Happy Habitat

Today, Naomi did a habitat for 3 animals for our science lesson.  We have learning about the zoo and how they have to create a habitat for animals to comfortable and feel like they are in the wild.  We are thankful for the zoo because it allows us to study and see animals up close and keeps safe those that are endangered.

A nice watering hole for Mr. Alligator.

A wooded jungle for Mr. Monkey to swing from.

A wide open Savannah for Mr. Giraffe run free.

We are proud of our Habitat project! Way to go girl!

need: shoebox or shoebox cover
          playdoe
          tooth picks
          pics of animal
          artificial tree branches or if seasonal search the yard!

Camel thru the Eye of a Needle Mark 10:23-27

Welcome-allow kids to tell you about thier week
Prayer/and Requests
Worship
Review Previous weeks lesson
Lesson: Story of rich man wanting to go to heaven but refuses to give up his money
-explain funny Hyperbole--exaggerations--I died laughing
                                                                   I could sleep forver
                                                                   I am so hungry I could eat a cow
                                                                  I tried a thousand times
-Introduce: It's easier for a camel to go thru the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get to heaven. Which means, it's REALLY hard for a rich man to enter heaven.  Sometimes if you have everything this earth has to offer, you think you don't need God.  You love things more than God.
-Ask them what is important to them---are they putting it above God?? Write out answers on white board
-Have things to show the kids that could become too important: money, video game or pictures of large house, cars , clothes and toys.  God needs to come 1st.
-Have a volunteer try to thread a needle, then maybe a with rope next, then a stuffed animal..then have a volunteer try to squeeze thru a small space.  Be careful not to put things before God, because they slowly seperate us from Him.

Memory Verse: "for with God, all things are possible.."  Mark 10:27b
 Seperate verse onto 6 different colored construction paper.  Have 6 regular size shipping boxes  and stack them into a pyramid shape.  Secure tape verse to the boxes.  Have volunteers take turns kicking down the pyramid and rebuilding in the right order.

Craft: Camel and Needle
Need: Brown construction paper
           Camel coloring page
           Needle coloring page
           copy of "Love God more than things"
Color and cut out camel.  Color and cut out needle. Cut and 'Love God more than things', and glue them all on the brown construction paper. Make a desert scene.
Camel pic click here   http://www.coloring-pages-kids.com/coloring-pages/animal-coloring-pages/camels-coloring-pages/camels-coloring-pages-images/camel-coloring-page-04.php

Needle pic click here    http://www.clipartof.com/portfolio/derocz/illustration/coloring-page-outline-of-a-needle-and-thread-character-1058594.html

VBS Bible Land Overview

This past summer we did a 3 day Bible Land VBS.  So this lesson can be used for a 3 week series for Children's church or your own VBS.   It consist of a play off of the orginal Candy Land game. We used the characters and made it look like our own little Candy Land scene.  The theme is, "Walking Sweetly With Yeshua(Jesus)"

Day 1- Sweet Words--make sure our words are sweet to others and pleasing to the Lord
Day 2-Sweet Friends--make sure you are being a sweet friend
Day 3- Sweet Prayer-make sure your prayers are a sweet aroma to Him


Set Up
1. Of course, make your own colored pathway from the front door to the main stage.
    Use primary colors of cardstock and secure with white or black duct tape.

2. Candy Land back drop for stage.  I was lucky enough to have my friend Heather able to paint the castle on a large sheet.  Or if you have a projector, just project an image onto the wall or screen.

3. Name Tags:  We used a gingerbread template and printed onto firm cardstock.  Printed each registered child's name on it and they decorated it upon their arrival on the first day.  Each day they hung their gingerbread name tag back up on the gingerbread tree and retrieved it every morning.

http://k2printables.com/images/gingerbread_man2.jpg    Gingerbread man name tag template

Then I made a gingerbread tree out of firm cardboard.  Used green felt for the tree and and brown felt for the trunk.  I cut slits into the green felt and stuck on little hooks to the backboard. You will not be able to see the backboard, just little hooks coming thru the green felt.  Lastly, use puffy paint to draw on the face of the Ginger bread tree.  Place him at the front door so he greets everyone as they arrive.

