Learning

I've learned some things in this past week. I've been meaning to blog for some time now, but just couldn't sit down to write. On Saturday I went to a kids ministry conference. I always know I will learn something new and come away inspired. This was no exception. Here's some key nuggets....

• most people accept God's salvation before the age of 13. Boy, is kids ministry a rich harvest field or what?!!
• Between the ages of 2 (yes 2!) and 13 kids are putting together the world view they will likely hold for life! That creates a sense of urgency, doesn't it?
• We should talk to kids about how they will "serve" when they grow up (using their spiritual gifts) as much as we talk about what they will "be" when they grow up.

Phil Vischer (creator of Veggie Tales) spoke via videocast. He was amazing - very real and humble. He shared his personal experience of the rise and fall of Veggie Tales. Here are some things he said:

• When God gives you a dream and the dream comes to life and then it dies, it may be that God wants to see what is more important....God or the dream? (OK I know that's a run on, but that's how he said it!)
• Why does God want us to let go of our dreams? Because anything more important to us than God is an idol.
• We are not called to be people of "vision" but people of "revelation"
• If I am not waiting on God, I cannot be obedient to Him
• The most important thing is to make God the most important thing.

I bought a book called "801 Questions Kids Ask about God". I think it will be very useful for us as a family. Somehow I've been blessed with a questioner! The other day, my oldest said to me on the walk home from school, "Mom, sometimes I think about stuff....like, what if God isn't real?" I was calm......I collected my thoughts.....I didn't freak out!! I told her it's OK to think about things like that and she could even talk to God about it. I gave her some reasons I believed and left it at that.

It's easy to let life roll by without that sense of urgency I felt on the weekend. As Mike pointed out to me last night, life is short....it really is when you think of our lives in the span of eternity. Our time with our kids is even shorter. We have both recommitted to spending more time teaching our kids about God, instilling spiritual truths and reading the Bible with them. After all... only what's done for Christ will last.....an old saying, but a true one.