What Can I Give? Christmas Experience

Hello KCC Parents!

Hopefully your kids have received a CD with the Christmas music they need to be learning for their performance on Dec. 14th. If they haven't yet received one, please let me know and I'll get them one ASAP. I hope that every Impact Kid will be able to participate! We are not having separate practices this year, so it is IMPERATIVE that they learn the songs at home. Each week in Impact Kids we will be going over the songs at the beginning of class, but I do not want to spend a lot of our lesson time on it. Because of that, I am counting on you making sure that they are listening to the CD at home multiple times throughout the week.

Here are the songs they'll need to learn off of the CD:
#1 - Christmas is the Season
#2 - What's the Trouble with Christmas
#4 - He is the Reason
#6 - Carry Your Candle
#7 - Birthday of The King


Kids pick up on music super fast, so if they listen to it 4-5 days per week they should be fine. We have it in our car and every time that we get it we listen through the CD at least once.


The practices will be: 
Sunday, Dec. 7th, from 1-3 PM
Wednesday, Dec. 10th, from 6-7 PM (Please arrive a few minutes early so we can get in place.)
Sunday, Dec. 14th, from 9-10 AM

I did not plan a Friday night practice this year, because I know December is super busy and I wanted to make it as simply as possible on families. Please mark these practice dates on your calendar! 

Next, this isn't just a Kids' Performance. It's an ALL Church Experience! What does that mean? It means that it is the staffs prayer that each family would find something you (we) can do to shine Jesus to others this Christmas season. It's basically doing random acts of kindness infused with Jesus!

Whatever we do for others is a direct act of worship to Jesus! 

If you need ideas for things your family could do, 

they'll be a table set up in the foyer that you can stop by. 

Once you've decided on something to do, we'd like to know because we're going to be incorporating it into the program. Don't worry. You won't have to do anything in the program! :-) We'll just be posting things that people are doing on the screen throughout the program. 

If you have ANY questions, please contact me (Mandy Boggs) 

at mandymichelle@hotmail.com or 253-373-9000. 

Know truth, think truth, follow truth

If you spend much of your time on the internet, listening to music, reading books, and watching movies or TV that sell you lies as truth, soon you'll find it easier and easier to buy into those lies! Our families have so many options now and ways to ingest information. Your kids are probably getting info from places that you don't even know exist. 

Eventually, you may (or will) begin behaving according to these false beliefs. The Bible warns us agains such lies and tells us to instead focus on the truth as revealed in God's Word.

Romans 12:2New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Colossians 2:8New Living Translation (NLT)

8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers[a] of this world, rather than from Christ.

Our kids are growing up in a different world than we did. That's fact! Take homosexuality for instance. When I was a kid, it was not something that was portrayed openly on TV. Now, it's hard to find a show that doesn't show a homosexual couple at some point in the season. Do you find that to be true? Even HGTV often shows couples that are same sex. It is something that our kids are exposed to. We, as Christian parents, have a responsibility to teach our children what the Lord says. He loves everyone! He does not like sin. Regardless of what type of sin that is. We must love everyone, but we cannot buy into the lie that (any) sin is ok. Is this something that you talk with your kids about or leave it up to a pastor? Because guaranteed they ARE being exposed to it. Who's voice do you want to ring the loudest? Let's not shrink back and allow the world to tell our kids what's ok. Let's be the voice that they hear lovingly teaching them Biblical truths! 

How about evolution? If you're children go to public school they ARE being taught that they evolved from monkeys. Do you just assume that they know they were made by a loving Creator? Did you talk to them about it when they were younger, but not really anymore? Is it a topic that you shy away from? Are they equipped to share with their friends and teachers the reality of an AWESOME CREATOR? For that matter, are you? You can find a ton of great resources at www.answersingenesis.org. Let's give them tools to help them stand strong on their faith! 

As families, let's KNOW TRUTH, THINK TRUTH, and FOLLOW TRUTH!

Study and Learn the Bible

In Impact Kids we are continuing to learn about how to build our lives on the ROCK (God's ways) instead of SAND (the world's ways). Here's a sampling of our lesson from last week and something that you can go over with your kids at home! 

2 Timothy 3:16-17New Living Translation (NLT)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

You probably have several textbooks laying around your home, whether your kids go to public school, Christian school, or homeschool. But they're not doing much to help you or your child if they're just lying around gathering dust. You don't even know what it says unless you pick it up and read it. You have to study and then put it's principles into practice if you want to learn something well. How much more then should we pick up the BIBLE, study it, and put it into practice? The Bible is our instruction manual for life written by God Himself!

So, we can encourage our kids to read the Word....BUT if they never (or seldom) see you reading it, what does that really say to them? That it's not important! That it's not a priority! That we can live life without it! Making time to read, study, meditate on, memorize, and live by the Word of God is a choice!!! It's a lifestyle that our kids must see us modeling. Do NOT expect them to pick up their Bibles and read them if you aren't. It simply won't happen. Remember the old "actions speak louder than words." Yep, it's true. 

I know that you want your children to be in the presence of God. Well, every time that you open your Bible to read it, you (and/or your kids) are stepping into the very presence of God! That is how He speaks to us. He desires to share His heart with you and your kids. But it's our responsibility to crack open His love letter. Every hour you spend studying the Bible is an hour of walking and talking with God. 

Commit yourself to memorizing God's Word also - as a family. Let's not just ask the kids to memorize Scripture. Let's join in with them. Is it difficult? Sure thing! But things that are hard are the things that produce character in us. Store it away in your mind and heart, and His Word will:

1) Keep you from sin  

Psalm 119:11New Living Translation (NLT)

11 I have hidden your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you. 

2) Protect you from false teaching 

2 Timothy 3:13-15New Living Translation (NLT)

13 But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.

14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

3) Fill your heart with joy and peace

Jeremiah 15:16New Living Translation (NLT)

16 When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
    They are my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
    O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.

Psalm 85:8New Living Translation (NLT)

8 I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
    for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
    But let them not return to their foolish ways.

4) Proved you power in prayer 

John 15:7New Living Translation (NLT)

7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

5) Prepare you to do good

2 Timothy 3:16-17New Living Translation (NLT)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Excerpts from