Happy Monday to you all!!!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend, I feel like I haven’t seen some of you in a while!

Reminder- next Sunday is our Halloween party at the Braswell’s house from 5:00 to 7:30 pm.  We will eat dinner, have a costume contest, bob for apples, games, and a haunted hayride!  Come out in your costume and be prepared for fun!

Enjoy the newsletter, share your thoughts!

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

WISE AND STUBBORN HONOR

It was 7:53 p.m., and we were locked out of the house. But “The A-Team” was going to start in seven minutes!

For my brothers and me, Tuesday night was big church night. I had junior high Bible study, and my brothers had church scouts (or something like that). After church we’d catch a ride home with a family friend and then race into the house to watch our all-time favorite TV show.

For my parents, Tuesday night was free time. I’m not sure what they did while we were gone. But on this particular night, they weren’t home when we got there. A note taped to the front door read–

Mark,
We’ll be back late. Be sure to feed Jonathan’s rabbit while you wait.
Love,
Mom and Dad

I was infuriated! Didn’t they know that Mr. T and “The A-Team” were starting soon? How could they leave us out in the cold while they pranced around town like childless married people?

I ripped the note off the door and sat down in the yard. Josh, Jeremy, and Jonathan joined me. All my dad seemed to care about was that we feed Jonathan’s rabbit–which Jonathan had done before we left!

I was very upset at my parents. My brothers were mad, too. Josh and Jeremy had homework to do; Jonathan was just mad because we were.

Now it was 8:30 p.m., and “The A-Team”, the coolest show on earth, was half over.

I picked up a baseball bat and started whacking a tree. How could my parents be so rude? Josh and Jeremy were looking all around the house for an open door or window. Everything was locked tight.

Finally, at 9:30 p.m., my parents pulled into the drive. Four angry Matlock boys rushed out to jump them. As the four of us expressed our displeasure in no uncertain terms, my dad asked me if I’d fed the rabbit. I told him no, and then I reminded him that Jonathan had fed it before we went to church.

My dad walked us over to the rabbit food. There, taped to the bag, was the key to the house.

“What did you want me to do, Mark?” my father asked in a Mike Brady-like tone. “Did you want me to leave a note that said the key was taped to the rabbit food so anyone who read the note could find it?”

If I’d honored my dad, my evening would have been much happier. Instead, I was a fool worthy of Mr. T’s pity. (See, that’s a joke for people who’ve seen “The A-Team”. Mr. T was always saying, “I pity the fool!” I’m not really sure why, now that I think about it. I just knew he was cool.)

Instead of honoring my dad by following his instructions, I jumped to the conclusion that he just didn’t get it. He didn’t understand that the rabbit had already been fed. So I’d decided his instruction was worthless. But if I’d stopped to remember that Dad usually did a good job of providing for us and giving us worthwhile direction, I would have honored him by honoring his note. And that literally would have been the key to my A-Team happiness.

We saw in the last chapter that the fifth of the top Ten Commandments was the “first with a promise.” Here it is from Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Since Paul repeats it in Ephesians 6:1-3 and Solomon emphasizes it in Proverbs, we still hold on to the idea that honoring our parents leads to longer, wiser living.

That makes sense, doesn’t it? I’m not saying parents are always right. In fact, sometimes they can be selfish, too strict, or too lenient. So what? What other two people in the universe have made it their jobs to love you, take care of you, and invest their lives in you for your own good? That’s what parents do.

Since they’ve been doing it for so long, we sometimes take their investment for granted. It’s human nature for us to ignore the things they do right and with good motives 80 percent of the time (or more!) and to be on the lookout for anything they might screw up instead. To continue to honor your mom and dad (even when you don’t understand where they’re coming from) takes wisdom and a stubborn refusal to give in to the temptation to dishonor them.

