Thoughts about justice. Worth reading at Celtic Odyssey.

Child in Church and Culture from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada: introduction to a project. You'll like the quote at the beginning.

Summary of the project: "Come To The Table: Landing the Missional Church in Canada", a research project by Shelley Campagnola.

This one is about VBS

Here, at the Children's Spirituality site you will find enough reading material to keep you reading for years!! Enjoy!

Lent 8a - Monday

Isaiah 42:1-9 •

Here is another story about the Holy Spirit. We also hear about justice.

Someone is special. Someone is "chosen." Children know about that. Here is someone who "will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street. . ." What does that look like? sound like? He won't break "a bruised reed". He won't quench "a dimly burning wick. . ." What does that look like? For your older kids, your teens, do these qualities have something to do with justice?

Something more about justice and a promise, "He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching. "

In verse 5 we have visual imagery perhaps reminding us of the creation story. Children know what it means for someone to take them by the hand. "I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness."

vs 9 "See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them." When God does what He says He will do, share it with your children.


Psalm 36:5-11 • Look up at the heavens. God's love extends to the heavens. Look up at the clouds. God's faithfulness extends to the clouds. Look at mighty mountains. God's righteousness is like that. Look at the ocean depths. God's judgments are like that.

And the Psalmist says, "you save humans and animals alike, O LORD." I can never find that verse when I'm looking for it but there it is.

Hiding in the shadow of His wings - a fun fort to create for little ones. Special food, special drink & lots of it.

"...you give them drink from the river of your delights..." what does that look like? Taste like? Sound like? Not my delights or your delights but God's delights...What can you do with fountains? What can you do with " in your light we see light"

Hebrews 9:11-15 •

Jesus -" high priest of the good things to come" . What does that mean? What's a priest? What's a high priest? Israelite children would know what a high priest is and they would have life associations.

the blood of Jesus...offered to God...to "purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!"

Look at the nouns. "blood," "calves," "goats," "mediator," "covenant". . . Go through the list of nouns in this passage. Even the action words. Without using theological Christianese...what do they mean to you? What did they mean to the Israelites? What do they mean to children in your faith community? What did they mean to Israelite children?

Is there something to be said about "high church" helping us understand more of the scriptures? How about "low church?"

John 12:1-11

Passover meant something to Israelite children and adults. Bethany. The place where ___ happened. There was a memory associated with this place. Jesus did something. I think I posted about this passage but retell the story. You have a home, dinner, people, perfume ...what 5 senses are engaged? How? What can we learn about Jesus and what He was teaching us about His father?

Pondering Psalm 99 and the child

How do you teach a child "holy"? "'mighty"? "justice?"

This Psalm says that this thing called "justice" is something God loves.

Children understand"to do right". God always does right.

"Worship!" Why? Because God is holy.

What's a footstool? Do you have a footstool? What do you do with it? What might it look like for God to have a footstool?

They called on the Lord. He answered them. Do your children have first hand experience with calling and having someone answer?

Forgiveness. Punishing misdeeds. Do your children have first hand experience with this?

"Exalt the Lord-" what does that mean? What does it look like? Sound like? Feel like? Are your children part of a people who experiences this?

Nations trembling. The earth shaking. The unique. The unusual. The unexpected fosters a fear of God in less science-minded people if these are the stories they hear. Today we dismiss superstition and faith for science but think about the fear of God that inevitably came before the days of science when the earth shook, when a man entered a tent looking like every other man and came back glowing after being in the presence of the Living God!

We invest all this energy trying to bring children to faith when they start out with the capacity to believe as much as their young imaginations are capable of - things grown ups have stopped believing and insist on explaining and ultimately dismissing. That's why we need children.

Am I dismissing science? No. Didn't God create all that scientists study? Didn't God create the minds of men who develop technology. Didn't God give man intuition and understanding? There is awe & wonder there. But isn't God the ultimate source of all that we can explain and all that we can't? Science may give us the words so we can talk about it. Science may give us the tools to keep discovering more about all that God has created. Science may give us the tools to make it work for us and take dominion. But where did it all come from? God - the beginning and the end, the Alpha & Omega - the creator of all things. The writer of His stories.