3. Lollipops.  Colored helium balloons on a string.  String thru white cardboard tubes and secure string at the bottom.  Wrap balloon in clear cellophan and secure with colored ribbon.  Secure bottom to sandbag or balloon weight or just secure to a wall.

4.  Bible Land Sign:  I was able to download a Candy Land Font in which I made the letters. Cut them out and glue to red paper plates.  Secure together with string or just secure to the wall with tape.

5.  Draw the characters.  I drew about 4 of the characters and displayed them around the room.  Mr. Mint was adhered to a firm poster board with the rules and he gave the rules everyday.

6. Gumdrop Mountains.  I got colorful buckets at the dollar store.  Sprayed adhesive glue over it and rolled it in real sugar and then used clear laquer spray to make it not fall apart.  Then placed on stage and surrounded with "snow" or cottonballs.

7. Candies.  I secures colored paper plates together from the dollar store, and wrapped in clear cellophane and tied each end with colored ribbon.  You can catch a glimse of one in the picture of the hanging about the Bible Land sign.  You can also just use plain white paperplates and use colored cellophane wrap.

8. Bubble Machine.  At the entrance I added an automatic bubble machine blower which made it seem so fanciful and exciting to come in. The front doors were open and bubbles were billowing out to welcome the kids.

9.  Ginger Bread Man.  I found an adorable gingerbread inflatable at Oriental Trading.  I put it on stage as decoration. We also took pictures of the kids with him and framed them for each of the kids.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/inflatable-gingerbread-boy-a2-4_4428.fltr

Eat F-O-O-D!

I love f-o-o-d, however, I love c-r-a-p too!  But, the OLDER(yikes!) I get, the more I realize I have to take care of myself .  Our body is a wonderful gift from God and it's our responsiblitly to treat it respectfully.

1 Corinthians 6:19

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Not having my afternoon Coke(C),A\as I cut down on my sweets(R) and measuring out 1 serving, which is hardly anything,  staying away from something that is NOT it's intended color(A), and starting to make my own mashed potatoes instead of from the box(P).  Is helpingme  get a handle of what I put into my body. 

My husband has been awesome at juicing. He makes his veggie juice everyday.  He also makes fruit and veggie for me and the girls.  What a great influence he is on his family and I am thankful! It makes a huge impact if you are both on board.

                                      My 2yr old daughter waiting for daddy to give her some juice

My favorite is a Very Berry Spinach Smoothie:

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 cup of FROZEN strawberries
1/2 cup of FROZEN blueberries
1/2 cup of FROZEN rasberries
1 cup of spinach

Blend together in blender for about 2 minutes until it is a smooth consistancy.  All blenders are different, so make sure it is fully blended. Enjoy!!

Actually, God is pretty clear on what we are to put into our bodies.  This is for our own health. If He cares for the birds of the air, He certainly cares for us and what we put into our bodies.  Read Leviticus 11 for what God deems as healthy and unhealthy foods.

Good Bye Sugar..sniff...sniff!

My favorite 600 calorie drink....yikes!

 This past Thanksgiving, my workout buddy and I trained for 3 months to run the Minneapolis Turkey Day 5K.  There were over 15,000 people running on this beautiful morning before the Turkey Inhaling events happened later in the day.  A few months have past.  I had a hard fall down the stairs, bruising my tailbone. So, no gym time for 3 weeks.  Then my entire family, me included, had a whole week out due to stomach flu.  Now, I am getting back on track and feel like I am back a square one...Grrr....so, now that we have a wedding coming up, which means family pictures, which means I want to look decent for the photographer.  I need to buckle down... I am doing the unthinkable...I am cutting out..my...sweets...Ahhhhhh!

coffee creamer...I shall miss you the most..my daily cup of joy :(

Good Bye by favorite movie time snack



I have known I have needed to do this for a
long time now..so, it's time! Join me on
this sweet journey and share with me
your struggles and how you did it.

