."  Yes!  Doing less is good.

Then I read this article about why one parent, Lyz Lenz, chooses to go all out on Christmas gift-giving to her children: Why I'm Buying My Children A Lot of Presents and as I read, I thought, "Yes!"  My favorite line from her article is: "I'm giving her gifts the way I want her to learn to give -- with generosity and without expectation of reciprocity. In sum, it's grace." Yes!  Doing more is good.

I realized that I fully believed in two seemingly contradictory principles, and I wasn't going to let this bother me.

But then a friend of mine voiced her own confusion over the many convicting online articles that contradict one another.  Who is right?  What is right?  What is the best way to celebrate Christmas in a way that honors the child in the manger?  Is it better to do less?  It is better to do more?

The answer is: Yes!

As with so many things, the Bible makes it clear that God cares far more about our heart than our actions (1 Samuel 16:7, Psalm 51:16-17, Matthew 22:36-40, Matthew 23:23-27, Titus 1:15...so many more...).  So, the real question I need to ask myself as Christmas approaches is, "How is my heart?"  I can ask God to help me search my heart (Psalm 139:23-24) to see if there is need for me to do more or do less this Christmas.

If my heart is filled with gratitude and love, and I feel that I have so much to give, the answer is probably: Do more.

If my heart is grieving and absent of joy, and I am considering forcing myself to put up Christmas lights out of guilt, the answer is probably: Do less.

If my heart is in aw of the innocence and joy of my children, and I want to encourage that, and grow more childlike in my own joy, the answer is probably: Do more.

If my heart is angry, snapping at my children because they are getting in my way as I try to perfect classroom goodie bags and sparkling teacher gifts, the answer is probably: Do less.

If my heart is thankful for my blessings, and I want to share what I have with others who have less, the answer is probably: Do more.

With God's help, I can judge whether cutting back or doing more this year will help grow my heart in the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. With God's help, I can know whether saying yes or no to a particular activity will grow my heart more for Him and for others (Matthew 22:36-40), or whether that particular activity will do more harm than good.  And most likely, there are both things I need to do more of this year, and things I need to do less. Often it's down to the very minute:

God, would doing more or doing less in this moment most help me to worship you in a spirit of joy, peace, and love?  Will doing more or doing less in this moment most help me to grow in love for You and for others?

Ask, lean in, listen, discern, and then do...more or less...as the Spirit leads.

A Day of Thanksgiving

Start the day with a conversation about how much we have to be thankful for.  Ask the kids to list everything they're thankful for, while you write it down.  After they run out of ideas, ask them to imagine that tomorrow they will get to keep only the things they named on your list.  See what they say about that!   Then, give them a chance to add other things to the list.  We have so much to be thankful for.  So many things we take for granted: air, food, water, plumbing, hot showers, light, health...

After they have felt a little gratitude for everything they have, lead them in some activities to help them express their thankfulness to God:

Create a work of art for someone else to enjoy.  Thank God for making you YOU, with all of the talents you have...they are all from Him!

Go on a walk, picking up trash as you go.  Thank God for making nature so beautiful.  Take time to admire the trees, flowers, leaves.  Feed the fish, turtles, ducks.

Good job, trash collectors.

Spend some time playing at the playground.  Thank God for creating you for Joy!  Leave a small toy for another child to keep.  (Isaac suggests leaving a note so a conscientious child will know it's okay to keep the toy.)

Do a chore for someone else in your family.  Thank God for the people in your life who love you. 

Pack a shoebox filled with toys and goodies for a needy child.  Go to the web site for Operation Christmas Child and find how to send one to a child in need.  In order to reach kids all around the world by Christmas, these are usually collected the week before Thanksgiving, so it is a great tie-in to preparing our hearts for Thanksgiving. 

Thank you, God, that we have so much to give and share.

6 Days of Creation

At church, we did big murals with the K-3 kids when we learned about creation.  I think they turned out pretty darn cute and think it would be a fun thing for kids at home to do too.

Day 1: Light

 Day 2: Sky/Heavens

Day 3: Dry Land and Animals

 Day 4: Stars, Sun, Moon

Day 5: Birds and Fish

 Day 6: Land Animals and Humans

The Get-Along Jar

My kids have been really rotten to each other lately.  As in not treating-others-the-way-you-want-to-be-treated rotten.  The most repeated offense has to do with the fact that they both hate being upstairs alone.  So as soon as I call them down, the one closest to the stairs takes off with a wicked smile on his or her face, leaving the sibling wailing in the dust.  It has been very noisy in an unpleasant way and I have been starting to suspect that my kids are evil.