Imagine the incredulous worship God would receive if we were all continuously worshiping and praising Him for all of this (even if only in our hearts)?

This is a really interesting website: DoSomething.org

The thing that's neat about it (if you explore the site) is that you can pick an issue, pick how much time (as little as 1 minute), pick who you want to work with (alone, a group of friends or church, an organization), pick where and they will give you ideas. ex. Preventing Bullying, 1 minute, Alone, here - Make a poster and hang it in your library.

Lots of ideas at many levels of involvement, information about different causes with the understanding that there may be different legitimate viewpoints and levels of passion. Check it out!

Still Adding to this post

Not sure if I ever posted these way back when...if not have some fun exploring, reading & prayerfully pondering. I challenge you to really take the time to search and read and ponder the material on these sites and any sites they're linked to. Not only are these experienced-servants-of-God-who-work-closely-with-children pondering Faith, Children, Practice, and the Kingdom of God but many are working with children at risk.

the site for the Child Theology Movement and better yet, ChildFaith

The Center for Children & Theology There are scripture booklets near the bottom if you scroll down far enough and one on stillness...interesting tools...

You'll find this on the site but in case you miss it...(Listening to the Child Blog)

Prevette Research

Overseas Ministries Study Center

Children's Spirituality: Christian Perspective

Don Ratcliff & resources

Check these out

From Followers: Blogs I Follow...

podcast at somethingbeautifulpodcast.com - Julie Clawson's book EVERYDAY JUSTICE.


advent poetry blog. Anybody who loves Madeline L'Engle and George McDonald has my vote.

Resources 8-09

If The Child in the Bible peeked your curiosity or got you pondering check out The Child Theology Movement"

Also check out Dwellingwell.

Another blog and an interesting question to think about. What can CM provide to kids that parents can't? If it's no longer the latest post, it's probably there somewhere.

TCITB: Chpt 18:

from TCITB

Chapter 18
"Vulnerable Children, Divine Passion, and Human Obligation

by Walter Brueggemann

Brueggemann greets the reader with imagery of the she - bear of scripture (2 Sam. 17:8, Proverbs 17:12, Hosea 13:8) passionately poised to protect her young. He reminds us that God is like that. [TCITB p. 399-400].

He talks about nurturing our own young, generation after generation, with that same passion in the face of the ever-present temptations to take much easier cultural paths. It's easy to forget that, as he says, these paths are mediocre alternatives compared to the one that calls us to maintain our God-given identity and hold fast to much richer deeper memories, heritage (or tradition), and hope that we share following the Way of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

He cites Exodus 12-13. He talks about the Passover celebration as a tool for recognizing that we are part of an "odd" community, a tool that helps impart not only the understanding that we are different but it is also a tool to share identity and worth with children. It gives parents opportunity to share not only what God did for Israel past but for "me," the parent. He talks about redemption in light of God-given value using examples of OT redemption but not without traditional evangelical language. [TCITB p. 400-406]

He talks about the need for saturation. He talks about the tendency for uninvolved children to question and challenge what is so very personal and present for their parents but scripture (and the Passover celebration) equip us and encourage us to be ready with answers. He suggests that perhaps the approach in Exodus 12-13 more targets younger children and Deut. 6, older children. [TCITB p. 402-5]

He reminds us that God told His people, "[when you grow prosperous. . .] do not forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt..." (Deut. 6:11-12) Among some subtle and less subtle references to affluence he says, "affluence will produce amnesia: by contrast, the sons and daughters of oddness will recognize that they have been treasured." [TCITB p. 407] He says that despite "saturation nurture in oddness . . . [i]t is predictable that in this saturation nurture some impatient, nearly contemptuous teenager will ask, "what is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded you?" [TCITB p. 407] He says, "Soon or late, the children of oddness must come to see that the oddness is about a demanding ethic that anticipates response to the requirements of YHWH. This community not only receives the world differently from YHWH; it also enacts the world differently in glad response to the many gifts of YHWH." [TCITB p. 408] He explains this better than I am.

