Sunday, March 29, 2020

The Treehouse Episode 02: Boredom Invites You



This week'sepisode is available for streaming on Spotify. Other platforms available soon. 

Raise your hand if you told your Mom or Dad anytime this week that you feel bored. Go ahead. I can't see you, so you have nothing to hide. Now, just in case, you're not sure what I mean by "bored", I'll explain. Bored is that feeling you have when there's nothing that interests you. You don't wanna play with your toys. You don't want to do any schoolwork. You might even be tired of watching TV. Everything just feels blah. I imagine that a lot of us have felt that way this week. We're getting tired of the same things every day. Life is pretty unusual right now. You're not going to school or sports, the library is closed, and we're not even meeting together on Sundays for church. So it can be hard to stay entertained or interested in things just at home with your family.

And so I thought this week it would be good to dive into a talk about boredom. I couldn't really find any good Bible stories about boredom. Although, I do think Noah and his family must have gotten bored on the ark! Did you know they were on the ark for almost a year? It only rained for forty days and forty nights, but it took a long, long time for the water to go down so they could leave the boat. A year is a long time to be on a boat with just your family and a bunch of animals! How long do you think it took for the animals to become boring to Noah? It probably took a little while, but I bet even Noah got bored with the animals. 

All of us get bored sometimes--even grown-ups! I get bored doing chores. I especially get bored when I'm working on the laundry. I gather up everyone's dirty clothes--and sometimes smelly clothes--and I have to sort them. I take all the dark colored ones and put them in one pile, and all the light colored ones and put them in another pile. This isn't hard, but it sure is boring. But if I don't do it, we run out of pants! Sometimes we have to do things even though it's boring and we don't like it. 

The Bible tells us to "work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people".(Ephesians 6:7). So that means that no matter what we're doing, we need to do it well and do our best. We also need to know that the Bible says "to do everything without complaining or arguing." (Philippians 2:14). That can be really, really hard sometimes. I know I like to complain about things I don't like to do, and the things I think are so boring. But complaining doesn't make it any easier or any less boring. 

But what about the kind of boredom where it feels like there's nothing to do? That's very different from having to do something that feels boring. Well, let's look to the Bible again for some answers. The Bible is the first place we need to go to find out how to live well. And we want to deal with our boredom as best we can. (Or else we drive the people around us crazy!)

When I started thinking about this episode and looking for Bible verses, this is one of the first ones that came to mind. Ready for it? 

Genesis 1:27--So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them. 

One of our favorite shows right now is The Wild Kratts. We love to learn about all the different kinds of animals that are out there in the world. Each episode is packed with so many animals, each one is unique and important in its own way. And each one tells me something about God. God must be incredibly creative, imaginative, and interesting for Him to create everything from a giraffe to a turtle; from a honey badger to a bunny rabbit; from a koala to a shark, and everything in between. God created the plants, flowers, and trees the animals use for food and shelter. He created the mountains, deserts, oceans, and forests where the animals all live. He created everything. And most importantly of all, when God created us, He made us to be like Him. We are creative like God. 

Now, you can't make something out of nothing like God did. He's so powerful that all He had to do was speak and there was a squirrel or a hippo or a moose. We can't do that. But we can use our imaginations, creativity, and curiosity to create. We can create art like drawing with chalk or crayons, painting a picture, working with clay or even Play-doh. That all counts as creativity! We can write stories or poems about things we make-up, or things we want to remember, or things we just notice all around us. Some of the best poems in the world are about simple things that people just noticed around them. We can make up a new game to play. We can build a fort . We can pretend to be super heroes or astronauts or doctors. Pretending is a really great way to be creative. Whenever you pretend, it's like you're practicing for what you might be someday when you grow up. True, you might not ever be a super hero like Captain America or a princess like Elsa and Anna. But when you pretend to be them, you're also being brave, honest, and strong, and all of that will help you as you grow-up! Isn't that cool? I think God designed us that way on purpose. God knows that it's hard for us to learn how to do what is right and good, but He gave us creativity so we can practice through pretend. 

Another verse that came to mind is Proverbs 6:6. I'm going to read it to you in the New Living Translation. "Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!"

