We had our family night last night, probably had about 43+ there. That's a rough count! Here's some pictures from the evening. As you'll see we had volleyball and basketball going. In the corner there was a cutthroat game of dominos going on!

Why God Made Moms...

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2.. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4.. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

What the Bible Says About the Future...

With the new year just around the corner, people like to make resolutions, think about the things they're going to do in the next year, worry, etc...I thought I'd share with you something I got from Youth Specialties.

Let's start with a handful of Bible verses about the future:

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, you cannot discover anything about your future. (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

Since no one knows the future, who can say what is to come? (Ecclesiastes 8:7)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6:27)

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Wow! We can learn some fantastic things in those verses right there, stuff about how we should approach thinking about the future. These Scriptures are pretty much saying, "Don't worry about the future: God has great plans for you, and God will be with you. The future can't separate you from God!"

From Youth Specialties

Open Annex...

Tuesday 12/30, the annex will be open from 5-8 pm for basketball, volleyball, board games, etc... Drinks and pizza will be provided!

Christmas Caroling...

Last night, about twelve of us went Christmas caroling at a couple of local nursing homes/retirement centers. The residents seemed to enjoy the music very much! We did discover that there are only so many times that you can sing The Twelve Days of Christmas! To those who came out, thanks very much for going!

Still think you can't?

Steffen Bunting (#16 above) plays football for Greeley West HS in Colorado. As a freshmen he took a bold step and started publicly praying in the locker room before games. He invited his teammates to join him and a few did. This year he’s a junior, here’s part of an article about it...

“If you had a chance to be in the locker room before each game you will have noticed something different this year. As soon as the coaches give their preparation talks, and just before the team walks out to the field, the players kneel down and running back Steffen Bunting prays for the team. He prays once again after the game out on the field.

"This is the biggest part of my life," Steffen declares. "It's before everything. Before football and before even family. Not just prayer but God and Christ."
Steffen said that he was led to start praying for the team because his father always taught him to be an example. "It's a way to minister to the team."

Asked how the other players have responded to prayer, he shared that, "the first couple of weeks some guys were hesitant. Now, if they have differences, they stand to the side." Steffen says that now it's widely accepted and even an expectation to pray before each game. The players all support him.

Steffen has prayed for his teams since his freshman year at Greeley West. Has it made a difference this year? "I think so, in protection and favor," replies Steffen.
It's true that this year's team has been one of the healthiest teams in recent
years. Although players get a little dinged up, only one player, Eric Johnson, had a season ending injury. The players encourage each other and pull together when they are tested and of course the way they've been winning, it makes you stop and think.

Regardless of beliefs, it's safe to say that there's something special about this team. Perhaps it's even extra special with somebody watching over the team.”

So, think you can’t make a difference? Still? In 1 Timothy 4:12 the apostle Paul encourages Timothy to be an example for everyone. He says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” I’ve lost count of how many times actions haven’t been taken because someone thought that it wouldn’t make any difference.

Let me assure you of this, you can make a difference! No matter what anyone tells you, no matter how many times you may have tried and failed. No matter how many times you may have had the opportunity and failed to take it. You can make a difference. You can influence someone for God.

Steffen didn’t start big, he just started. He simply started praying and invited others to join him. He started. Do the same!

Q & A

Q: What do you call people who are afraid of Santa?
A: Claustrophobic.

Top Ten Gift Comments...

What do you say when you get a gift you really don't like?

10. "Well, well, well, now, there's a gift!"

9. "No, with all the hostile takeovers this year, I missed the big
Ronco/K-Tel/Ginsu merger. Would you just look at that! What
will they think of next?!"

8. "Hey, as long as I don't have to feed it, or clean up after it, or
put batteries in it, I'm happy!"

7. "No, really, I didn't know that there was a Chia Pet tie! Oh,
wow! It's a clip-on too!"

6. "You know, I always wanted one of these! Jog my memory --
what's it called again?"

5. "You know what? -- I'm going to find a special place to put this!"

4. "Boy, you don't see craftsmanship like that every day!"

3. "And it's such an interesting color too!"

2. "You say that was the last one? Am I ever glad that you snapped that baby up!"

And the number one thing to say about the Christmas gifts you didn't like is. . .

1. "You shouldn't have! I mean it -- you really shouldn't have!"

Wednesday nights...