He looks at Joshua 4. He talks about Israel and the stones at the Jordan. He says, "Now the community is moving stones around in the Jordan River. The narrative knows that if you move stones long enough through a complex narrative, some child will ask: 'what do these stones mean?" (Josh. 4:21) And then, once again, the adults are ready with an informed response both proclaiming the promise and acknowledging that we live by it. [TCITB p. 408-409] There is something here too to consider about story-telling and creating curiosity in children. You appreciate food more when you're hungry. I (usually) remember answers to the questions I ask better than random information.

Brueggemann says, "This entire set of transactions between parents and children represented in these three central texts is designed to inculcate the children into a particular version of reality that is rooted in miracle and that eventuates in covenantal obligation." [TCITB p. 409] This is an interesting discussion.

"With the fierce dedication of a she-bear, the parents intend to situate their children in this particular version of reality; the educational process is intense and insistent, because the life and identity of the children are at stake through this interaction, for life and identity of a particular kind are of course in jeopardy if children fall out of the lore of the family, whether by negligence, resistance, or seduction to other versions of reality." [TCITB p. 410] This is not so much a how to as it is vision and encouragement to saturate our children in that which will grow faith, identity, worth, and obligation as one of God's children.

Brueggemann talks about transition. He says, "Nurture and socialization are a process-through education, liturgy, and many forms of saturation-concerned for and contained within family and clan." The socialization process distinguishes between 'us' and 'them'. He sites Joshua 24:14-5. He says, "There is no doubt that the Old Testament expends immense energy on the 'in group'. . . Given that fact, however, it is also clear that the Old Testament, in its final form, also knows that 'the others' are on the horizon of faith and cannot be excluded from covenantal perspective." [TCITB p. 410] God is God of heaven and earth. He says, "In a contemporary society of narcissistic fear and acute self-preoccupation it is important to make the connection between familial peculiarity and a more inclusive awareness that issues in larger responsibility." He looks at how we can do that (extend our caring beyond our own circle) with the biblical passion of the she-bear. He encourages policy making focused on "protection, care and valuing that are as unconditional as the unconditional regard we know for our own children." [TCITB p. 411] Again, this is not a how-to but vision for saturating our children in a faith that will carry them through adversity to reach out and care for a world much greather than their own circle with that same passion they were raised with.

He emphasizes that children left alone without adult advocacy and protection even in our society are as vulnerable today as in ancient times. He proposes that biblical "'welfare' concerned not only food and physical safety, but also nurture in respect, dignity , and well-being" reflecting the very nature of God. [TCITB p. 412]

He cites Deuteronomy 10, Hosea 14, Psalm 10. In Psalm 68, he discusses God as father to those who by definition have no father. He notes the verbs in Psalm 146:7b-9 as powerful "doing" words and notes the people groups who benefit. [TCITB p. 415] He has a wonderful paragraph tying God's character to our obligation to do.

In the last pages of his article (and the book) Brueggemann makes a strong biblical argument in the form of cause and effect focusing on attitude adjustment that will ultimately lead to changes in our choices and actions reflecting IMO an ancient and fast disappearing "fear of the Lord'. [TCITB p. 4:16-4:20]

The author concludes showing us again how nurturing our own children and defending and caring for children who aren't our own are "elements of the same agenda." He cites Matt. 7:9-11, James 1:27, Malachi 4:5-6, John 14:18 to reinforce his point.

A nice conclusion for this book.

