DP Kids Gingerbread Mangers

We learned about the biggest gift of all this morning...Jesus! For a snack the kids made their own mangers with a cookie baby Jesus inside. Because they were quickly eaten we took pictures so you mommies and daddies can see their handiwork!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

The Messenger.

A whole bucket of burdens were on my back as I got ready to teach the 2-5 year olds in first service yesterday morning.  I struggled to hold my composure.  I broke into tears a couple of times as I put things in place.  and again when  dear friend asked me how I was doing, "fine, just a lot of little things on my mind" I said, but the tears on my cheeks told a story more complicated.  I knew that I would enjoy teaching the kids this morning.  I was just trying to put those burdens down long enough to really be with the kids.
    I picked up the bible during snack and told them the story of the Angel Gabriel's good news to Mary.  Then I put the book down and asked them about ways they can talk to God.  "God can talk to you with an angel, that happens all the time, or God can say something to you himself" "If you are ever alone or quiet that's a good time to talk to God".  Then we prayed together and thanked God for all the things he gives us and I said, "OK now were going to be quiet for just a second and have a chance to listen in case God wants to tell us something."  I paused for 5 seconds maximum, thinking, "oh well this will be a good practice for listening for that still small voice".  When I opened my eyes a little 4 year old boy popped out of his seat and said, "I heard Him!"
 "You heard God." I said, "What did he say?"
He had the biggest grin on his face and he said, "It's going to be alright"

Tears filled my eyes. I think that little boy grew 2 inches from before that prayer to after.  You could see that he felt like a son of God, not disconnected or insignificant.

 A few minutes later I shared what had happened with the little boy's mom.  She said, "Oh Allison, He's been dealing with fear at night this is so important for him!"  Then she said that the little guy had also been frustrated because he had never heard God speak to him and wanted to so badly.  This was a big deal to this little boy.  To know that he was important to God and comforted in his fear.  I wish you could have seen his shiny and happy face!

After Sunday school I went home to pick up my little family.  A whole host of problems were waiting for me there.  I didn't make it back to church.  So many cares and worries around my neck I felt like I drown in my sadness at some points in the next 24 hours.  

When it happened I had felt a little badly for that mom at Sunday school earlier.  Bad that she had not heard this little boy's conversation with God firsthand, or in her own house.  Now at my house I knew that God had let me in on this conversation, because I desperately needed to hear "It's going to be alright".  It was a message for that boy, but it was a message for me too.  I am not alone in my fear, he is comforting me. He let me know ahead of time so that I wouldn't despair   He cared enough to send me the message like he did for Mary.  Only my messenger was a beautiful little boy.  He knows me so well, I love little boy messengers.

Thank you for seeing my through my fears and sorrows today and thank you God for my little Gabriel yesterday.

“The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”

The Humble Stage

Lately there has been a lot of whining (and not all from me), a lot of tattle tailing and tantrums at the Keys' house.  I have been tempted to threaten no Christmas presents and sing the "Better not pout" song.

I have been decorating, planning presents, and creating special times with these kids, but no one seems any jollier darn it! I've been prayerfully disciplining, and yes many times yelling, and all the time wondering what am I doing wrong?

Jonathan, whom I love dearly, has been following me around chanting, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" five times before he will ask me for something, and then it is a puzzle to understand the question.

Wonderful Dorathea has hit another emotional stage.  She's been melting into a puddle of tears at the least problem.

To top it off I've been tearing up at every Carol this December that mentions Jesus birth.  "Am I just as emotional as my kids?" I asked God today.

He said it was, "Because you are in the Humble Stage".

I teared up at those words (again).  The Humble Stage.  I am herding small children all day, wiping mouths and bottoms, cleaning, teaching (ahem trying not to yell), all day every day.  When I try to add up the accomplishments of each day, they don't.    There are no more papers, or professional tasks to check off  my lists, the list is neverending now and there are still so many dreams I'm waiting to live out.

I am in the Humble stage of life. There is no glamour or prestige in parenting small children, (unless maybe your involved in Padgents, or have a child prodigy of some sort?).

Jesus was born into the humble stage.  He choose to be born in a smelly barn with animals and to make his bed in a trough.  And this was only the beginning of his sacrifice for us. Why was this important?  Because God choose to be like us, to be with us.  And he knew being humble was important.