Have you ever noticed ants? Other than to stomp on them if you find one in your house, I mean. Ants are always busy. I've yet to find one hanging out in a tiny little hammock stretched between two twigs. Ants are always on the go. They collect food. They work on the ant hill. They're busy little dudes. So this verse is telling us that if teeny little ants know how to work hard and keep busy, then we should too. This verse also reminds us that if we just look around at that big interesting world God created we can learn things! And what we learn from the ants is to not waste time being lazy. 

It's good to rest. It's important to get enough sleep especially. And there are definitely times when it's good to put your feet up and relax. There's nothing wrong with swinging in a hammock, or watching a movie with your family, or even playing video games for a little while. The trouble is when we don't do any work, or don't use our brains because we're spending too much time relaxing. It's so important to use our brains to make them strong. I don't know if ants are geniuses or not, but they are smart enough to not be lazy all the time. 

And the last verse I want to talk to you about is about Jesus. This verse explains to use how Jesus grew-up. And what I mean by that is, did Jesus grow-up being lazy and rude? Hmm, that doesn't sound like Jesus. Let's read what the verse says. 

Luke 2:52--And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. 

So there are four different ways Jesus grew-up that we can talk about and learn from. The first two is that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature. Growing in wisdom means that Jesus learned lots of things. Jesus exercised his mind as he grew up. He learned lots of facts like schoolwork, I'm sure, but I also think he used his creativity and imagination. He asked questions and was curious. All of this is part of wisdom. 

To grow in stature means that he grew taller. The Bible is telling us that Jesus literally grew up. He grew tall and strong. I'm sure he ran and played when he was a child. And he learned to work hard with his body, like his dad who was a carpenter and made things out of wood.


 The verse also says that Jesus grew in favor with God and man. Favor means to like something or someone. You might have a favorite color or a favorite movie or a favorite food. And if you favor a person that means you like them. So we know that as Jesus grew-up God liked him and people liked him. He found ways to show kindness and love to the people around him. He obeyed God and showed him love and respect. 

What does any of that have to do with boredom? Well, kids, I'll tell you. These are four different ways you can think about using your creative powers when you're bored. You can use your mind in a creative way to learn something new or imagine or pretend. You can use your body to exercise and grow strong, to practice skills for a game, or to simply run and explore and enjoy the corner of the world God has given you. You can grow spiritually by reading your Bible or praying, or by thinking of ways you can show God how you love and obey Him. And you can use your creativity to be a blessing to people around you. Draw someone a picture or make them a card. Find ways to help people around you. Think of something really nice to say to somebody. Being bored is actually a gateway into growing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man just like Jesus. Boredom is just an invitation to get creative! God loves to see His children be creative like He is. 

On the Bloom Kids Treehouse blog, I have some different things for you to do if you are bored this week. Make sure you check it out or ask your parents to look for you. No excuses for being bored this week!


Questions and Answers

Last week I asked you for jokes. Let's listen to the clips you guys sent me. (The first one is from Betsy)

Alright, now this week, my question for you is....since you've been home from school now a couple weeks, tell me about something really fun you've done. 

I'll tell you what my favorite fun thing is that we've done lately. We've been going for walks just about every day and we've been looking for Teddy Bears that people have put in their windows. We also wrote encouraging and nice things on our driveway with chalk so that anyone who is walking by can see it and smile. So send me your voice messages this week with your favorite fun things!

You can use this link to submit voice messages. 

The Final Word

Well, we're here at the final word for the week. For this week, our memory verse is Luke 2:52, "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." I want you to work on memorizing that verse this week, and thinking about what it means. Remember that you can grow as Jesus did, using your body, your mind, your spirituality, and your relationship to honor God. Let's pray together now.

click here to download


Discussion Questions for Grown-Ups 
  • All this talk about creativity applies to us too! C.S. Lewis said, "You are never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream." Talk to your kids about some of your own interests and hobbies. You can even share with them something you've always wanted to learn but haven't tried yet. Maybe they'll be interested in it too and that's something you can do together. You can talk about things you used to do as a kid or a teenager. Get out the old photos and show them for inspiration. 
  • Make a list of things for your kiddos to do while they're bored (or download the printable available here). Be sure to check out the "Free Printables" page available on The Bloom Kids Treehouse blog for coloring pages, word searches, and other activities. We keep ours in a "boredom box" and the kids can pull out a slip of paper when they're feeling bored. 
  • Take a walk this week and look for all sorts of colors, animals, and shapes in nature. Talk about how creative God is and how nature can tell us about him. For a bonus scripture reading check out Psalm 19. 
  • Encourage each other throughout the week to not be a lazybones, to not argue and complain, and to work hard like you're working for the Lord. This goes for us too! Go ahead and let your kids join in on calling you out if they here you grumbling. Use a code phrase like "Ants in your pants!" when you hear someone grumbling. Have fun with this so no one gets crankier. 😉

Sunday, March 22, 2020

The Treehouse Episode 01: Mud Puddles


You can listen to this week's episode on Spotify and most other platforms.

