Sometimes a candy cane is just a candy cane

“These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” – Acts 17:11

In November, I was looking around on Pinterest for a simple object lesson to teach my Sparks about being thankful. I found one on sundaychidrensfocus.com that used a donut and a rhyme coined by an unknown author, “As you go through life, make this your goal: look at the donut and not at the hole.” The premise was that we should be thankful for what we have — the donut — and not be upset by what we don’t have — the hole.

The lesson was a hit, and now whenever the kids see a donut, they can be reminded of the Biblical truth of gratitude. Now, does that mean the creator of donuts built them specifically to remind people to be thankful for what they have? Unlikely. It makes more sense that many years after donuts were made, someone was eating a donut and thought, “hey, that’s a neat idea. I can use this donut to help people understand gratitude.”

Unfortunately, especially around Christmas, many Christians become confused when meanings are given to objects, and then these meanings are widely shared without question as the historical reason for the existence of the object. It’s like reading somewhere that donuts were created specifically to teach others about gratitude, and just agreeing with it. Or taking it the next step, presenting this donut origin story as historical fact to others.

For a more common Christmas example, consider the origin story of the candy cane — or rather, consider all three stories. Yes, there are three, and none of them have strong historical evidence. In fact, one story completely contradicts history by stating that it was a secret symbol to help oppressed Christians in Europe during a time where Europe was predominantly Christian.

Another story says that in the 1670's, a nameless choirmaster asked a nameless candy maker to create a treat to be given to the choirboys to help keep them quiet during the church’s Christmas service. But the candy needed to be a teaching tool as well so the parents would let the choirmaster give the candy to the kids. The problem with this story is that there is no documentation to support it, and candy canes aren’t referenced by name or associated with Christmas until somewhere in the 19th century, nearly 200 years after the story is said to have happened.

The third story states that a nameless candy maker in Indiana wanted to make it with each element having a Christian meaning, complete as a hard, white cane with three small red stripes and one large red stripe, and that through time, the meaning was lost. The problem with this story is that it also lacks historical documentation. At minimum, the candy cane was pure white when Americans started using it in the 1800's, and stripes weren’t added until the early 20th century.

Does that mean that candy canes can’t be used to remind others about why we as Christians celebrate Christmas? No. In fact, I plan to share the story of God’s gift of eternal life to my Sparks by using candy canes this week. What this does mean is that we should check our facts before sharing stories like the “Origin of the Candy Cane.” And this isn’t limited to just object history and meaning. In Acts 17:10-11, Paul and Silas commended the Jews of Berea for double-checking what the two were saying. “Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

We want to teach our kids the truth, both Biblical truth and our own post-Biblical history. But to teach it, we have to research it on our own to verify that it is indeed true. And while we can use objects like candy canes and donuts to help children and youth remember God’s gifts and plans for us, sometimes a candy cane is just a candy cane, and sometimes a donut is just a donut.

Games for the giving season

I love the Christmas season with all its giving. I love giving physical presents. I love giving time to family and friends by caroling, attending a Christmas Eve church service, or simply being together. Most of all, I love reflecting on how God gave the ultimate Gift of eternal life by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and rise again.

Here are two games to bring the giving spirit into your club night. Have any other giving or Christmas games? Share in the comments!

Game One: Giveaway

Materials Needed:

• 1 player per team 
• 1 hula-hoop per team 
• 5 miscellaneous items per team, each item must be small enough or light enough for a child to carry with one hand 
• Stopwatch or other time-keeping device 
• Game Square 

Place each player's hula-hoop where the player's team's color diagonal intersects the white circle, and each player's five items inside their respective hula-hoops. Have players stand up straight with their hands behind their backs next to their hoops. At the whistle, players must pick up items from their hoops and “give” them to the other players by placing them in an opposing player's hoop. The first player to successfully empty his hula-hoop, or after 30 seconds, the player with the least number of items in his hoop, wins. Players may only carry one item in each hand, meaning two items total per trip. Players must set items in the hoops—no tossing. If a player still has items in his hands when the whistle blows after 30 seconds, those items are included in his own count.

Game Two: Wrapping Relay

Materials Needed:

• Whole teams 
• 1 small box per team 
• 1 piece of pre-cut wrapping paper per player. Pieces must be big enough to initially cover the box 
• 1 roll of masking or scotch tape per team  
• Game Square 
• Optional: enough candy or trinkets in each box for all team members

Pre-game setup: Cut enough sheets of wrapping paper for each player to have at least one. Put candy or trinkets in the boxes and close the boxes. 

Start with the sealed boxes in each team’s small triangle in the center of the Game Square, along with a stack of wrapping paper pieces and tape. Have players spread out along the white circle between their colored diagonal and the colored diagonal immediately clockwise. At the whistle, player 1 (player furthest right on each team) runs in, grabs a piece of wrapping paper and wraps the box as quickly as possible. When finished, player 1 runs back to his place in line and tags player 2 (immediately left of player 1). Player 2 runs in, grabs another piece of wrapping paper and wraps the box. Play continues until the last player finishes wrapping the box. First team whose last player holds the completely wrapped box over her head wins. Wrapping does not have to be neat. Leaders may need to help Sparks wrap the boxes. If using candy or trinkets, at the end of the game, have all the teams unwrap and open their boxes. Let each clubber have a candy or trinket.