"A man's pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor." Proverbs 29:23

Jesus was held by a woman like me.  She had an amazing calling, but in the meantime there were more boxes then she could check off.  She was the most blessed of all women and she had her baby seemingly out of wedlock, in a barn, away from her family, and she was so young.  She was humbled, yet chosen to do the most important work of all.  She had obstacles in the way of her calling, but the Lord was cheering her on.  "Blessed are you among women!" her cousin sang

"Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar." Psalm 138:8

He chooses to be with me so it doesn't matter how anyone, even I see me.  He chooses to honor me for my sacrifices, my sacrifice of all of me all my time and energy.   My sacrifice of  prestige and honor as the world sees me for who he says I am right now.  

"Strength and honor are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come." Proverbs 31


So now I know when Jonathan does his "Mommy" chant  that this must be how rockstars feel when the paparatzi call thier names and pepper them with questions.  
And someday Dorathea's wealth of emotions will grow into empathy.  Empathy that God will use to deeply love and effect those around her.  

The best part is, at least this Humble season is full of play with my favorite two little faces.  I think Mary  smiled too looking at  the little face of hope that was resting in her love.   The humble spirit obtains honor indeed.

^"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin," Zechariah 4:10

The Blessing Tree

The Blessing Tree

And if anyone who is my disciple gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward- Matthew 10:42

 This year at DP Kids we are making giving the center of our celebration!  On Sunday November 25th you will find two "Blessing" Trees, one upstairs and one downstairs for the kids at DP.   These trees will be for an offering to children around the world.  For each dollar your child gives they will be able to choose whether they will buy clothes, toys, or food for an impoverished child.  These donations will go to World Vision's basic needs (which multiply 12 times due to food and clothes donors).  Money for toys goes to this fund They will take a little food, clothes, or toys ornament from the blessing tree home as a reminder of their gift.

This is a great opportunity to teach our kids the truth about giving this holiday.

2nd Corintians 9:7 

God loves a cheerful giver.  

Isaiah 58:10

¹⁰ Feel for hungry people and give them food. Help those who are troubled and satisfy their needs. Then your light will shine in the darkness. You will be like the bright sunshine at noon.

Proverbs 9:17  

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD--and he will repay you!

1 John 3:17-18 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love live in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth

Some ideas for how kids can get dollars to give?

• Have little fingers raid the sofa and heck, under the beds and car floors for change.
• Do chores for say, 25 cents a piece or more for bigger jobs.  Need your windows washed?  Want your bathroom sink to shine?  Set those little people to work!
• Make a your dining room into a restaurant and have your kids serve you dinner!  Enjoy a meal sitting down as they play waiter, bringing the plates and clearing them away, and then be sure to tip your waiters.
• Ask them how they want to earn the money.  Set those entrepenuer minds to work!

So get those kiddos ready to GIVE clothes, food, or toys.  Make them excited to share. I can't wait to see small hands giving and proudly bringing ornaments home, being Jesus's hands and feet.  It makes me want to cheer, Go Jesus!  Your children are glorifying you! Let's feed and cloth some kids this season :)

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.1 Timothy 6:18; 

What's In A Name, by Jen Cesario 2s and 3s teacher

The first and only time that I heard the audible voice of God was one evening while I was lying in bed.  Just about to fall asleep, I heard the Lord clearly say my name.  That was all that I heard.  Just my name.  "Jennifer."  I can't explain it, but hearing the Lord call my name brought me great delight...and comfort.  It reminded me of how intimately acquainted He is with me.  And, too, there's just something special about hearing someone say your name. 

This was made very clear to me one Sunday morning when I was the lead person in the 4 & 5 year old room at my church.  Normally, I am the lead in the 2 & 3 year old room; however, this particular Sunday I was covering for someone else. 

After I got over my initial shock by the quantum difference between the "interactive level" of the 4 & 5s versus the 2 & 3s...(Can I just say that I had A LOT of offers from the 4/5 girls to assist, yea, even RUN the classroom that morning! )...I then had to get acquainted with the children and their names. 

