Generosity Calendar

Sunday we started our Generosity Unit in PeeWeeVille and Creek Kids.  For the next 4-5 weeks we will be encouraging your family to participate in generous activities.  Don't forget to post pictures and use the hash tag:
#ccccgenerosity

Being generous is being like Jesus.  He was the most generous person ever.  He gave His life for you and me.  He died to take our place - He died as our punishment for our sin - He died so that we could have a relationship with God and be at peace with God.  He has been so generous to us..........we can be generous.

As you go through this month and participate in generous activities, think of a project your family can do.  What is one thing you could all do together to help someone else?  Who do you know that needs help?  Who have you seen that needs help?  What needs have you heard of?  Begin to make notes of these things.  On September 28 have a family meeting and plan your Generosity Project.

As your family does your project and other generous acts, remember who has been so generous to you - JESUS. Thank Him for His Generosity - thank Him for loving you - thank Him for being your rescuer.

Teaching Generosity

This Sunday in Creek Kids and in PeeWeeVille we will begin a unit on Generosity.  We will look at how we can all be generous with our time, talents, and treasures.  A lot of times we think about money when we think of being generous, but we can spend time with people and help people in ways that never costs a dime.

We will study 2 reasons to be generous:

• God owns it all.  It is all His.  He is generous enough to let us "use" it.  We are being generous with His stuff - because He owns it all.  (1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. )
• God was generous to us first.  God loved us so much that He gave us the thing He cherished most - His Son.  God knew that we sin.  He knew that our sin would separate us from Him.  God loves us so much that He wants a relationship with us....even if that relationship costs His Son's life.  (John 3:16:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. )

Sunday we will begin this unit.  We will give every family a calendar of activities to practice being generous.  Please use this unit and this resource to teach your child what it means to be generous like God was generous to us.  This is a lesson that is better "caught" than "taught".  As you and your child practice generosity together - you will make memories that will last a lifetime...............and both of you will understand God's love for us more.

As you do the generous acts this month...........post pictures with the hash tag:

#ccccgenerosity

Rahab - One of my favorite stories

We are on Day 9 of the Reading Plan.  How are you doing???

Big Picture  p. 141-155
Jesus Storybook p. 108-115

Rahab is one of my favorite characters in the Bible because.......

• She was brave.  She hid the spies.  She knew that was the right thing to do - and she did it, even though it was a dangerous choice.  Her life and her family's lives were at risk because of her bold move - and she made it anyway!
• She was chosen.  She wasn't an Israelite.  She was a foreigner, but God used her for His rescue plan of the Israelites.  
• She was part of the lineage of Jesus.  God not only used her to help rescue the Israelites - but He made her a part of the great rescue plan for all of us.  She was a great, great,.........grandmother to Jesus!  She was part of the family Jesus was born into.

Wow.........how I want to be brave, bold, and usable in God's plan today!

Nothing Can Stop God's Plan

Big Picture Story Bible - p.83-102
Jesus Storybook Bible - p. 62-83

Nothing can stop God's plan!

Today you will read the story of Joseph.  He was betrayed, imprisoned, and lived through a famine.  But nothing can stop God's plan!  Joseph was betrayed - but God's plan was still in place.  Joseph was imprisoned but God's plan was still in place.  God put Joseph where He needed Him to save His people.

Nothing Can Stop God's Plan!

God has a plan to rescue each of us from our sin.  No matter what our sins are..........or how many..........God's plan is still in place.  He sent His Son to die for all of them.  Help your child today to see God's plan in the story of Joseph.  Help him to see God's plan to rescue him as you tell him the story of Jesus.

Thank You God - that nothing can stop your plan!

The Promise

The Big Picture Story Bible - p. 51-66
The Jesus Storybook Bible - p. 38-55

Today your reading will include the story of Noah and the promise of the rainbow.  God saved Noah's family with the Ark.  God saved all of us with His son Jesus who died for our sins.  The rainbow reminds us of God saving Noah and his family - but it should also remind us of the way Jesus saved us.  As you read today - help your child see his own promise of salvation - or rescue through Jesus.

It's a beautiful day - make rainbows on the driveway with sidewalk chalk!

Thank you God for rescuing us!

Read the Bible with us in May!

I am so excited about reading through the Bible with you guys in May!  I hope you have your Bible ready.  We wrote a plan based on:
The Big Picture Story Bible
Jesus Storybook Bible

We have both for sale at Clear Creek Community Church - or you can purchase them at any bookstore.

We begin on May 1 - Thursday.  I will be blogging the reading plan for the day and some questions or activities you could do at home as you read.

You can read either of the books above.  Or you could read both if you have both - either alternating days and books or reading from both books each day.  We normally suggest The Big Picture Story Bible  for preschoolers, and Jesus Storybook Bible for Elementary kids.  But if you have both ages in your family - either book will be fine.

I hope you will join us!

Leadership Lesson - You can't do it alone!

We have a saying around CCCC............we shouldn't do anything alone.  We have policies when we work with children there are always 2 adults.  But also when we are leading teams - the motto is the same - don't do it alone.  We are stronger together, safer together, smarter together, it's more fun together, and it is definitely more sustainable together.

Exodus 18 gives us a wonderful picture of this theory.  Moses is the only leader for the people.  They are coming to him all day long to make all of the decisions.  He has no time to rest.  But it seems as if he doesn't have time to finish making the decisions either - like the line of people goes on and on.  People probably waited days for their turn to talk to Moses.  It was inefficient and unsustainable.

In steps Jethro - Moses' Father in Law......  he speaks wisdom to Moses - you shouldn't be doing this alone.  You need help and the people need a better process.  And TA-DA.... a leadership structure was born.  One that we model after today at CCCC in all ministry areas.

Leadership Lesson - you can't do it alone.

This definitely applies to ministry teams and to any work environment.  But it also applies to your home.

I believe God created the family to have a Mom and a Dad because we can't do it alone.  We need each other for strength and energy and to make it more fun.

I think we were all made to live in community, because of that I believe that you also need to lean on Christian friends when you are raising kids.  We need to encourage each other and help each other bear the load.  If you aren't in a Small Group at CCCC - I recommend you find one.  It will be great for your soul - you will grow in your faith, but you will also find strength and encouragement and community for the life road you are on.

Leadership Lesson - you can't do it alone!