Watch the January Preview Videos!

In January, the Reign Forest children will be learning about some of the miraculous things that Jesus did while He lived here on earth. I am reminded over and over of the verse in Proverbs "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." I have come to understand that although all children have their own choices to make, and some when they are grown may choose not to follow God or what they were taught at an early age, the principles they learn as a child still do not depart from them when they are grown. I love the fact that the children at Lakewood Park are learning how amazing and powerful God is at this early age, and oh how I pray that this does not grow unbelievable to them in the future. In this three minute video below, Amber at Orange tells what this month's group of lessons are all about.
FL Preview : No One Else (January 2012) from Orange on Vimeo.

The Land of Promise children have moved on to a new character trait for the month of January, Self-Control - defined as choosing to do what you SHOULD do, not what you WANT to do. In this six minute video, Dan from Orange explores the value of having that trait imbedded in our children's hearts. So many great points jumped out at me while I watched this video. In the beginning, Dan illustrates self-control by telling a story of his son playing a video game. The controller didn't work properly, and as a result, his son could not prevent his player from plunging to his "death" over a cliff. The horribly accurate picture that painted in my brain of what happens in real-life to people who have never learned how to control their emotions was sobering. One other sentence really stuck out to me. Dan said, "Our ability or inability to use Self-Control in the heat of the moment can make or break someone else's view of God." How much more valuable self-control is in the life of a Christian!
Preview: Game On (January 2012) from Orange on Vimeo.

December 25th - What We Learned

This Sunday, Christmas morning, your two to five year old child in the Reign Forest heard how the wise men followed the star God had hung in the sky to lead them to the new king.  (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11)  Then the class celebrated Jesus' birthday with birthday cake! 

The last week of the Christmas rhyme goes like this:

WEEK 1
The angel came down (make a flying motion)
from God to say (cup hands around mouth like you want to say something)
that Mary will have a baby on Christmas Day. (pretend to rock a baby in your arms)
His name will be Jesus (make a "V" with both arms up and fists closed)
God's only Son. (point a finger and arm straight up)
He will show that God loves everyone! (hug yourself)

WEEK 2
Mary and Joseph traveled far, far away. (walk in place)
When they got to Bethlehem, there was no place to stay (hold hands out and shake head "no").
God gave them a stable filled with cows and sheep. (make a roof over your head with your hands)
Jesus was born, (pretend to hold a baby)
and on hay He did sleep. (fold your hands under your head like you are sleeping)

WEEK 3
The shepherds were watching their sheep at night. (place your hand over your eyes like you're looking for something)
An angel came and caused a great fright! (put your hand to your mouth like you are scared)
"Don't be afraid. (shake your head no)
I have good news!" (give two thumbs up)
Jesus is born (make a V with both arms up and fists closed)
for you and you and you! (point to different people)
The angels sang (pretend to hold a microphone)
and the shepherds ran (run in place)
to see the baby (pretend to hold a baby)
God sent to man! (point both thumbs to your chest)

WEEK 4
Then wise men came following a special star.  (make twinkle fingers over your head)
All the way to Jesus (make a "V" with both arms up and fists closed)
they came from afar. (put your hand over your eyes like you're looking out)
They knocked on His door (pretend to knock)
then they knelt on the floor.  (kneel down on both knees)
Then they gave their gifts to Jesus.  (hold your hands out like you're giving a gift)

This Sunday, your kindergarten to fifth grade child in Land of Promise also heard the story of the wise men who visited Jesus. (Matthew 2:1-12)  This story illustrated the importance of getting wrapped up in others.  Think of all the ways the wise men gave to Jesus—not just the three gifts, but their time, energy, money, and intentionality.  Bottom Line: When you give, it shows others how valuable they are.
 
Your child learned that other people should be valuable to us because they are valuable to God.  When we give to others, it shows God that we value the people He loves so much that He sent His Son.  Basic Truth: I should treat others the way I want to be treated.  The monthly memory verse challenges us that there are many ways to be generous besides giving gifts that cost money. 

How will you “be rich in good deeds … be generous and willing to share”?  (1 Timothy 6:18, NIV)

December 18th - What We Learned

This Sunday, December 18th, your 2-5 year old child learned how the angels performed the first Festival of Lights concert for some nondescript shepherds sleeping on a hillside with a flock of sheep (Luke 2:8-18).  After the angels disappeared, the shepherds had a choice:  stay there by the fire in their sleeping bags where it was warm and dozy or go searching in the middle of the night for the newborn King.  And who would take care of their sheep if they searched?  Happily, they chose Jesus rather than sleep, and after they found Him, the Bible says they told everyone about Him.

