Category: The Bluebonnet Child Book
-
One-Year Anniversary of the Bluebonnet Child Book
A year ago today, the Bluebonnet Child book was printed for publication by Wipf and Stock. I viewed this as an omen of sorts since July 7th is my best friend’s birthday. While seeing one’s idea printed on paper is exhilarating, hearing folks share of how this lil’ book has enhanced their serve to kids…
-
A Last-Minute Lamentation; Articulations of Faith to a Child
I will never forget Holy Week of 2014. Our church family had lost one of our own to cancer, and his granddaughter was in our afterschool program. With a numb expression on her third-grade face, she sat in the circle awaiting the Easter story. The funeral had just been a few days ago. As I…
-
What Needs Our Kid’s Prayers Reveal
Conversational tools can be helpful in assuring functional discussions with Bluebonnet kids. Such tools encourage proper listening, while also meeting the needs of more tactile learners. For almost a decade now I have used the same, palm-size painted stone as a talk-rock for varying ages during prayer time. (Yes-I hear ya, if it were smaller,…
-
Mindfulness in KidMin; Help Your Students Carry Their Emotional Baggage Properly
Not only can we do our best to assure their safety while they are within our care, but we can also fight for their needs by equipping them to care for their own needs. ‘Mindfulness’ is a huge buzzword right now in both the secular and spiritual teaching arenas. Although this practice is far from…
-
Advocate for Your Students with a Safety Policy
While there may be varying levels of concern for children’s safety (depending on the parent), I am convinced that ‘safe’ is nearly synonymous to ‘successful’ in our Children and Family Ministry Programs. The value of security is a top priority for most parents. One step in assuring the welfare of all is to create a…
-
Partnering With Difficult Parents
In this line of work, we are trained that parents are the primary faith nurturers and our role is to partner with them in helping their children take their first steps of faith. While a partnership does occur in our attempts to advocate for a Bluebonnet Child, it does look slightly different. As I shared…
-
The Do’s and Don’ts of Serving Kids of Troubled Homes (sprinkled with a few regrets)
There is this very popular book called Eat This, Not That; Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save you 10, 20, 30 Pounds” by David ZinkZenko. In this book, ZinkZenko compares different entrees of varying chain restaurants. Studies are presented to show the surprising caloric difference between a burger from McDonald’s and Burger King.…
-
The Power of Awareness in Serving Troubled Kids Part II
(Read Part I first 😀 .) Another external factor that should be considered is a child’s socio-economic class. This paints a different worldview for each person. While we might be more aware of it in lower class families, poor soil can be found in any class. I was once guilty of judging the impoverished families…
-
The Power of Awareness in Serving Troubled Kids
To be truly aware is a treasure worth seeking; awareness of self, of the present moment and of others. Know that every minute is valuable and full of potential when it comes to reaching out to the Bluebonnet Child. Before growing in our awareness of another, we must first know and love ourselves well. This…