**

Taken from “Wisdom On … Getting Along with Parents” by Mark Matlock, copyright 2008 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=432

 2. SURF REPORT

~ Last weekend kicked off the PlanetWisdom Tour. Find out how you can be an unlikely hero:
http://planetwisdom.com/tour/

~ PlanetWisdom Facebook Group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2238787215

 3. FORGETTABLE FACT

Food can only be tasted if it is mixed with saliva.

 4. POTENT QUOTABLES

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
~ Christopher Reeve

“What’s another word for thesaurus?”
~ Steven Wright

 5. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?

Q: What do you get when you drop a pumpkin?

A: Squash

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

WISE AND STUBBORN HONOR

It was 7:53 p.m., and we were locked out of the house. But “The A-Team” was going to start in seven minutes!

For my brothers and me, Tuesday night was big church night. I had junior high Bible study, and my brothers had church scouts (or something like that). After church we’d catch a ride home with a family friend and then race into the house to watch our all-time favorite TV show.

For my parents, Tuesday night was free time. I’m not sure what they did while we were gone. But on this particular night, they weren’t home when we got there. A note taped to the front door read–

Mark,
We’ll be back late. Be sure to feed Jonathan’s rabbit while you wait.
Love,
Mom and Dad

I was infuriated! Didn’t they know that Mr. T and “The A-Team” were starting soon? How could they leave us out in the cold while they pranced around town like childless married people?

I ripped the note off the door and sat down in the yard. Josh, Jeremy, and Jonathan joined me. All my dad seemed to care about was that we feed Jonathan’s rabbit–which Jonathan had done before we left!

I was very upset at my parents. My brothers were mad, too. Josh and Jeremy had homework to do; Jonathan was just mad because we were.

Now it was 8:30 p.m., and “The A-Team”, the coolest show on earth, was half over.

I picked up a baseball bat and started whacking a tree. How could my parents be so rude? Josh and Jeremy were looking all around the house for an open door or window. Everything was locked tight.

Finally, at 9:30 p.m., my parents pulled into the drive. Four angry Matlock boys rushed out to jump them. As the four of us expressed our displeasure in no uncertain terms, my dad asked me if I’d fed the rabbit. I told him no, and then I reminded him that Jonathan had fed it before we went to church.

My dad walked us over to the rabbit food. There, taped to the bag, was the key to the house.

“What did you want me to do, Mark?” my father asked in a Mike Brady-like tone. “Did you want me to leave a note that said the key was taped to the rabbit food so anyone who read the note could find it?”

If I’d honored my dad, my evening would have been much happier. Instead, I was a fool worthy of Mr. T’s pity. (See, that’s a joke for people who’ve seen “The A-Team”. Mr. T was always saying, “I pity the fool!” I’m not really sure why, now that I think about it. I just knew he was cool.)

Instead of honoring my dad by following his instructions, I jumped to the conclusion that he just didn’t get it. He didn’t understand that the rabbit had already been fed. So I’d decided his instruction was worthless. But if I’d stopped to remember that Dad usually did a good job of providing for us and giving us worthwhile direction, I would have honored him by honoring his note. And that literally would have been the key to my A-Team happiness.

We saw in the last chapter that the fifth of the top Ten Commandments was the “first with a promise.” Here it is from Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Since Paul repeats it in Ephesians 6:1-3 and Solomon emphasizes it in Proverbs, we still hold on to the idea that honoring our parents leads to longer, wiser living.

That makes sense, doesn’t it? I’m not saying parents are always right. In fact, sometimes they can be selfish, too strict, or too lenient. So what? What other two people in the universe have made it their jobs to love you, take care of you, and invest their lives in you for your own good? That’s what parents do.

Since they’ve been doing it for so long, we sometimes take their investment for granted. It’s human nature for us to ignore the things they do right and with good motives 80 percent of the time (or more!) and to be on the lookout for anything they might screw up instead. To continue to honor your mom and dad (even when you don’t understand where they’re coming from) takes wisdom and a stubborn refusal to give in to the temptation to dishonor them.

