Hoogle Boogle Express Test

This Sunday is our Hoogle Boogle Express Test, a review we play at the end of every series to go over what we have learned. Here are some review questions you can go over with your grade schoolers:

1. What does ETSSG stand for? (earning, tithing, saving, spending, giving)
2. Why is it important for you to honor God with your money? (God will bless us if we do)
3. What are some good ways that you can earn some money?
4. How can we honor God with the way we earn our money? (do a job/chore well and until it's complete)
5. What does God mean when He asks for our firstfruits? (the first money we spend)
6. Are there any other examples of firstfruits in the Bible? (God gave His first Son)
7. List as many different kinds of blessings God could give us as possible.
8. What is the definition of “save”? (to set aside or reserve)
9. What are ways we can save money?
10. What are reasons we would want to save?
11. How can we honor God and spend our money at the same time? (tithe and save before spending)
12. What does it mean to "Stop and Think"? (take time to think about your purchase)
13. Paul talked about there being 7 gifts in Romans 12:6-8, try to come up with all 7. (prophesy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, showing kindness)
14. What kinds of things can we give to others? (money, compliments, love, gifts, hugs, etc.)

HELP!

Have you ever wished you could come across some material that would help you with question you have about parenting or even general "life" questions? I want to highlight the above page that I added to the blog just in case you missed it or have been wondering to yourself, "What is this HELP! page that Pastor Rob added to the top of the Parentz Express blog and does it have anything that can be useful to me? If only he would expound on it some." (come on, you know you were just wondering that last Thursday...)

This is something that I came across recently that is full of advice for many of those tough parenting situations that can leave you scratching your head, pulling out your hair or even sobbing quietly in the basement when the rest of the family thinks you're just looking in the freezer for some fish sticks.

In the HELP! page there is a link to a trusted site from Focus on the Family called "Troubled With" which covers topics such as, Abuse & Addiction, Life Pressures, Love & Sex, Parenting Children, Parenting Teens, Relationships - such as divorce or blended families, and Transitions - such as adoption or moving.

So next time you are on your way back from "the freezer in the basement", check out the HELP! page.

When We Give

Isn't it curious that within the list of gifts that Paul lines out for us in Romans 12, there is one gift that we may not put nearly as much emphasis on as many of the others? In the same breath that Paul talks about the gift of prophesy (a gift we put a lot of energy behind), teaching and even leadership, he mentions that there is a GIFT of generosity. But what does that mean or even look like in our lives?

This week we will be focusing on the final lesson of Monopoly Express, but could this be the greatest lesson in this series? Is the idea of giving in the Bible limited to money, or can we give other things as well? We will answer these questions as we discuss what else can be given to those around us, and how God gave us an amazing example of giving.

Verse:
Proverbs 11:25
"A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."

Discussion Qs:
1. What does this verse mean to you?
2. When Paul talks about giving, how does he say we should do it?
3. If we sow corn, we reap _______? If we sow generosity, we reap ____________?

The Infamous NFZ

There aren't many rules my parents still hold to now that all of my sisters and I are out of the house, but there is one that I don't think my dad will ever let go of. When you go out to my folk's place in Montana, as soon as you step into the house you have entered the NFZ, what all the Hagstroms can quickly tell you is the "Negative Free Zone". And let me tell you, we still hear those initials multiple times when we're there because it is so easy to dwell on the negative.

Maybe your parents or a teacher or grandparent had a similar rule simply because they couldn't handle the grating sound of complaining. And now that we're the ones establishing the rules, we have begun to see why our childhood leaders and authorities established the NFZ's in our life. But how do we accomplish this in our children (or ourselves) when it seems to be lurking beyond every corner of life?

Check out Jon Gordon's blog, 5 Tips to Develop Positive Kids, for a few helpful ideas to reinforce the battle lines of the NFZ.

Stop & Think

Now that we have covered how to honor God with the way we earn our money, through tithing, and by saving some every time we earn some more, we are ready to SPEND. But how do we do this in a way that we're not giving ourselves over to a "GIMME" mentality? Is it possible to spend the money we earn on ourselves and still honor God at the same time? Does that mean all we can spend our money on are Bibles and churchy things?

This week we will be learning how to use God's wisdom to "Stop and Think" before we buy something so that we wont regret it later and that we can be confident with the way we use the money God gave us.

Verse:
2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

Discussion Qs:
1. What does this verse mean to you?
2. How can we honor God and spend our money at the same time?
3. What does it mean to "Stop and Think"?

