Heartprints

Guitar? Check.

Coloring Sheets? Check.

Gold Fish Crackers? Check.

I could go on, but needless to say, sometimes the list of items needed for a children’s Sunday School Class can be quite long. As I run out the door, I mentally check off the items in my head to make sure I have everything. It is easy to have a preparation checklist for tangible items, but what about intangible things?

For those of us who serve on a church staff, you will relate with this tag line. Can I get amen? It seems like every week I personally meet people who tell me all kinds of things about churches they have visited, attended and even became members of.

How well do you know HIM?  He is the resurrection and the reason we have hope of everlasting live.  Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and He said it is finished, but on the third day He rose again...Great News for all of mankind...Now He lives in heaven sitting at the right hand of God...As we approach Resurrection Sunday, I would like to encourage those of you who work with children to ask them the following questions...

Ok, so I thought I would ride down that slippery slope of this subject but instead of getting all theological and stuff I thought I would take on this subject from the traditional church perspective. First of all, I really have no idea how Jesus would celebrate Easter if he was hanging out here on earth. I guess it depends on where we think he might be on Easter Sunday. Would he be at church dressed in his best Easter Sunday clothing? I doubt it; He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who was into sport coats and Easter Egg ties. Would he be hanging out with the guy dressed in the pink bunny suit at the church’s annual “Easter Egg-stravaganza”? Na!, I think he might be amused and he would love to hang out with the kids but I think he would want to avoid the scandal of the other churches in town getting all jealous that The Savior of the World was at that one church and not theirs. All the Baptist churches in town would actually have an egg throwing war over the matter. I’ll leave that one to your imagination!

“Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb…Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow; and everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went...everywhere that Mary went that lamb was sure to go.”

Her glossy red hair matched the twinkle in her eyes, but she stood hesitantly at the classroom door gently tugging on her mother’s dress. Her eyes seemed to say, Do I have to stay here? “What a lovely bow on your dress! It matches your green eyes,” gushed the teacher. As the mother left and more parents came, more comments ensued. “What lovely braids!” “Awesome superhero shoes!” “I love your sparkly headband!” 

"Teens are a lost generation."

          I don't believe this to be true but I have heard this statement many times. The term "lost" in this regard is to say they are unreachable or worse, unsalvageable. The truth is, they aren't lost and definitely not unsalvageable.

          “You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry.  

          How then can we be saved?  All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:5-6

After reading this passage, the only thing I can say is TGfJ- Thank God for Jesus!

          It’s been awhile since I’ve read this passage but for some reason these two words keep coming to my mind, “filthy rags.” It is my opinion that one of the worst smells ever is the stagnant stench of a dirty, moist, on the verge of mold dish rag. This stench radiates from the rag like a dead animal. Now that’s pleasant!

When I was growing up, my younger sister and I looked forward to 5-Day Clubs every summer. One particular time, the teacher said, “Everyone close your eyes. Raise your hand if you would like to pray to trust Christ.” After a pause, the teacher prayed, saying, “Thank you Lord for that hand that was raised.” It was my sister’s hand. I was so embarrassed. Not because I didn’t want my sister to be saved mind you, but because she had already prayed the prayer multiple times and it seemed like the teacher thought this was the first time. I didn’t want the teacher thinking something that wasn’t true.