INITIATIVE – October BIG Idea for 1st-5th Grade

                            CSI

Nope, this doesn't stand for crime scene investigators, although they certainly have it. It doesn't stand for College of Southern Idaho, although students there (like anywhere) need it. Nor does it stand for Chi Sigma Iota, though surely an honor society that promotes academic and professional excellence in counseling would value it.
What is "it"? The ability to act on your own. The enterprising spirit needed to take that first step. The ingenuity to imagine how to solve a problem. SEEING what needs to be done and DOING it. In short, initiative.
Now, when you think of God's myriad virtues, does initiative come to mind? It should! What but a God-sized initiative could have seen the potential of a universe then created it? Who but someone God-sized is ingenious enough to craft each and every one of us by hand and make us each unique? Could someone other than God care enough to lean into our lives, see what needs to be done, and do it--for each one of us, at the same time, on an ongoing basis?
No doubt about it, God has God-sized initiative, and He wants to work initiative into us as well. It's a key ingredient for becoming the kind of people He wants us to be and for taking part in His big plan. Nehemiah's life story is a good example.
Here're some things we think kids need to understand and start putting into practice when it comes to initiative, and each one of these is modeled in Nehemiah's life:

When there's a job to be done, first you have to see it. Nehemiah recognized there was a problem in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1).
When there's a job to be done, don't wait for someone else to do it. Nehemiah stepped up to the plate, even though it wasn't his "job" (Nehemiah 2).
When there are people in need, don't wait for someone else to help them. Nehemiah did something about other people's problems (Nehemiah 5).
When you've done what YOU can do, trust God to do what He can do. Nehemiah consistently did everything he knew to do and relied on God to do the rest (Nehemiah 6; 8).

So that's what CSI stands for: can see it. You can see it; you can do it. Can See It + Can Do It.

For more ideas about putting initiative into action, check out our brand new resource called CUE Box.  CUE Box is filled with activities to help parents and kids interact with each other as they continue to learn about the month's virtue at home. To find out more or to order CUE Box, go to http://www.studio252.tv.

Oh, and there's a fifth week in October (when we'll be talking about initiative). We'll switch gears on that fifth week and talk about a "faith skill": how to talk about your faith.

By Melanie Williams. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission

May Preschool Bottom Line – God Made Me!

What is the most AMAZING thing that God has ever made? ME! And YOU! The Bible says in Psalm 139:14, "I am wonderfully made," (NIV). Each and every one of us, and each and every one of our preschoolers, was wonderfully made. By God! How awesome is that!
We will spend the month of May equipping our preschoolers with the knowledge that God made them. Because He made them, they are special. They are special not because they can jump the farthest or run the fastest. They are special because God made them and loves them.

God made our bodies. God made us to do many things. God made us with a purpose. God even made us to praise Him. Our God is an AMAZING God who makes wonderful things. And, since God made us just the way we are, He loves EVERYTHING about us. Everything! He loves our messy hair. He loves our crooked noses. He loves our loud singing voices. He even loves our silly faces. God made us, and He loves us. Awesome thought, isn't it? It's almost overwhelming. God made ME! Wow. What a strong foundation to give our preschoolers. God made them, and that makes them special.
                                     By Kathy Hill. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission.

May 2:  I am special to God     Psalm 139:13-15, Jeremiah 1:5

May 9:  God made my body     Genesis 1:26-27

May 16: God made me to do many things     Psalm 41:1, 86:11

May 23: God made me with a purpose     Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 2:10

May 30: God made me to praise Him.      Psalm 1-2, 34:1

Patience – 1st-5th Grade BIG Idea for May

Chill Out

Depending on when you read this, you're probably either still bundled up against the winter chill or you've shed your winter woolies for cool cottons, bracing yourself against the bite of the wind or basking in the bright, warm sunshine of late spring. Come May, snow days will have become a thing of the past, but many kids (and parents) will still be paying for the pleasure of a day off with an extended school year. Kids and families (and we church volunteers!) will have to dig down deep, grin, and bear it in order to hang in there till summer vacation. What better time to talk about patience?
So that's what 252 Basics is all about in May:

Patience, which is waiting until later for what you want now.