Chris and I proud of our accomplishment

Our BEST time!!

{SIC} to SIL!

My sweet friend came home last week with a great big beautiful ring on her finger....and she's engaged to my brother-in-law!  I could not be more stoked :)  Her and her family have been involved in our church from the beginning. We have always felt like family and now it is to be.  So now my Sister In Christ is now my Sister-In-Law(SIC-SIL)!  I am so blessed to have her apart of the family.  We have bonded many a nights over cupcake shows, ice-cream and taquitoes. I am excited for many years of more bonding moments to come!  I love you sweet friend!

Jessie and Nate--what a sweet couple they make!

Now I am complete! I could not be more blessed with some amazing sisters(in-law).  My girls could not have better Aunties apart of their lives.  Bethy and Jessie, I love you ladies!

Hanukkah Lapbook

I totally missed this awesome Hanukkah school project for this year...but a definate for next year..
click here for more views and purchase http://homeschool.corecommerce.com/Hanukkah-Scrap-Lapbook-Kit.html  Or just google images and make your own :)

Buggie for Yeshua DAY 5

Day 5—REVIEW

Welcome—group activity while kids arrive

Prayer

Worship

Offering Challenge

Lesson Review

BEES: You might think I am a great cook with all these cook books, but I’m NOT.  You see, I don’t cook at ALL!  I just read the cookbooks and look at the pictures.  I can read all the cookbooks in the world, but that won’t make me a cook.  To be a cook, I not only have to read the recipe, I have to actually do what it says.  Our Bible is like a cookbook. In order to be a true believer in Yeshua, we need to not only read our Bible, but do what it says!  Need: several cook books

LADYBUGS: each tool has it’s own special purpose. If we had ALL hammers, we could not do the project.  If we had ALL saws, we could not build.  Each tool is needed in it’s own way.  Just as we are needed to do what God intended for us to do.  We are not to be like everyone else, we have our own unique talents and gifts. Need: Tool box and various tools.

BUTTERFLY: God gives us the choice to either live for Him or not.  If we choose to live for ourselves and make the wrong choices, we can become rather beat up, like this car(a dented scratched up toy car) But God loves us so much that He gives us seconds chances.  If we repent of our sins and ask for God’s forgiveness, He WILL forgive.  And when we ask Him to be our Savior He makes us a new creation(bring out an identical car but brand NEW)  Need: 2 toy cars, 1 smashed, and one new

ANTS: Have a volunteer try to move a table with a very full glass of water on top.  More than likely they can’t.  But if they have a couple of helpers, together they can lift the table and move the table without spilling.  Working together we can accomplish tasks that we could never do alone.

Craft : Bug Barn to combine all the bugs together

Game: The Bug Batter Game-all bugs work together to be a complete Christian-4 teams(Bees-yellow ballons/ladybugs-Red balloons/Ant-black balloons/butterfly-multi colored balloons)  Big box full of the balloons, one kid at a time from each team runs to the box get their “bug” balloon and bats it back to the team, tags the next person to do the same.  First team to get all their “bugs” back home..wins!

LUNCH

MEMORY VERSE Challenge

Books of the Bible Challenge

Offering Challenge winners

(winners receive a certificate)

If all complete then I get my hair sprayed blue! Have kids help J

Hand out gift bags!

Buggie for Yeshua DAY 4

Day 4- Butterfly-New Creation

Welcome—Butterfly activity while kids arrive

Prayer

Worship

Offering Challenge

Review-Bee Doers and Hearers, Useful ladybugs, and memory verses

Buggie Blog on Butterflies

Lesson:

New Creation: Like a caterpillar sheds its old body to become a new creation, a butterfly. So must we shed our old sinful ways and become a new creation in Yeshua.  Need: Change bag(around $20 at your local magic store), fake caterpillar and butterfly

Quick Change Artist-When we ask Yeshua to be in our life, He changes us immediately into new beings.  We are born again to walk a new and changed Spirit filled life.