Do you remember what the Bible memory verse was in Branching Out for the month of February? It was from Matthew, chapter 6, verse 26. It says, "Look at the birds of the air. They don't plant or gather crops. They don't put away crops in storerooms. But your Father in heaven feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than they are?" 

This verse is about worry. When Jesus first said these words 2,000 years ago he was telling everyone around him--moms and dads and kids--to not worry. I think it's always been hard for humans to not worry about things, especially things we don't understand. And right now, there's probably some stuff going on you don't understand, and that's okay. It's oka ony to be a little confused or even worried right now. One of my favorite words to describe that feeling is "unsettled."

Imagine a nice mud puddle. The water is flat and calm, and there's a good thick layer of mud at the bottom. Can you imagine that? Now imagine you plopped a big ol' rock into it! What would happen? The water would splash and the mud from the bottom would get all mixed up again into the water. It would take it a long time to become still and flat again. The mud puddle is unsettled.

And sometimes that's exactly what happens to us! Life can go from pretty normal and boring, and then it feels like someone dropped a rock into our mud puddle, and all our feelings get all mixed up. We're unsettled just like that mud puddle.

Kids, you want in on a secret? Grown-ups can feel that way too. In Frozen II, Olaf sings a song about how when he's older absolutely everything will make sense. But I think Olaf figures out that isn't true. When you're a grown up, things can be confusing and unsettling just like it is for kids.

So what do we do? What's the plan for when something happens that makes us feel worried or confused or just a bit unsettled? We can turn to Jesus for help!

I'm going to read to you a short little story from the book of Mark about Jesus and the disciples, and a time when the disciples were afraid. If you have a Bible handy and want to follow along it's Mark 4:35-41.

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Did you catch what Jesus did? He spoke and immediately everything was settled again. Sometimes it can feel like no one cares how we feel. Sometimes it feels like no one can help us. The disciples felt that way--they said that right to Jesus's face when they woke him up! And guess what? We can be that honest with Jesus too.

The first thing we need to do when we feel unsettled is to talk to Jesus. We call that prayer. And the very best thing about prayer is that anyone can do it anytime and anywhere! You just tell Jesus what you think and what you feel. And you can ask Him for help if you need anything. You don't have to worry about saying the right words, or that He'll be mad at you if you say the wrong words--there aren't really any wrong words as long as you're honest and remember to respect Him. The disciples were very honest with Jesus that day out on the boat and He didn't get mad at them. He helped them and wanted them to trust Him no matter how unsettling life was.

The next thing we need to do is take all those unsettled, worried, or afraid thoughts and stop them dead in their tracks. Do you ever try to walk through your house with muddy shoes? I bet your Mom and Dad stop you dead in your tracks! That's what we need to do with our thoughts. As soon as you see those muddy thoughts in your head or you notice those muddy feelings in your heart or your belly, you stop. It's okay to have feelings. Everyone does--even bad feelings. But Jesus doesn't want us to hold onto our bad feelings.

The Bible is full of promises from God. So whenever we feel afraid or confused, we can replace those thoughts with a promise instead. Here are just a few you can think about when you feel unsettled.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."-- Isaiah 41:10

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."-- John 14:27

"He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together."--Colossians 1:17

"Be still and know that I am God..."-- Psalm 46:10

And of course, our memory verse from February! You are worth more than many sparrows to God! Every time you look out your window this week and see a bird, I want you to remember that you are very special to God. And if you feel unsettled, He wants you to remember His promise that He is with you always and He is in control.

One last thought before I wrap you--you can always talk to a grown up about your thoughts and feelings too. It's a little harder right now since we're not all seeing each other at church each week, but there are lots of way for you to reach out with any questions you might have for a grown up. Pastor Mike, Pastor Bobby, Pastor Jules, Miss Jessie, and me and lots of other adults would love to hear from you if you wanna chat. Have your parents text us and we'll connect with you!