Option: After all the boxes are wrapped, have teams return to their lines, leaving the boxes in the middle. At the whistle, have a predetermined player race to unwrap the multiple layers of paper using only one hand. First player to completely unwrap the package and hold it up wins. Hand out the candy or trinkets to all the clubbers.

*With any food game, please be conscious of the allergies of the participants and the possibility of staining clothes or carpets.

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.

White as Snow

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” - Isaiah 1:18a

I love the snow, at least when I’m not having to drive in it. I love watching the tiny flakes through the window as they gracefully make their way to the ground. I love bundling up and walking the sidewalks, leaving my bootprints in the fresh powder. I enjoy building snowmen and throwing snowballs, even if for only a few minutes before coming inside and warming up with a hot beverage.

But most of all, I love looking out first thing in the morning at a fresh snowfall—a sparkling blanket covering everything the eye can see, unblemished by feet or any other markings. The landscape is beautiful and whole, unified by the glistening white cover.

As I look out upon this unbroken mantle of white, I’m reminded of how God sees me.

Before I trusted Christ, I was stained by sin. Isaiah 64:6 describes those who don’t trust God as “unclean things,” with the good things that we do amounting to no more than “filthy rags.” In Isaiah 1:18, our sins are compared to stains of scarlet and crimson. I was filthy, blemished, stained by sin.

But just like new fallen snow transforms the landscape into a glistening scene of pure, clean white, trusting in Jesus’s death on the cross transforms us into clean, perfect, sinless individuals in God’s eyes.

However, Jesus did so much more than snow can ever do. Snow only makes things look white by covering them up. Jesus doesn’t just cover our sins when we trust Him; instead, He completely removes our sin, “cleansing us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7). In Psalm 103:12, we’re told, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

When God looks at me, He doesn’t just see a mask over my sin; He sees me as holy and sinless, clean and without blemish. When He looks at any who have trusted Him, He sees people glistening with purity in His radiant glory. Next time you wake up to see an untouched covering of white sparkling brightly in the morning light, may you be reminded of how Jesus removed your sin, making you as beautiful and spotless as those blankets of snow.

Thank you for the rain

“I thank You for the sunshine
Lord, I thank You for the rain,
Lord, I thank You for Your healing touch
When my life was filled with pain,
And I thank You for my family
And the trials You brought me through
And I thank you for my sorrows,
That’s how I learn to lean on You.”

- Chorus for “What Grandma Said” by The Needhams

Each year as Thanksgiving approaches, the above lyrics come to my mind. I love the way that The Needhams include both the good and that bad in this song’s lines, showing that each has its purpose and place. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

It’s effortless to give thanks for things that we easily see as good, like the sunshine and God’s healing touch. But the truth is that sometimes the rain falls, and many times the ugly nature of our broken, sinful world fills our lives with sorrow. And yet, even these are things we can be thankful for. Rain brings water for puddles to splash in and life to grow. Sorrow, as the song states, helps us to learn to lean on the Lord, making us stronger and preparing us for great joy. In Romans 8:28, we’re told, “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

This Thanksgiving, may God remind you of all the blessings He’s provided, and may He grant you many, many more!

Are you ready to follow?

"Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

I have a friend who loves to kayak. Recently, his fiancée joined him for one of his many kayak trips. As they prepared to set off down the river, he took her aside. "The water is not as smooth as it appears to be," he said. "There are places where the water looks fine but under the surface, the weeds are dense and the mud is thick. If you try to kayak through them, you will get stuck. I know this river and where it's safe to row, and I need you to follow me." He paused. "Are you ready to follow?"

Without a second thought, she said yes and they set out. She gained confidence and felt like she had the hang of controlling her kayak as they rowed down the river. After a while, she spotted a bank. We're headed over there to take a break, she thought. I want to beat him there! She veered from his path and rowed straight toward the riverbank. Like a fly in a spider's web, her kayak stuck in a thick entanglement of weeds.

He pulled her boat from the tangled mass, and before they resumed their journey, he looked her in the eyes again. "You told me you were ready to follow," he said, "but you didn't, and you got stuck. Are you ready to follow?"

She looked away embarrassed but replied, "yes, dear," and they set out again. Her confidence rose as she followed in his wake. Eventually, they came within view of a beach. Surely we're headed to that beach. I really want to show him that I can do this and handle the kayak on my own, so I'm going to beat him! Her thoughts echoed with determination as she pointed her kayak straight for the beach — embedding her boat in the cement-like bog where the river suddenly got shallow.

With a sigh, he patiently worked her boat loose from glue-like river bottom. Once she was free, he faced her a third time. "Twice you've said you'd follow me, twice you didn't, and twice you've gotten stuck. I ask again, are you ready to follow?"

Defeated, she nodded and replied, "Yes, dear. I am ready to follow."

