Jesus and Halloween

Well this week has been a little crazy with the usual activities, plus doctor visits, starting of puppy training, field trips, finding clothes for the kids to match the daily theme for Red Ribbon week, and getting ready for Halloween.  This year I have actually done well with preparing early, so there is no last minute rush to get costumes, candy, or decor.  We are set.  So with that feeling of accomplishment, I wanted to add another element to our Halloween...Jesus.

I know that a lot of people are wondering how the two correlate.  Our Almighty Savior and King and a holiday which started as a pagan celebration where children dress up, sometimes as demons and evil spirits.  Yes, but I prefer to think of it as a holiday where my evangelically-challenged self can do some spreading of the Gospel. :)

What I have done is easy, and I am planning on having my kiddos help me out with the process (a little at-home mission project)!  I simply put a picture of a jack-o-lantern on a document then included the verse "Let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16"  I added a little "Happy Halloween" at the bottom, printed them, and we will cut them out and tape them to the candy and other goodies we have to hand out on Halloween.  

Being in a new neighborhood, I have no idea how many kiddos to expect, but knowing that candy and goodies are a hit on Halloween, and with our taped messages, we will be able to spread the love of Jesus to lots of kiddos!  Easy and simple way to bring God into the conversation of Halloween, and involve the kids in spreading the God's word.

I know it's not earth-shattering or reaching millions, but it's something, and who knows how it will touch those kiddos and their families, and how many others they may reach in future. :)  

If you would like to print of some of the labels to put on your Halloween treats, I have created a link to the PDF.

Halloween blessing


Happy and Safe Halloween!!

Spiritual Gifts + Candy = Best Children's Sermon ever!!

Yesterday was my week for children's sermon and the topic was Committed, Serve and Go.  (We are currently in the middle of our stewardship campaign.)  The verses the pastor was speaking about listed the spiritual gifts.  Now sometimes when I hear the verse and/or the title of a sermon, ideas and inspiration just hit.  This week, not so much, so I turned to my trusty friend Google.  After searching through ideas and others sermons for about 45 minutes, I drew some inspiration from this sermon about Spiritual Gifts and cake.  Now I knew I wasn't going to be able to make the cakes (Ain't nobody got time for that!), so I took the easy way out and went to get some candy which tied in with Halloween coming up.

The night before I put each type of candy in a ziplock bag with a spiritual gift labeled on it. (Starburst - Administration, Whoppers - Faith, Dum Dums - Tongues, Smarties - Evangelism, Hershey Kisses - Compassion).  Then put them in one big bag to carry them up to the front with me.  This may or may not have been a Frozen bag that I had to borrow from my daughter.

The next morning I greeted the kiddos and asked them what holiday was coming up, and the response was a very excited "Halloween!"  Then I asked what do they get on Halloween, and I got an even more excited "CANDY!"  I then told them that I had brought some candy with me today b/c I told them that candy was like spiritual gifts.  Now we have two services at our church, and at the second service I asked the kids if they knew how candy and spiritual gifts could be alike, and a very wise elementary schooler sitting beside be answered, "Because they are both meant to be given away,"  From the mouths of babes!!  I told her thanks for doing the sermon, and we could all go home now!  Don't ever discount those little ones. :)

I went on the tell them that just like the candy I had in my bags, there are many different spiritual gifts (20 recognized by the United Methodist Church), but while each gift is unique , they are all gifts from God, just as all the candy with the different shapes, flavors and sizes are still collectively candy.

I pulled out my Administration bag first with the Starburst in it, and I told the kids that like the night before I had snuck a couple pieces of Starburst while I was working on my sermon.  I let them know that I like Starbust, but I was very disappointed when I opened my packed of candy only to find two LEMON.  Ugh (because we all know that cherry and orange are the best).  I explained to the kids that while I like some flavors of Starbursts, I do not enjoy all the flavors, just like I enjoy some parts of administration, but not all the parts.  I passed that bag on to one of the kiddos to hold and told them that is not one of my gifts.  I did a similar speech with Faith, Tongues, and Evangelism).

Then I got to my Compassion bag of Hershey Kisses.  I told the kids that I felt like compassion was one of my gifts because when I heard of a someone who was in need of something that my mind won't stop thinking about it until I do something to help.  I went on to tell the kids that chocolate was my favorite candy, so I would just keep it to myself after all.  The kids were emphatic that I share it of course!  I asked them what could happen if I kept all the chocolate and ate it myself, and one kiddo replied that I would get a belly ache.  I told him yes I would!!  I then added that if we keep our spiritual gifts to ourselves that we may not get a belly ache but it definitely doesn't feel good.  If I hear of a friend who is hurting or in need of something, and I do nothing, it definitely bothers me!  I am not fulfilling God's wish for my when he gave me this gift.  We talked about how gifts like candy are meant to be shared.  I asked the kids to remember this each time they saw a piece of candy this month.  Then after prayer and much suspense each child got to take a piece of candy of their choice back with them.

Researching this sermon definitely got me thinking.  We took a Disciple class a couple years ago, and at the end it had a spiritual gifts section where we were supposed to analyze and discuss each others gifts.  Well, our class is a bit of a rabbit chasing class, so we never really got to do that in its true form.  I discovered a spiritual gifts assessment online when I was looking up material last week, and I intend to take it today, so see what it says, so I can maybe look at new ways of serving and fulfilling God's plan.  If you are interested in taking the assessment yourself, click on the link below.

UMC Spiritual Gifts Assessment

My first post!!

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about this blog.  In fact I have put it off for about a week, just due to being unsure about what to write, how it will be received, and if I really even have anything of substance to write about.  Well here goes. :)

If you read my About Me post to the side of the blog, you will see a little bit about me and why I have started this blog.  I want to make sure that I clear up the discontent part.  I am not discontent with my husband and/or kiddos or our life together (didn't want any marital rift to start off this blog), it was more of a inner feeling of discontent, like there was something missing in my life.  It was a feeling that I was needing something more, not in a material or tangible way, more in a spiritual way.  Don't get me wrong, I am involved in our local Methodist church.  We attend just about every Sunday, I am one of the co-directors for our Kid's Music and Arts Programs, I co-chair our children's committee, and my husband and I attend a very active Sunday School.  Despite all this I was still feeling like I needed to be doing something more, something out of my comfort zone to grow.  Now some would say that working if children is definitely something that helps you grow (Can you say PATIENCE and GRACE?!?  LOL!), but to be honest, working with kids is something I have always enjoyed doing, and music has always come easy to me as well, so while for some it might be a stretch, for me it comes a little more naturally.  Also talking to kids about Jesus and the Bible is less intimidating because as long as I know a little more than they do I am good.  I will say though my 10-year-old son is starting to give me a run for my money!  Now talking to adults, who like have more Bible knowledge than I do and different life experiences, that is scary to me.  Nevertheless, I am jumping in with two feet.  Now I am wearing water wings, a life jacket, and a swim ring, but still jumping in!

Along with moments of inspiration, raw honesty, and my monthly children's sermon that I do at church, I was also hoping to maybe host some online bible studies.  One of my goals is to did deeper into the Bible and my spiritual walk with Jesus, but without accountability it is not going to happen.  I would love to read books together and then chat live somehow about them.  I am not adept at twitter, so I will try to see if this is possible on Google or Facebook.

Well this is it for now.  I don't promise to blog every day, every other day, or even every week.  I will try though!  Thanks for following along and bring a part of my journey!