Here's the lineup:

If you don't wait, it could cost you. Remember what Esau traded away for a bowl of soup because he let his stomach go to his head? (Genesis 25)
Don't get tired of doing the right thing. If only the Israelites had kept on following God instead of the crowd! (Exodus 19; 32)
Don't miss out because you think you can't wait. Have you ever thought about what Joshua and the Israelites would've missed if they hadn't followed God's marching orders? (Joshua 3; 6)
If you don't wait, it could hurt others. There are "gasoline girls" and there are "water boys." Which one are you? (Proverbs 15:18)

And for the fifth week, we'll depart from the norm and focus on a "faith skill," that of prayer:

Take prayer out of the box. Are you in or out of the box when it comes to prayer? (James 5:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 8:26)

 

By Melanie Williams. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission

Honesty – 1st-5th Grade BIG Idea for March

The Web

Have you ever seen the TV show Lie to Me? The Lightman Group (clever name, isn't it, since light = truth, biblically speaking), made up of psychologists, researchers, and investigators, assist law enforcement and other government agencies in criminal investigations by detecting signs of deception in people's voices, faces, and body language.
The premise behind it is simple and ordinary; the science complex and intriguing. Rather like honesty itself.
On the one hand, honesty is simple.
It always involves a choice.
We choose to tell the truth or to lie.
Honesty is ordinary, too.
Because every one of us,
from Adam and Eve to you and I,
chooses to be honest or dishonest on a daily basis.

On the other hand, honesty (and therefore
dishonesty) is complex and intriguing.
You can be honest (or dishonest) in your words, actions, and attitudes.
You can be honest (or dishonest) in what you don't say or do, as well.
You can set out to lie, and
you can go along with someone else's lie.
And then there are the multitudes of motives for
two-faced, duplicitous, and deceptive dealings.

So simple, honesty, but not always easy! Else no one would weave him- or herself into a tangled web in the first place.
Which is why, come March, we'll be talking about honesty and some of the very practical reasons God teaches and guides us to be honest:

When you're not truthful, you hurt the people you should care about most. Joseph's brothers practiced so many forms of deceit in that whole sell-your-brother-as-a-slave episode you'll weave quite a web recounting them all. (Genesis 37; 45)
Lying to hurt someone else really hurts YOU. Haman's perfidious plot backfired on him. (Esther 3-5; 7)
Truthfulness builds friendships; dishonesty tears them down. Jesus gave even wee, little, fraudulent Zacchaeus a do-over. (Luke 19)
You can lie so much you forget what matters. Treacherous Judas forgot, or deceived himself, about what matters most. (Matthew 26; 27) Note that this week begins the Easter season and the Easter "story" in 252 Basics.

Honesty creates a safety net.
Honest thoughts, words, and actions weave together to
strengthen trusting, happy relationships with others and God.

Dishonesty creates a web.
Lies and deception weave a web that ensnares us,
tearing at the fabric of our relationships with others and God.

So, help kids be careful about what they weave.

By Melanie Williams. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission

Honor – 1st-5th Grade BIG IDEA for February

A Code of Honor

When was the last time you used the word honor in an everyday conversation with a regular Joe? Does it strike you as outmoded, a little archaic perhaps? For instance, when did you last slay a dragon from the back of your trusty white steed, lay your cloak over a puddle for a lady, bow in deference to others at court, or swear undying fealty to your king? (More on that later.) After all, that stuff was around in the Middle Ages.

On the other hand, that stuff has been around since the Middle Ages. What student hasn’t read of King Arthur (first written about in the 1130’s) or Don Quixote (published in 1605 and 1615)? Who among us hasn’t seen a Robin Hood movie (the first of which came out in the early 1920’s) or Shrek? If you’ve visited a museum and seen a suit of armor, haven’t you marveled at how small those guys were?

