This Wednesday, we will be having FamiliesOnMission instead of KidsOnMission. It is a time for parents and kids to come together, eat together, hear the Word together, and build something together. It is going to be awesome! (Sign up here.) But I wanted to give parents a little preview of what we’ll be talking about and I wanted to say something to adults that I won’t say on Wednesday night.
Tomorrow, everything that we discuss will be completely kid-friendly. But I want to share something a little more raw here.
Just a few years ago, one of my best friends died unexpectedly in his mid-thirties. It was a shock. He and his wife had little kids and another on the way. He loved being a husband and dad. But tomorrow wasn’t promised and it wasn’t given. This is a rare tragedy. His life, including his parenting, was cut short unexpectedly.
But there is another tragedy that is more common: many people’s parenting is cut short even though their kids are at home for 18 (or more) years. No external factor slams the door. Instead, sometimes parents just aren’t opening the door and doing the work to keep it open on a regular basis. And then the time slips by and is gone. This happens when we don’t constantly remember that seasons end. And they are short. Psalm 90:12 says:
Teach us to realize how short our lives are.
Then our hearts will become wise.
If you have kids, you have been given a season to love them, to guide them, to lead them, to protect them, to shape them, to correct them. You have been given a time to disciple them. And it is a short season. Babies aren’t babies for long. Preschoolers turn into preteens. Blink… and middle-schoolers are middle-aged.
As we’ll discuss on Wednesday night (in a more light-hearted way), you can only play in the snow during the winter. And no matter what, once the Florence-summer heat kicks in, you can’t go back. The season is gone. The picture at the top is me and two of my friends in an igloo we built and slept in. One of those friends is the one who died so young. Snow melts, but we made the most of the snow we had that winter.
We don’t get to choose the number of our days, but we will all give an account for how we spend the time God gives. As parents, let’s all make the most of the time remaining.
Parent Partnership: Wednesday (3/1/23) and Sunday (3/5/23)
Everything a parent/volunteer team-member needs to know about this week is below. You’ll find the Scripture passages, the specific pages in our children’s Bible, the teaching video, and some questions to use at home. We use The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible and RightNowMedia for teaching and Planning Center Services for scheduling.
On Wednesday, we will have FamiliesOnMission: a special event for the whole family. This is NOT regular KidsOnMission. That will be back next week.
On Sunday, there are exciting things happening as well! At 9am, our kids get into the Word in Sunday School. Our kids are under the Word during the Gathering:
Preschoolers will continue moving through the The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible. We are looking at Story 10: A Bush Is on Fire But Doesn't Burn Up (Ex 2:11-4:17).
Elementary students will dig into Philippians 1:12-18. Here is the teaching video and lesson.
Questions for Families to Discuss (before/after Sunday):
God had a plan for Moses (in the Old Testament). He was sending him to rescue the Israelites. And God had a plan for Paul (in the New Testament). He was using him to encourage other believers from prison. Do you think that God has a plan for you too?
Moses and Paul could be brave because God was with them. And, when others looked at how God worked in their lives, other believers could be brave too. Does seeing that God is strong and good in the lives of others make us brave too? Why?
God’s Holy Spirit made the difference for Paul and Moses. They could rely on God to lead them through tough times. How can the Holy Spirit help you?
Family Prayer Prompt: God, thank you for your Holy Spirit. We know that you give your Spirit to everyone who believes in you. Please give us courage to follow you wherever you lead. And help us to be an example and encouragement to others. We know that you are able. We know that you are faithful.