TCITB: Chpt 17 Adoption

from TCITB

Chpt 17 "Adoption in the Bible"
by David L. Bartlett

David Bartlett says, "While it is clear that the Old Testament presupposes that people will take almost parental responsibility for offspring not their own, it is not clear that ancient Israel had formal adoption practices. Many of the examples of adoption in both Old and New Testaments involve or suggest the adoption of adults..." [TCITB p. 375] He looks at adoption as " an image of the life of faith." I think he looks at this from some different angles, particularly the practices of the times the scriptures were written. [TCITB p. 376]

He examines passages about adoption from the Hebrew scriptures, the 1st century Greco-Roman world, and passages from the New Testament. He looks at God and His relationship to king David and to Israel [TCITB p 378-381], Moses, Esther, Joseph's sons. He looks at the roles of men, women, and extended family in providing custodial care and the long term benefits, reiterating that it's not clear that there were formal adoption proceedings. [TCITB p. 381-383] Hebrew families dealt compassionately with orphans and "elders took responsibility for people who were biologically the sons and daughters of other people." [TCITB p. 383] Roman adoption was quite different.[TCITB p. 383-385].

It's easy to forget that Joseph not being Jesus' biological father - Jesus was adopted. [TCITB p. 385-7] The author reminds us that there is no birth narrative for Jesus in Mark's gospel [TCITB p. 383] and wonders God's words during Jesus' baptism (Mark 1:11) suggest "an adoption formula." [TCITB p. 386]

The author explores "The Adoption of Believers" beginning in the Gospel of John. [TCITB p. 388-9] He discusses Paul's references to adoption. [TCITB p. 389-394] Drawing on other sources, he reminds us that Paul uses imagery for both adoption and biological fathering in his letters. [TCITB p. 393-4]

The author concludes 1) "Adoption is the free gift of God, and it brings together disparate people ...2) "Adoption includes inheritance, and therefore there is a strong eschatological component. . ." 3) "Adoption is sealed and certified by the Spirit. . ." He says that "Ephesians 1:1:5-13 strongly suggests baptismal formulas and themes. . . " He says, "The significance of a biblical image cannot be measured by the number of times biblical writers use that image" but rather it's ability to shed light on "a wide range of biblical literature and its "capacity to provide insights for the lives of interested people in every age." [TCITB p. 394]

The author explores implications for our faith communities. He reminds us that our "membership in God's family is always the result of God's activity" as opposed to our making it happen. [TCITB p. 395] He says, "Adoption is a powerful image because adoption transcends the boundaries and barriers set by biological and ethnic identity." [TCITB p. 395] It can apply to both individuals and peoples. There is naming involved and he says, "It reminds us that the identity of faithful people is in the identities God gives us rather than the identities we give ourselves." [TCITB p. 395] There are past, present, and future implications for adoption. Adoption involves both discipline and unconditional love. [TCITB p. 395] He elaborates on these implications for the people of God. He shares some really interesting thoughts about baptism (infant and believer's). [TCITB p. 396]

Interesting conclusions. Given what we know from the scriptures, he challenges the two parent, traditional male-female standard for adoption adding ". . . God of course is the prototypical single parent." Before you jump down anyone's throat, read his whole essay. [TCITB p. 396] I think he asks some realistic and tough questions of the Church as he ends this chapter - realistic and tough questions that challenge us to put policy, action, financial, and community support behind our verbal convictions. [TCITB p. 396-398]

Toddlers serving

Whether you support Heifer International or not, there is a tiny article in the most recent issue about 2 & 3 year olds in TX (and their parents) helping to dig up sweet potatoes for local food banks. Yes, the children have shovels in hand. They are doing the work of digging up the sweet potatoes.

I thought, what a great example of meaningful work, meaningful* service for some very little people. Not just meaningful for the recipients of the food but for the children and because they are working with their parents they are growing that relationship. Because they are working with other families they are growing friendships and a sense of community among themselves and a sense of giving to a much larger, even marginalized community beyond themselves. And hey, guess what! They are also growing a relationship with the natural God - created world: the outdoors, the ground, air & weather, plants, probably insects and animals, too. How cool is that?

And frankly, if you back up a little, children that small can help with planting, watering and weeding, too. Lots of experiential concrete learning going on digging in the dirt, lol!!

