Looking for CONTENTMENT

Looking for CONTENTMENT Who doesn t love a good mystery? Especially when you have it all figured out and you are just waiting for the main character to have that ah-ha moment? How many of you yell at the TV just in case he might hear you and get to the right conclusion a little faster? This month, we are becoming super sleuths and discovering who stole our contentment! Contentment is an elusive feeling, here one minute, gone the next depending on whatever commercial is on advertising that ONE product that would complete your life, that ONE vacation that would make all of your family s troubles disappear, that new car that will magically make traffic seem like a day at the spa. Although the logical side of us knows better, our hearts are often pulled away from being satisfied with what God has provided for us and toward an ideal of perfection that we can never truly achieve, let alone maintain. I have noticed this in my son, who at only 4, simply cannot walk into ANY store, including a gas station, without asking, Can we buy (insert absolutely unnecessary item here)? At first, my reaction was just, No, but as he has gotten older, I have started to have to supplement that answer (which is still the typical answer) with the reasons why. These reasons include, but are not limited to: You didn t bring your money, You already have two of those. When we buy things that we already own or that we don t really need, it is being wasteful, etc., etc., etc. However, working with the lessons for this month, I realized that I need to come up with an answer that touches on being content with what he has

(which is plenty, trust me). It s not necessarily an issue of being greedy, although it could easily turn into that; but sometimes it really is an issue of being enough. (Incidentally, as I write this, he is asking for Spiderman Pez, even though he has consumed about 6 packs of it today! See?? Contentment.) As we go through this month, let s see if we can start channeling our no answers into reasons why some of children may be lacking contentment. We are also starting our school year off with a little academic work: Each month we have a new memory verse and virtue that supports our theme, and every week I will be asking random children in each service if they know either one completely. Kids who do get a prize! Not only are our memory verses a great way to add to our children s biblical knowledge, but knowing the virtue opens up a window for discussion about what our topic means in your family. Memory Verse: I have learned to be content no matter what happens to me. I know what it s like not to have what I need. I also know what it s like to have more than I need. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. Philippians 4:11b-12a, NIrV Virtue: Contentment deciding to be happy with what you ve got. August is a time of change we will say good bye to our rising sixth graders, with the hope that they will join their families in serving at Relevant Church. (Just so you know, we always need great role models in R! Kids Toddlers/Preschool and R! Kids Elementary, so please see me for an application!) We would also like to welcome our new quite a few rising Kindergarteners joining us and adding to our family! May God bless the upcoming school year and each one of your children! Rhiannon Bell Children s Director

Parent Cue CONTENTMENT Choosing to be happy with what you ve got. MEMORY VERSE I have learned to be content no matter what happens to me. I know what it s like not to have what I need. I also know what it s like to have more than I need. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. Philippians 4:11b-12a, NIrV WEEK 1: The Garden of Eden Genesis 3:1-13, 23 & 24 BOTTOM LINE: When you want what you shouldn t have, it can lead to trouble. WEEK 2: Israelites Long for Egypt Exodus 16:2-21, 17:1-4 BOTTOM LINE: When you want what you had before, you miss what you have now. WEEK 3: King Ahab & Naboth s Vineyard 1 Kings 21:1-19, 27 BOTTOM LINE: When you want what someone else has, it can make you miserable. WEEK 4: Do Not Worry Matthew 6:25-30 BOTTOM LINE: When you trust God, you don t have to worry about tomorrow. 2012 Orange. All rights reserved. www.whatisorange.org