But, with all due respect, it wasn’t Geoffrey of Monmouth or Cervantes who invented honor. Nay, honor is older than, well, dirt. Noooo, it was God who created honor. Check out what David says about honor in Psalm 8:1–5 (NIV):

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise … When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”

Can you read that and not be awestruck that the King of kings and Lord of lords, who deserves glory over all others, would esteem us, even a little? Yet He does. David’s life, in fact, is chock-full of honor-related examples and principles. Think back to what you know about David, like:

… his encounter with Goliath. God said, “Those who honor me I will honor” (1 Samuel 2:30, NIV). David honored God, and God honored David, even though he was the little brother, a mere boy, and overlooked at every turn. Honor those who are overlooked.

… his friendship with Jonathan. God says, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10, NIrV). David honored Jonathan, certainly; but think how remarkable it was that Jonathan (the heir apparent to the throne) should honor David (who would eventually become king) more than himself. Honor others more than yourself.

… his turbulent and tragic relationship with his son Absalom. God says, “‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth’” (Ephesians 6:2-3, NIV). What a contrast Absalom is to Jonathan! Honor those who are over you.

… his unself-conscious worship of God: “I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this” (2 Samuel 6:21–22, NIV). Honor God out LOUD.

So come February, we’re going to camp here, with David, Goliath, Jonathan, Absalom, and Michal, and examine some things God says about honor and what it looks like to live in honorable ways.

Now back to dragons and puddles. You may not have slain a dragon from the back of your trusty charger, but have you cheered the underdog or said thank you to the teenager taking your order at the drive-thru? You probably haven’t spread your cloak over a puddle for a lady, but have you held the door for one? You may not have bowed in deference to others at court or sworn loyalty to a king, but have you obeyed your parents without rolling your eyes or stood in heartfelt praise to honor THE King?

See, honor doesn’t live just in legends! Therefore, prithee don thine armour and thy cloak and henceforth seek to impart the ways of honour to thy probies thusly. Thy labour shalt not be for naught.

Watch the HONOR video on the video player at www.252basics.org

By Melanie Williams. ©2009 The reThink Group • www.rethinkgroup.org • All rights reserved. Used by permission.

 

Discipline – 1st-5th Grade Big Idea for January

Step It Up

Less is more. We're fond of saying that around here. And much of the time, we're more effective living by it. But sometimes MORE is more. Want a voluminous vocabulary? Read more. Want to nail the lines for your part in a sketch? Rehearse more. Want to master the "Cha Cha Slide" (like for January's large group, grades 4-5)? Practice more. You get the drift. And just like you need to lift more if you want bigger biceps, you need to do some things more if you want to know God better, like:

Read His Book. Can you think of a more foundational, first-step way to get to know Him? Plus, "God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right" (2 Timothy 3:16, NIrV). What better example of the importance of engaging in God's Word than Jesus as a 12-year-old in the temple? (Which happens to be the Bible story for week 1.)
Remember His words. "By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing" (2 Timothy 3:17, NIrV). Jesus showed us (particularly that time He was tempted in the wilderness) we not only need to (Step 1) read God's Word, we need to (Step 2) memorize it, internalize it, and take it to heart so that we'll be ready for whatever comes our way.
Talk to Him. "Don't worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him" (Philippians 4:6, NIrV). To get to know someone and to strengthen your relationship with that person, you have to talk him or her, right? It's the same way with God. You gotta talk to Him. This week (week 3) will help kids better understand Jesus' answer when one of the disciples asked Him how to pray.
Talk about Him with your friends. "I pray that you will be active in sharing what you believe. Then you will completely understand every good thing we have in Christ" (Philemon 1:6, NIrV). Saying what you believe out loud helps solidify your beliefs. Could this be one reason Jesus asked the disciples, "But who do YOU say I am?" (The story for week 4.)
Make Him more important than anything. "Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve" (Deuteronomy 6:13a, NIrV). This week (week 5) we'll be taking a look at what Jesus said about "the widow's mite" and how it helps us to worship the only one we should serve.

