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SSTN # 105 - December 3, 2004


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


--> Game Book For Kids...a fun gift idea!

1) Star Polisher Program?
2) Colored bells Christmas songs
3) Thanksgiving in England?
4) God not answering prayer
5) Monthly meeting ideas?
6) Fulfilling the law?

KIDS CAN @ CHRISTMAS TIME

7) God Not Answering Prayer
8) Pastor Appreciation Day?
9) God not answering prayer
10) Posterboard animal "costumes"


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--> Game Book For Kids...a fun gift idea!

"Chalk-It-Up" is a great game book for kids and it comes with a pack of
giant marble sidewalk chalk! Inspires creativity, independent play and
family time fun! Give "Chalk-It-Up" to the children in your family this
Christmas. Check it out on the following page:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 



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1) Star Polisher Program?

Does anyone have information on the Children’s Star Polisher Program? 
This is my first year teaching Sunday school and it is a three year old
class. It’s so wonderful.  Our Church has a Children’s Star Polisher
Program where the child’s picture is placed on a star then hung on a
tree.  Members (children and adults) of the congregation take a star and
throughout the year pray for that child that is on the star.  If the
individual chooses he/she can send cards on special days, holidays or
maybe even a small gift for the child.  Again, if anyone has information
on this program I would like to receive it and any inputs.  God’s
Blessings to All of You and Safe and Happy Thanksgiving,
Wanda J. Herscher, IL


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2) Colored Handbells Christmas songs

Just a note to let anyone know who has an interest in the 8 note colored
handbells.  I have a web site with lots of information about getting
started in using the colored handbells as well as information on making
your own arrangements using CD music.  Within the next few weeks I should
have pictures of my bell groups at Southport Christian School as well as
some sound snippets for two of the songs we play. 
Please visit my site at   http://www.sinnarn.com/maxbellswell/
 
Gene Maxwell

--from SSTN: Many people have written in with the names of companies that
sell songs for use with colored bells. Rather than post the names of each
company, you can find them in Gene's link section.


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3) Thanksgiving in England?

Hi, I live in London England and I want to thank you for the Happy
Thanksgiving message - I was thinking of doing out next 'all age worship
service' on that theme of Thanksgiving to God.  We were in New England in
October and thought the colours amazing and the people wonderful.  Any
ideas for the proposed service that I could adapt for an English Village
Church?  We have about 25 young people aged 0 - 9 attend and I want to
help them think about our Great Big God and how we should offer thanks in
all situations.

Love to you all in Jesus name

Gill Butler (Mrs)
Practice Manager


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4) God not answering prayer?

>My daughter has recently quit working a full time job to stay home
>with her 3 children. BUT now they are really struggling financially,
>she is questioning her decision and feels that God is not answering her

When I first got (unexpectedly) pregnant, my husband & I decided, as a
spiritual decision, that I would stay home to raise our kids.  Praise God
for Canada's maternity leave...80% wage for a full year after birth.  My
husband was then in the second year of a 6 year university program.  My
son is now 3 1/2 and we have a second child (also unplanned), a girl, who is
15 months.  We have looked on these children as real gifts from God, since we
were actually trying NOT to have kids until my hubby was done school.  But
that was not His plan for us.  It has been a HUGE struggle financially. 
It has also been a time of HUGE spiritual growth for us.`Learning to trust
that God WILL provide for us.  That does not mean that He'll provide the
same amount of income, but He will provide enough.  So as a new stay at
home mom, the job is getting used to just enough!  I know this isn't
easy!  Our family of 4 now lives on less than half of what we struggled on
when we were just a couple!  We are very grateful to God for providing us
with friends and family who have helped us when need be as well.  I can
speak with such confidence now that we are in the final year of school,
and there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but I really do understand
how hard and hopeless it can seem.  I would be happy to correspond with
you or your daughter about this, to offer any advice, comfort, or $$
saving ideas I've happened upon.
Encourage her that God is pleased with her decision (that doesn't mean
He's NOT pleased with working moms...please no one take offense!)and that He
will look after them, even when it seems there is no way out.  We've been
down to scrounging refundable pop bottles in order to get enough money to
buy milk. We've also been blessed with the gift of a car when ours bit the
dust.  He will give you what you need, but often not what you think you
want.  We will pray for you.