This quarter we're doing something a little different on Wednesday nights with the 6th-12th grade. Number one, we're combining them into one class. Rob Carr and I will be teaching them. Number two we're doing something new with the curriculum...we're using a curriculum called "Jesus Did It." It combines some experiential learning with Biblical exploration.

Last night we kicked it off talking about Mary, Martha and Jesus and how Mary knew what the "one thing" she needed was. That one thing was to LISTEN to Jesus word's. When Jesus came to Mary and Martha's house Martha tried to turn into Martha Stewart and prepare a grand meal and take care of her guests (assuming the apostles were with Jesus and her brother Lazarus was there then she could have been trying to feed at least 16 people.) No doubt she was stressed out, and then to top it all off her sister Mary wasn't helping. She was sitting down listening to what Jesus had to say! Martha became more and more irritated until finally she scolds Jesus (yes, I said she scolded Jesus) in an attempt to get him to tell Mary to help her! Jesus very calmly assures her that Mary is doing what Mary needs to do and that she has chosen what is most important.

He wasn't telling Martha that what she was doing wasn't important or valuable. On the contrary, she was serving in her own way. But Mary was also serving Jesus by listening to him. As I challenged the teens last night, let me challenge you today...choose the "one thing" that you need to live a full life. The words of Jesus are powerful and lead to a better life. Spend time studying the words of Christ, read one or all of the gospels. Pay attention to what he says, he's talking to you!

Lie, cheat and steal: high school ethics surveyed
30 percent of students have stolen from a store; 64 percent have cheated

NEW YORK - In the past year, 30 percent of U.S. high school students have stolen from a store and 64 percent have cheated on a test, according to a new, large-scale survey suggesting that Americans are too apathetic about ethical standards.

Educators reacting to the findings questioned any suggestion that today's young people are less honest than previous generations, but several agreed that intensified pressures are prompting many students to cut corners. "The competition is greater, the pressures on kids have increased dramatically," said Mel Riddle of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. "They have opportunities their predecessors didn't have (to cheat). The temptation is greater." The Josephson Institute, a Los Angeles-based ethics institute, surveyed 29,760 students at 100 randomly selected high schools nationwide, both public and private. All students in the selected schools were given the survey in class; their anonymity was assured.

Most dismayed about theft findingsMichael Josephson, the institute's founder and president, said he was most dismayed by the findings about theft. The survey found that 35 percent of boys and 26 percent of girls — 30 percent overall — acknowledged stealing from a store within the past year. One-fifth said they stole something from a friend; 23 percent said they stole something from a parent or other relative. "What is the social cost of that — not to mention the implication for the next generation of mortgage brokers?" Josephson remarked in an interview. "In a society drenched with cynicism, young people can look at it and say 'Why shouldn't we? Everyone else does it.'"

Other findings from the survey:
· Cheating in school is rampant and getting worse. Sixty-four percent of students cheated on a test in the past year and 38 percent did so two or more times, up from 60 percent and 35 percent in a 2006 survey.
· Thirty-six percent said they used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment, up from 33 percent in 2004.
· Forty-two percent said they sometimes lie to save money — 49 percent of the boys and 36 percent of the girls.

Despite such responses, 93 percent of the students said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character, and 77 percent affirmed that "when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know." Nijmie Dzurinko, executive director of the Philadelphia Student Union, said the findings were not at all reflective of the inner-city students she works with as an advocate for better curriculum and school funding. "A lot of people like to blame society's problems on young people, without recognizing that young people aren't making the decisions about what's happening in society," said Dzurinko, 32. "They're very easy to scapegoat."

Uptick in sharing homework at one schoolPeter Anderson, principal of Andover High School in Andover, Mass., said he and his colleagues had detected very little cheating on tests or Internet-based plagiarism. He has, however, noticed an uptick in students sharing homework in unauthorized ways. "This generation is leading incredibly busy lives — involved in athletics, clubs, so many with part-time jobs, and — for seniors — an incredibly demanding and anxiety-producing college search," he offered as an explanation.

Encouraging kids to do right thing Riddle, who for four decades was a high school teacher and principal in northern Virginia, agreed that more pressure could lead to more cheating, yet spoke in defense of today's students. "I would take these students over other generations," he said. "I found them to be more responsive, more rewarding to work with, more appreciative of support that adults give them. "We have to create situations where it's easy for kids to do the right things," he added. "We need to create classrooms where learning takes on more importance than having the right answer."