These are all priorities and habits -- disciplines -- that can help us (A) get to know God better and (B) grow stronger. Kids need to understand that they don't have to wait till they're older to get to know God; God wants them to start now. He's ready to help them, every step of the way, NOW. So this January, 252 Basics is designed to help kids see how discipline, which is doing what you need to do now so you can grow stronger, can help strengthen their relationship with God.
But that's not all. Because SOMETIMES more IS more. So in addition to helping kids understand and experience discipline as a godly virtue, each week in January will also offer practical experiences in the 5 Faith Skills we think every kid should master:

1. Navigate the Bible (survey and locate)
2. Personalize Scripture (memorize and apply)
3. Dialogue with God (public and private)
4. Articulate faith (share and defend)
5. Worship with your life (praise and give)

So get your shoes on, lace up, and let's step it up.
 

By Melanie Williams. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Compassion – 1st-5th Grade Big Idea for December

Shake This Planet

What kid can resist it? A fist-sized glass orb filled with water and white particles, enclosing a miniature scene of a favorite vacation spot, Mickey Mouse®, or Christmas. Some play music, some stick to your fridge, others are inflatable yard decorations, but whatever their size or shape, snow globes are fascinating. Maybe it's the appeal of an enclosed world protected from outside danger, or maybe it's the power to really shake things up.
Which is what happened when God sent Jesus to this planet. What is that verse about the world groaning? "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (Romans 8:22, NIV). Think about what was going on at the time. For example, slavery was a common and widely accepted practice throughout the ancient world. By the time Jesus was born, one out of three people in the heart of the Roman Empire was a slave. One-third! One of every five people elsewhere on the globe was enslaved. In fact, the Roman economy (among others) was based on slave labor. Some Bible scholars and other historians suggest that the world was nearing a tipping point, that when the enslaved population is greater than the free, civilization becomes unsustainable. But God looked down and shook the planet. "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6, NIV). He came to set us free, from the most profound slavery, the perfect illustration of God's compassion for us.
So this December, 252 Basics will revolve around Jesus' birth as a perfect example of God's compassion, which is caring enough to do something about someone else's need. Specifically:

Week 1: God saw our need. You have to SEE a need before you can DO anything about it. Compassion requires us to look and see, too. God saw our greatest need. Whose needs do you see?
Week 2: God sent His Son, even though it would cost Him. Compassion costs us something, too. God gave us the greatest gift. What will you give?
Week 3: God gave us hope when He sent us a Savior. Compassion is contagious; it spreads hope. God gave us great news. Who will you tell?
Week 4: God laid bare His great love for us when He gave us Jesus. Compassion demonstrates God's love when we show it for others. God showed the world His love. How will you show the world?

When we work together to show compassion, we can make a difference in this world. So shake it up!

By Melanie Williams. © 2009 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Individuality – 1st-5th Grade Big Idea for October

Body Building

Geeks. Jocks. Brainiacs. Skaters. The Pretty Committee. Were you a member of one of these crowds? Maybe you carried a membership in THE group, the one that everyone wanted to join. Interesting, isn't it, that no matter how old we are when we join a "club," whether we give it a name or not, that group of people eventually helps us discover who we are or aren't? We discover our likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, how we are similar and how we stand out, whether we belong to that group or need to move on.
But being an individual is more than just discovering how we are like someone else or different from others - at least for believers it is. Being an individual is also about how our heavenly Father designed us to make a difference in this world. God, the master Architect, has a master plan in which He is weaving together all our character traits and experiences in order to shape and mold us into the people He wants us to become, and He's doing this with each of us, twining our lives together in ways that are intricate, beautiful, and mind-boggling.
So in October we'll be talking about individuality, discovering who you are meant to be so you can make a difference. We'll introduce kids to some not-so-well-known individuals, each of whom made a difference in the lives of people around them:

Week 1: THE Onesimus because when you belong to God, you can make a difference.
Week 2: THE Epaphroditus because when you take care of others, you can make a difference.
Week 3: THE Dorcas because when you use what you have to help others, you can make a difference.

And we'll wrap up the month with a look at some verses in 1 Corinthians about how we're one body with many parts: when you do your part, you can make a difference.

Check the weekly Refrigerator Door Cards and GodTime Cards for more information on the content of each weekly lesson.