**

Taken from “Wisdom On … Getting Along with Parents” by Mark Matlock, copyright 2008 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=432

2. SURF REPORT

~ Last weekend kicked off the PlanetWisdom Tour. Find out how you can be an unlikely hero:
http://planetwisdom.com/tour/

~ PlanetWisdom Facebook Group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2238787215

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

Food can only be tasted if it is mixed with saliva.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
~ Christopher Reeve

“What’s another word for thesaurus?”
~ Steven Wright

5. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?

Q: What do you get when you drop a pumpkin?

A: Squash

Peace,

erin

Hey everybody!  Below is your weekly student newsletter, but first… a few updates!

Last night’s concert was wonderful!  Nine youth attended and we had a great time.  It really was fun to have the chance to attend a Christian music concert, see all the people there, and even meet some of the band members.  (Yup, I met Jason Gray… he has twins!!!)  I will definitely keep my eye out for more great concerts like last night!  If you attended, post a comment sharing the best part of the concert with everyone.

Wednesday October 15th we continue with our Festival of Faith program.  See you there; dinner at 6:00, program at 6:30.

Saturday October 18th is St. Paul’s Cleanup Day!  I would love to see some of the youth come help with this event, especially some strong youth prepared to help carry things to the dumpster!  Let me know if you have any questions, I hope to see you there!

Sunday October 19th we are holding a bake sale to raise money for Church World Service’s CROP Hunger Walk.  Please bring goodies to sell and be prepared to help out at the table.  Then, that afternoon we will be walking (or running) the 5K CROP Hunger Walk.  Please meet at 2:45 at Bledsoe-Miller Park.  Also, if you know you are going to walk, please let me know so I can know who to expect.

Okay, here is your newsletter…

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

WHAT IS IDENTITY?

Identity, to make it short and sweet, is your understanding of who you are. It’s not what you can do, or what you look like, or even who someone else says you are. It’s who you really are; and, more specifically, it’s who you understand yourself to be.

The term ID is short for “identification.” Your parents probably have driver’s licenses, which are considered ID. You might carry a school ID or some other kind of ID card. That little card says stuff about you–stuff that is uniquely you. It usually includes a picture of you, as well as some other information.

But whatever information is listed on that ID isn’t your real identity.

We (Marko and Scott) remember when we were middle schoolers; we were just starting to think about who we were, what made us unique, how we were different from and the same as our parents, how we were different from and the same as our best friends. Those thoughts are the beginning work of figuring out your identity.

Today, we could say all these things about ourselves:

- I’m a dad

- I’m a son

- I’m a husband

- I’m a follower of Jesus

- I’m a youth worker

- I’m an author (Hey, you’re reading a book we wrote!)

- I’m a movie lover

But that’s just a start. What kind of dad am I, and what kind of dad do I want to be? Because there are lots of different ways to be a dad, right?

One of the reasons our culture started making space for the teenage years (remember, the teenage years weren’t even recognized in our culture as an age group until a little more than 100 years ago) was to allow people your age to figure out their identities. It’s a long and challenging process. And you’ll probably think of yourself in lots of different ways over the next several years–that’s okay.

Ask yourself: Who am I, really? Who do I want to become? And, most importantly, who did God make me to be?

**

Taken from “My Changes” by Mark Oestreicher and Scott Rubin, copyright 2008 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=421

 2. SURF REPORT

~ Teen Read Week — The Third Week of October
http://www.readwritethink.org/calendar/calendar_day.asp?id=121

~ Hero Copter Game
http://www.tweegee.com/Games/Play/69/hero_copter.aspx

 3. FORGETTABLE FACT

The average housefly weighs 10 to 15 millionths of a pound.

 4. POTENT QUOTABLES

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
~ Mother Theresa

“Infinite patience brings immediate results.”
~ Wayne Dyer

 5. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?

Q: Which is correct? Yolks of eggs are white, or yolks of eggs is white?

A: Neither, because yolks of eggs are yellow!