REMEMBER TO SET YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD ONE HOUR THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!!!

Pancake Breakfast

If you are anything like me you love seeing words like, Discount, Price Cut, and Sweet Deal. I have an inkling that also like me, you love seeing your child experience God and grow in their personal walk with the Lord. What if we put both of those ideas into one concept?

I know it may seem a bit early to be thinking about summer plans and what you are going to do with your children once school is out, but I would like to help you get a head start. This year, we would like more kids and teens to make it to Camp Judah and experience God by growing in their personal walk with the Lord.

I would like to let you in on a new fundraiser that we are going to be putting together to help pay the way for your children to go to camp, and let you know how your family can be involved. Saturday, April 9th, we are going to be hosting a Pancake Breakfast to raise money to help send as many kids and teens to camp as possible.

Here’s the short version:

• Saturday, April 9th, is the event. There will be two shifts of breakfast served, 9:00 and 10:30AM.
• Your children can pick up a ticket packet at the table in the Kid’s Lobby to sell tickets starting March 13. Everything you need to know is included in the ticket packet.
• Whoever sells the most tickets will win 3 passes to Darien Lake Theme Park.
• You can sell tickets to EGCers, family members, friends, neighbors, out of town relatives, that guy who bags your groceries, your teacher…
• $3.50 of each ticket sold will go directly towards their cost of camp (meaning, if they sell enough they could pay their way to camp).
• Your family can also be involved at the event by serving, setting up and cleaning. All money raised through “At the Door” ticket sales and tips will be divided among children & teens who volunteer at the event.
• Jr. Camp is June 26 – July 1. Sr. Camp is Aug. 14-19. Camp cost $165.00 per person. More information and applications coming soon. Jr. Camp is for ages 8-12, Sr. Camp is for ages 12-18.

If you have any questions, or would like to get involved with planning or serving at this event, please contact me at robhagstrom@elimgospel.org.

No Kidz Quest Tonight

All evening activities are cancelled  tonight due to weather.

March 6th, 2011 

Putting the "aving" back in Saving!

I distinctly remember when I was younger that whenever my parents bought me and my sister any type of food or drink (Dr. Pepper was my mom's drink of choice) I would devour the entire thing while my sister would slowly savor hers and even put it away to save for later. It was always such a bummer to me when I would see her walking around the next day still slowly working away as if the longer it took the better it tasted. And at the same time I think she realized that the longer she took the more agony I would be in as I would stare at her enjoying her "whatever" it happened to be. I can't count how many times I would ask her if I could have a sip or one of her nachos when we got home from Taco Bell.

Why do we save? And even more, why does God encourage us to save? Tomorrow your children and I will be discovering this ancient wisdom and how we can put it into practice.

Verse:
Proverbs 21:5 "The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty."

Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think the verse means?
2. What is the definition of “save”? (to set aside or reserve)
3. What are ways we can save money?
4. What are reasons we would want to save?

Where Can We Meet With God?

I believe one of our greatest, overlooked resources as Christians is the opportunity of going to Summer Camp. Of coarse there are a variety of camps out there, but when a solid, biblically based summer camp is found, we should take every chance we can get to utilize this opening to meet and grow deeper with God.

Lloyd Mattson writes in his book, " Christian Camping Today",

"Most campers will experience more Christian education in one week of camp than they will in an entire year in church."

What an astounding concept! Imagine being able to wrap up that much growth into a single week. Many of us have our own experiences with camp and we can tell you of the ways we were able to meet with God when we were out in the wild. And this is by no means a new arena for experiencing the presence of the Spirit. Think back through all the Bible stories you have heard and the ones that are based in a similar setting.

• Abraham was under the stars when he received one of the greatest promises ever.
• Jacob was on the frontier when he met and wrestled with God.
• It was among the wild animals that Daniel saw the faithfulness of God.
• David wrote many psalms from the depths of caves.
• John's entire ministry was set in the wilderness.
• Moses looked on God in a way no other human has from atop a mountain.

And in the same way many of us have met with God while out in the beauty of the wilderness. (If you haven't personally been to camp, just check out all the testimonies in the latest edition of the Pulse). 

With this in mind, Pastor Seth and I have been working on some new ways to help get as many kids and teens to camp this summer. For those of you with children between 8-18, keep an eye on your mailbox in the next few days for information on our 14th annual EGC Open Golf Tournament and a new fundraiser this year - The Pancake Breakfast. This will be a great way for your children to raise money to go towards Camp Judah and get involved and invested in raising support.