Slime

Years ago I was given a huge bucket of green slime, the kind made popular by Nickelodeon. Today that slime made its appearance in chapel in my box. Apart from being a huge hit with the kids, I really though the slime fit with today's lesson.

In John 9: 1-12 we read about Jesus healing a man who had been born blind. He heals the man by spitting on the ground and making a mud with the saliva which he then spread on the man's eyes. Children typically love this Bible story because, well, because it's gross. Spitting is gross. Making mud out of dirt and your spit is gross and then smearing the slimy mess onto someone's face is really gross. And that is the part of the story that I emphasized today. Ministry to others isn't always clean. It often involves getting our hands dirty. It may involve doing things we don't like to do, or even watch being done. Yet when we take that risk to touch others we become the hands and feet of Christ.

How will you get dirty this week?

Hunger

I love to bake. On our counter sit two glass cookie jars and my new year's resolution is to keep them filled with something homemade most of the time. However, as I stared at one of the empty jars a few weeks ago I decided to fill it with some baked dog treats I had that look like gingerbread men. Clever right? Fast forward to later that day when one of my sons walks in, hungry from lacrosse practice, decided to get himself a cookie without asking first, and you can guess the rest. It only took him one bite to realize his mistake, but it isn't a bite he will forget anytime soon. He made me aware that it was very confusing to have two jars, next to each other, one filled with things to eat and one filled with things not to eat. So a few of the dog treats were in my box today.

I think the story of our fall from grace and redemption through Christ can be summed up in the pithy instruction to "Eat this, not that."  The story of Adam and Eve is a familiar one. God created our world with strict instructions to not eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and yet, like hungry children, they took and ate without really thinking of the consequences. It is a pattern we have kept repeating. We hunger for knowledge, experiences, possessions, and power to fill the void that is caused by our separation from God. Yet our hunger can only be ended when we listen to the words of Christ who said. "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me". Only then will we truly be full.

How have you allowed Christ to fill you up? Are you sharing this meal with others?

Practice Makes Perfect

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48

Today is Ash Wednesday which marks the first day of Lent. Every year on Ash Wednesday I have a palm in my box. The palm reminds us that the same Jesus who rode triumphantly into Jerusalem amidst cheers and waving palm branches was crucified mere days later. The green palms we weave and wave on Palm Sunday here at St. Mark's are saved and burned and turned into ashes for the following year's use.

I love Ash Wednesday. It is a beautiful service and one I think we should feel comfortable sharing with our children. What I try and emphasize in my lessons is that lent is a time to really practice those things we know we should be doing all the time. It takes practice to become a good soccer or tennis player.  It takes practice to become a great painter, or a strong musician. If we are willing to encourage our children to practice these skills, why would we not encourage them to practice praying? Why do we spend time at swimming lessons, but not practice worship? Scheduling the time to practice compassion, to practice service, is a wonderful way to celebrate Lent as a family.

Try creating a Lent calendar of daily activities, like reading the Bible, helping someone in need, attending worship services each week or sharing a nightly prayer. As you fill your mite box or lift your voice in song remember, practice makes perfect.

Lovie

So here is what was in the box this week...a lovie!

What parent hasn't had a child frantic with worry over a lost blanket, stuffed animal or toy, no matter how many others are safe at home?


Luke 15:1-10

We rejoice over what was lost!

First Chapel

Today was our first chapel of the school year. Just a few pictures for you. The first is of our first acolyte team who did a terrific job today!

The second of what was in the box...a loaf of bread!

Blessing of the Backpacks

We love to start the school year by inviting all our children to bring in backpacks to be blessed.

The backpacks are filled with school supplies for those in need and each backpacks receives a tag with a Bible verse on it.










This year's verse is:


Serve the Lord with celebration! Come before him with shouts of joy! Know that the Lord is God- he made us; we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 
Psalm 100:2-3

Dirty Bird

I love Halloween. I mean really love everything about it. I have always loved dressing up in costumes. I love decorating the house with fake cobwebs and spiders. I love carving pumpkins and roasting the seeds. And we love the tradition of booing our neighbors. For those of you who are uninitiated, when you boo someone you fill a bag or pumpkin with treats, candy, spider rings, anything small, then leave it on the doorstep while you ring the doorbell and run away. The family who has been booed puts a sign on their door and then boos someone else. It is a fun way to pass along the sugary holiday cheer. This year Halloween fell on our Wednesday chapel, and I felt that fact should not go unnoticed and with that thought into the box went a large black bird.

The Bible is the best storybook ever, and I have always loved what I call, the creepy Bible stories. Elijah was a prophet. He was one called by God to tell the people the truth, and since people don't often like to hear the truth, prophets were typically disliked. After the death of Solomon, God's chosen people had become so wicked Elijah foretold there would be a terrible drought, lasting many years. God then sent Elijah to live in the wilderness near a spring in secret. Elijah survived only because every morning and evening ravens appeared with bread and meat in their beaks for him.

I find this story disturbing and can't imagine eating meat that came from the beak of a bird. I don't even eat sushi. To the people of the Old Testament this would have been disturbing as well. Biblical law said that ravens were unclean and could not be sacrificed. In spite of this, God used ravens to feed Elijah. The most humble of creatures was used to further God's will. And while I'm sure poor Elijah thought the wilderness meals were as disgusting as I do, Elijah obeyed God and God provided for him.

Following the will of God is not always easy. No one likes the person who states the truth. Life in the wilderness is hard. The service is bad and the food is worse. But if we listen for and follow the call our Lord will provide for us.