Friday Faith Builder

Next week, our family will celebrate our youngest daughter completion of elementary school and our oldest daughter completion of middle school.  (Our middle daughter gets to hang out in middle school for her second year.)  That means that beginning in August, we will have two kids in middle school and one in high school!  And I will be greatly missing elementary school.

I love holiday parties and school carnivals. I adore beginning band concerts and lots of art projects.  I appreciate knowing the teachers really well and knowing they know my kid really well.  And yet, life moves on.  I am learning that though these stages of life are over, the next ones bring gifts and joys of their own.

I will have fun watching our girls try new activities at school and discover what they do and don’t enjoy.  I will see them meet new people and find out what friendship does and doesn’t mean.  They will learn how their faith matters to their everyday lives and how it applies to the choices they make.  They will also be learning more about how to cook meals and clean house! (That will be their favorite, of course!)

Ecclesiastes 3 states, “To everything there is a season...”  And tears and joy are a part of them all. Give thanks to God for your children.  Ask His blessing upon them as they grow.  And welcome His blessings for you, too. Celebrate life!

-Pastor Lisa

Friday Faith Builder

When I came home a few minutes after one of daughters last week, I walked in to hear, “Mom, come here!  I found a creature!”  These words were coming from my daughter who wants to be a vet.  She volunteers at a local animal shelter and has added one dog and one hamster to our home.  She was downstairs with the hamster, so I has a guess as to what is would be—yes, she had brought home a mouse and placed it in the hamsters’ cage.

While the two creatures and my daughter played together and looked as if they all might become lifelong friends, I researched the Internet to discover that one of them would probably have a very short life. (My daughter was safe—the mouse or the hamster would soon be gone.) I had to break the news to her that we could not keep the mouse—if we did, the hamster would kill it or the mouse would kill the hamster. To best care for both of the animals, we had to set the mouse free.  

Caring for animals requires more than a caring heart.  The care of another living creature takes responsibility, respect, and planning.  I was proud of my daughter.  She understood this and gently took the mouse outside.  She cared for God’s creatures with her heart and her actions.  I am guessing God was proud, too.

-Pastor Lisa

Friday Faith Builder

We have heard it a million times--family meals are very important gathering times, not only for the (hopefully) decent nutrition the meal provides, but also for the fun and faith-filled  conversations that can occur around the table.

Now, as a working mom with three very active kids, having dinner at the table together sounds a whole lot more fun than being the one to make sure we actually have something to eat once we get there!  But when I expand my view to sharing family together time before and after the meal also, then many times, I really do enjoy it!

Consider inviting your kids into the kitchen as you prepare.  Maybe you could have veggie soup and everyone adds his or her favorite veggie to the pot!  English muffin or bagel pizzas are always fun with each person adding his or her favorite toppings. How about layered taco dip or tacos and asking each person to prepare one ingredient?  Enjoy a baked potato bar with individuals preparing various items for the top.

Your conversation will begin before the dinner table and you will have some helping hands, too!  Remember after dinner, ask each person to put away one or two items.  Even a three year old can take his/her plate to the sink or place the bread back in the drawer!  Let’s truly make dinner a family event and enjoy it together from beginning to end!

Pastor Lisa

Friday Faith Builder

This month, I have the privilege of facilitating a few Building Better Mom’s gatherings around the topic of “Raising Faith-Filled Kids.”  One morning this past week, we discussed ways to celebrate holidays, including Easter.  Below, you will find some of those ideas! As you read through these, I hope you find one or two you can use to help your family celebrate Easter!

*Enjoy a family nature walk and thank God for all the signs of new life!

*Dye Easter eggs.  Talk about how Jesus changes us, just like we are changing the eggs.

*Bake and decorate cut-out cookies in the shape of a cross.  Share some with friends.

*Hide an empty Easter egg.  When someone finds it, discuss why that is important on Easter!

*Make Resurrection Rolls. (The recipe will be in this week’s worship GPS.)

*If your children are young, enjoy a family Easter parade, complete with musical instruments and streamers.  Remember to celebrate Jesus!

The possibilities are endless, so choose one of these and/or create your own celebration of Jesus!

We wish you and your family a very Happy Easter!

-Pastor Lisa

Friday Faith Builder

My best friend of 23 years and I are extremely different.  My friend loves small town living.  Next to Kansas City, New York City is my favorite place to be. My friend homeschools their kids.  I am extremely grateful for public school.  She eats healthy.  I love donuts and cupcakes.  Our political votes cancel each other out and she is as laid back as I am wired.

My friend and her husband have eight children.  We have three.  Their kids range in age from 10 months to 25 years.  Our girls are 12, 13 and 14.  They are a mix of African-American and Caucasian.  Our daughters are from Russia.   Though the differences are many, and most would consider some of them significant, we are held together by a shared love for Jesus.

Though we are by no means perfect, our hearts seek after God. We seek daily to pass on our faith to our children.  We love to enjoy God’s gifts of nature, fun, and family.  Church and worship are important parts of our lives. We pray for each other and each other’s families.  We help each other discern God’s will.  And we do both love chocolate.

Differences have the power to divide, but God’s love can overcome it all!  Open your heart to God’s gifts and you will be blessed!  Now that is something we can all agree on!     

Pastor Lisa Holliday