Baby Steps Progress

Things are really coming together for our expansion. Monday night's Baby Steps team meeting was a great time of planning and organization. (And an amazing dessert from Angela.) Thanks to all our wonderful volunteers who work so hard to love and care for our babies! Tuesday and Wednesday were "cleaning house" days as we prepared new equipment, reorganized our mobile supply carts, prepared the theaters and made sure we had all we need for the weekend. With 27 babies on our roll, we are so happy to have the opportunity to spread out into two theaters and give them more room to play and learn about Jesus.

If you have a little one in Baby Steps, watch your mail for a letter giving you details on improvements. We have such a great team for your kids! We all can't wait to see how God is going to bless the expansion. See you this weekend. Don't forget Pastor Josh's new series begins called Chase the Lion!

New Family Member

We have a new addition to the fam. His name is Frederico Garcia Lorca and he is a Betta fish! He is dwelling in Springfield, MO in Walther Hall at Evangel University. Micaela has a room mate! Leave it to my creative daughter to come up with a name like that for a fish! It will be interesting to hear what my future grandchildren will be named! Missing my girl like mad!

Yes is Yes and No is No

Have you found yourself in this situation? Your kids are extra crazy and getting on your last nerve when one of them says, "Mom (dad), can we eat our lunch outside today?" You, in your current state of frazzled parenthood, respond with a quick and adamant, NO. But after thinking about it for a few minutes, you realize it wouldn't be a big deal and it might be kinda fun so you change your mind and give the kids the okay to eat outside.

No big deal, right? You, my friend, just set yourself up for battle. When we tell our kids no, or yes for that matter, and then change our minds, we are giving them the right to assume this will happen all the time. "If I ask and get a no, I can continue to plead my case until I get my way cuz they changed their mind before."

So make your yes, YES and your no, NO and be consistent. There is nothing wrong with telling your child you need a moment to think about your answer. Will there be times it is unavoidable to change an answer? Sure, but if your child is old enough to understand, give them a reason for the change that tells them it is not the norm for the change of answer.

This also teaches our kids that we are people of our word, they can trust us and they in turn should be people of their own word. Our children need to know they can always trust us! Consistency helps your child know what is acceptable in your home and what is not. You will win many battles later on in their growing up by being consistent while they are young. You may not even have to go through some battles by setting the standard now. That's a great thing!

Bye-Bye

My girl left for school this morning. I'm not sure why, but this time was a little harder than last year. Kinda weird, you'd think it would be easier. Yesterday, Micaela, Keaton and I hung out together and went for some lunch.

We had a great summer together. Micaela was a huge help to me in so many ways. She really helped in the move, unpacking most of the stuff while I was at camp and even hung pictures. She was great at church! Micaela helped set up lights and sound every week and also with tear down. Here's some pics of how full her car was when she left. The house is gonna be too quiet!

Finally

Micaela and I finally got this wall decoration up. I love it...totally changes the

dinning room!

The Werners

I almost forgot I had a couple of pictures from our short visit with the Werner family. Here's our "daughter" Reese and her family. It was a great to see them!

Backpack Safety

Here is a link to one of the blogs I occassionally read. The Washington Post had this info about kids and backpacks that I think is valuable info. I remember by the time Micaela was in high school she complained of back aches from her backpack.

http://childrensministryandculture.wordpress.com/

He's On the Prowl

He - meaning Satan. Something is going on that shouldn't surprise anyone and yet sometimes it takes us a while to recognize what's happening. I have talked to more parents in the last month who have been at their wits end with problems with their kids. Oh, yes, you could attribute it to back-to-school-itus, end of summer boredom, or they have spent too much time with siblings, but here's the naked truth. We are Jordan Creek Family Church; Satan will do anything he can to destroy families. JCFC is on a mission to reach people to tell them about Jesus and help them build lasting, healthy relationships with their families and others. God has blessed us with wonderful people and uncommon growth in our two years as a church. We have Satan's attention and he isn't too happy with us. So, what are we gonna do about it?

First, we need to bind together and pray for our families like never before. Make a list of families in your circle of influence and pray specifically for them and their relationships with their kids. Pray together as a family! Gather your kids and sit down for a few minutes in the morning or evening and pray for your family's needs and for each other.

Then we need to put feet to our prayers. By that I mean we need to take action. You can equip yourself to win with your family. Talk to experienced parents for Godly advise, read Christian parenting books, come to Randy's and my parenting life group that starts in a few weeks, but most importantly, read what the Bible says about parenting. The Bible clearly lays out how God would have us raise our kids.

Parent as a team! Our kids are so smart and if they see moms and dads who are not working completely as a team, they will use that to their advantage. If you are a single parent, you have a tougher position but rely on God to be your partner. Use another family member as a support and if you don't have that benefit, let me or someone at JCFC help you.

I do not claim to be a parenting expert but I think I will start using this blog to give parenting tips once a week. It's not "thus saith Pastor Lori" but stuff from great resources and scripture.

