Northwood Parents

This week, preschoolers continue to learn just how much their Heavenly Father loves them!  All month long, we have taught preschoolers about the incredible love that God has for them.  The love that He has for them is greater than the love of anyone else in the whole world!  Sunday, preschoolers will have a “Happy Time” where they will sing and dance while praising God because of His great love for them.  Sometime this upcoming week, have at least one “Happy Time” with your preschooler at home.  Put on a fun praise CD in the CD player, clear some space, and dance for the Lord.  Share this time with your preschooler.  Help your preschooler understand that we are happy because of the love of God!  He has blessed us more than we could ever deserve and that makes us want to have a “Happy Time!”

Elementary kids are finishing up the virtue of knowledge this week.  We are looking in 2 Kings 22 - 23:25 when Josiah promises to follow the covenant.  Go on and take a look at that passage today!  It is an incredible look at how Josiah drew closer to God and how we can do the same.  Sunday, elementary kids will learn that knowing what God says helps us know how to get closer to God!  Sometime after Sunday, brainstorm some ways that you and your child can get closer to God.  How does reading the Bible and knowing what it says help us get closer to God?  Why is it necessary to get closer to God?  Help your child understand that the only way we get closer to God is by spending time with Him … talking to Him, reading His word, and learning about Him at church!

I know the week gets busy and time to talk to your child about what we talk about here at church becomes hard to find.  Take time right now to plan some time after Sunday to talk to your child about what I’ve suggested here.  You can do it on the ride to school Monday morning or on the way to football practice on Tuesday!  Make the time!  It will change your family!!!

School is in full swing now and the homework is beginning to pile up.  WIth all of the day to day pressure of getting your kids picked up from school, homework done, reading assignments completed, and bath time accomplished, it’s easy to neglect church and taking the time to get your child here on Wednesday nights and up on Sunday mornings!  Today, I want to remind you how important it is to have your child here each week on Sunday and Wednesday.  We do not offer a babysitting service…we offer a real time for kids to learn about Jesus in a fun, exciting, and applicable way.  We, the church, only have your child for a maximum of 104 times each year — and that’s if he’s here every Sunday and Wednesday throughout the year.  Each one you miss is one that can’t be relived.  We cannot get back the Sunday you missed last month because you stayed up late Saturday night or the Wednesday you missed last week because it was a long day at work!  It is gone!  It is so important to make church a priority in your weekly schedule.  The church is the single, greatest organization that can make an impact on your child (including football and cheerleading — which sometimes seem to take priority).  What we teach will make a difference in eternity…many other weekly activities (including school) won’t!

It’s equally important to make time with your child before he goes to bed each night… tIme to read the Bible together, time to talk about your day, and time to pray together.  Homework is important, but nothing you do on a typical school day comes close to being as important as church and the time that you spend with your child talking and sharing about God!  Take the time to read this blog and find out what we’re teaching your children.  Take what we teach and discuss it at dinner or on the way home from school.  You have the greatest potential to impact your child for eternity!  Do not miss the chance!

I know the day to day struggles sometimes get the best of all of us — but here’s the choice … allow the struggles to overtake us or overtake the struggles.  Whatever this week holds, I know that, in comparison to eternity, it really means absolutely nothing!  The struggles of homework, PTA meetings, and practices really, in the end, are very MINOR!  The time you spend with your child talking about spiritual things and the time you spend here at church are MAJOR!  Focus on the MAJOR this week!  I will see you Wednesday!

Preschoolers are in 1 Samuel 20:3-42 this week.  Your preschooler will hear about a time when David had to leave his friend Jonathan.  David knew that, even though he was sad that he had to leave his friend, he knew that God loved him.  We want preschoolers to understand that God loves us no matter what!  Sometime this week while sitting at dinner, go around the table and have everyone share about a time when they were sad.  Help your preschooler understand that even adults have times when they’re sad.  Take some time to pray together to thank God for loving us so much even when we’re sad.  We can always know that, no matter how we feel, God loves us!

Elementary kids are continuing to focus on the virtue of knowledge.  This week, we’re specifically teaching kids that when they make the wise choice, it helps others do what God says.  Elementary kids will hear how the influence we have over others can be used wisely or unwisely.  We can choose to have a positive or a negative influence on other people.  Our goal should be to have a positive influence.  When people look at us, they should see that we choose to make the wise choice.  Sometime after Sunday, talk to your child about a time when someone’s wise choice influenced you in your life.  Help your child think of someone he knows that has influence over him, whether positive or negative.  Take the time to talk about that person and how their influence affects your child.

I hope you have a great, restful weekend and I will see you on Sunday!

Club RD continues tonight as we look at the issue of temptation.  We’re specifically looking at the temptation of Jesus.  When Jesus was tempted by the devil, He used one tool to defeat the temptation — Scripture.  We’re teaching kids the importance of knowing what the Bible says so that we can resist temptation.  You will not want your child to miss any part of Club RD tonight!   I really believe what we teach tonight will make a difference in their lives as they face temptation at school and with their friends!

Remind your child to bring his Club RD membership card with him tonight!  Kid earn punches on their cards for being here for Club RD, for bringing friends, winning games, and tonight they’ll receive an extra punch if they were here last Sunday night for LIFE Classes.

I look forward to seeing your child tonight here at Northwood!  See you then!

Tonight we begin our brand new midweek program Club RD!  Kids are going to have the chance to be involved in some messy, slimy games, learn about knowledge and how we gain knowledge, and take home their own knowledge treasure chest!