My friend’s story reminded me of times in the Bible when God’s people said, “we will follow You,” then thought they saw a better or quicker way. Consider when Abraham had Ishmael with Hagar after God promised many descendants. Abraham and Sarah knew God’s promise, but instead of trusting to see how God would bring it to pass, they tried their own path. Their attempted shortcut resulted in generations of conflict between the descendants of Ishmael and the descendants of Isaac.

So what does it mean to "follow God?" According to Proverbs 3:5-6, following God has two parts.

Lean not on your own understanding.

In Luke 9:23, Jesus told the people, "if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…” 

Following Jesus means denying oneself, or not making decisions simply by relying on what you see or think. What we see may not be what actually is. My friend’s fiancée thought she saw safe water when it was really a tangle of weeds or a muddy bog. Eve saw fruit that was pleasing to the eyes and nose. Sarah saw barrenness in the face of a promise of children. The Israelites saw giants in the land of Canaan. In all cases, they acted on their own accord and either got stuck or missed out on blessings.

Trust in the Lord and acknowledge Him.

Acts 16:31 tells us, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” 

Following Jesus means trusting Him, and acknowledging that He knows what he’s doing. My friend knew the water. He had kayaked on the river many times before and through experience knew where both the hazardous and the safe spots were.

God also knows where the hazardous and the safe spots are in our lives. Along with being omniscient, Jesus walked on Earth himself. He knows the struggles and trials you face, because he’s been there.

Sometimes, this means acknowledging His wisdom and authority, even if it doesn’t make sense. Abraham had to trust and follow without being told a destination. The woman with only a little oil in 2 Kings 4 had to trust God when Elisha told her to fill every jar she could get her hands on. The disciples had to trust God when Jesus called them away from their careers and livelihoods to follow Him. And in all cases, when they acted according to God’s instructions, they were blessed abundantly.

Once my friend’s fiancée stopped attempting shortcuts based on her own sight and started trusting where my friend was leading, they finished their kayaking trip, and they both had an amazing time. Once Abraham and Sarah trusted God to do things in His way and His time, God blessed Sarah with Isaac. And as God promises in Proverbs 3:5-6, when we trust and acknowledge God and seek His guidance and instruction instead of trying to get to His ends using our means, He will direct our paths and lead us to where we need, and ultimately want, to be.

"The Gospel Truth about Children’s Ministry" book review

Earlier this year, Awana released a book called “The Gospel Truth about Children’s Ministry.” The book shows a summary of the findings from two surveys of over 800 children’s ministry leaders throughout the United States. Its purpose is to help remind KidMin leaders and volunteers of what’s most important in ministry and help them take a hard look at their own ministry to see if the focus is in the right place.

Here are my thoughts on this book.

What I liked:

The survey and findings are applicable to all children’s ministries. Children’s ministry leaders will relate to at least one struggle covered in the book.

The information provides a clear picture of children’s ministry’s current impact on the world, showing what leaders want their ministry priorities to be, the impact of their current ministry efforts and activities, and the outcomes of their ministries. For instance, the majority of responses rated making disciples as a very important objective of ministry. However, less than half said their ministry was actually fulfilling this objective.

The end of each section includes questions to help leaders and volunteers assess their own ministries, such as “in your program or curriculum which comes as a first priority, Scripture/substance, or subject/style?” These questions, combined with the presented findings, make it easy for leaders to determine where changes need to be made and priorities need to be shifted to make their own ministries more effective in teaching children to know, love and serve the Lord.

The infographs were easy to read and understand.

Awana was clear and transparent on how the surveys were conducted, how the results were processed, and how conclusions were reached.

What I didn’t like:

The offered solutions are Awana specific. Only including Awana material and technology as solutions made the book seem like it was an advertisement for Awana with the message, “You have a problem, buy our products for the solution.” For me, this dampened the book’s impact and slightly diminished its purpose of encouraging flexibility and proper focus for children’s ministry overall.

I think that since the study itself covered children’s ministry as a whole, there should have been resources from other ministry partners alongside the Awana options, or just general solutions that could be tried with any children’s ministry.

Conclusion:

I think “The Gospel Truth about Children’s Ministry” provides excellent insight into the challenges children’s ministry is facing. I would recommend this book for all KidMin leaders because the book’s findings can help them more easily identify where they may need to change their ministry to make it relevant to the current generation while keeping its focus where it needs to be.

7 ways to get your clubbers thinking about Thanksgiving

1. Replace pins, beanbags, and batons with pumpkins, apples, and Indian corn

2. Play some harvest or Thanksgiving-themed games (here are some ideas)

3. Have a Pilgrims and Indians theme night

4. Hold a canned food drive for those who can’t afford a Thanksgiving meal

5. Teach a Large Group lesson on the Fruit of the Spirit using a cornucopia as a visual

6. Read “Sparky Shines His Light” by Jack Eggar

7. Have clubbers write what they’re thankful for on feather-shaped pieces of paper, then stick the paper onto a turkey wall decoration

What are some things you do to bring fall and Thanksgiving into your club?

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.