Parent Cue MEAL TIME WEEK 1: Ask a kid: Do you prefer to be around people who always want more or people who are content with what they have? Ask a parent: What do you think is the difference between a content person and someone who s striving to make things better? WEEK 2: Ask a kid: Have you ever felt content with what you had until someone else made you feel like it wasn t good enough? Ask a parent: What things in your life rob you of contentment? WEEK 3: Ask a kid: Have you ever regretted not being content? Ask a parent: From what you ve observed, is the person with the most stuff usually the most content? Why? WEEK 4: Ask a kid: Have you ever tried to get as much as you could of something because you we scared it would be gone later? Does that show contentment? Ask a parent: Have you ever found yourself putting your trust in something other than God? What was it and how did you learn to be content? PARENT TIME We often talk about creating a rhythm for our children. We emphasize using the 3000 hours of influence God has given you with your kids strategically, integrating spiritual learning into their everyday lives. But what if you re too exhausted, too busy, too overwhelmed to utilize those 3000 hours? What happens then? If you re running on empty, you can miss opportunities to help your children develop in character and faith. In order to make the most of your time as a family, you need to create a healthy rhythm for you, the parent. For more about creating a healthy rhythm for parents, listen to this month s Parent Link Live podcast on www.orangeparents.org. And for more mealtime questions, and great activities that you and your child can do at other times of your week, check out www.studio252.tv and the Parent Cue app for your smartphone. 2012 Orange. All rights reserved. www.whatisorange.org

Week 1 Read Genesis 3:6-7 Day 1 What is your favorite treat in the whole wide world? Is it candy? Or ice cream? Or maybe potato chips or French fries? Take a picture of it using a camera or a smartphone. Chances are, there s been a time when your mom or dad told you that you couldn t have your favorite treat. Maybe it was because you d already had a lot of junk food and they didn t want you to get sick. Or maybe they knew that you were going to get an even bigger treat later on. Chances are also good that your favorite treat is not a piece of fruit, but for Adam and Eve it sure was. Unfortunately, they didn t obey God when He told them they couldn t have that fruit. The next time your parent tells you that you can t have your favorite treat, think of Adam and Eve and the trouble they got into when they didn t listen. Remember to obey and wait you never know what good things might be in store if you just obey! THANK God for always wanting what s best for you. Day 2 Read Matthew 6:19-21 Ask a parent if you can use a piece of bread for an experiment. Put the bread on a plate and put it out of the way of any pets or younger siblings. You might even want to put it outside, but somewhere safe from rain. Watch it as the week goes on. Each day, draw a picture of how the bread looks. Today Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 If your bread hasn t started to mold by day 5, it certainly will soon! Isn t it gross to see mold on something that looked so delicious at the beginning? But the truth is, nothing in this world is safe from destruction. If we try to get as much stuff, power, or popularity as we can, it s like filling our lives with moldy bread. Instead, work on filling your life with Godly things and relationships these things are more likely to last forever! ASK God to give you a desire for heavenly treasure, not earthly things!

Week 1 Day 3 Read Proverbs 30:8-9 If right now you could get every single present you are ever going to receive in your entire life every birthday, every Christmas, every graduation would you want it? Hopefully not, because that would make for some sad and boring years ahead. But that s how we act sometimes when we want way more than we actually need. It s a blessing when God gives us what we need for just that day, because it means that our needs are met, and then we can trust Him and not worry about the next day either! When you get a gift, hopefully you write a thank you note to the person who gave it to you. It lets the person know that you appreciate the gift and the giver! Get out some fun art supplies and make a thank you card to God, thanking Him for meeting your needs for yet another day! Be specific about what He has provided too. LOOK for ways that God meets your needs every day, and thank Him! Read Luke 12:15 Day 4 Write, all over this page, everything that s most important to you in life. In other words, what are your favorite people and things? What would you miss if it went away? Now cross out anything on your list that you can buy or hold in your hand actual things. (If you wrote Bible, don t cross it out, even though technically it s a thing!) Then circle the things that are left. What do they have in common? Hopefully you have lots more circles on your page than crossed-out words. It s not that material possessions are bad, but the most important things to us in life should be people and other things that point us to God, like prayer and our Bibles. Things that help us become more like Jesus. Those are things that we should want more and more of! KNOW that the best things in life are freely given.

