My verse for last night. My sister, by the grace of God, is very very good at this: " . . . comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. . ." I Thess 5:14  (KJV21) The link is for the whole chapter. Interesting to read it in context.

Visited a church with my daughter the other day. Their youth group had a lock-in to raise money for kids overseas. They each had a specific individual with a real life challenge. One had to support their family. One was blind or lame. For the weekend one of the kids here took on that burden as they went about their lock-in activities. One had to support his  or her family and wore a heavy back pack all weekend. One wore a blind fold for a blind individual. One was lame. Opportunities for teens to grow empathy. There are probably ways to incorporate something similar into the activities of pre-adolescent and grade school kids. Maybe there's someone closer to home, in the neighborhood, or at school.

A very challenging activity would be (for families on a week when school is on vacation ) to eat like a family some where else. Go without electricity. Spend the day (or a week) without using gasoline. Live on $25 or $50 (for a week). What happens to worship if you turn off the electricity? How about the sermon? Think of a list of cultural challenges. Pick one.

We take our cultural/material existence, our health, transportation, food sources, water, the natural world - most of what we have, for granted. We have lots to be thankful for.

Some of you really enjoyed it when I was reading and commenting on books. If you're interested, Ken has some book commentary at Children's Ministry Today and Tomorrow. He's currently actively involved in children's ministry.

Do you linger outside in the winter after dark? Imagine the sky lit up without fireworks or city lights, airplanes or satellites. Imagine the songs of angels filling the night time. Grander than a church choir, grander than the Mormon Tabernacle choir or the best choir in the world. And of course, you've never heard anything like it before because you work all the time and you're too poor to do anything else. And suddenly the sky is filled with music. And you go into town to see a new baby lying in a cow's manger in a cave or a barn filled with animals... you're used to being around animals but the baby...it's all about the baby...the baby lying there in the manger was just the beginning...

Did you ever consider going star gazing with your kids?

Have you ever literally let the path of a star in the sky lead you somewhere? Miles and miles through foreign countries? Think about it.

And those middle eastern wise men did follow that star. What did it cost to take such a trip? What would they have been doing if they had decided not to go? It was still all about that baby...and still, that baby lying there in that manger was just the beginning...

A Different Twist on Thanksgiving

I'm rummaging through my closet in the dark, using my fingers (not my eyes) to find something to wear and thought of you!

We take our God-given senses for granted until we lose them. Before I had cataract surgery I was using my fingertips to find clothes in a closet or drawer. How do you tell if something is clean if you can't see? Don't get grossed out. I'm just saying, that we take our senses for granted. Many Sunday Schools do a blind man's walking test to help make us better leaders and better followers. We can feel sorry for someone but that's not the point. They have strengths and abilities that we don't. We don't need them. We don't use them. The fact that human beings are even capable of growing such strengths and abilities is amazing. People who may be lacking sight or hearing or mobility draw on resources we don't draw on. They can do things that we can't. Man in particular, but every species, is fearfully and wonderfully made.

Sight: Divide your kids into groups of two or three. I like setting up a class so there is more participation and less waiting for turns. You will need one blind fold per group. Each group with have three pieces of clothes that feel different and three pieces of clothes that feel almost the same. Pick the T-shirt, pick the boy's dress shirt, pick the polo shirt. Set up one exercise that's particularly hard - three sweaters that feel the same but have different necklines or cardigan, V neck and pullover. Three knit shirts with different sleeve lengths. Three styles of shorts.

To appreciate hearing: watch a wildlife clip without sound. List all the things you don't hear. Then show it with the sound and see if you missed any sounds. Watch a real life movie (not animated) without the sound. Pick one that no one has seen before. Talk about it after. Watch it with the sound.

For taste and smell: pick some foods. Blind-folded, taste three cheeses that feel the same holding your nose. Taste them without holding your nose. Use three fruits that feel the same. See if you can tell what they are with just smell.  Use three leafy vegetables that feel the same. See if you can tell what they are with just taste.

To appreciate touch: when your kids come to class there is a new rule. You may not use your hands for anything.

For mobility: when your kids come to class there is a new rule. You can not walk or use your feet.

Go outside: Take the kids out when the seasons change. What's different? Individually or in groups, list all the things you see, all the things you hear, all the things you touch, all the things you smell, all the things you taste.

We need to make time to give thanks for all the things we take for granted. We have lots to be thankful for.