We are continuing to talk about the knowledge that comes from reading God’s Word… the Bible.  We’re helping kids understand that they need to take the time to learn who God is and what He is about so that they can know more!  Since God knows everything, it’s important to know what God says.

Remind your kids to bring their Club RD membership cards with them tonight so they can get it punched.  The Club RD Shak is stocked with prizes for kids to earn and they won’t want to miss a chance to get their cards punched tonight!

I am really looking forward to tonight and hope that you’ll make plans to be here!  See you then!

Here’s what we’re talking about this Sunday …

Preschoolers are beginning a new month of learning how much God loves them.  This week, preschoolers are in 1 Samuel 17:34-37.  David was able to protect his sheep from lions and bears because he knew that God was with him.  David knew that God loves us even when we’re scared.  We want kids to understand the truth that God loves us more than anything else!  He loves us no matter what!  We can always know that He loves us all of the time in any place and at any time.  Sometime after Sunday, ask your preschooler to tell you about a time when he was scared.  Remind your preschooler that God is always there with him and always loves him.  Take some time at bedtime to pray with your preschooler, thanking God for loving us so much that He is with us even when we’re scared.

Elementary kids are beginning a new virtue of knowledge - discovering something new so you can be better at whatever you do.  We are looking at Jesus when He was a boy in the temple from Luke 2:41-52.  Kids will be learning that it’s important to know what God says, since He knows EVERYTHING!  Kids will hear how even Jesus took the time, even as a little boy, to learn what God says.  We want kids to gain an understanding of how important it is to read the Bible and do what it says.  Make your child’s GodTIme cards a priority this week.  GodTIme cards are given out each Sunday to elementary kids.  Take some time to complete those each day this week.  As you and your child work on them, explain  how important it is to spend time with God and reading the Bible so that we can know what God says.  Explain that knowing what’s in the Bible is important to help us have the best life possible.

I can’t believe it’s almost here … but it is!  Sunday’s on the way —- see you then!

I’m really excited about tonight!  We’re kicking off our Club RD midweek program tonight here at Northwood!  While it officially begins next week, we’ll be explaining the program and giving kids the scoop on what’s going on!  Kids will receive their membership card and hear about their chance to win prizes each week with the card!  I’m also explaining how they can win a Nintendo DS this month!  You’ll want to make sure your child is here to hear about Club RD tonight!

I also want to invite you to participate in the poll to the right of this blog (if you receive this blog in your email inbox, feel free to go to www.northwoodparents.com and participate).  It really helps me know what to focus my attention on by hearing from parents about what is important to them.  I would love your input.  Our question this month is … As a parent, what part of our children’s ministry is most important to you?  Take some time today to give your input!  I would really appreciate it!

I hope you’re having a great day and I will see you tonight!

It has been a great day here at Northwood today!  We kicked off our first year of our new weekday program MAPS this morning!  It went great!  The kids had a great time and our teachers did an INCREDIBLE job!  I really believe that this ministry is one that God has called this church to be a part of and I am excited about the opportunities that await us this year to minister to preschoolers and their parents throughout the week.

We plan to begin the program on a daily basis (Monday - Friday) in January.  We still have some space available if you or someone you know is interested in placing your preschooler in our current Tuesday/Thursday program.  Feel free to give me a call here at the church if you’re interested (877-5417 Ext. 108) and I will be glad to give you all of the information!

Here’s what’s coming up this week here at Northwood in children’s ministry…

Preschoolers are finishing up a month of learning about the incredible truth that God is always with them!  We’ve taught preschoolers that there is no where they can go that God is not with them - on the playground, at school, at their friend’s house.  God promises that He will never leave us!  This week preschoolers are learning that God took care of the Israelites and made sure they had plenty of food.  We want kids to understand that God gives us everything we need because He cares about us and what we need.  Sometime this week, take the time to have a special snack with your preschooler.  Give him a small piece of the snack.  When your child asks for more, give him another piece.  As you continue giving him what he asks for, remind your preschooler that God loves us and gives us what we need.

Elementary kids are learning to navigate the Bible this week.  We’re taking some time to teach kids about the incredible truths found in the Bible and how they can find these truths for themselves in the Bible.  We want kids to understand that the only way we can know what is true is through the Bible.  It is our only source for really finding out what is true and what is a lie.  Sunday afternoon, help your child find John 8:31-36.  Take the time to talk with your child about how the truth does set us free.  How can knowing the truth make us free?  How does Jesus set us free?  Dialogue with your child about this passage in John.  Help your child understand that our only truth — the only real truth — is found in the Bible.

I will see you Sunday!  I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!

It’s the last Wednesday night of MythBusters this summer and tonight we’re looking at this myth:  Real Friends Will Never Let You Down!

We want kids to understand tonight that friends are vital to our lives.  How can we be a good friend?  How should we react when a friend lets us down?  Do good friends sometimes do the wrong thing?  We’re going to answer those questions tonight as we  look at the friendship between David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel.  David and Jonathan understood what a good friendship was.  Jonathan was a loyal friend to David, even in the midst of what may have felt like he was rejected by God since the throne of Israel was going to David instead.  Rather than being jealous of David, Jonathan chose to accept God’s choice and be a true friend to David.

On the ride home tonight, talk to your child about your friends and their loyalty to you.  Talk about a time in your life when your friends have let you down.  How did you deal with it?  Have you ever had people that you thought were your friends let you down?  Help your child understand that our friends do sometimes mess up and let us down.  We need to make the choice though, to do our part, to be a good friend — following the example of David and Jonathan.