For This Day
May 2015, Vol.2 Issu.8
For This Day
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Summer Joys: Learning Outside the Classroom Tonia Casper As the school year nears the end, we experience a variety of emotions. Relief, anticipation, sadness, excitement, pride and gratitude are a few I can think of. We reflect on all the memories, projects, programs, performances, friendships and lessons learned and then turn our attention to the time of rest and relaxation we enjoy during the summer. We may put away the alarm clocks, the uniforms, and the books, but summer is still a great time for learning. Here are some activities we can all include in our summer curriculum. •Enjoying and appreciating God’s creation as much as possible. We all know how much things have changed over the past few decades. Kids spend far less time outside than most of us did growing up. Whether it’s spending the day at the lake, camping in the back yard, going for walks, riding bikes or just playing in the dirt, kids will benefit from time away from technology and learning to be creative in their play. It also allows time to observe all that God has created, to talk to Him, to talk to each other about Him and to be still so that we can listen to Him.
•Serving those around us. Being proactive in searching out ways to serve others as a family or as individuals takes effort but is an awesome way to spend time together. Adopting a resident of a nearby nursing home who does not receive regular visitors, serving meals to the homeless, making cookies for neighbors or writing letters of encouragement to missionaries are just a few of the hundreds of ways to love our neighbors as God commands. Students who learn to serve at a young age will more likely continue to do so as adults. Take the time to talk about, pray about, seek out and find opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ. •Planning quality family time. This is a given and very common for most families, but summer is such a great time to play board games, read, exercise, explore new places and take advantage of unscheduled time together. For some, summer can become a time to get caught up in catching up on projects, but taking time to just relax and enjoy quality time with the family will always be a better investment of our time.
time, sacrifice and determination are key in discerning how and when to guide our children. •Playing The UN-game. Not the board game. The UN-plug, UN-clutter, UNschedule, UN-spend, UN-busy game. Of course those aren’t real words, but one fun goal for the summer could be to get back to basics, to simplify, and to focus on having clear schedules and clear minds. Minds that are set on Christ and ready to respond to His promptings. The challenge of the game is this: set summer goals, be strategic, be proactive, pray for guidance, seek wisdom and make memories all in the simplest and calmest ways possible. Accept the truth that our plans are not always His plans. To win this game, the player must set aside unrealistic expectations, comparisons with others and compulsions to mindlessly schedule activities without knowing why, must be willing to change plans at any moment and must rely completely on God’s daily guidance. The prize? Peace, calm, rest, renewal, joy and so much more. Happy Peaceful and Blessed Summer.
Parent study time. As parents we need You will keep in perfect peace those whose to study our children diligently so that we minds are steadfast, because they trust in will be able to train them up as God com- you. Isaiah 26:3 mands. This parenting thing is tough and the world we’re living in makes it more complicated every day. Summer brings uninterrupted time with our kids. Time to observe, create conversation, engage and think about what lessons our children need to be learning outside the classroom. Whether etiquette, parallel parking, doing the laundry, chivalry, or changing a tire, there are an unlimited number of skills our kids need to learn before we send them out into the world. In addition to life skills, we must also know what biblical lessons our children need to be learning. Prayer,