Lastly, when you make a parenting mistake - and we ALL do - don't let Satan beat you up and don't beat yourself up. Realize we are human and we're gonna screw up! Ask for forgiveness and seek the Lord's help to do better. God knows your heart, He knows you want to be the best parent you can be. He's not condemning you, He wants to help. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1-3

Never feel alone. You can always call me to vent, cry, yell or whatever. I may not have an answer but I'm a good listener. He may be on the prowl, but we have great traps!

Perspective

I had an interesting conversation with a neighbor yesterday. We had met several months ago in the apartment business center. We discovered we were both Christ followers and talked about church, missions, my recent knee surgeries, and all kinds of stuff. I hadn't seen him in quite a while and he immediately noticed my knee brace and asked about it. I gave him the update and we got to talking about healing. I told him it was sometimes hard to understand why God hasn't instantly healed my knee, but I was sure He had a plan in all that was happening. He went on to say that he had been very sick to his stomach for a period of time and finally decided to go to the doctor. He said as soon as he walked into the waiting room, his stomach felt better. He had the thought, "Okay, what now, why am I here?" He looked up and saw a women he had met several years prior and went to greet her. He said he really believed that God wanted him there that day to be an encouragement to that woman. He then said something that gave me new perspective, "Maybe God is using your knee to get to someone you need to witness to." It was like that V-8 commercial when the people who turned down their veggies get smacked in the head!! I am now refocusing my trial to an offensive mission to be on the look out for that person I need to come in contact with. Satan would love for me to focus on the pain, discomfort, activity limiting nonsense, but I am so over that! So...on to the new surgeon they want me to see and to that divine appointment that I'm believing for.

Look Alike?

Okay, we are watching the show, "America's Got Talent", and I see this amazing ventriloquist guy, Terry Fator, and I thought, "Dude, that guy looks like a chubby Paul May!" He really does when he smiles. Too funny. He just needs some blond highlights like Paul. HeeHeeHee!

Desperation

What is it in someone's life that causes them to be so desperate to walk into a church in Neosho, Missouri and kill three people? What can happen to cause a sixteen year old girl to jump off a bridge on the Des Moines interstate? It's hard for most of us to comprehend how someone could behave or react in a crisis situation. But I DO know this...those people are all around us and they are one "bad day" from going over the edge. It makes me wonder if those hurting people would have had just one encouraging word spoken to them, a warm pat on the back, a sincere smile or a lingering hug - could that have given them the strength they needed for that moment in time? I need to be more sensitive to those around me who may need one of those things. I need to take time to make a phone call or drop an e-mail or note to someone that the Lord had brought to mind. I need to look people in the eyes more and ask God to reveal to me any way possible I can encourage them. I need to not focus on my issues and focus more on how God can use me. Desperation - it comes in all shapes and sizes, ages and income brackets. Desperation has but one lasting answer, and a lot of us know it is Jesus. Not all of us are called to be "preachers" but God has called all of us to proclaim His name and His love in any way He has enabled us. So maybe we all aren't profound with words but we can all smile, hug, encourage and lend a listening ear.

This morning, I watched the first video cast of Craig Groeshel's new series called "30 Days to Live" and it was eye opening. You can check it out here: http://www.30daystolive.tv/theirstory.php It helps us to remember what is really important.

Crack Me Up

My kids are the best!! Not only do they listen and obey in service but they make me laugh! Tonight during our kid's service for Alpha, we were having our worship time. We recently learned a new song called "Not Forgotten" from a CD that you HAVE to buy your kids, Hillsong Kids Supernatural. We do this little side step move during the chorus and the some "Egyptian" type movements and the kids are getting into it big time. They had me laughing so hard, especially Jaron and Lisi. Lisi's version is hilarious and if she were to demonstrate for you please note that I don't do the same cute little shimmy that she does! There would be nothing cute about it. Sadness for me, adorable for Lisi. Oh well, my kids really are the best.

Inviting People

I've been watching for opportunities to invite more people to church and have decided that I needed to be more bold in my approach. I mean, come on, when people find out I am a pastor they pretty much expect me to invite them to church....right?!

I was at the church office today to sign for a delivery and a super nice guy was driving the truck. We had to make several trips up the elevator and got to talking. I told him about the church and he was a little confused at first about how it all worked but after I explained it, he seemed intrigued. I invited him to come check it out and he said, "I gotta be honest with you..I'm not really into church. I haven't been since I was like 6 or something." My boldness kicked in and I countered with, "Well, it's a good time for you to try it again. It's only one Sunday for a little more than and hour and what do you have to lose? I tell you what, you come check us out and when you get there ask for Pastor Lori cuz I'm gonna take you to lunch for visiting." He had a pretty stunned look on his face but I told him I meant it! So say a prayer that James will visit JCFC and we have the privilege of buying him some lunch!

Go I-Cubs!