*Is this "meaningful" the same as what is meaningful to someone 20, 30, 40 or 50? No, but tiny meaning-filled seeds are growing.

Resources

Someone came to Emerging Kids looking for "believing children" or something like that...

I googled "faith of children." Found some useful resources for you but what was interesting to me...and I will probably get bomb-blasted for this...- at the very end of the page there were sites for wiccan parents growing wiccan faith-filled children. For me, an unexpected look at the competition, folks! No, I didn't investigate further but, as I say - such is the competition. Also interesting because I was just looking at a book about Celtic Christianity and evangelism. . . and I'm guessing the early Christians in ancient Ireland faced similar challenges . . .

Some different perspectives:

a Focus on the Family article

an Orthodox article - Raising Children With Christ, Compassion, and Commitment by Fr Peter Gillquist

This is a book that I've not seen before that some of you may find interesting. I've not read it. When Prayer Fails: Faith Healing, Children, and the Law. As I say, some of you may find this a useful book to read. Apparently it tastefully (and with empathy) addresses a very delicate issue.

postscript...

My husband graciously listened to my two sentence synopsis of detail and spaces from the last two posts. "The stories of scripture are full of details and spaces where God leaves out the details. Do you think the spaces are opportunities to explore the spaces to know God better?"

He thought about it for a few minutes and said, "maybe the missing details just aren't relevant."

Saves a lot of thinking time ...

Tough Stories II

What if . . .

What if I focus on being that child staring up at my father standing over me raising his knife? When I was little, I never would have considered that story from that angle and I was a very imaginative child. There was no reason for me to think like that. The grown-ups around me wouldn't have imagined that scenario either. But what of the child who has seen his father like that? In the stillness of pondering the story, one child can take one trail, another child can take a different trail. God knows. They have different experiences, different needs. God can bring His story to each of them individually in ways they can handle. They won't both interact with the story (or with God) the same way. They may discover different sides of God but God is the same. God is there. God is faithful. God will provide.

God's Word will accomplish what He intends it to accomplish which leaves me wanting to stand back and let the story of scripture be the primary speaker free to do whatever the Spirit of God wants to do with individuals, even children. I'm trying to learn that I don't have to comment on everything. I don't have to explain everything. I don't have to have an answer for everything. Does that make me less a teacher?

I do need to know what the Word says and what it doesn't say - the details and the spaces - even if I refrain from forcing people to see through my eyes. There is a time to correct someone's understanding - if they're wrong about what the scriptures say or what they don't say otherwise we can end up in the worst kind of mess . . . but we need to let the details and spaces be what they are.

I think correcting wrong-thinking because someone thinks the Bible says something it doesn't or doesn't think something it does is different from a child's developmental perceptions. The sprout in the ground isn't "not a crocus" it's just not mature. It's still growing. A child's understanding is like that. Should I squash it or pull it up because it's not full grown? If I recognize poison ivy, let's pull it. If I don't know, I'd best let it grow 'til I know for sure.

What of the child who has seen his father, knife raised, ready to kill - a child who faces hard realities? I may never face those realities. None of the children I know may ever face those realities. We don't have to go there in our group discussions but what if a child initiates? What if he asks? God gives you the words you need when you need them. At the same time meditating on the Word regularly, chewing it prayerfully, interacting with Him constantly as you go through life gives you wisdom that flows from a deeper place (still from His Holy Spirit) - something that doesn't just fly off the top of your head when you're desperate and need a quick answer. It's also ok to say, "That's a really good question. I don't know the answer. Let's pray and think about that."

Wrestling with God changes us but sometimes the wrestling just brings us back to the simplest (but not simplistic) of truths. In that story, "God was there." "God provided." "We don't know all the answers."

What of that child who needs more than simple answers? Is there something in this story for him? Is there something in scripture for him? The story of Joseph - sold a slave, Naaman's slave girl, Daniel in exile? Did you ever think about those children in those situations or how they got there to begin with and the realities that went with it? Scripture doesn't give us the details but chances are they are the same hard cold details that children experience in abusive or oppressive situations today - maybe worse. If we knew all the details we would know that they aren't sterile stories. But God chose not to give us those details.

