From The Director, Kathy Irvin:
November 2008
So we are stepping into the gratitude month. You know that holiday sandwiched between the excitement of Halloween and the crush of Christmas.
How do we teach our children to be grateful, to count blessings, when we often find it hard to part the dark waters to see them ourselves? The crazy world is banging on our front doors demanding our attention, our sleep. And, in many of our homes, loneliness lurks, shoulders stagger under heavy burdens, fear and anxiety build. And I think to myself, "This is the year for the theme, 'Choose Joy'"? So I pull out my Ideas Folder crammed with quotes and old sermons for some inspiration and sitting on top of the pile is a quote by Johann von Goethe. "Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." And beneath this quote sits one by Bishop Ernest Fitzgerald. "If we look for the good and beautiful in the events of life, then life tends to take on a joyous and happy glow."
So why these quotes? Well, I think that we can all agree that we want to raise optimistic, playful, connected children with can-do-attitudes. Don't we all want them to feel part of something larger than themselves? Isn't that why we bring them into communities that nurture, support, and build relationship with God? And, I think we are smart enough to recognize that they are not going to pick all this up from our "preaching" but will glean it from our lives. What do we model? What do we do? Of course we get angry and sad. Life is a smorgasbord of emotions. It is important to show our children that we can express our emotions in healthy ways. And then we need to show our children and ourselves that in spite of the situations, we can choose joy.
The Apostle Paul sitting in a prison in Rome, facing almost certain death, wrote to the Philippians, "Be joyful in the Lord always. I say it again, be joyful. God is very near so do not be anxious about anything but in everything that happens, with thanksgiving, let your needs be known to God. And the peace of God which transcends all our understanding will guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
Joy and Thanksgiving-the antidote to worry and fear.