Love in Christ, Kristine Bell dr_katz@telus.net (please put SSTN in the
subject line or you might get deleted as spam!)


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5) Monthly meeting ideas?

Hi,  
   The children range from 6 years to 14 years old right now.  Would like
to work more with preteen and young teens but will take any age.  we will
have about 8 to 10 children starting out.  Thank you for your help. 
Please keep us all in your prayers.
May God bless you always,
Linda

 
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6) Fulfilling the law?

Hello there
 
My name is Annie, I am went through the website and it was very
interesting. I need to speak at the children's church this Sunday and my
topic is fulfilling the Law can you please help me by sending me some
sermons on this topic.
 
Thank you very much.
 
Annie Samuel

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KIDS CAN @ CHRISTMAS TIME

An Advent celebration of 31 crafts and recipes. To learn more, go to:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/crafts_Christmas_Advent.html 



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7) God Not Answering Prayer

Re. SSTN #103 / Making Ends Meet staying at home...
 
My husband and I have also made the choice for me to stay at home with our
children.  Although I left a stable position and we had to sell our home
as we had purchased it on two incomes, this is a choice I certainly do not
regret.  We lost our first child when he was 9 months old, I am so
thankful to the Lord I was able to be home with him for those 9 months! 
We never know how many days the Lord has given us.  We now have two girls
3 & 1, and I am also thankful to be home with them.  At times it has
seemed like God was delaying or not answering at all.  We are
missionaries, at this point living on 32% of our needed support, which
means living by faith!  Many times we have found that when God didn't
appear to be answering, He was showing us a way to cut our costs better,
or He wanted us to rely on Him to provide our needs in unusual ways...(ie
someone offering to share the meat from their cow, learning to eat less
expensive, but nutritious foods).  My encouragement to anyone wondering if
and why God is being silent, is hang in there.  If God has called you to
stay home with your children...He will provide!  I have found a couple
resources particularly helpful in cutting costs as well as encouraging a
stay at home Mom:  "Miserly Moms" by Jonni McCoy (great inexpensive
recipes and cost cutting measures!), and "Women Leaving the Workplace" by
Larry Burkett.  I would be happy to talk further or offer whatever
encouragement I can.  Feel free to e-mail me.
 
Sue, Maine
msruggerio@gwi.net
 


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8) Pastor Appreciation Day?

Greeting in the name of Jesus Christ In the name of Jesus Christ I really
appreciate your ministry; may God bless you and you may continues
be a resource of blessing for children amen

Sis I want to know when is “Pastor Appreciation Day” please can you tell
me the date. Thanks In Christ
Rukhsana Aziz

--from SSTN: Thank you, Rukhsana!
Check the archives at: 
 http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html  

Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><
ChristianCrafters.Com


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9) God not answering prayer

"When God Doesn't Make Sense" by Dr James Dobson is a great book that
deals with all sorts of problems we face.
 
We too made the decision for me to stay home with our children. I was
always able to find some way to suppliment our income  (cleaning houses,
teaching through the Community ed program for our school district and also
for the University of Texas,a nd teaching craft classes for local stores).
I was able to set my own schdedules, so I worked when Hubby was home, or
when I did kids classes my children went along.  Sometimes you have to
pray and then be attentive when God leads you in a different direction
than what you thought He would.
Were there struggles - YES.  Would I do it over again? In a heartbeat. I
homeschooled from 7-12 grade (both children in the same grade). Our
daughter just graduated with highest honors form college. Our son is a
minister and is doing well.
When they were younger, I worried because we could not give them
everything their cousins had (both their parents worked ALL the time).  I
prayed about it and they both told me "Mom we are so glad you do not work.
Our cousins have lots of stuff, but they never sit down together to share
a family meal, their mom is not a room mother, and never does special
stuff with them." Guess who has problems with their children???
 
Teresa
La Marque, TX

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10) Posterboard animal "costumes"

Several years back I saw a children's Christmas play where the little ones
had posterboard animal costumes.  The posterboard had the sheep, donkey,
cow, etc painted on and the face of the animal was cut out so that the
child held the poster in front of him with his head poked through the
cutout.  It was adorable.  Does anyone happen to have a pattern for this?
Thanks!
Bunny Wilson

--from SSTN: a simple line drawing from a coloring book could be used for
a pattern. Project it onto your posterboard to enlarge it. But make sure
you are following copyright when proceeding.


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