We don't want those details for children. Not in story, not in life. We would never condone treating children like that. No one rescued the children in these stories. Yet these children are examples to us. They give us hope. God was with those children.God came through for them. God provided. Those children were faithful to God (and it appears that they respected their captors). God used those children in powerful ways not just to stand strong and survive, not just to affect the people around them, but their lives and stories carry God's story to nations and generations. It would be interesting to revisit those stories and see what happened to the peoples responsible for taking those children captive. It's a scary story. Not only the real circumstances those children were in but what God did. Most of us have no idea how incredibly fearsome and awesome He is.

Tough Stories I

Thinking more about that 1st chapter of TCITB (Abraham and Issac) and about the author's observations and comments regarding abuse and the imagery of a child staring at dad standing over him with a knife and the scariness of that scenario . . . (the author was Terence E. Fretheim)

One of the things about scripture - I think the people from Young Children in Worship (YCIW) said this - is that sacred story, unlike modern media, doesn't fill in all the details. It doesn't tell you everything. It leaves room to ruminate, to ponder. It leaves space for the imagination - doors and windows for the Holy Spirit to help us see just a little more of life through His eyes.

I want to believe that the details God gives us and the details He leaves out are intentional. As we ponder the detail and the spaces that lack detail in God's stories, as we meditate on a passage - words from God's own mouth - we can draw near to Him and know Him just a little better. Sometimes He fills in spaces, sometimes He doesn't. We aren't all little clones. Our life experiences aren't identical. There is some freedom attached to those spaces. The spaces also give us the freedom to see the stories through the eyes and experience of the children without going beyond that.

Here is the space that a grown-up was pondering through the eyes of a child: What did Isaac see when he was lying on the table and his father was standing over him? Did Abraham have anger in his eyes. . . or. . was he trying not to be angry at God. . . or . . . was he emotion-less (the Lord gives, the Lord takes away) . . . Maybe he was a passionate man who wasn't afraid to express his emotions . . . Maybe tears streamed down his face. These are spaces. God doesn't tell us the details. We can only ask questions. We don't really know. But that's ok. We don't need to know. Without changing the scriptures at all - space or detail- none of the scenarios I've explored are true or not true. We just don't know. The spaces leave possibilities to ponder. Is that lack of detail insignificant ("don't think about that because we don't know") or can the possibilities - the missing details draw us closer to God than details - places where the Spirit of God can minister to different people in different ways about different things. Maybe the spaces just give God room to be God.

But what if . . . ?

TCITB: Cht 5 - Isaiah

from Chapter 5
"Look! The Children and I Are as Signs and Portents in Israel"
Children in Isaiah

Jacqueline E. Lapsley


Isaiah is known as a prophetic book. Various faith communities define "prophetic" in different ways. My brain started a bit distracted by prophetic implications but soon refocused on the rich picture language of the book, made richer by Ms. Lapsley's understanding of language and culture, and it's implications for our attitudes towards children. There is a lot in this chapter that I am not even remotely qualified to explore in a blog - endless opportunities to ponder her observations and what they mean to us but here are some basic things that jumped out at me.

Ms. Lapsley examines various "images of children that appear in Isaiah, including the prophet's own children, his focus on orphans, and the way Israel itself is described metaphorically as a child in the book." (TCITB p. 82) She says that the children in Isaiah may seem "background figures for the primary drama of God's judgement and promise of redemption, but upon closer reading they come to the fore. . . The fortunes and faithfulness of Israel are represented in the welfare of Israel's children" and, she believes, humanity in general. (TCITB p. 82-3) and likewise, God's judgement. It's rather interesting that children are so much a part of the scriptures but we don't see them unless we look.