Some children love to talk to strangers, to the extent that you feel the need to restrain them, while other children don't even want to look at someone they do not know.  If you have a talker, guide them into conversations where they get to share what Christmas is all about, even with a stranger at the grocery store.  After all, that's what the shepherds did.  They were so excited about the Savior's birth that the news just exploded out of them to everyone they met!  If you have a shy child, let him try telling a stuffed animal all about Jesus and Christmas.  It's good practice!

The third week of our Christmas rhyme goes like this:

WEEK 1
The angel came down (make a flying motion)
from God to say (cup hands around mouth like you want to say something)
that Mary will have a baby on Christmas Day. (pretend to rock a baby in your arms)
His name will be Jesus (make a "V" with both arms up and fists closed)
God's only Son. (point a finger and arm straight up)
He will show that God loves everyone! (hug yourself)

WEEK 2
Mary and Joseph traveled far, far away. (walk in place)
When they got to Bethlehem, there was no place to stay (hold hands out and shake head "no").
God gave them a stable filled with cows and sheep. (make a roof over your head with your hands)
Jesus was born, (pretend to hold a baby)
and on hay He did sleep. (fold your hands under your head like you are sleeping)

WEEK 3
The shepherds were watching their sheep at night. (place your hand over your eyes like you're looking for something)
An angel came and caused a great fright! (put your hand to your mouth like you are scared)
"Don't be afraid. (shake your head no)
I have good news!" (give two thumbs up)
Jesus is born (make a V with both arms up and fists closed)
for you and you and you! (point to different people)
The angels sang (pretend to hold a microphone)
and the shepherds ran (run in place)
to see the baby (pretend to hold a baby)
God sent to man! (point both thumbs to your chest)

In Land of Promise, your kindergarten to fifth grade children also heard the Christmas story, and they learned that God was the first and is the best Christmas-gift Giver ever!  (John 3:16-17; Luke 2:1-18)  God is the ultimate example of generosity. We give because God gave to us. His original gift is our motivation for giving freely to others. Bottom Line: God gave the greatest gift when He gave us Jesus.

In one of the busiest times of year it’s important to take time to remember who gave first. We can stop and remember how amazing it is that God sent His Son to show us a new way to live and later make it possible for us to live with Him forever if we just trust Him to forgive us for all of our sins.

Your Land of Promise children got to practice generosity in real life this week by participating in a gift-giving event.  All the children donated presents and selected class representatives to deliver their presents to some sick children at Lutheran Hospital this Sunday.  Ms. Amber and Ms. Dodi drove the children to the hospital with their gifts, and Ms. Dodi took this picture of them in the director's office before they handed the gifts out to individual patients.

December 11th - What We Learned

This Sunday, December 11th, your 2-5 year old child in the Reign Forest learned the second part of the "Christmas Story" how Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem, found no rooms available at any inns, and had to sleep in a stinky, old barn. (Luke 2:1-7)  That stinky, old barn ended up being where the King of the Universe came to live with us.

Out of all the various aspects of the Christmas story, this is the one that grabs at my heart the most.  I "get" that God loves us enough to rescue us.  I "get" that He chose to leave His beyond-imaginable palace in Heaven for us, but what I struggle to fathom is His choice to enter the world in that place, in that way - already unwanted, already pushed aside by people who had bigger and better things to do.  He started out His human experience that way on purpose, but why?  Was it to identify with the people who feel unwanted?  Was it simply symbolic of His future on earth?

In class, the children discussed this question, too, and they came to the conclusion that God loves us SO much, He just wanted to rescue us no matter what it took!  No matter where He had to be born!

At home, you can continue working on the Christmas rhyme with your child.

WEEK 1
The angel came down (make a flying motion)
from God to say (cup hands around mouth like you want to say something)
that Mary will have a baby on Christmas Day. (pretend to rock a baby in your arms)
His name will be Jesus (make a "V" with both arms up and fists closed)
God's only Son. (point a finger and arm straight up)
He will show that God loves everyone! (hug yourself)

WEEK 2
Mary and Joseph traveled far, far away. (walk in place)
When they got to Bethlehem, there was no place to stay (hold hands out and shake head "no").
God gave them a stable filled with cows and sheep. (make a roof over your head with your hands)
Jesus was born, (pretend to hold a baby)
and on hay He did sleep. (fold your hands under your head like you are sleeping)


Your kindergarten through fifth grade children in Land of Promise learned about a rich man who let his trust in "stuff" get in the way of going to Heaven.  (Luke 18:18-25)  He asked Jesus what he needed to do to get there, and Jesus answered by listing a bunch of rules.  When the rich man told Him that he had followed all those rules, Jesus said, "There is only one thing left for you to do.  Sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven.  Then come, follow Me." 