Need: 2 large shirts, 2 hats, 2 pairs of gloves  http://www.kidssundayschool.com/Gradeschool/Games/1game10.php

Be sweet- This kool-aid looks yummy,(have a volunteer try it without sugar) Now that didn’t taste very good..huh? When we add the sugar it is changed into something delicious that most of us enjoy drinking.  Something very similar happens when we believe in Yeshua and make Him our Lord and Saviour.  Without Yeshua, we are yucky like unsweetened Kool-Aid, but with Yeshua we change into a new person that is kind and sweet J   Need: Kool-aid packet, clear pitcher of water and sugar(labeled Yeshua)

Memory Verse: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation..”  2 Corinthians 5:17a

Have a pile of butterflies with words of verse written on them velcroed to a big cloud in the back of the room, volunteer must take their nets and put all butterflies in the net and run to the front of the room to the felt board and place them in order.

Craft: Egg carton butterflies

3 sectioned egg cartons, coffee filters, markers, wiggle eyes, pipe cleaners, tape

Have kids decorate coffee filters and egg carton.  Make slits on sides of egg carton, pull a portion of decorated coffee filter in slits(tape to secure) add pipe cleaner antennae and google eyes.

LUNCH w/butterfly snack(celery stalk filled w/pb, pretzel wings, licorice antennae

Game: Cocoon wrap-have teams wrap up a child in toilet paper to be a cocoon.  Once the cocoons are wrapped, they must waddle over to the other side of the room where someone helps them unwrap into “butterflies”  Need: toilet paper

Hebrew Word for New Creation = B’ri-ah Chadasha

Review Lessons and verses/ bible books game/ reward with small treats

Hand out take home papers and dismiss

Decorate with many colored crepe paper, and balloons and pics of butterflies

Buggie for Yeshua DAY 3

Day 3—Ants—Teamwork

Welcome—Ant activity while kids arrive

Prayer

Worship

Offering Challenge

Review-Bee Doers, Ladybug helpers, Butterfly creations

Buggie Blog

Lesson:

Pennies- A penny doesn’t seem worth anything.  You can’t get anything for a penny! BUT, when you put pennies together they become worth something.  Like Christians who work together. Alone we don’t accomplish much, but together we can do great things for God. We learned before that everyone has an important job like the Ladybugs, and if we cooperate and use our talents together, great things happen!

Need: a couple dollars worth of pennies

Cookies—Mmmm…I have a cookie here..you want one!? I offer to share my cookies, but give them the bag of ingredients..ick!  But when the ingredients are mixed together they are much better tasting. Like wise, church people who work together are much more effective. Need: bag of cookies, bag of ingredients

Working together:  As believers we need to work together.  Use one volunteer to pop all the bubbles, a lot are missed the job isn’t quite complete.  But when you work together with other believers, the job gets done effectively.  Need: Bubbles and big wand

Memory Verse: “For in fact the body[of Christ] is not one member but many.” I Corinthians 12:14       Kids Ɩονе tο dig аnd hunt fοr things іn sand, packing noodles, dry beans, οr anything Ɩіkе thаt. Mаkе strips οf paper аnd write thе words οf уουr Bible memory verse οn thеm. Add ѕοmе words thаt аrе nοt іn thе Bible verse fοr a fun challenge. Bury thе strips іn thе sand. Kids take turns digging fοr thе words аnd forming thе verse. Double οr triple thе supplies аnԁ mаkе more teams.

Craft-Make an Ant  http://daniellesplace.com/html/FreeBugBuddiesants.cfm

LUNCH—Ants on log snack(celery, pb and raisins

Game: Ant Race-Divide kids into groups of 3 to form an ant(head, thorax, abdomen).  The kids who are the thorax and abdomen place their hands on the should of the child in front of them.  Let them walk to together against another “ant”.  Tell them to try to keep their feet moving at the same time. They have to work together in order to get very far!