Week 2 Day 1 Read Exodus 16:2-3 The Israelites were so busy grumbling and complaining about the conditions they were facing in the desert, they missed out on celebrating their freedom! They had not only been freed from slavery, but they had the Promised Land to look forward to. But they were focused on what they had before, and as a result, they missed out on the party AND the Promised Land. Draw a picture of your dream party. Think big food, decorations, cake, entertainment Now, imagine if your mom promised you that party, but instead of getting excited about it, making your invitation list and everything, you started complaining about how awesome last year s party was and how you wish THAT one had never ended. That would be ridiculous! Not only would you probably hurt your mom s feelings, but you would also miss out on all the fun party planning! THANK God for all of the wonderful things He s given you right now. Read Ecclesiastes 6:9 Go outside and lay down on the ground. Look around at the trees. Is the wind blowing? If not, wait a few minutes and it probably will. When you see the wind start to blow, jump up and chase it. Day 2 Oh, wait, you can t, can you? Well, you can certainly chase the wind, but what good will it do you? Will you ever be able to catch the wind? And if you could, what would you even do with it? The Bible says that always wanting more is like chasing the wind. Just like you ll never catch the wind, you ll never have enough if you re always wanting more. And if you do manage to catch the wind, or get more stuff, what will you do with it? Will you just keep wanting more? ASK God for contentment with the things He has already given you.

Week 2 Day 3 Read Psalm 118:24 Have you ever met someone with an Eeyore complex? In other words, someone who is constantly moaning and groaning about things, much like the character Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh. They aren t very fun to be around, are they? Not only that, but think back to when you used to watch Winnie the Pooh do you remember how Eeyore always hung his head when he was whining? Because of that, he missed out on so many great things going on around him things he couldn t see when he was hanging his head down, focused on everything negative. Write a rap or a cheer that you would sing to Eeyore to get him to lift his head and cheer up. Hold on to it so the next time you re tempted to pull an Eeyore, it will remind you to choose joy and contentment instead! LOOK UP for ways that God meets your needs every day, and thank Him! Read Philippians 3:7-8 Ask a parent for help finding some baby pictures of yourself. Look for a newborn one, one when you learned to sit up and crawl, and one when you were learning to walk. When you were a baby, how did you get around? Then when you learned how to crawl, you had to work hard and give up the easy days of being carried everywhere. But what did you gain? Finally, when you learned to walk, did you decide to have someone carry you all the time, or did you go back to crawling? No! Of course not! The most important thing was for you to keep going, not look back, and continue growing up. Anything you lost along the way, like being carried everywhere or having a good view of everyone s shoes, seems silly in light of being able to walk, right?! And so it is with our relationship with Jesus anything we might have to give up to get closer to Jesus is so worth it! KNOW that giving up some things to grow closer to Jesus is worth the cost. Day 4

Week 3 Day 1 Read 1 Kings 21:4 Have you ever wanted something someone else had so badly that you missed out on meals, sulked, and pouted because you couldn t stop thinking about it? It s easy to look at someone else and think they have a perfect life or everything you ve ever wanted, but that s never the whole story. And what does focusing on that get you anyway? What is something you ve been wanting for a long time that someone else has? What is something YOU have that you know someone else wants? Instead of focusing on what you want, think of how you can help your friend get their wish. What can you do to help them? When you think about and try to help someone else, how does it make you feel? Hopefully happy! And when you re happy for someone else, you can t be sad about what you don t have! THANK God for all He HAS given you. Day 2 Read 1 Timothy 6:9-10 When do we make lists of all the things we want? At the very least, you probably make a wish list at Christmas and before your birthday, right? And sometimes you might make a list of things you ll buy with your allowance or when you save enough money. There s nothing wrong with making a list, but sometimes focusing on what we want all the time keeps us from being content with what we have already. My New Wish List! Make a new wish list. This time make it a list of wishes you have for those around you. Maybe you know your mom really needs a new car because hers keep breaking down. Or maybe your brother really wants to make the football team. Make your list, then hang it somewhere you ll see it often, and use it as a way to pray for and focus on others. ASK God to help you see what others need instead of what they have.