Wisdom - 1st-5th Grade Big Idea for September

What's more precious than jewels but available to all who seek it? Screams to get your attention but eludes you if you ignore it? Has a definite starting point but knows no end? Here's a hint:

YES! It's wisdom, which is finding out what you should do and doing it. God says if you accept His words and store up His commands inside you, tune your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding, call out for insight and search for it as you would for hidden treasure, then you will find out how to know Him. He is the one who gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, the one who stores up success for His followers, the one who shields them from harm, guards their paths, and leads them in the right direction. (See Proverbs 2:1-11. In fact, see all of Proverbs for a whole trove of the treasures of wisdom.) Put that way, who in his right mind wouldn't dig wisdom? Dig for wisdom? Dig and dig for wisdom?
So in September, we'll be on the hunt for gems of wisdom, helping kids understand that God wants to give you wisdom. Wisdom is worth searching for. If you want to be wise, hang out with wise people. And wisdom is knowing AND doing.
So get your shovel out and let's go dig for wisdom. It's worth it.

Check the weekly Refrigerator Door Cards and GodTime Cards for more information on the content of each weekly  lesson.

Love - 1st-5th Grade Big Idea for August

Do You Feel the Luuuv?
How does that Beatles' song go? "All you need is love ..." When you think about it, just about everything we do with or for others boils down to love. Which, of course, doesn't come as a surprise to God-followers, the Creator of love. He IS love, after all (1 John 4:16), and the reason we can love at all: because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). Jesus said THE most important commandment is to love God and to love Him with all we've got. When we do that, we'll love others--the second most important commandment. The second most important, yes, but so closely aligned with the first that it's impossible to split the two. John put it this way: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen ... Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (1 John 4:20-21, NIV). And so on that one "peg" (love God/love others) hang ALL the commandments--the 10 Commandments, the Mosaic Law, and the 600 or so laws the Pharisees added to it.
So in August, Launch!1st-5th grade will focus on love, which is choosing to give someone your time and friendship no matter what. We'll begin with the time the Pharisees got their heads together in an attempt to trick Jesus and His reply (which also happens to be our memory verse for the month, Matthew 22:37-39). When you love God, you'll love others.
The second week of August will be all about what takes "first place" and the fact that when you love others, you give them your time, as Jesus pointed out when He visited Mary and Martha (Luke 10).
In week 3, everything will revolve around Jesus' parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15): When you love others, you're quick to forgive.
Week 4 we'll focus on what Jesus told Peter after His resurrection (John 21). When you love Jesus, you'll treat others the way He does.
In week 5, we'll depart from the norm and examine a "faith skill," the faith skill of prayer (dialoguing with God, both public and private). Jesus modeled all kinds of principles about prayer for us. But ultimately, He showed us that talking to God changes things.

Forgiveness - 1st-5th Grade Virtue for July

Letting Go
Buckets are a fantastic invention. Simple genius, really. There's almost no end to what you can put in a bucket: big or little things, a lot or a few things, good or bad things. There's no doubt buckets are useful. But what goes IN the bucket is key. We put things in buckets that we need to carry around with us. Soapy water and tools are two things I think of right away.

Emotionally speaking, sometimes we put things that we don't want to let go of, burdensome things, as often as not, like pain, hurt, disappointment, and disillusionment. And we tend to accumulate those things, adding them to the bucket until we need a bigger bucket or multiple buckets. We may even dedicate our buckets, labeling them with people's names, especially if they keep on doing us wrong. Eventually we are trapped, weighed down emotionally by buckets we can't seem to let go of. We can't move on, enjoying relationships to their fullest and participating with both hands in enjoyable and worthwhile activities, till we let go of the bucket, till we forgive. Forgiveness is all about letting go of the bucket. It may have to be done on a gradual basis, even intentionally done every day. But when you let go of your bucket, you are then free to jump in with both hands and feet and live as God intended!

So this month, we are focusing on forgiveness, which is deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn't have to pay.

We started off with Jesus' parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18): since God forgives you, you should forgive others.
Week 2 was all about Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19) and the fact that when people are forgiven, it can change them.
In week 3 we'll be talking about getting even God's way and what Joseph did when faced with the opportunity for revenge (Genesis 45). When you want to get even, do the opposite.
And we'll end the month with "go first," what Jesus said about forgiveness in Matthew 5: don't wait to start making things right with others.