Hebrew word of the day—UNITY—achdut (ack-doot)

Review Lesson and verse/ Books of the Bible Game—reward with small/treats

Hand out take home paper

Buggie for Yeshua DAY 2

Tuesday-Day 2 Ladybugs

Welcome—Ladybug activity sheet while kids arrive

Prayer
Worship
Offering Challenge
Review—Day 1 memory verse and lesson—Bee Doers and Hearers
Buggie info on Ladybugs
Lesson: Being Useful Believers using our gifts and talents and God created us special and unique to do His work.
One potato, two potato- Each potato is different and unique in it’s own way. Like these potatoes, we are made different and God made each of us special. Potatoes are a very useful food source and as God’s children we are to be useful and living actively for Yeshua.
Frisbee-This Frisbee isn’t very impressive. But it sure can fly! Sometimes you and I may look at the talents that God has given to others and think that God hasn’t given us very much talent. But when we use our God-given talent to be all that God intended for us to be…boy, can we fly.

Skit: Bobo’s Talent --By Jen Hagner

Bobo has a talent???

Props: Kleenex, Bible, character outfit, instrument

Sad clown comes out and sits down, sighs loudly and then begins to wail!! Looks for Kleenex.

Bobo: (crying) I am just no good. I can’t sing, I can’t play the piano, and I can’t even speak Chinese!

I just bet everyone else can speak Chinese except MEEEEE!

Jill knows how to sing. Billy is REALLY good at soccer. And Susan plays the violin.

I can’t carry a tune…just listen (sings really loudly and off key)

I can’t play soccer….it hurts my toes, they are sensitive (take off shoes and show toes)

And I can’t play an instrument..…because(sniff)…because(sniff).. I don’t know the music notes…listen for yourself (try playing an instrument..badly)..ahhhh, ahhhh!!!!

How is God ever going to use ME, when I don’t have any talents OR gifts. I want to be useful for His glory but I’ll never be able to..(cries some more and then spots the Bible and reaches for it)

Well, since I can’t do anything, I might as well read my Bible.(sniff)

Mmmmm…let’s see…

(Read Jeremiah 1: 4-8)

After reading vs 4-5

Wow! God knew ME, little me, before I was even born! It says God had ordained Jeremiah a prophet already. I wonder if God already has a plan for ME? Nah! I am just a kid, I am too little to do anything that important..(continue reading vs. 6-9)

It says that God can use even a little kid like me…right there..it just said it! Did you hear it?? He wants me to do whatever He commands me to do or say. I CAN do that!! I just have to obey Him. He does have special plans just me. And I don’t have to be afraid, cuz He says He will be with me.

And you know what?? He will be with YOU too! He can use kids too, just like He used Jeremiah. He was a great prophet of God. You can be great for God too. He had special and wonderful plans just for YOU.

Let’s read one more verse, again in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord”

Just let Him use you and do what He commands. You never know where He may take you..

(Bobo stares off into dreamland..fading out) I wonder where God will lead me??? Africa?? Wow, it’s pretty hot there, better pack sunscreen…or …Ooo, oh maybe He wants me to be on TV and tell others about Yeshua? I had better get a spiffy new suit……………..

Memory Verse: “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord..” Jeremiah 29:11

Ladybugs with verses printed on it for Pyramid Box verse game(get six packing boxes and stack up like a pyramid with verse printed on the front of boxes. Have kids take turns knocking the boxes down and putting back in order)

Craft: Ladybug

find great ladybug crafts here: http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/ladybugcrafts.html

LUNCH w/ ladybug snack—rice cake with strawberry spread, then raisins on top!

Game: Ladybug Toss- Try throwing your bug(candy) into the bucket. The candy is an incentive to try really hard. Explain that when something is important, we give it our best effort. We should give God that same whole hearted effort when we serve Him.

· Hebrew Word for the Day- Gifts/Talents= Ma-ta-na

· Review Lesson and Memory verse/ Books of the Bible Game-reward w/small treats

Hand out take home papers and dismiss

*Decorate with pics of lady bugs, black and red crepe paper and balloons

VBS Buggie for Yeshua Day 1

VBS--Buggie for Yeshua/Jesus--Day 1

I will be gradually adding VBS ideas that I have used and planned to help you in your planning. Let me know if this is something of interest, please comment. I hope and pray they are useful to you!
This plan was used for a 5 day morning from 10am-1pm.