Many of them were "graduates" from my 2 & 3 year old class; however, many were new to me.  Then there was the added challenge of siblings in both classrooms.  Which, on this particular morning, was the case.  I am quite familiar with precious, little Mercy Rich who is a regular attender in the 2 & 3 year old class; however, I am less familiar with her bigger but close look-alike sister, Grace--who, of course, is a "regular" in the 4 & 5 year old room. 

So, there I sat at the front of the classroom...trying to get the attention of my highly interactive 4 & 5 year old precious little ones...when one of the Rich girls was very involved in a conversation with another child.  I called her name several times to try to get her attention.  "Mercy."  "Mercy, eyes up front, please."  "Mercy."  The more I called her name and the more that she didn't respond; I have to admit, the more the fruit of my spirit was being tested .  After a few moments of this, the polite little girl turned to me and said, "My name is Grace."  Ha!  You can imagine my embarrassment...and my quick repentance for nearly loosing my composure.

I profusely apologized to Grace and clumsily tried to explain that I thought she was her sister, Mercy...and that I am so used to having Mercy in class that I forgot that I was in the 4 & 5 year old class where it's Grace and not Mercy and blah, blah, blah.

It was only later in the day...when my surroundings and my spirit were quieted...that the Lord reminded me of the value of a name...and the importance of knowing a name.  Like "Jesus."  The name above ALL names.  Kind of like that!

Anyway, it was one of those "accidental" lessons that morning.  One that I won't forget.  And all I can say is, "Thanks for granting me mercy, Grace!"

Tiny Armoured Ones

This is the first week of our October Memory Verse; "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

We learned about the armor of God as we recited the verse for the first time.  The kids were so enthralled as  I showed them the shield of Faith in the second service class I taught and that I introduced the whole armor of God to them including the peace shoes we imagined and then put on.  

We practiced fighting dark forces and talked about how our fight is against these forces and not people.

How fun to equip small warriors.  So send them out parents to try their armor out!- Allison K

Best Friends

My favorite thing about the curriculum at DP little kids is that we don't teach the kids to "be good" but that they are loved by a loving God.  Last month (September) we learned that Jesus is their best best friend. 

 It was so gratifying to watch their little actions toward each other grow warmer and more merciful as we read them stories each week about Jonathan and David, Ruth and Naomi we told them true friendship is in response to God's amazing friendship with us. One little girl was making food in a pretend house and two wild animals were stealing that food.  By the end of the play time she was offering the food to them and they were saying, "Thank you".

  Our memory verse for September was "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" Proverbs 18:24. (That's them in the first picture singing the memory verse song which you can find here)  I  wrote a little song too that we worshiped to called "Jesus is my Best Friend", hope to add that to the worship song list here soon . We told the kids that that that friend is Jesus.  Jesus died for them and made them exactly like they are because he loves them more than anyone.   

listening to the spirit

It's easy to think that the Holy Spirit only moves mightily with the grown ups in the sanctuary.  We get to see the Holy Spirit in our youngest DP people all the time.  On one of Misty Keene's first mornings doing worship with the kids, she had them lay down for quiet time.  They all put their heads toward the center (without being directed to) and thier feet toward the walls.  Then just as she was about to lead them in worship they started chanting "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus"  slowly and then picking up speed ending loud, fast and with a lot of giggles.  Misty thought this was pretty cool, and then later that night when the interns started doing the same thing, again spontaneously during worship she was moved.  May we all listen closely for the Holy Spirit in our little ones "From the mouths of children and infants you have ordained praise" Matthew 21:16

Everyone gets their own prayer.

     We pray for each child individually most every Sunday morning.  This is in large part because they love it almost every 2, 3, 4, and 5 year olds love to be prayed with.  "Pray for me!, Pray for me!" One 3 year old asks for God to give her a pretty crown with sparkles, sparkly shoes, and a pretty dress.  Another praying for his teacher asks that God make his teacher a knight, a little girl asks that God give the teacher flowers and tell the teacher He loves him.  One little boy asks that God will help him take care of his brother when they play soccer together.  Sometimes we all lay hands on boo-boos and pray for Jesus to heal them, no boo-boo is too small, or too big for prayer.  And they pray for you all all the time.  "Pray for my Daddy's back to feel better", "Pray for my Mommies baby (in her tummy)", "Thank you God for my Mommie!".  Prayer warriors you have in your homes!

