The Rehearsal Room

Rehearsal Room

When I was a teenager I tried to learn how to play the keyboard.  It was a pretty awful experience.  I really have little to no musical abilities.  It just isn't how God made me.  I also didn't put a a lot of effort into it.  So with my lack of talents and my lack of efforts, I was never going to become an amazing keyboard player.

To become great at playing an instrument, you need to practice . . . to rehearse.  You need to commit to sticking with it even when you don't feel like it. (God given talents help too!)

This is true for faith.  To grow -  to mature - takes practice.  It takes commitment.  Once you accept Christ as your Savior you don't automatically become the perfect Christian.

Just like learning an instrument takes practice . . . so does your faith.  This month in Inspire Kids will focusing on different faith skills as we learn about the Life App, Commitment.  Kids will be encouraged to make a plan to put these faith skills into practice.

As we start a new year what a great time it is to check our personal rehearsal rooms.  Are you growing in your faith?  What faith skill (prayer, personal worship, Bible reading) needs a little more practice?  This new year make a new commitment to grow in a specific area.

Christmas!

Christmas!  It's a time for family, for traditions, for making memories, for gifts, and for Jesus.

Growing up, my family had a couple of silly traditions.  We always had pizza on Christmas, Eve, opened up one present on Christmas Eve, and of course we got our Christmas cookies ready for Santa Clause.  I have continued some of those little traditions with my family.

Take some time to teach your children about the real meaning of Christmas. It's so easy to even have a family Christmas gathering and get so wrapped up in the gifts, the food, and the social activity . . . that we neglect to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is a special time where memories are created that last a lifetime.  Take some time to plan your Christmas week carefully to make sure the things you do and say have lasting value.   Maybe you can start a new tradition this year.  Here are a couple of ideas.

• Attend a Christmas Eve service together as a family.
• Read / tell the Christmas story on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning before you open the presents.
• Make a birthday cake for Jesus.
• Give back to your community this Christmas by serving at a community kitchen or homeless shelter.

What are your Christmas traditions?

Generosity - Pay It Back

Merry Christmas!  What a fun time of year. What a crazy time of year!  This month there will be lots of opportunities to practice generosity.

Often we think of generosity in terms of finances, but generosity goes beyond our money. Generosity should impact everything - our time, talents, energy, and resources.

1 Timothy 6:18 says to“Be rich in good deeds … be generous and willing to share.” We're not generous because we are rich, we are rich because we are generous.  Generosity changes us when we learn how to give the way God gives.

As focused as our kids may be on what they're getting for Christmas, sometimes that makes it even more surprising how much they want to give.

Children seem to be the first to notice the homeless man on the street or know about the family with the unemployed dad.  They're wired for generosity, and how we approach the holidays will help determine if they stay that way.

In each one of our lives, we have a tendency to move towards a lifestyle of generosity or a lifestyle of greed.  Are we wrapped up in ourselves or our things, or do we reflect God's character by giving freely to others?

So how will you as a family demonstrate generosity this December?  Here's one idea.  I'm sure you can come up with your own as well.

Pay-It-Back Cookies!
As a family make several batches of cookies.  As you're baking talk to your kids about people who help others.  Decide as a family who you will give the cookies too.  Be sure to deliver the cookies with a thank you note.

Let's all get wrapped upped in Jesus and in giving and not the gifts.  If children understand how to be generous it will not only change the people around them but it will change them as well.