So, did you learn anything about yourself?  Who you are, who you want to be?  I’m curious.  Let me know your thoughts on the newsletter.

You are all in  my prayers… peace,

erin

Dear youth,
When you filled out your registration forms this fall, you had the option of receiving the student and/or parent newsletters each week. After much thought, I have decided to post the content here each week. I will send out an e-mail letting parents and/or students know that the information has been posted and to visit the blog. This will help you to see everything that is going on the upcoming week, as well as give you a chance to visit the blog and see what other interesting things have been posted.
The student ‘e-mail’ will be posted each Monday; the parent ‘e-mail’ will be posted each Wednesday. I will put all important information for the week at the beginning of the post, then the content below that will be the newsletter from Youth Specialties. Each week there is a something for your heart (your spiritual life) with questions, links, quotes, and something funny!
So, without further ado… the student newsletter!

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
COULD’VE…WOULD’VE…SHOULD’VE
Guided Meditation
You have so many thoughts and feelings rushing through your mind all at once. On one hand, you can’t wait to experience what’s ahead of you today. What are you about to do? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, isn’t it? You’ve been looking forward to this your entire life, and you can’t believe you’ve been given this opportunity–it’s almost surreal. On the other hand, you’re scared to death because you’ve never attempted anything like this before.

The minutes click by and you’re closer and closer to actually going through with it. You sense a huge knot growing in your stomach. The fear is beginning to overwhelm you. Maybe you should back out. There’s sure to be another opportunity somewhere down the road, right?

But then you consider what all of your friends will think if you back out. Many of them have encouraged you to give this a shot, and you know you’ll be disappointed if you choose not to go through with it. But who’s making this decision, anyway? You are so conflicted you begin to feel sick. What decision are you going to make?

Finally the moment of truth arrives. Your heart is racing. Your hands are shaking. It feels like everyone is looking at you, waiting to see what you’re going to do. So what will it be? Are you going to step up and do it? Or are you going to back away and wait for another opportunity?

Scripture Guides Us
It seems as though fear keeps a lot of people from doing the things they genuinely want to do. What role does fear play in your life? Has there ever been a time when you backed out of something that you wanted to do and then you haven’t yet received another chance to do it? What does the Bible say about fear and how it should affect our lives?

Take a few minutes to “chew on” the following Scripture verses, allowing God’s Spirit to speak to you.

1 JOHN 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

LUKE 12:4-5
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

PSALM 23:4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Questions for Reflection
1. Think of a time in your life when you were afraid to do something, but you went ahead and did it anyway. What happened? How did you feel afterward?
2. Think of a time in your life when fear kept you from doing something. What happened? How did you feel afterward?
3. Have you ever had to live with the regret of not doing something you wished you had done? How did that make you feel? What would you do differently if you had it to do all over again?
4. Name the things you’re most afraid of. Why do you think you’re so afraid of these things? What may help you work through your fears?
5. What do you think the Bible means when it says, “Perfect love drives out fear”? What is perfect love? Why do you think it has this effect on fear?
6. What did Jesus have to say about fear in Luke 12:4-5? How do these verses make you feel?
7. David seems to be walking through some incredibly fear-filled times in Psalm 23. What does he do to help manage his fear? How could this same technique help you?
**
Taken from “Chew on This!” by Dave Ambrose, copyright 2007 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=377

2. SURF REPORT
~ Check out the latest adventures of Bethany Hamilton, teen surfer and shark attack survivor.
http://www.bethanyhamilton.com/
~ Dr. Dare’s recipe for a Sixty-Legged Worm. Yep–60 legs!
http://planetwisdom.com/drdare/0024.php

3. FORGETTABLE FACT
Karaoke means “empty orchestra” in Japanese.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES
“If you can’t feed 100 people then feed just one.”
~ Mother Theresa
“AHHH. Donuts…What can’t they do?”
~ Homer Simpson

5. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?
What kind of cheese doesn’t belong to you?
Nacho Cheese!

So, what did you think?

Peace,
erin