"Regarding the need to protect the powerless from the greed of the powerful, the emphasis in the Torah is less on rights and more on the responsibilities of those in power." She says the language used in the OT for what we think of as "rights" has less to do with the rights of the victim and more to do with "the responsibility of making sure that the welfare of these vulnerable individuals be upheld according to the law." (TCITB p. 86) The way I understand it, this means that responsibility for justice and mercy lies in the hands of those making the decisions.

"The relationship between the child Israel and God the parent is a fundamental one that pervades much of the Hebrew Bible." (TCITB p. 87) She discusses different dimensions of this role including but not limited to God's understanding of motherhood, God's experience with rebellious children and adoption, God's tenderness and His delight and playfulness, naming. (TCITB 91-102)

I'm wondering where our system falls on God's spectrum. The scriptures were written in a time when women worked hard but widows, orphans, and the fatherless were very dependent on marriage and family for economic and social welfare. Today, women are encouraged (allowed? expected?) to look out for themselves (and their children). Yet in ancient Israel God judged Israel for intentionally withholding legal justice and provision from widows and orphans. Ms. Lapsley's explorations of this book suggest that God's expectations far exceeded basic charity and hard-work.(TCITB p. 88)

Referring to language used (and the words used to name one of Isaiah's children) she says, "The appearance here of 'spoil' and 'prey,' which are wartime practices, signals that, far from engaging in benign neglect, the rulers are waging war against their own helpless women and children." Lapsley continues, "that the enemies are one's own leaders is shocking indeed." (TCITB p. 89) God is judging them because the practices of their leaders, in a sense, wage war on widows and orphans - on those who have no power.

Her understanding and the word pictures that she paints add great depth to our traditional understanding of Isaiah 9-12. (TCITB p. 89-90) Earlier she mentions that an after-life wasn't part of Hebrew thinking but that God's promises for the future were promises for future generations in this life. Another Hebrew scholar I've read said the same thing. I find that profound for more reasons than I can post here. I have to say that lions lying down with lambs, children safely working to contribute to the good of their families, and nursing babes safely playing beside the holes of venomous snakes in this life is even more awe-inspiring to me as evidence of God's blessing than visualizing those things in heaven. (TCITB p. 90)

This is a very small dose of all there is to ponder in this chapter. I'm impressed by her ability to "see" the children in this book. There is also a very different long-range, though not sentimental, multi-faceted appreciation for children in Isaiah that may be fast disappearing in our own culture. But who knows. Maybe this is the generation that will take it back.

Pondering missional #3: Missional Kids

Missional kids....hm...what could that look like? I think there are past posts about this - maybe under "justice":

Children participating in the same activities their parents do, as appropriate.

giving, serving, loving friends, family, neighbors as opportunities present themselves

participating in well-supervised activities they're interested in (sports, clubs, band...) that aren't church related with or without friends from church

inviting families and friends over

raising money for causes, giving (and delivering) material donations

giving away things they don't want or need

creating websites, artwork, essays about issues that matter to them (there are magazines that publish the work of children

field trips or speakers to learn more about history and the world around them to become more aware of social issues

writing letters

visiting people they know who can't get out and friends who are sick or in the hospital (as appropriate)

volunteering with parents

for teenagers, at one point our city had a separate teen court where kids were judged by their peers. Not sure if it's still happening. peer mediation

hanging out at your local rec center

community service

befriending new refugees in your community

Add more to this list if you like.

Many will look and say but this isn't new. And they're probably right. All these things were happening all along but there were activities associated with church and activities not associated with church as opposed to the thinking that all that we do we do to the glory of God. We work and play in His presence, with His blessing. He walks and talks with us along the way. He teaches us along the way as we walk through our day to day activities. There are "new" terms for this but I can't recall what they are at this moment . . . I'm getting old.

An alternative to planning church group service activities might be creating a bulletin board or booklets or photo albums of the things we do away from church affirming that these activities are a legitimate expression of our faith- activities for home or church. These are people we love - not because we're targetting them for salvation. What? God only loves us so He can get us saved? Is that all there is?For some of us that means being born into a whole new kingdom, a whole new life. Transformation. But is that the only reason God loves us?

