Amelia KidZone » What We Learned

Honor

Marie — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:56:13 +0000

This month we are talking about honor: letting someone know you see how valuable they really are. We are all guilty at one point of not showing honor to others. We sometimes have an entitlement attitude. We sometimes judge without really knowing the whole story. It’s easy to compare ourselves to others by how they dress, their type of career, their faith, their diet, their hobbies, their parenting, how they handle money, education, etc. I can guarantee every one of us has dishonored someone; maybe not directly to their face, but we’ve dishonored them in our heart. And though they can’t see it, God knows our heart. The Bible says:

“Love each other deeply. Honor others more than yourselves.” Romans 12:10

When we don’t honor others because they do things differently than us, our kids see that. They also mimic and mirror what we do. There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing with others, but we still need to love and honor each other. Make sure you talk to your kids about this. Maybe give an honest example of a time you didn’t honor someone.

See you Sunday!

Careful

Marie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:00:32 +0000

All month we’ve been talking about self-control. The kids have been challenged this week to pause when situations come up and their self-control is tested. Parents, we are asking your help with this challenge. When you see your child getting upset, tell them to pause and take a moment to pray to God for help. Our kids have learned that they don’t have to do this all by themselves.

This week their bottom line is,“Select your words carefully.”

Our key verse this week comes from Proverbs 25:28. “It’s better to be patient than to fight, it’s better to control your temper than to take a city.”

See you Sunday!

Count to Ten

Marie — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:00:33 +0000

Being a parent really tests our patience. There are moments that I truly think that my daughter is going to cause my hair to turn gray, and she isn’t even a year old yet. But just because my daughter does things to frustrate me, I have to learn to be the bigger person. The adult. The parent. The older she gets, the more I have to show her that even though she is being a child, I will not lower myself to behaving like a child myself.

Now, I’m nowhere close to being perfect, and I have plenty of time to make mistakes in the future (I know I will). But I need to show my daughter the example. I need to teach her what it is to have self-control. The best way is by my example. That is what our kids will be focusing all month long. So make sure you check out the Parent Connection to get ideas and conversation starters with your kids.

Our bottom line this week says: God can give you the power to control yourself.

See you Sunday!

Birthday Party

Marie — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:00:59 +0000

Christmas Eve is going to be quite the party at Amelia Kidzone! We will be having a birthday party for Jesus. There will be cake, games and lots of fun. Most importantly, we will celebrate the birth of our Savior. One of our key verses this month has been from John 3:16 and it says:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Make sure you share with your kids the true meaning of Christmas, that it’s really a birthday party for a king! And that He has shown the most generosity to us and has given us the best gift ever!

See you Saturday!

Greatest Gift

Marie — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:51:49 +0000

All month long we’ve talked with the kids about generosity. It’s been really cool to see how this month has really made them think. Our assistants this week have been the Carwell family. They got to share with the kids a little about their mission trip to Haiti, and compared it to our country and how truly blessed we are. The kids didn’t just listen to the story, it really made them think. The kids realized how truly rich and how truly blessed they are. They have all been bringing in toys to donate to Grace and Mercy, which helps families in need. It’s a really cool and proud moment to see your kids be so giving, to truly understand the meaning of Christmas. This week they will learn about the best gift that was ever given, Jesus. Our bottom line is week is:

God gave the greatest gift when He gave us Jesus.

Make sure your kids don’t miss this important lesson of sacrifice and generosity.

See you Sunday!

Can’t take it with you

Marie — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:00:13 +0000

All month long we are talking about Generosity. This week, the kids will hear a story about a rich man that wishes to follow Jesus. He follows all the rules but yet he is to attached to his stuff. Jesus even said in Luke 18:24:

“How hard is it for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

A lot of times when we think of rich people, we think of movie stars, famous musicians, or Bill Gates. We think being rich means you own several expensive cars, a house that you can get lost in and a private jet that takes you to your favorite locations. We often don’t consider ourselves rich at all. But do we have running water? Do we pray that we will have food for our next meal? Do we remember that most of us own more than one car? Or the fact that you’re reading this post on your own computer with your own internet access. If any of those things apply to you, you are rich.

So can we relate to the story in the Bible? Do we hold unto our things and value them more than Jesus? Jesus wasn’t after the rich man’s stuff and he doesn’t want yours. He just wants your heart.

Our memory verse for this month says,

“Be rich in good deeds…be generous and willing to share.” 1 Timothy 6:18

So share with your kids how blessed we are and that we should share with others. And to never let stuff get in the way of loving Jesus.

