The Spirit Moves

This Sunday we will celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian church. We celebrate by dressing in red and with images of wind and fire to commemorate the Holy Spirit moving through the room and igniting the disciples to action.

We will hear the story of Pentecost during the service. As some of the images can be scary to sensitive children, I recommend reading the story in Acts 2:1-21 and discussing the imagery ahead of time. It is fun to use pin-wheels, wind chimes, or red balloons to talk about how the wind reminds us that the Holy Spirit put the breathe of life into the church and is with us still today.

Good enough for Jesus

One Sunday morning I walked into my 5 year old daughter's room to find her already dressed for church. She had on a black satin dress, pink and white plastic shoes, several strands of mardi-gras beads, and a red feathered tiara. I quickly tried to "fix" the situation.

"Honey, can we put on our black shoes? The pink shoes don't match your dress." She grabbed me by the hand and quietly said "Mother, Jesus doesn't care if I match and church is about Jesus, It's not about you." So we went to church proudly in our plastic shoes and tiara.

I saw this as one more example of the irritating strong-will of my child and have told friends the story with surprise that she played "the Jesus card" to put a hasty end to any discussion on the matter. I'm often shocked by her ability to out-think me.

I recently got a response that changed my way of looking at the episode. Someone said "How awesome is it she had such confidence Jesus loves her just as she is? How great would it be if every child of God had that kind of faith?" And I was reminded that that they were both right. It is about Jesus, not me.

It is now my fervent prayer that she carry that level of faith with her for the rest of her life. I am making a conscious effort to see her, and myself, with the heart and eyes of Christ.

Get It In Writing

One of the faith skills we are trying to build is the ability to dialogue with God. That means memorized prayers and free-form prayers as well as just thoughtful conversations. Try writing the names of people or things you want to pray for on your bathroom mirror in dry erase marker and thank God for them as you wash your hands or brush your teeth.

Movie time Sunday

This morning in Sunday school we watched "Stanley the Stinkbug Goes to Camp" from Max Lucado's Hermie and Friends series. Stanley taught us about inclusion and that God created each one of us for a special purpose. It was great to discuss as our kids prepare to meet new friends at the pool, the park, or camp this summer who may look, act, or even smell different from us. We are all children of God and each have a unique calling. I recommend any of the Hermie videos to spark conversation at home.

Let's Talk About Faith

Whenever we went on a road trip when I was a child my mom would pull out a list of questions. Between Houston and Dallas I learned that the Godfather was my dad's all-time favorite movie and by the time we got to Tulsa I knew that my little brother would rather eat lima beans than any other vegetable (YUCK!) We made fun of mom and her questions but they are now some of our best memories. So this summer I encourage you to strap your kids into their seatbelts and start asking some questions. Throw in a few like "If Jesus was having a meal at our house tonight, what would you serve?" or "Name the place you feel closest to God." You may get a few eye-rolls, but you will also get some answers that make talking about faith part of the rhythm of every day life.

Thanks Mom!

This Sunday was all about what a wonderful gift we have in our mothers. From Pre-K through 1st grade, cards and tissue paper stained glass was crafted to thank our moms. 2nd grade put on a lovely Mother's Day concert highlighting some of their favorite hymns and showing off what they've learned this year about navigating the hymnal. 3rd grade wrapped up their tour of the Bible this week and 4th and 5th grades "grappled" with their last question for the year. A big thanks goes out to our Youth who split the duties of selling mothers day flowers and cards and helping in the younger grades with Mother's day crafts and activities.

Register NOW!

Mark your calendars for June 1-5 and join us from 5:00 to 8:00 for dinner and vacation bible school fun. Crocodile Dock is "where fearless kid's learn to shine God's light". Registration forms are available on Sunday mornings on the patio or can be printed from the church website.

If you want to volunteer to help, see me on the patio during the 10:00 education hour. I am happy to put you to work!

You are Invited!

At Palmer, communion is open to all God's children. Every person and every family has the opportunity to decide what is the right time, emotionally and developmentally, for their child to partake in the Eucharist. Whether you've chosen to wait or your child has been receiving communion since their baptism, all kids in grades 1-5, along with their parents, are invited to Holy Cross Chapel at 10:00 on Sunday, May 17th for a Family Eucharistic Instruction.

A New Day is Dawning

I am home from Georgia with a renewed spirit and a whole host of ideas. I ask for your prayers as we work to change how we communicate with parents and the larger Palmer community about our kids and the incredible things they are learning and doing on their faith journey. Stay Tuned......Exciting things are on the horizon.