Every once in awhile there is a resource that can help us all be better in ministry. feator.org is such a resource.

If you are looking for resources for parent handbooks or blessings of the backpacks or even worship music, this wonderful gift will help you be better in ministry.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America uses it as an online resource center. This is much more economic than the room in a regional office people have to visit to get resources. But the resources are worldwide. And when you spend some time hunting this resource, you will find gems of information.

Do you want a book to study or child safety plan? Do you want a new idea for fall programming. You will find it here at feautor.org.
Enjoy!

What’s your morning look like? Is it no conversation until caffeine? Is it covers back over your head and stay in bed? Is it clothes all laid out and lunch already packed and out the door in 20 minutes? Two of my favorite characters discuss morning.
“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, “ said Piglet at last, “What’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
“It’s the same thing,” he said.

But is it the same thing? Pooh is focused on one thing-breakfast. Piglet is open and attentive to all the possibilities. What do you think? Are you Pooh or are you Piglet?

Okay, I know your knees hurt. They make this really crunchy noise and occasionally they even pop. Some of you may have taken the road down knee replacement. But, Wow, those knees have seen a lot. Your knees have seen all that the children are doing from right down close. Your knees have lovingly scrubbed floors and knelt beside the tub to life a slippery child out of the bath. Your knees have bent to tie a shoe or help a child bait a hook. Your knees are a gift from God and an old friend.

So with all that they have done, why not bend down one more time and pray for your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all the other children in the world. Whether you are faithful or lacking faith, sometimes all we can do for the children in our lives, is get down on our knees and pray. What’s a few more creaky noises?

How many times a day do you head out the door on a journey? It might be to school or work. It might be on the way out the door to the grocery store or to visit others. It might be for a long trip or vacation. We all journey everyday and in many ways. We ride our bikes, take a bus, walk, drive a car or go on a train.
I would suggest that on your way out the door, you pause, and think about the home you are leaving. If your whole family is present, ask someone to say a short prayer. Thank God for your home. Ask God to bless your journey. Ask for safety and health on your journey. No matter how small the journey, be open to ways that God is present.
And guess what? When you return, you will automatically find yourself thanking God for your safe return on they way IN the door.
Blessings on your journeys.

I often wonder at the qualifiers we put on the word “worship”. When we talk about children and worship or music and worship or contemporary worship or traditional worship, it makes me think that worship is a God word and the qualifiers are our human desire to know ahead what will happen during worship. We know that worship isn’t about what we get. Don’t we?

For resources that help families understand the long history of worship and the components I suggest these materials.

Worship for Life, website to check it out http://www.worship4life.net/ This could be used in congregations, families or home schools. You will learn lots by reading the history context of worship. The entire program comes on a DVD or you can order just certain units according to your needs. Order from http://www.logosproductions.com

The Pollinator

I love pollinators-all those wonderful insects that take pollen from one flower to the next plant. They make our fruit and vegetables bloom and grow. They bring that beautiful buzz to the spring blossoms. Pollinators are unique in all of creation and absolutely necessary to the growth and development of plants. When the bee population started to die with no cause, there was panic in the agricultural world.

Certain people are pollinators for faith. They bring faith information between the different blossoming parts of our spiritual world. They may lose a loved one and then bring their learning about grief to others. Faith pollinators never give up. Faith pollinators are looking for one more single idea or thought to take out into the world to others. Faith pollinators bring others to faith events through writing, activity and resources. Without faith pollinators, we would be missing an important connection.

Are you a faith pollinator? Hmmmm… I wonder what you bring to others. Pass on the sweetness of faith.

On a sabbatical, I made a drum. This was one of my most spiritual experiences. At first it was “my drum” and I was careful about sharing it. Then one day the grandkids got to use the drum. And it became the family drum.

Each child has used the drum and taught a sibling how to use it. The sound might well be considered “racket” to most, but when a grandchild plays the drum I hear the music of family. Something created that is unique and then shared with those we love the most. It might be a play created by kids or a cake created by Mom for a birthday. But when we create for those we love and then share it, family becomes the precious vessel of true love.

And to think, I thought it was only MY DRUM.

Beliefs change. We all know that. We no long believe that if we ride our bikes over train tracks, we’ll get electrocuted. We no longer believe in super heroes with capes. Some of our beliefs blow away in the wind as culture changes and as we grow.

In home schools we can help children understand that although some of our beliefs might change, faith keeps us grounded. For instance, the child that says, “the only good color is purple” for 10 days in a row, can be reminded that all colors are a gift from God. This helps children understand that faith is sooooo big that when we as limited humans decide it’s our way only, we are missing many of God’s gracious gifts.

Beliefs may blow in the wind, but faith is strong and stable.

It seems that grandparents are traveling more. Whether they drive in the winter to someplace and rent or take an RV or go on a cruise, grandparents are on the move. Whenever you travel, try to connect to the grandkids. Make one sheet of mailing labels for each grandchild’s address. If children split time between two houses, put labels for each address. Place the labels in a folder along with a book of postcard stamps.

Now have some fun. Start looking for wild and crazy post cards from places you visit. Funny animals, interesting plants and even maps of states will all help kids learn while you travel. Send every child a post card per week and wait until you see all the discussion when you get home.

Be the hands that show the world to your grand kids.

If you work in a faith community, one of the busiest times of your year is coming up. It’s called “Fall Madness”. All of a sudden, you have lurking in front of you, the reality of bringing everyone back to the faith community. I wonder what it would look like if you went to the families instead of spending tons of money and time trying to get the families to come to you

What if you sowed seeds of faith in August by visiting the families in their homes in? Listen to the families. What do they need? Where are they in their faith journeys? Who has lost a loved one? Who has job issues? Who has learned a new skill? This time in homes can help you engage families in faith where they live and open them to a new relationship with the faith community.

This might seem like to big a job. If you are in a faith community where there are literally hundreds of families, find a way to get help with scheduling visits and directions. Ask a volunteer to call, set up times, print off maps. Try to visit when the entire family is home. This is usually in the evenings. Program staff can share responsibility for families that have multiple ages.

Take a simple and low cost gift and send a note after your visit. You will learn so much about the people in your faith community and Fall Madness will become Fall Calmness.