So, I felt I had to do something.  I hate that I have to give incentives for them to be kind to one another, but I needed a tool.  And here it is: The Get-Along Jar...10 popsicle sticks with smiley face stickers on one end.

We started with 2 popsicle sticks face up and 8 face down.  Every time I catch them fighting they have to turn one face down.  If all 10 end up face down, we pull one at random and they owe me the consequence written on it (30 minutes of clean up; 1 hour in your own room; lose screen time; 30 minutes in your own room; each owe mom $1).  This has happened once so far and they pulled 30 minutes of clean up.  I have to say, I really liked that consequence!

If all 10 end up face up, we pull one at random and I owe them the reward written on the opposite side (sleep in mommy's room tonight; donuts for breakfast; playdate with friend of your choice; rent a redbox movie; trip to Buc-ee's <the gas station that has all kinds of treats>).

My favorite part of this is that they have to work together to win.  It works...for now...at least it's saving my sanity...for now...

Passover Seder: The 15 Steps, Medium Version

Introduction: The Story 

Explain:

• the father’s role and the concept of the Seder and the “Direct,” “Say,” “Do” directions.
• the mother’s role of looking up the scripture passages while the father leads his part, and reading them to the group (be sure to name the book and chapter before reading).
• to the kids that it’s not about liking the foods we taste.  It’s about the experience of what the foods symbolize.  Sometimes a bitter taste will have a meaning to help us understand something better.

Do: The mother lights the candles and says a blessing before the Seder begins.   Start by reading the story of the Passover and the escape from Egypt from a children’s story bible (My First Study Bible, p.48-55...save page 56 for step 5).  

Say: Jesus was a Jew, an Israelite.  His people have been eating a Passover meal every year since God brought them out of Egypt thousands of years ago.  On the night before Jesus was lead to the cross, Jesus had a special meal with His disciples: A Passover meal.  God’s timing made it so that this special meal happened on the day before Jesus died for our sins.  As we eat our own Passover meal tonight, we will see how the first Passover, the Jews escape from Egypt, was an indication of a greater rescue to come: Jesus’s death on the cross for our sins.

Say: During our Passover ceremony we will be having 4 symbolic cups of wine or juice.  These 4 cups correspond with a promise that God made to the Israelites when they were still slaves in Egypt in Exodus 6:6-7: “Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgements.  I will take you as my people, and I will be your God.  Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

God’s Promise	Cup of Wine
I will bring you out	1st: Cup of Sanctification
I will rescue you	2nd: Cup of Plagues
I will redeem you	3rd: Cup of Redemption
I will take you as my people	4th: Cup of Praise

1. The First Cup: The Cup of Sanctification

Direct: Each person fills a glass with wine or juice.

Do: Hold up your cup of wine as you talk.

Say: This is the cup of sanctification. The word sanctification means to be set apart for God. Remember God’s first promise: “I will bring you out.”  Jewish families remember that God performed miraculous deeds to free (or set apart) Israel from Egypt. We remember that Christ set us apart from the world as a holy nation to himself.  (Read 1 Peter 2:9). 

Direct: Everyone drinks the first cup.



2. Washing of Hands

Do: Dip your hands in a bowl and wipe your hands on the towel.

Say: Jewish families remember how the priest washed in the basin before he could come before God on behalf of Israel. The ritual of the washing of hands pointed to Jesus, who washes away our guilty conscience so that we can draw near to God (Read Hebrews 10:22). 

3. Dipping of Parsley

Do: Hold up the Parsley.

Say: The first dip of Parsley refers to the tears shed by the Israelites while they were enslaved. 

Direct: everyone to dip the first sprig of parsley into the saltwater and eat it.

Say: The second dip refers to the drowning of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea and the miraculous deliverance that came for the nation of Israel. 

Direct: everyone to dip and eat the second sprig of parsley. 

Do: Read the story of the Crossing of the Red Sea (My First Study Bible p.57-60) from a children’s bible. 

Say: In the New Testament, the apostle Paul compares the crossing of the Red Sea to baptism, which symbolizes our redemption from sin (Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-2).

4. Breaking of the Middle Matzah

Do: Take the middle square from a stack of three matzah, break it in half, put one half back in the middle of the three and wrap the other half in a napkin. 

Say: We use Matzah, or unleavened bread, during the Passover meal because it symbolizes how God’s people were brought out of Egypt.  It also represents, for Christ-followers, that we are new creations in Christ (Read 1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Do: Now hide the middle half of matzah as the rest of the family closes their eyes.

Do: Hold up the remaining stack of three matzahs.