See you Sunday!

Wrapped Up

Marie — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:00:42 +0000

I grew up in big family, so during Christmas that meant lots of presents to buy and to wrap. I remember one year I had a gift idea that I wanted to buy for my dad. His wallet was falling apart, and I found a wallet for five dollars at the local dollar store. I wanted to earn and pay for the wallet myself. My dad always complained about his wallet, and it was it was completely falling apart. So I was so excited that I found a wallet to give him. Because buying for my dad was always hard, he typically got shaving cream, after shave or candy.

The week after Christmas, he got home from work and wasn’t using the new wallet. I was confused. I asked him, “Why aren’t you using your new wallet?” He said he wanted to use it for Sunday only because it was too nice. Of course, this wasn’t the whole truth. It was because I had bought him a total piece of junk, and it was worse than his falling apart wallet, but my dad wanted me to know that he appreciated it.

In James it says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights….” So even though I worked so hard buying that gift for my dad, it really wasn’t ultimately my gift alone. I didn’t have a job and I didn’t have an income. So it was basically like my dad paid five dollars for me to pick out a crummy wallet that he would get on Christmas Day.

When God asks us to give, we are giving his money, which he doesn’t even need. It’s like we’re buying a crummy wallet and expecting to wow him. He isn’t wowed by our money, but by our heart and our sacrifice. This time of year, and always, let’s share with our kids how important it is to give.

See you Sunday!

Celebrate

Marie — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:00:24 +0000

This week, we are focusing on the story of Jesus and his disciples having the last supper together. Like the disciples, we aren’t always sure or understand why we go through tough times. We don’t understand and we want answers. But we still need to celebrate what God has done for us. I look back and celebrate the tough things I had to go through that helped me grow and mature spiritually. It stinks when we are going through it but sometimes that is the only way we can understand God’s plan for us. Check out our Bible story this week it comes from Luke 22:14-20.

This week we will celebrate what God has done. That is our bottom line this week, ” Take time to celebrate what God has done.”

See you Sunday!

Slow Down

Marie — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:00:39 +0000

Our family has been so busy lately. We are adjusting to being a family of three. Having a new baby this year has been quite the adjustment. When we brought our daughter home from the hospital we had several people bring us food. It was amazing. For some reason, I know you mother’s out there can understand, the day of changing diapers, feedings, and burping, baths, and naps can make the day fly by and before you know it, it’s dinner time. So when we had several families show up for a week at our doorsteps with food, we were thrilled to see them. We had the best food that week. Because we were so busy that week adjusting to this little person that was now in our lives permantely, I look back and wondered if I said thank you to all the cooks that brought us meals.

Our bottom line this week is “Take time to say thank you.” So I’m setting the example by saying thank you all for helping take care of my family for a week. We really appreciate it. So make sure you take time out this week to say thank you to somebody that has helped you out.

Check out our “Thank you” story for this week it comes from Luke 17:11-19.

See you Sunday!

Thankfully

Marie — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:00:31 +0000

We teach our kids to share, take turns, and that if you work hard you are rewarded. These things are very important. Fairness is important. But as kids get older they then learn another valuable lesson. That fairness doesn’t always work. Good kids get bullied, the teacher may show favoritism to another kid, the cafeteria is serving a mystery meat again, and not to mention kids have to follow mom and dad’s rules. Life isn’t fair.

Our Bible story this week talks about unfair circumstances for some workers that have worked hard all day. Once the shift is over and they are ready to get paid, they see the latecomers getting paid first. Now they weren’t upset that these workers came late and were getting paid, they weren’t upset about that one bit. They noticed what the boss was paying them and thought, “Since we have been here all day and a lot longer our pay is going to be a lot more.” Because that would be fair. But when they were paid they noticed the amount was the same. That they had worked more than double the hours but were paid the same. I can’t blame them for being upset. Check out what they said,

‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ Matthew 20:12

Now the workers agreed to work for a denarius. But they assumed they would get paid more since the last workers, that only worked for an hour got paid this. This was their boss said,

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ Matthew 20:13-15

Now this Bible story was a parable that Jesus was using to describe the kingdom of heaven. And in this story it doesn’t seem fair that the workers didn’t get paid more for working more. But God isn’t always fair. And I’m thankful for that. Because we all get to go to heaven whenever we decided to repent and follow him. We can be 9 years old or 99 and we all get the same reward of living forever with him. So thankfully life isn’t always fair.

Don’t let your kids miss this valuable lesson.

See you Sunday!