Discussion Questions

These are simple ways for you to extend the lesson once the podcast is over. OR take note of the suggestions and look for ways to bring it up throughout the week. Over a family meal, taking a walk outside, etc.

Can you think of any other stories in the Bible where someone was afraid or confused? What did they do? How to God/Jesus help them? {Parents, if your kids can't come up with any, share one of your favorites.} Talk about your favorite promises in scripture too!

Come up with a family mantra for when you feel afraid! Use part of a Bible verse or come up with your own. Have the kids practice saying it all week. And tell the kids when you've said it to yourself too. {Am I the only grown-up who needs a mantra to get through the grocery store now and all those empty shelves? Yikes.}

Ask your kiddos how they would've felt on the boat with Jesus. Encourage them to really use their imaginations and picture the big waves and the roaring sound of an angry sea. And then, how would they have felt after Jesus calmed the storm? What sounds would they have heard then?

Talk about this week's memory verse ("He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together."--Colossians 1:17) Get our your Bible and read together the entire passage. Check out the song by Andrew Peterson called "All Things Together". This is a great way to commit this passage to memory and let it take root in your heart (and your kiddos!). There are some big ol' words in the passage, so talk about what it means and how this can help us trust that Jesus is in control.

Pray together and thank God for His word which is full of promises. Thank God for being in control and holding all things together. And talk to God honestly about how you're feeling during this strange time. {Our kids need to see us grown-ups going to Jesus to ask for strength and peace and courage. It strengthens our testimony as well as models for them to turn to God for all our needs.}

You got this, parents! Hit me up with any comments and questions!

Questions & Answers

This is the part of the podcast where I will ask you a question and you guys can send me in answers! You can record your message with any recording app your mom or dad has on their phone. Then, you parents can send me the clip so you can be on the podcast next week! OR you can leave your answer in the "comments" section on the blog, and I can read them for everyone on the next episode.

So for this week: Give me your very best joke!

I'll tell you my favorite joke: What do you call it when a snake has a temper tantrum?? A hissy fit!

The Last Word

The last word every week will be a Bible memory verse. I decided to use one of the verses I shared with you earlier in the podcast. Ready?

"He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together."--Colossians 1:17



Saturday, March 21, 2020

Welcome to the Treehouse!


Hello, Parents and Kids! 

We've been thinking hard about a way to keep connected during the quarantine/social distancing/everyone stay inside and lose your minds because this is Ohio and the weather is NOT cooperating!! Sorry. Got carried away for a second.

Anyway. We've decided to launch our own blog and podcast just for Bloom Kids (and their parents). Each week there will be a new podcast to listen to as a family. The blog will house the show notes for those podcasts. Show notes are where you can find a written transcript of the episode as well as discussion questions. The blog will also be a spot where we share resources for parents. These resources might be other podcasts (for adults or for kids), tips for helping kids with anxiety, fun crafts ideas, etc.

The idea is that this is our place. Please comment on the posts! Let us know what you think and how you're doing. Reach out with ideas. Email me if you have content you want to share! This is a space for all of us.

If you check out this blog on a desktop, there's a link on the right to sign up for emails each time there's a new post!

More about the Podcast 

I (Rebecca) will be recording each episode on an app called Anchor. This app is FREE and anyone can download it. With this app you can send me voice messages so I can include it in the podcast. Each week I plan on asking the kiddos a question so they can send me in voice messages. Things like, "tell me your best joke," or "what's your favorite thing you did this week," or "best board game" or whatever else I can think of. This way the kids get to be part of the podcast and stay connected in a pretty cool way. If your child wants to send a voice message, either use the Anchor app or any other voice recording app your phone might have. Have your child say their first name and then share their thought! If you have a memory verse, an encouraging word, a joke, a prayer, anything you want to share, you are welcome to send that to me as well.

The podcast will be available for streaming on most platforms, everything form Spotify to Apple to Google Podcasts. If you choose to listen through Anchor you will get to hear music that I link to the podcast!

Please reach out to me with any questions! And keep in touch....virtually. In real life, six feet of space please. And wash your hands.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts....--James 4:8 🤣