Forgiveness is important! Teach your children to love back, not pay back.  That's Jesus' way.

Obedience - 1st-5th Grade Virtue for May

Street Smart
Stop! Have you given much thought to the fact that obedience, which is trusting those who lead you by doing what you're asked to do, is one of those "different" virtues? God is God; He is the ultimate Authority. No one outranks Him. So He doesn't obey anyone, right? However, Jesus obeyed His Father (John 9:4), and it's certainly a proper response from us toward God. In fact, "this is love for God: to obey his commands" (1 John 5:3, NIV). What a premium God places on obedience! He would rather have our obedience than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).
But, oh my, what a difficult time we have obeying. And that difficulty is not limited to childhood. (How many traffic laws have YOU broken, for instance, in your driving career?) So of course the Bible is full of examples of people obeying (and disobeying) God and the consequences thereof. Remember Jonah? Could there be many more vivid examples of what happens when we obey God? Or the fact that there are consequences when we don't? It's a good thing God is patient and forgiving and the God of second chances.
So this month we're focusing on the who and the why and the how of obedience. Not because God is waiting to zap us when we cross the line (like a traffic cop lying in wait with his radar gun), but because He cares for us. He wants a relationship with us and for us to have a part in His big plan, so He wants to help us avoid breakdowns, dead ends, and even the minor potholes along the way. So here's the lineup for the month:

Week 1: It's always better to do what God says the first time.  (The story of Jonah; Jonah 1-3) 
Week 2: How I obey my parents shows what I think about God.  (Children, obey your parents; Ephesians 6:1-3) 
Week 3: Obeying your leaders can help you know God. (The Lord calls Samuel; 1 Samuel 3:1-19) 
Week 4: It's right to listen to God because He is GOD. (Adam and Eve disobey; Genesis 3:1-24)
Week 5: 5th Week Special Edition: How can you know what to do if you don't know what God says? (the wise and foolish builders; Matthew 7:24-29)

Hope - March's 1st-5th Grade virtue

Puzzled

H-O-P-E. We toss that little word around kind of carelessly, as if it merely meant "wish" or "want" or "dream." I hope you had a good day. I hope I get that for my birthday. I hope we get to do ____ next year. But it's actually a much bigger and consequential word than that. At least it is for people who put their hope in God. And it needs to be. Because let's face it: life can be hard. As the kids in your ministry grow, they're going to face all sorts of challenges and heartaches. Whether it's as life-altering as the loss of a parent or something on a smaller scale, like not making the team, tragedy can take many forms in a child's life. When it seems like everything is going wrong, that's when it's critical to have hope--believing that something good can come out of something bad. That's when we need to understand that H-O-P-E, in its most significant sense and when it's based on God, is really a synonym for firm belief, absolute trust, and in-my-gut knowing:
* "Our Hope is certain. It is something for the soul to hold on to. It is strong and secure."
(Hebrews 6:19, NIrV)
* "I will find my rest in God alone. He is the One who gives me hope."
(Psalm 62:5, NIrV)
* "'I know the Plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
(Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)
* "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have Eternal life."
(1 John 5:13, NIV)
Our hope may be certain when it's placed in the all-powerful God of the universe, who makes good plans for us, not the least of which is eternal life with Him. But no one ever said hope is easy. So, when we're puzzled by life, pained by it, frustrated by it, angry at it, or can't see how in the world our situation could possibly fit in God's big plan (His giant jigsaw puzzle) we have a couple of choices: we can choose to get and stay mad about the puzzle pieces we're holding, or we can choose to trust God and let Him put the pieces in place. To trust that He not only has the big picture in mind, but that He's up to something bigger than just our few little pieces of the puzzle. Realizing that we can't see the big picture but that He can and He's in charge gives us hope. So in March, we'll start focusing on the Easter story through the lens of hope:

Week 1: Whatever happens, remember God has a plan.
(Paul is shipwrecked - Acts 27; 28)
Week 2: Whatever happens, remember how powerful God is.
(Lazarus is raised from the dead - John 11)
Week 3: Whatever happens, remember what Jesus did for you.
(Jesus' last supper with the disciples - Luke 22; John 13)
Week 4: Whatever happens, remember what Jesus promised.
(Jesus promises heaven - John 14)
Week 5: 5th Week Special Edition: Who is Jesus?
(Peter says Jesus is the Christ - Matthew 16)

We hope you have a great time helping your children learn this virtue in March.

