Most of us like to be acknowledged on our birthdays. On a Sunday, what would be better than a birthday chorale singing in our honor?
When I first posted this, it was my wife’s birthday and she was directing the children’s ministry at our church. Since her birthday fell on a Sunday that year, I got the kids in Happy Birthday to her.
When you work with kids, you know it’s going well when the janitor gets to deal with some mopped-up fun. That idea inspired this cartoon.
When I am leading large group activities on a Sunday morning, I smile when I realize the game is going to require blue tarps on the floor. I know the kids will get excited and the morning will be memorable. Bring on the rain ponchos, goggles, and a mop!
This cartoon was for a magazine series on encouraging kids to bring their friends to church. It demonstrates why inviting a friend is so powerful.
When I first wrote this blog post, I had been going to job and career seminars in a new city. One thing I’ve heard repeatedly is that job postings on Internet sites are not nearly as effective as finding work through a friend. Since this was my first big move, I had no idea how crucial that was. It took a few months to make friends and find good work.
Last Sunday, I had several kids who wanted me to play games with them. They like it when an adult takes an interest in them. Several years ago, such an incident inspired this “down to our level cartoon.”
I’ve learned that when I’m consistently in a classroom, and I take an interest in what the kids are doing, they naturally want me to participate in their activities. To me, it’s common sense. But how often do we do just that? How often do we set aside our agenda for a moment and focus on the other person?
I have worked with kids at church for some time. My goal has been to pass along some of the joys and insights I have learned along the way. That can be challenging when children are excited and very active. So this led to this spiritual discipline for kids cartoon.
There is a big difference between a Sunday morning and an evening group of kids. On Sunday morning, most children are subdued. They may be just waking up. Perhaps the cereal hasn’t kicked in or they were doing activities the night before.