On Long Island, an alliance of school superintendents and college presidents recently embarked on a campaign to draw attention to academic integrity problems and to crack down on plagiarism and cheating. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of the Middle Country School District and a leader of the campaign, said parents and school officials need to be more diligent — for example, emphasizing to students the distinctions between original and borrowed work. "You can reinforce the character trait of integrity," she said. "We overload kids these days, and they look for ways to survive. ... It's a flaw in our system that whatever we are doing as educators allows this to continue."

Too blasé about ethical shortcomingsJosephson contended that most Americans are too blasé about ethical shortcomings among young people and in society at large. "Adults are not taking this very seriously," he said. "The schools are not doing even the most moderate thing. ... They don't want to know. There's a pervasive apathy."

Josephson also addressed the argument that today's youth are no less honest than their predecessors. "In the end, the question is not whether things are worse, but whether they are bad enough to mobilize concern and concerted action," he said. "What we need to learn from these survey results is that our moral infrastructure is unsound and in serious need of repair. This is not a time to lament and whine but to take thoughtful, positive actions."

From msnbc.com

Parents, how do we address this? Do you talk to your kids about cheating? About "borrowing" someone else's homework? How do we teach teens and children that this isn't right, that it's not acceptable to God? Share your thoughts...

Monday...

Hope all those who went bowling this past Saturday had a great time! I did and was just very pleased with the turnout! I think we had 28 or 29 come and bowl. We'll do it again sometime! Keep your April calendars open for a family day on a Saturday. We'll try to get to one of the parks and grill and play games! Should be lots of fun!

For the Jr. and Sr. High classes, Sunday, December 21st will be our Christmas party at the home of the Lofton's. It will take place after services. All you need to bring is a gift that costs NO MORE than $5.

Sorry...

That it's been a while since I put anything new on here! The holidays got crazy on us! Anyway, here's something for you to ponder from dare2share ministries...



The Most Amazing Race

There must be something amazing about the reality TV show The Amazing Race. It's about to wrap up its 13th season of folks competing for victory with planes, trains and automobiles - acting like lions and tigers and bears (oh my!).

While the show is definitely entertaining, I do wish sometimes they would put a bit more reality in the 'reality' aspect. If you pay close attention, you'll see inexplicable events put in to add suspense. You'll also see the rules change to keep the audience favorites on the show. Oh, and if we're calling it a race, can we let the people who are obviously in the lead go ahead and win instead of creating bizarre events that force it 'down to the wire'?

Still, there seems to be an element in most people that enjoys seeing competition - especially when it involves roadblocks, detours, and winners who gave it their all to take home the prize.
Have you ever thought of the Christian life as a competition? Is it possible that following Jesus is the most amazing race? It's more than possible - it's the truth. Being a Christian is not a goody-goody-go-to church deal. That may be the way the media and messed up sources of info paint the picture - but the real picture is this:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2).

The Bible compares the Christian life with a competitive race with a route and itinerary that is already laid out for us by God Himself! When you think about it - this totally makes sense. Each day we can find clues in His Word and through prayer that indicate where we should go next. And of course, there are roadblocks and detours that try to slow us down or get us to drop out of this amazing race completely. They don't come from God, however, and here is where the competition comes into play. We are not competing with each others as believers - rather we are in competition with ourselves. It is abundantly clear to me that we are most often our worst enemy when it comes to serving Jesus. We let discouragement and lack of faith detour us and get us off course. We let sin and rebellion roadblock our progress and trip us up so we start to fall behind. And if we aren't careful - we may end up getting the wrong idea about the race and dropping out:

You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn't God, for he is the one who called you to freedom (Galatians 5:7-8).

The people mentioned in these verses made the race a burden with rules and regulations that changed the good news of the gospel into a religious Debbie Downer fest. But as Paul said - God called us to freedom! Have you ever truly enjoyed the race called the Christian life? It's more than amazing. It's getting up each day and fixing our eyes on Jesus - who ran the perfect race and showed us how to truly live life the way it was designed. It's looking forward to His return, when everything will be set straight and the race will be over.

So how is your amazing race going? As long as you are still living and breathing, it's not too late to get in the competition and compete for an eternal prize. Followers of Jesus - run to win. See each day as a chance to defeat your sin nature and make more progress towards becoming like Jesus Christ, so that on Judgment Day you can stand in the winner's circle with Apostle Paul and declare these words:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me-the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Run well this week!