Week 3 Read James 4:2 Day 3 Wanting something you can t have can send you in circles: you want what s not yours, so you try to take it, but you end up in trouble, which means you certainly won t get what you want. It s like you re stuck in an endless staircase. Using a pen or even just your finger, trace along the stairs and figure out how you d get to the top. You never can, right? It s the same way with some of our wants. The more we try to take what we want to get to the top the more likely we are to actually be heading to the bottom. Instead, we need to turn our desires what we want over to God. We can pray and ask Him to give us the right desires ones that line up with what s best for us. LOOK to God to fill all your desires and dreams! Day 4 Read Proverbs 28:25 Have you ever watched little preschoolers playing? When they want a toy, what do they do? They just take it! And before you know it, an all-out war has broken out or there s lots of loud crying over a ball or a stuffed animal. Maybe that s what we look like to God when we want each other s stuff and get into arguments and even end friendships because we re jealous. We probably look like little kids fighting over a silly toy. Instead, God wants us to trust Him with our needs and wants. Then instead of spending our time fighting with others, we can spend our time focused on things that really matter! CAUTION Make a caution sign out of construction paper and tape it to your favorite toy. All week long, when you see the caution sign, use it as a reminder to trust God to meet your needs instead of fighting over things you want. KNOW that God has promised to meet your needs!

Week 4 Read Matthew 6:25-30 Day 1 Head outside for your time with God today. Take a look around at everything you see. Make a list of all the things God made. Now, what do you see that God made but doesn t care about? Hopefully you wrote nothing, because God loves and cares for everything He made. If He cares about everything from a blade of grass to a hungry robin how much more does He love and want to provide for you? Pick a flower or rock (with your parent s permission!) and keep it somewhere you can see it all week long. Every time you see it, thank God for taking care of all your needs. THANK God for taking care of what He made, especially you! Day 2 Read Hebrews 13:5 Clench your firsts for as long as you can, while you try to do some of your normal routine (brushing your teeth, combing your hair, eating breakfast, etc.). It s impossible to keep clenching your fists while you do the things you need and want to do, isn t it? Some people spend their lives with clenched fists holding on to what they have and trying to get even more into their hands at the same time. If instead we all lived our lives trusting that God would take care of us, we wouldn t have to spend our days plotting how to get more and more stuff. Instead of worrying about how to get more stuff, more money, more popularity, we could relax and know that God s got it covered! And then we can do the things we need and want to do with our time! ASK God to help you relax and trust Him instead of always trying to get more.

Week 4 Day 3 Read Philippians 4:19 Go downstairs and look in your freezer. What do you see in there? Maybe some waffles or pizza, or if you re lucky, ice cream. Now close the door. Imagine if you couldn t trust the freezer. What if sometime the freezer decided, I don t feel like freezing food today and it just stopped? That would be awful! And probably lead to a thawed-out, soggy mess! You d hate to waste any of that food, so you might try to get it all eaten really fast which means you d probably get a really bad stomachache! Usually you can trust your freezer to freeze food like you need it to, because that s its job. Just like we can always trust God to take care of our needs. We don t have to worry if what we need will be there the next day, because God provides for us! LOOK for all the ways God meets your needs, and thank Him! Read 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 Have you ever thought about how great it is that we re not in charge?! So many times we think we are or wish we were. We think if we do all the right things and play by the rules, we ll be just fine. But then something bad happens and suddenly we realize we re not really in control at all. And surprisingly, that s a relief! Because God makes a MUCH better God than we do. We can trust Him to provide for everything we need today, AND everything we ll need tomorrow! Day 4 What is something that you often find yourself worrying about? Why can you be confident that it will work out? (Hint: It s not because of anything you can do to fix things.) No, because God s in control of our tomorrows! KNOW that God s got in charge, so you can relax and be worry-free.