He made us. He made each of us unique. He loves us with all our quirks. I want to believe He loves the world that way too, each of us a special person to love. To my way of thinking, this is the world that God loves. Eternal life is to know God. To be saved/safe is to walk with God.

And I'm a firm believer that the things that are supposed to be left-hand activities, activities that the right hand doesn't know about, should remain so - the things done in secret that God rewards, not people. But use the word "secret" and parents and kids may conjure up the bad implications of the word "secret." A whole different discussion. Language again. Have fun with that.

But when it comes to children in emerging churches, how is "missional" different from what the church has always known?

heros

Another Subversive Influence post that goes with the missional discussion mentioned in the last post.

If this doesn't work, I'm playing with technical, too.

Developmental, Physical, Emotional Differences

[My apologies for not being more familiar with politically correct language. Handicaps aren't always handicaps but they make us different from people who don't share our differences - whatever those differences may be.]

This is a short but profound observation about the handicapped among us from Backyard Missionary.com (May 25, 2008). Click on Mark to see the longer original post. My husband says this all the time. If the church really is inclusive of people from all ages, races, educational, social/economic, physical backgrounds then our congregations would reflect that. The gospel we preach would speak to all of those people. The lives we live would welcome all those people. Just using the language "those people" . . . I repent. . .That's exactly what I'm talking about.

Sometimes it's our physical facilities that need to change. Whether or not neccessary changes are made and how we're willing to spend our time and resources reflect our attitudes and the choices we make may sound perfectly legitimate but they still reflect our attitudes.

Sometimes it's the very gospel we preach, the things we include/the things we leave out, the examples we use, the goals we reach for...The people we don't miss are probably the people we need most.

This passage in I Cor. 12 and 13 comes in the context of spiritual gifts but it still reflects an attitude towards differences. Jesus and His disciples were criticized for the people they ministered to. . . Enough from me. It's a good post.

LCW: not the end...

Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods has a surprise ending as all well-written works should - a surprise, but not.

I found all these blog tags in this book: generations, inspiration, justice, kids in community, language, puppies (because they're creatures), questions, random, relational, resources, pondering, roots, stewardship, story, teaching learning, worship

Paul Gorman: (founder, director of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, Amherst, MA) "To the extent that we separate our children from creation is the extent to which we separate them from the creator - from God..." (LCW p. 293)

"Just as many places of worship are going green, environmental organizations are increasingly likely to evoke the spiritual...Faith-based environmentalism can create strange bedfellows and powerful unions. . . Potentially, places of worship could be more important institutions than schools in connecting the young with the natural world. 'More and more people of faith, as they grow in their awareness of the connection between nature and religion, are bringing nature into the discussion,' says Gorman. 'But you have to start with parents. First and above all is for parents to understand this connection itself. The future is not about designing curriculum. It's about awakening to creation. Kids have to feel that this connection is vital and deep in their parents. They see through us all the time . . . as the connection becomes more vivid to us, our commitment to it becomes more authentic, and children respond to that authenticity. The most important thing is the awakening. That joy of awakening and discovery is what it's like to be a child." (LCW p. 295-6)

Do you hear the connection? Mr. Louv sites a lot of research to support his position, and you can use research to say whatever you like but there are some interesting observations. I'm more impressed with the wisdom. There's a lot of catch 22 - in order to change this, you have to change that. We don't always know what the consequences will be. I also like the fact that Louv is quick to listen to the other voices who join in the discussion, though he may not agree. He's spoken with lots of parents and children and teachers and leaders of organizations.

There are always cross-roads. There are always choices to make. There's always something we take for granted. It's easier than we think to turn around and discover that the thing we took for granted is suddenly gone. It really wasn't sudden. We made choices and no one warned us - or maybe someone warned us but it wasn't a priority at the time. Maybe it wouldn't be gone if we'd been better stewards - if we hadn't taken it for granted. Maybe whatever we lost wouldn't be gone if only we'd . . .