Thanksgiving Family Activity

Two weeks ago as I was flipping through the radio stations, I could not believe what I heard! It was CHRISTMAS MUSIC! Say it ain't so! Since the end of October, I have been bombarded with Christmas commercials on television and the news talking about early Christmas specials at stores. Often times it seems that Thanksgiving is the forgotten holiday. I want to encourage families this Thanksgiving, to really stop and take time to thank God for all the blessings He has given you and your family.

In a year where the economy is down and people are losing their jobs or getting salary cuts, there is still so much to be thankful. As a part of thanksgiving this year, I would like to encourage all families to participate in this activity. Parents, first do this activity without your children around. You can do this activity individually or with your spouse. Read Psalm 107:1 & 1st Thessalonians 5:18. Meditate on these verses for a little while. Then take 10 minutes and write a list of what all you are thankful for this year. Do not worry about a number, but just sit and make a list. It can be things as simple as the air you breathe. Pray and thank God for everything. If you did this activity individually, let me encourage you to share your list with your spouse.

Then sometime during the week of thanksgiving, sit down with your children, read the same verses and do the same exercise for 5 minutes. (For younger children, you can have them name 5 things they are thankful for, one for each finger.) You can make the list together as a family or individually and then share together.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Splink- What?

Splink? Jeff, are you making up words again? Maybe this is another one of those crazy acronyms that pastors seem to have the gift of coming up with! Actually, “Splink” is not another USEFUL acronym.

George Barna shares in his book Revolutionary Parenting that the typical family spends less than one hour a week talking about spiritual matters. Only one hour a week!  A question that some parents struggle with is how do I bring up a conversation about God?

Splink is a free website that equips you with creative ways of interacting with your children so that you can have more spiritual discussions. Some weeks it will have a fun craft, an interesting question, or a story. Click on this link (http://www.d6family.com/splink/) and you can sign up to receive weekly emails with these creative activities to do together as a family. There is also a link to it on the right underneath "Family Friendly Websites."

Family Thanksgiving Outreach Opportunities

One of the greatest things that you can do as a family is to volunteer together. At CBF this Thanksgiving, there is a new outreach and service opportunity for your family to do together. This year, CBF is participating with Spoken For in "Operation Relief Center" (ORC) Thanksgiving Baskets. The goal at CBF this Thanksgiving season is to fill 50 laundry baskets full of non-perishable items and if possible, include a $20 donation for the turkey and pie. Your family can also participate with this opportunity by helping to deliver baskets on Saturday, November 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is a great opportunity for your family to serve together, give back to other families and begin the discussion of what all you are thankful for this year.
Another opportunity this Thanksgiving is "Operation Christmas Child." If you would like to participate in this as a family, please contact Kim Brown (mkjecbrown@verizon.net), or you can go to the Samaritan's Purse website (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/) for information and the nearest drop off location. The collection dates are November 16-23.