We had a great time at the I-Cubs game tonight with our good buddy Jaden and his Grandpa Tom. Jaden earned the date through our Buddy Barrel missions giving contest. He seemed to enjoy himself and grandpa taught him how the game worked. He sat and watched a lot longer than most 4 year olds! It was nice to catch up with Tom. We used to go to church together and of course we know all four of their kids so we had plenty to chat about. Jaden even liked waving at Cubbie and the other costume folks. I know sometimes costume characters can make kids nervous but Jaden thought they were pretty cool. Thanks for the good time guys!

I talked to the kids on Sunday about our next missions giving contest. On October 7, if we have a ONE DAY offering in Creek Kids of at least $500, I will dye part of my hair bright pink and wear it that way for two weeks! They were pretty excited about that.

Babies, Babies and More Babies

JCFC is in the middle of a baby BOOM! Be careful...maybe it's something in the water! Hee Hee! We couldn't be more excited to have to the awesome opportunity to love on babies and be one of the first people in their lives to tell them about Jesus! Because we believe in teaching babies from birth and because children are the most important people at JCFC (okay, so that's Pastor Lori's opinion :) ) we want to do whatever is best for them. So we are very excited to announce the expansion of Baby Steps as of September 2, 2007. As the adults will be moving to theater 11, Creek Kids will invade the current main theater and Baby Steps will split into two nurseries in the current theaters for kids. One theater will be for birth through 18 months and the other will be for 19 months-3 years old. We will keep the current policy of 3 year olds graduating to Creek Kids as soon as they are fully potty trained.

Of course, that means more staffing and the opportunity for more people to join the kid's team! I would love the chance to personally talk with anyone who may be interested in loving kids. We also have openings in Creek Kids to help me and Mister Randy. We are excited to now have three couples who have committed to being in Creek Kids once a month. Marcus and Kim Kimmer have been working with us for a few months now and Paul and Sandy may joined the team last month. Next week, we will welcome Jason and Sonya Brown to the Creek Kids team!

We have a Baby Steps dinner and meeting scheduled for Monday, August 27 which would be a great time to come and hear our passion for caring for all the JCFC children. Let me know if you'd like to be included in the yummy dinner and great discussion. Call my cell at 515-419-3347 for more info!

Backyard Adventures

Tonight finished off our first summer Backyard Adventures. It was our version of backyard Bible clubs over a three day period. Many, many thanks to our hostesses and teachers: Jenn Adair and Allison Prohaska, Angela Sustala and Megan Wetzel, and Sandy May and Chrysti Weeks. Nicely done ladies!!

The kids enjoyed some fun games and crafts and of course great teaching. It was fun for me, also. I got to visit each backyard and meet a few new kids and hang out with a few moms. I love building relationships.

Bring a Friend

I want to encourage you to allow your child to invite a friend to church this Sunday. I realize it means more work for you but I have a very special sermon planned for this Sunday and it will be a great opportunity to get a family to JCFC if you have been thinking of a good time to bring them. I planned this day with Backyard Adventure attendees in mind and we have some special things lined up. It is also our BGMC contest day, so that adds even more excitement to find out who will win the I-Cubs game date with Pastor Lori and Mister Randy.

My sermon this weekend is entitled "How do Traffic Lights Help us Trust God?" I will be sharing a very personal story about one of my lessons in trust and it leads into a challenge to receive Jesus into their lives.

Please be praying for this weekend. I know Pastor Josh wouldn't mind an extra prayer, either! I am expecting great things from the Lord and already rejoicing in the new souls that will be added to the Kingdom this weekend. Wouldn't it be awesome to bring a family and they all got saved on the same day? Yowza...that'll get ya pumped to invite folks.

School's A Comin'

I have a challenge for all you parent type people. As you make your Back-to-School to do list, I think you should add something. In all the excitement of buying new clothes, shoes, school supplies, registration, doctor check-ups, organizing car pools and the thought of a more peaceful schedule, PLEASE begin to pray for specific school needs. I believe it will make or break your child's school year. Here are some logical but experienced mom thoughts:

If your child is starting kindergarten, pray they adjust to being away from you and siblings all day.

Pray for God's protection - physically, spiritually and mentally.

Pray for their teachers and administrators.

Pray for them to make wise choices in making friends, taking school seriously and being a light in their classroom.

Talk to your child about the difference in tattling and telling what needs to be told. Empower them to know the difference.

Pray that their school will be a safe, fun place that gives them wonderful memories and great accomplishments.

Now, if you are a home school family, you have your own special prayer needs:

Pray for organization and carefully pray for patience. :)

Pray that you will be inspired by the Lord with creativity and authority as you teach.

Pray for a support system and resources.

Pray for God's wisdom in all areas.

For everyone - start your day by praying together. It doesn't need to be a half an hour prayer, just agree together for a great day for the Lord and your family. When our kids could read, I would write out a scripture verse on an index card and tape it to the bathroom mirror as our family verse of the week.

As you send your kids off or teach them at home, remember you can always share pray needs, concerns and victories with me. I can't wait to make "Lunch With Pastor Lori" dates! We can do that with home schoolers, too! It's gonna be a great school year bathed in prayer.