Keeping Up Appearances

By MH, Age 14

Being a teenage girl you go through life trying to fit in. You want to be apart of the "popular crowd" or apart of the "bad girls." The clothes we wear to try to fit in. The way we act to get people to like us. Have you ever wanted to fit in so badly that you would do anything? Well if you have I just want you to know that it is not a good way to live. I used to think that people wouldn't like me if I didn't wear this, if I didn't act like that.

A year ago that all changed. I realized that it doesn't matter what people think. I now don't care if people don't like me because I don't wear this or don't act like that. All that matters to me is how God is showing through me. God will always love us no matter what we wear or how we act. The "popular crowd" or "bad girls" only like us for who we pretend to be. For whom we are not. They only like us because we wear this or wear that.

God loves us unconditionally. Life is like trying on clothes. "That shirt makes me look fat, those clothes are too big, those shoes are last year, those pants are too dorky." We shouldn't go through life trying on clothes. Loving a shirt we just bought then throwing it away the next because someone "dorky" was wearing it. We should go through life showing people that God is in us. That He is yours and no one or anything can take that away. Not a "popular crowd" or the "bad girls." If you ever come across these struggles remember that God loves you because you are you and you are not trying to go through life trying on clothes.

When I Fail

By MAD21

How many times have you found yourself feeling like a total failure? Especially parents who have really young kids who test their boundaries just about every minute of the day (though I guess it could be the same for parents of kids of any age!). We have two amazing little girls in our house, but there are those days. You know them... the days when they have forgotten all the things they've learned in their short years; sharing; politeness; loving one another; the importance of good attitudes; etc. We all have standards that we've set for ourselves. How many days have we not only failed our own, but also failed to meet God's?

It gets me wondering, maybe we need to step back and look at who's standards we should be following. Are we putting more pressure on ourselves than God had intended? We think we are failing ourselves and God when our children aren't making good choices in their lives, but what is really happening?

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YogaKids

By MAD21

YogaKids was founded by Marsha Wenig. The program "recreates traditional yoga techniques and poses in fun and educational ways...The classes incorporate [their] unique 14 elements to reach a variety of learning styles. Reading, storytelling, music, creative arts, science and earthcare blended seamlessly with yoga poses to educate the whole child ages three through teen."

This group also has some really great videos and books on doing yoga with kids. Some are better than others, but the poses are really fun to do with your kids (my kids enjoyed YogaKids 2). They have stories for each of the poses, and the poses themselves have names the kids will remember. You can also sign up to receive emails with the "pose of the week."

Check your local library, ours had some of the videos so we could try them out to see if we liked them before we bought them.

Always Love Your Family

TB, Age 13

No matter where you’re family lives, or what mistakes they’ve made in their past, you can’t help but to love them for everything they truly are.

That is what I learned at my family reunion for my mom’s side of the family this past weekend. More than half the people there, I have never met in my life, but I was willing to accept anyone I would call family. One man had two teeth, and made so many mistakes in his past. To watch him be a better person, or at least trying to improve his life, with the help of his family and God, turned him into a better person. I admit, this wasn’t the top of my I want to do list, but It was nice to get to know people I may never see again. Though my cousins were complaining the whole time, I got to tell them that there is nothing that can ever replace your family. From 18 months old to 94 years old, love & respect everyone, because nothing can top the love, your family can give or receive.

Sheltering And Shepherding Your Children

By Jason, M.Ed., M.A.R., Headmaster & Parent

Which of the following is wrong for parents to do?

1. Feeding their children.
2. Clothing their children.
3. Sheltering their children.

If you listen to some people in our culture, including a majority of Christians, #3 is a capital offense. “How can you shelter your children?” they ask with shocked expressions on their faces. Why don’t they ever accuse people of daring to try to feed and clothe their children?

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