Fairness - February's 1st-5th grade virtue

Virtue video – select video #2 on the media player at www.252basics.org

Fair Grounds

"That's not fair!" Who among us has never put his hands on his hips and cried those words? Most of us have built-in fairness radar--at least when it comes to how we're treated. But of course fairness is a two-way street. More on that in a minute.
Let's get something else out of the way first: the words SAME and EQUAL. Sometimes SAME = EQUAL. Sometimes it does not--which is how we're approaching the virtue of fairness. Think about it this way: fairness is NOT about treating people THE SAME. Because God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27), we are alike in some ways, but different in others. Apart from obvious physical differences, we have different personalities, skills and talents, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. Because we're different, we have different NEEDS. And because we have different needs, we don't all necessarily need to be treated the same. (Example: I bet you and your siblings are not all the same. You are different in some ways. Which means your parents needed to do some things differently for each of you in order to parent you in the way you needed. Right?) So, fairness is not about treating people the same. Instead, fairness IS about treating people EQUALLY. Because God created us, He loves each of us--dearly and without favoritism. So much so that He sent His one and only Son to die for us (John 3:16), regardless of our sex, age, race, ethnicity, or nationality. As Peter said, "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right" (Acts 10:34-35, NIV). Thank goodness God is fair!

Back to that two-way street thing: As dearly loved children of God, He wants us to be imitators of Him (Ephesians 5:1). "As believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism" (James 2:1, NIV). In other words, don't unfairly favor one person OR unfairly "disfavor" another. So this month, we'll be going to the "Fair Grounds," where everyone is treated with respect.

• Week 1: Treat everyone fairly because everyone's important to God.
  (The principle of fairness, James 2)
• Week 2: Treat everyone fairly--even those who are different.
  (The parable of the good Samaritan, Luke 10)
• Week 3: Treat everyone fairly--even your enemies.
  (Saul and Ananias, Acts 9)
• Week 4: Show God's love to everyone because He wants everyone to know Him.
  (Jesus' last orders to the disciples, Matthew 28; Acts 1)

God bless you as you teach your child.

Resourcefulness - January's 1st-5th grade Virtue

Taking Care of Business
To say God is resourceful is something of an understatement. After all, God not only owns all resources, He made them----from nothing. In the beginning God created everything, and then God did something else incredible: He made humanity in His own image (Genesis 1:27). As humans created in God's likeness, we've been given certain God-like characteristics, like resourcefulness. But not just for the sake of being resourceful. Resourcefulness has a purpose: to work, to get the job done. Look up "work" in the Bible, and you'll find God has much to say about work. We have a lot to say about work too, phrases that are sprinkled throughout our vocabulary: Work ethic, worker bee, and work force. Workaholic and work stoppage. Work on, work off, work out, work over. Our vocabulary shows our ambivalence about work.

• And yet God made us to work: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).
• Commanded us, even, to work: "Six days do your work ..." (Exodus 23:12, NIV).
• With diligence, according to Jesus: "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me" (John 9:4, NIV).
• And all our work is for Him, ultimately: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:23, NIV).

Essentially, resourcefulness boils down to the why and how of our work: The fact that God gives us work, so we need to work like we're working for Him, even when no one's watching, doing our best, and trusting that God will do His part and that He will give us what we need to get the job done. So this month we're "taking care of business"----using what we have to get the job done.
Week 1:
Bottom Line: Work like you're working for God.
Bible Context: A principle of work, Colossians 3
Week 2:
Work hard even when no one's watching.
(Bible Context: The ant and the sluggard, Proverbs 6
Week 3:
Do your best, and trust God to do His part.
Bible Context: Hezekiah and the wall, 2 Kings 18; 2 Chronicles 32
Week 4:
God gives you what you need to get the job done.
Bible Context: God does miraculous things through Moses, Exodus 4