Day 1--Bees

Welcome kids--make antenna's/coloring pictures-as kids arrive

Prayer

Worship

Explain Memory verse challenge(if everyone is able to tell me all the verses from this week, they get to spray paint my hair on the last day)

Lesson: Bee Hearers and Bee Doers of the Word

PB&J--Have kids "tell" me how to make a pb&j sandwich, but I won't DO it. Try again...this time, I'll DO it but I won't listen correctly and just do it my way. It has to be done together in order for it to work. I need to Do it and Listen to the instructions. Just like it doesn't work to just listen to God's word but not obey it, ect.... NEED: bread, knife, pb&j, plate
Good Fruit--If you bee hearers and bee doers of the word, you will produce good fruit. If not, then your fruit could be rotten. People will know you are a BEE-liever by your fruit. Need: rotten banana, good banana.
Listening for God--If you are not listening than it's hard to know what God is telling us. In order to BEE hearers of the word, we need to focus on Him so we can hear what he wants us to do. Remove distractions and slow down. NEED: 4 radios(try to tell a story while the 4 radios are blasting(worldy distractions) we can't hear, so we have turn them off in order to listen to God)
Flying Bee-lievers--when we are filled with God's word and His Spirit, only then can we fly from flower(person) to flower(person) and do God's work and bee His busy bee's. Need:Yellow balloon with black stripes( slowly blow it up--filling it with the Spirit and let it go to bee busy for God)
Memory verse: "Don't just bee hearers of the Word, but bee doers of the word." James 1:22
verse race-make 2 sets of the verse on various colored bees. Place velcro on back and use 2 felt boards. Have the boards place up front with bees on floor and have 2 kids start at back of the room and race to the front and put the bees in order.
Craft: Door Hanger-I bee-liever in Yeshua and Bee visor http://familycrafts.about.com/od/beecrafts/ss/visor_bee.htm
LUNCH with Honey Bee graham crackers
Game: Buzzing bee hive game with application--1 bee has to tag all the others to bring them to the hive. Once tagged they become a bee(saved) and help tag the others.
Hebrew word for the Day: Faithful = Ne'e-man
Review: Memory verse/lesson/ books of the Bible
Hand out take home papers

**decorate with bees, black and yellow crepe paper, have a poster size hive and bees on stage

" YOU'RE a pastor's wife!!"

Ok, so I am not your typical pastor's wife.  I can be loud and a little hyper when I have had too much caffiene or sugar.  Which the ladies of my congregation found out on our first annual Women's Retreat.  I do not possess that natural poise and gracefulness of the typical pastor's wife.  If  you were to tell me I was going to be a pastor's wife 5 years ago, I would have giggled, like Sarah did in her tent, not realizing the impossible was going to happen. But...hey, the Lord has to lay this on my heart too.  And He did. Literally, at the last minute.  The time had come when we were asked to break off from our current church and start up at a new location. I remember my husband telling me about it on the way home from church one afternoon. I was SO excited.  I knew that was from the Lord. I knew only that He could give that kind of confirmation in me thru joy! And the next few weeks were a blur and before I knew it, we were opening our doors to Corner Fringe Ministries in Minneapolis.  The first few months were a little unsettling for me since I KNEW I was not the "pastors wife" kind.  I mean seriously, I don't even play the piano! I thought that was a requirement.  I kept thinking, man, I am supposed to be an example.  People are looking at me and I am going to fail before their eyes.  But with the help of those wonderful ladies in our church, they accepted me as who I was and didn't expect me to be on stage playing the piano or singing(which I can't do that either).  They like ME..yay!! 
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

I am His workmanship.  No matter what I think the typical pastor's wife should be like.  As long as I am honoring Him thru my good works and walking in His commandments, then I am a Pastor's Wife.
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only..."  James 1:22

                                              Me as Bubbe(Grandma in Hebrew) Nutt
                                               at our Bible Land VBS this past summer.