A+ha.

Borrowed Material

http://dartmed.dartmouth.edu/winter03/html/vs_connect.shtml

Here is a website for an article about the importance of community, connection, and relationship when raising kids--both for the kids' sake and the parent's.  Dartmouth Medical School ran this article in their alumni magazine "Dartmouth Medicine" a few years ago.

An interesting tidbit from the article: "scientific evidence demonstrates that children are 'hardwired to connect' on a biochemical level, first with their immediate family and then with the broader community. If that connection isn't there, then 'the brain may not develop as it is supposed to...You can't change genes, but you can change how they are translated, and a nurturing environment can make a world of difference."

What we do and say, how we interact with and support one another, is critical. Change happens in the world one relationship at a time.

(thanks, Rich, for sharing these thoughts!)

Rituals and security

In her book "Becoming a Wiz at Brain-Based Teaching", Marilee Springer talks about the importance of ritual to help students overcome fear, develop a sense of security, and open up to learn whatever it is you are trying to teach. What kinds of rituals could you do for:

--someone's birthday?

--the opening of class?

--the closing of class?

--when you have a special guest?

--when students lead part of the class?

Think about rituals that will work for you and for the students. Remember: balance is important. Rituals make room for challenge, novelty, and a little craziness which makes learning fun.

Keep in mind that ritual is more than routine. Make your ritual relative and timely.

100 Years

Confirmation began a couple of weeks ago. 100+ adults and kids are involved this year and all of them were together in one room to talk about stewardship. "Stewardship? Really?" That was the response from most of you. Why talk about stewardship in confirmation--especially at the first get together?

Because stewardship is at the heart and soul of all that we do. "You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul and mind..." The Shema. The law. Stewardship.

Oh, that's why.

How did it go? It was awesome. We talked about time: how much time we have, how we spend that time, whether or not we honor God with our time, and whether or not we honor ourselves with our time. We listened and sang the song "100 Years" by Five for Fighting ("I'm 15 for a moment...I'm 22 for a moment...I'm 43 for a moment...") and realized that life goes by way too fast. Then we talked about what we want to do with our lives and how we might use them the way God intended.

This week: stewardship of money. It will be great.

The Fifth

You can take the fifth, plead the fifth, play a fifth, drink a fifth (not recommended, though), and even listen to Beethoven's Fifth.

You can also read about, change your life because of, improve your relationships, and make the world a better place by using Peter Senge's "Fifth Discipline"--a study on systems change. Although I'd read snippets of the book before, I listened to the first half of the book on my iPod last night while driving to and from my daughter's softball game. I was so engrossed in the book that I almost drove past the exit on the highway--it really is that good.

The basic premise? We are not individuals in this world, working alone, independent, disconnected from others. Everything we do impacts lots of other things and lots of other people. Decisions we make, things we say, actions we take--like the ripple effect in a pond.

That's a very, very, very abbreviated (and not even a complete) snapshot of where the book begins. It then goes on to talk about learning and growing, owning and sharing vision, learning to work together, strengthening trust and relationships, and practice...practice...practice.

Good read. I'll hopefully finish it tonight, on the road to another ballgame.

Memory Books and Kids

Confirmation: a time to share thoughts, ideas, ask questions, build relationships, make memories. How cool would it be if each kid had a journal/memorybook/yearbook to work from at home and in small groups at church?

Now they can! The fine folks at Faith Inkubators are putting together a faith journal for confirmation students. It's more than a journal, though--this thing is full of beautiful art, thought-provoking questions, places where families can share their highs and lows, scripture verses, areas to doodle and put pictures...it's way cool.

Check it out at www.faithink.com. And get excited about fall! Whoo-hoo!

That's what it's all about...

Ministry sometimes feels like doing the hokey-pokey: you put your right foot in, take it back out, put it back in and shake, shake, shake and then you do the hokey-pokey and turn yourself about...and things turn out OK.

That's what happened this weekend. All year long, it has felt like we've been dancing in circles, throwing things in, taking them out, shaking things up...for what? To give kids a home and relationships. To let them know they are loved. To help them grow in faith.

31 8th grade confirmation students joined the church yesterday, professed their faith and took their vows. They spoke about the great two years they've had in confirmation and shared that they want to keep going in high school: small groups, service projects, fun. It was awesome. That was at the first service.

At the second service, the Junior Matins (9th and 10th grade) choir performed their 'home concert'--they led worship in song and story, sharing their feelings about being a part of the choir, about taking their ministry on the road to share with folks in Kansas City, and about what it means to be a part of Plymouth church leading worship each week. Amazing.

"That's what it's all about". Keep dancing!

Confirmation Retreat 2006

Our end-of-the-year confirmation retreat has come and gone...and it was great! Lots of memories. Little sleep. Skits. Worship. Singing. Learning about ourselves. Learning about God. Making decisions whether or not to be confirmed into the church. Laughter. Tears. Late nights around a bonfire. Early mornings overlooking the lake. Friends. Food. Good times.

Check out the photos in the photo album!

Retreat Weekend

My favorite time--confirmation retreat--is here! And it looks like a beautiful weekend, too. Tonight, all of the eighth grade confirmation students and their adult guides will take off for Pilgrim Heights Retreat Center where we will spend the next day and a half laughing, praying, climbing (a ropes course), eating, learning a little more about ourselves, worshiping, and making the decisions whether or not to be confirmed. It's the best weekend of the year.

Keep us in your prayers!

Way Cool Journals

Check out the Head to the Heart Living journals @ www.faithink.com. These journals are really pieces of art--more like a way cool scrapbook, yearbook and journal rolled into one beautiful package. Next year, we'll be using these in confirmation as a way to get kids to write their thoughts and families to know what is going on.

Way cool!

Focus!

Our five senses are working all the time. Sight, smell, sound, taste and touch--we're constantly pulling information into our brains. Scientists estimate that a human brain is receiving over 10,000 bits of information every second you are awake. So, if all of that information is pouring in at all time, how does your brain know where to put it's focus? Hmmm.

It's a part of the brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) that sorts it all out. The RAS takes in all of the stimuli and lets you know which things you need to be consciously aware of and which things can be unconsciously worked on. Cool...but so what?

Here's why it's important to know about the RAS: what you say to others can provoke either a positive or negative reaction based on the language you choose to use. A quick example: "I want you to listen very carefully". If these words are said to a teenager, the phrase "I want you to..." is what the RAS will focus on. Instead of "listen very carefully" the brain has already started to process the fact that you are the one in control (implied by the statement). Teenagers don't like to be controlled, so their brains are telling them to rebel: don't you dare pay attention! If the objective is to have someone pay attention, a more effective phrase might be: "Please pay attention--this is important" or even "Cool! Did you know..."

If getting people to focus on what you are trying to say is important to you, avoid trigger words such as:  "You should..." or "I want you to..." These phrases often make people feel defensive and puts them in a rebellious state. Try using words like "Let's..." and "We can..." instead of "should" and "ought". Inclusive, non-directive statements make people actually want to participate!

Just something to think about.