New songs

I've been transforming some old songs into new.  God's been showing me good songs and tunes get used over and over again throughout history, so I am free to redeem some childhood favorites.  Here are a couple we are singing in worship;

From Phillipians 2:14;
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
A child of God is what you are
never argue, don't complain
pure and sinless, Shine all day
Twinkle Twinkle little star
A child of God is what you are!

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
A Child of God is What you are
The world is dark but you are light
Spinning, Shining in the night
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
A child of God is what you are

(Tune of Ring around the Rosie)

Ring around Jesus

He's the one who frees us

before king Jesus we all fall down

(second verse same tune but start sitting on the floor)

Three days in the grave

and then He rose up

Jesus, Jesus,

He lifts us Up!

Jesus was born in a barn (to tune of Old McDonald Had a Farm)
Jesus was born in a barn E-I-E-I-O
In this barn their were some sheep E-I-E-I-O
With a Baa Baa here and a Baa Baa there
here a baa, there a baa, eveywhere a baa, baa
Jesus was born in a barn E-I-E-I-O


Baa Baa Black Sheep
Have you seen my Lord?
Yes sir, Shepherd,
He's in a barn,
Jesus is sleeping in the hay
Let's go see him on his birthday!

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Have you seen my Lord?

Yes sir, Shepherd,

He's in a barn,

Encouraging each other.

  The verse for the day and month is "Encourage one another, and build each other up".  The kids did drawings of buildings to illustrate thier lesson.  In worship our verse song from the "Hide 'Em in Your Heart" CD by Steve Green" was lively and we pretended to build a tall building as we sang.

When it was time to pray for the kids I was inspired by the verse.  "OK kids, today for prayer we are going to build each other up by praying for each other.  Can you pray for the other kids in this class?, We'll break into groups of three or four and each group will have a teacher to help, but I want you to encourage each other and pray for each other ok?"  Even as I said this I thought "How will this ever work? They are only 2-4 years old. This will be chaos! There's no way they have the attention span for this!"  I turned around to my little group to see two little girls with thier hands already on a two year old little girl's back.  One was already praying earnestly "Oh Lord please be with _____".  I was awed by their spirituality, no less complete than my grown up version. Oh God, my faith is so little sometimes.  Yet you have given such faith and love and spiritual gifts to these little ones!

Easter 2010

Easter Sunday today.  I  left after worship, which was awesome, to go do children's worship thinking "Yay! time to celebrate with the kids!".  The  kids were extra adorable and extra sugar filled (at least mine were extra sugar-filled). We did a new song from an artist know as "The Donut Man" called Hosanna.   "Jumping up and down, Jumping up and down, Jumping up and down shout Hosanna, Hosanna!"  I told the kids Hossana means please save!  or savior please come! in Hebrew.

I tried out a song of mine with the 4-5 year olds in second service. To the tune of 'Ring Around the Rosie"  "Jesus, Jesus, He died to free us, Before king Jesus we all fall down"  They loved it we held hands and walked in a circle falling to the floor at  the end.  They begged to do it over and over.  It was such a simple game such a celebration.

We ended with a special prayer for each child from their teachers.  I am amazed at how much they love to be prayed for by name.  Each child sat pretty quietly waiting for their turn.   They make everything more fun, these wonderful children of ours.    -Allison

Come!

      A month ago at Sunday morning worship time with the 4+5 year olds I asked the kids to be quite and pretend Jesus was whispering in their ears.  I asked them to listen closely and hear what he was saying to them.  After a pause I asked if anyone wanted to share what he said to them.  I started by saying I thought he said he thought I was doing a good job.   A few kids that day said "I can't hear anything".  "You have to listen with your heart.  To listen with your heart you have to be quiet on the outside and on the inside" I said "It's hard to be quiet on the inside, but God is always speaking to you if you can listen".
      One demure little girl whispered, "He said he loves me".  "Oh yes," I said "I'm sure he told you that".  She smiled.  Then a little girl who had been a bit of a wild indain that day spoke up.  "Come" she said.  "What?" I asked.  "Come" she said again clearly.  "Ohhh! He told you to come!"  I said.   It didn't seem so profound then, although I was sure that's what God was telling her.  But I've been mulling over that word for weeks now.  "Let the little children come to me"  Jesus said, I read in my bible a week later.  He is calling them and they can hear it.