Say: We can see the beautiful picture of the Trinity in the matzah — the top piece representing the Father; the bottom piece representing the Holy Spirit; and the middle piece representing Jesus, who was broken for us and then wrapped in linen to be hidden away.

5. The Four Questions and the Passover Story

Do: read the dialog called “Passover: The Four Questions” (below) with the youngest child.  

Introductory Question

Child: Why is this night different from all other nights?

Leader: Once we were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but now we are free. We set aside this night each year to remember the great things God did for us.

Question 1

Child: Why, on this night, do we eat only unleaved bread?

Leader: Matzah reminds us of two things — we were delivered from slavery in Egypt, and we have a new life.

Question 2

Child: Why, on this night, do we eat only a bitter vegetable?

Leader: We remember how bitter our ancestors' slavery was while they lived in Egypt.

Question 3

Child: Why, on this night, do we dip our vegetable twice?

Leader: We are reminded of tears and of a miraculous deliverance, as we just saw portrayed with the parsley.

Question 4

Child: Why, on this night, do we all recline?

Leader: Before, we were slaves, but now we are able to recline to express the rest we enjoy as free people. This pillow represents our freedom.

Do: hold up the lamb bone as you read or the story of the Passover (My First Study Bible p.56) from a children’s story bible.

Do: Pass the lamb bone around for everyone to look at.

Say: At the original Passover celebration, a lamb was killed and its blood was spread on the doorposts and lintel of the house to protect the home from the 10th plague, the slaying of the firstborn. God said He would pass over the house when He saw the blood. Each person had to eat of this sacrificial lamb — no one could eat for another person. We understand that we must each make a personal decision to spiritually apply the blood of Jesus to the doorposts of our heart so we never experience sin's judgment.

6.  The Second Cup: The Cup of Plagues

Direct: Everyone fills the cup a second time.

Do: Hold up your cup of wine as you talk.

Say: This is the cup of plagues. God poured out 10 plagues on Egypt in order to show His strength and deliver the nation of Israel.  Remember God’s second promise: “I will rescue you.” Thank God that He delivered Israel and He delivers us.

Direct:  Each person dips his finger into his cup, then makes 10 drops of wine fall onto his white napkin as he says the name of each plague: blood, frogs, lice, flies, cattle disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and slaying of the firstborn. Finally, each person drinks from his cup.

7. Eating of the Bitter Herbs

Direct: Everyone takes a piece of matzah, adds a small portion of horseradish and eats it.

Say: Eating bitter herbs (like horseradish) symbolizes the bitterness of slavery the nation of Israel endured in Egypt. We also remember the bitterness of our slavery to sin (Read John 8:34).

8. Eating of the Charoset

Direct: Each person enjoys a piece of matzah with a little charoset. 

Do: Hold up your matzah and charoset.

Say: This mixture symbolizes the mortar that was used by the Israelites to make bricks while in Egypt. This sweet mixture represents bitter toil because even harsh labor is sweetened by the promise of redemption. We know that it was through Christ's bitter suffering that the sweetness of redemption also came to us.

9. Sharing of the Charoset

Direct: Everyone takes another piece of matzah with charoset and feeds it to the person on his right, saying, "Shalom, peace to you."

Say: When Jesus brought sweetness into our lives through His forgiveness, He never intended for us to keep it to ourselves. As we feed each other the charoset, we are showing that we want to pass this sweet message on to others (Read Matthew 28:19-20).

10. Explanation of the Roasted Egg

Do: Hold up the egg while you read the explanation below.

Say: The egg is a reminder that because the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 the Jews were no longer able to sacrifice. The egg is referred to as the Hagigah, the holiday sacrifice that was made during temple times. We are also reminded that Jesus was the final sacrifice that took away sin once and for all (Read Hebrews 10:14).

Do: Pass the egg around for everyone to look at.

11. The Eating of the Meal

Say: At this point, a Jewish family would eat the Passover meal, including the roasted lamb.  We are going to taste a bite of lamb.

Direct: Everyone tastes a bite of the roasted lamb.

Say: It is significant that for His last supper on the night before He was taken to the cross, Jesus asked Peter and John to prepare the meal, which was the traditional Passover Seder.  Preparations for the meal would have included the slaying and roasting of the lamb.  (Read Luke 22:7-8).  Later both Peter and John referred to Jesus in their writings as the Lamb of God.  Peter compared Jesus to a lamb without blemish.  John wrote that the Lamb who was slain was worthy of our highest praise.