Well, for a guy who claimed to have never murdered, never lied, never cheated, never stolen, and always obeyed his parents from the time he was a small boy, you would think that selling his stuff and giving the money away would be easy.  Instead, the man went away sad.

Why sad?  The Bible says the ruler was very wealthy; he had a lot of money here on earth.  Unfortunately, he was putting his trust in that, instead of trusting God.  In other words, he was acting like his money and his things were more important than God and others.

The children in class were given an assignment and a wrapper to take home.  They are to use their wrapper to wrap up a gift and give it to someone else.  The person and gift they choose is up to them.  They could go the obvious route and buy a present for someone, or they could wrap up the gift of time to give away, or maybe give the gift of their talents...  Help your child brainstorm gift ideas and creative ways to wrap that gift into a box.  Your involvement will be immeasurably valuable in your child's life.

December 4th - What We Learned

This Sunday, December 4th, your two to five year old children learned the first part of the "Christmas Story" that God sent an angel to tell Mary she was going to have a baby, but not just any baby, the Son of God!  We talked about the question why would God want to leave Heaven and become a baby?  And we discovered that it was because He loves us and wants to be our Friend forever.

Since God is completely perfect and holy, He is unable to be close to anything bad or wrong.  The kids talked about some bad things they had done like disobeying their parents or teachers or being mean to their siblings or friends.  Through this discussion time, we realized that the bad things (called sin) that we all do, keep us from being able to be friends with God, and He wants SO BADLY to be friends with us.  So He planned a way that we could be His friends!  He came down as a little baby, and he lived the exact same life we are living.  Did you know that Jesus was once a four year old?  And did you know that when He was four years old, He ALWAYS obeyed his parents and teachers, and He was ALWAYS kind to His siblings and friends?  Wow, Jesus lived a totally perfect life!  He never, ever sinned, not once!  And then, He chose to die on the cross to take our punishment for every sin that we have ever committed and will ever commit.  Amazing!

The whole reason He did this was so that He could be our Friend...forever.  Wow!

Parents received a take home page at the check-in desk with a Christmas story rhyme for you and your child to learn together.  There is one verse for each week in December.  If you take time each day to review the verse for the week with your child, by the end of the month, your child may be able to tell the entire Christmas story on his own!

This week's section goes like this:

The angel came down (make a flying motion)
from God to say (cup hands around mouth like you want to say something)
that Mary will have a baby on Christmas Day. (pretend to rock a baby in your arms)
His name will be Jesus (make a "V" with both arms up and fists closed)
God's only Son. (point a finger and arm straight up to Heaven)
He will show that God loves everyone.  (hug yourself)

Your children in Land of Promise (kindergarten through fifth grade) have started learning about a new character trait this month:  Generosity.  In their first lesson, Jesus tells the parable of a rich man who gets all wrapped up in storing up more stuff and ends up losing everything that really matters. (Luke 12:13-21)  Bottom Line:  People are always more important than stuff.

This man did what we all have a tendency to do—to focus on what Jesus or God can do for us, instead of thinking about ways we’ve already been blessed or how we can bless others. That’s why our monthly memory verse says, “Be rich in good deeds … be generous and willing to share,” 1 Timothy 6:18, NIV.  When we realize that it’s really a lie that stuff makes our lives better, then it’s easier for us to be generous, but we can’t really live generously unless we believe this Basic Truth: I should treat others the way I want to be treated.

To reinforce this lesson at home, why not challenge your child to perform one premeditated Random Act of Kindness each week in December.  Yes, I said, "in December."  Why did I pick the busiest month of the year for your kid to do something special for someone else?  (Let's face it, most kids will need some serious parental input with this assignment.  You can all groan now.)  Because this month our kids are more tempted to focus on themselves than during any other month.  It's drilled into them every time they see a commercial, every time we parents and grandparents ask them what they want for Christmas, and every time their friends brag about what they might be getting for Christmas.  So let's drill something better into their hearts like, "What are you giving to someone else?  How can you be generous this Christmas?"

For some great Random Act of Kindness ideas, check out this blog post at What A Ride.  Be prepared to smile!