Education

Notes from the Christian Ed. Director

Signs of summer are appearing everywhere we look.  Schools are finished for the year, commencement ceremonies are taking place, the sun is shining more brightly, Father's Day is coming, VBS plans are being made, summer schedules are filling up.  All signs of summer, that time of year we long for during the long weeks of February.

For our family summer is a time of more relaxed schedules mostly.  Our days are spent hoping from one playground to another, or going to the beach, or playing in the backyard, whatever strikes our fancy that particular day.  Bedtimes are stretched due to lazy evenings around a campfire or playing at the playground again after dinner.

Then again, it's also that busy time of graduation ceremonies, open houses, weddings, wedding showers, birthday parties, and vacation plans.  How to fit it all into the three months?  We spend our winters longing for the sun and lazy days of summer, but once it's here we fill it up with so many commitments we hardly have a chance to truly enjoy those summer days.

Our family also has the upcoming arrival of baby number three this summer.  He or she is due to arrive in mid-July.  I know that will slow down some of our commitments and already has.  I hope that we take those days prior to the birth and just after, when we're home and just savor the moments together.  I'm sure we'll have a few extra visitors in the first weeks, but I hope we can use the time together to make some great new family memories.

I hope that during your busy summer schedules you, too take time to make some great memories, too.  Spend the day with your dad on Father's day.  Have a picnic on your deck for no reason at all.  Let the kids stay up a few extra minutes when they've finally found that elusive firefly.  Whatever it is, make a memory this summer. 

Enjoy the sunshine!
 Kim Timm, Christian Ed. Director

Although our children play together well on most days, inevitably arguments break out.  When this happens we tend to ask them both if they are “being a good friend” to the other.  It’s our way of asking them if they are treating each other with kindness and respect, as they’d like to be treated.  We’ll also hear them tell each other “you’re not being a good friend” if they feel the other is treating them unfairly.

I recently received an email about being a “good” friend.  It wasn’t so much about treating your friends with respect and kindness, as it was about being yourself with your friends.  For example, it mentions that a friend will come over for a visit, but a good friend will make themselves comfortable enough to get their own drink from your fridge.

So what is a “good” friend?  I suppose it’s a mixture of the two.  Someone who treats you as you’d like to be treated yourself and in doing so, is being themselves when around you.

Our theme for Vacation Bible School this summer is the “Friendship Trek.”  The children who come to VBS will learn that Jesus is their forever friend.  What better model do we all have than Jesus when asking about being a friend?  Each day has a different Bible story about how Jesus was a good friend and what we can do to also be good friends.  We’ll hear about Jesus reaching out to Matthew, loving the centurion’s servant enough to heal him, and giving the gift of sight to a blind man, among other wonderful stories.

One of our main goals for VBS this year is that by the end of the VBS week each child will know in his or her heart that Jesus is his or her forever friend.  What a fabulous message to send out to the children of our community!  I ask for your prayers for our VBS program as we plan the week.  Ask God to bring children to meet Jesus, as well as, to provide leaders and helpers for this important mission. If you feel you’d like to be part of what is sure to be a great week, please feel free to ask me questions about where you can help out.

God bless,

Kim Timm