12. Finding and Eating of the Afikomen

Say: The Afikomen ("ah-fee-koe'-men") is the piece of matzah that was hidden earlier. It's time to play a fun game as we send all the kids on a hunt to look for the hidden matzah. Whoever finds the piece gets a token reward — a ransom is paid for the Afikomen. When found, the Afikomen is broken in pieces and distributed to everyone.

Do: Send the kids to find the Afikomen.  Give the prize to the one who finds it.  

Do: Break the Afikomen in pieces and distribute it to everyone.

Direct: Every holds up his piece of the Afikomen.

Say: Jesus himself used matzah as a picture of His sacrifice when He broke the bread during the Last Supper and declared the traditional matzah from that point on to symbolize His body (Read Luke 22:19).

Direct: Everyone eats his piece of the Afikomen, saying “This is my body, broken for you.”

13. The Third Cup: The Cup of Redemption

Direct: Everyone fills the cup a third time.

Direct: Everyone holds up his cup of wine as you talk.

Say: This is the cup of redemption. The word redemption suggests the idea of a price being paid to bring someone out of slavery. The sacrificial lamb offered on Passover paid the price to deliver the nation of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. Remember God’s third promise: “I will redeem you.”  We know that Jesus drank this cup with His disciples, declaring it from that point on to symbolize His blood (Read Matthew 26:27-28). Drink the third cup in remembrance of Jesus.

Direct: Everyone drinks from his cup, saying, “This is my blood, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

14. Looking for Elijah

Direct: One of the children goes to the door and peeks his head out to see if Elijah is coming.

Say: Is Elijah there?

Direct: The child should reply: "No, he is not here."

Say: Maybe next year Elijah will come!

Do: Read Malachi 4:5-6. 

Say: According to the prophecy in Malachi, the Jewish people know that Elijah will prepare the way for the Messiah. When they ask if Elijah is coming, they are actually proclaiming that they are waiting for the Messiah. We recognize that John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord more than 2,000 years ago.  The bible even says to John the Baptist’s mother, that her son will come “In the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). Although the Jews who do not believe that Jesus is the Savior still look for Elijah when they partake of the Passover Seder, we who are Christ-followers recognize that this part of the prophecy and tradition has already been fulfilled.

15. The Fourth Cup: The Cup of Praise

Direct: Everyone fills the cup a fourth time.

Do: Hold up your cup of wine as you talk.

Say: This final cup is a reminder of God's promise to Israel.  Remember God’s fourth promise: "I will take you as my people.” The Jewish people look forward to a golden age when everyone will be at peace and will be reunited with God.  As followers of Jesus, we, too, have been chosen by God to be His people, and we eagerly wait for the return of the Messiah so that we will be with Him forever (Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). So, with the Passover ceremony finished, let us drink the fourth cup, proclaiming, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Direct: Everyone proclaims “Come, Lord Jesus!” and drinks the fourth cup.

Self Confidence and Self Doubt

God has given me a complicated personality, an unusual mix of impulsive overconfidence and lurking sensitivity to other people's opinions.  This unlikely combination tends to lead me into a pattern of quick, impulsive decision-making, followed sometimes by slow, churning self-doubt.  I need God on both ends of that strange spectrum that is my personality.

"He must increase, but I must decrease." -- John 3:30

When I am impulsively bold and brilliant, I need God to remind me that He made me this way for His glory, and not my own.  I need Him to remind me that wisdom takes time and that He promises to give me wisdom if I will slow down enough to ask for it.

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?  Or am I trying to please man?  If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of God." -- Galatians 1:10

And when self-doubt leads me to question my right to keep standing in the shoes of leader, teacher, mentor, mother, wife, friend, because of my many mistakes and failures, I need God's grace to remind me that it is precisely because of my weakness that He is made strong in the eyes of those to whom I minister.  I am not standing in those shoes because I am brilliant and worthy, but I stand in those shoes because He is brilliant and worthy.

"He must increase, but I must decrease." -- John 3:30

This is why I relate to Peter so much.  I just finished reading Mark, chapter 9 with my small group, and my heart was so happy when I got to verses 5 and 6 that tell how Peter spoke, not simply when he didn't know what to say, but because he didn't know what to say.  That's so me!  And yet, time and time again, Jesus calls Peter to His inner circle.  Peter is among the three that Jesus most often calls to Himself.  And Jesus chooses Peter as the rock on which to build His church.

So in the moments when I feel like I have failed, I am able to push through the insecurities to keep serving the Lord in every area of my life, knowing that, like Peter, God has chosen me.  That's the catch of all catches, God has chosen me, and you, His people, flawed and failing, to tell the world about His glory and His kingdom.

Lord, help me make much of You with every aspect of my personality.