June 21: Mass Mysteries for Little Ears

As I read through the readings for this weekend, I am seeing a calming theme. So, for the our short version, henceforth called...


Little Version (For the Littlest of the Littles)
God has it all under control. We can have faith that God will take care of us!

Job 38:1-11
We start off with...hmmm, how can I say this politely? A humbling rebuke for our good friend Job. If you haven't read the book of Job, take a moment and read it. It will only take a bit, it's one of those shorter books. I'll wait...ok, just kidding, it's not that short, but here's a summary.

This random guy named Job had great faith, but still had a tough road! With no explanation, everything good is taken from Job. His family, wealth, position; everything. This is SUCH a good message for our kiddos (and us!). Bad things do not mean that there is no love!

The images are from Free Bible Images. It's a wonderful site with terrific pictures to illustrate our faith!
AND--Boils...ew.

I don't know why God does what he does, because my puny brain just can't comprehend it. 

However, I know that as a parent, there are plenty of times that I allow my kids to experience and struggle through difficulty so that they will learn and grow! 

"Yes, Jake, I COULD pick up all of your toys. But, I won't; I just won't. Trust me, it's better this way." 

My children and students don't understand my bigger picture, just as I don't understand God's. (With this analogy, I suddenly said that my kids have puny brains...oh well...)

Job participates in a LONG argument about God. He is finally reaching the point that he might start questioning God and whining about his plight. Admittedly, I would whine as well. Actually, I'd curl up in my bed to eat ice cream and Netflix until I felt better. Since binge watching pointless TV wasn't an option for Job, he debated God's plan and God's power.

God walks on the scene and truly humbles us all. His statements remind us of the greatness of God's kingdom. God lists these examples to help us to see his power and control. 

I explain these moments to high schoolers by reminding them how wise they are at this point in their lives. I asked Jake, my 4 year old, to tell me about his ultimate day. He immediately knew that the best day EVER would include non-stop candy and Wild Kratts. My 7-year-old, Mady, knows that there are better things than candy and Wild Kratts. (In all fairness, Wild Kratts is a terrific show.)

Mady said, "For my ultimate day, first, we would go to a carnival and I would win all the prizes. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we would have McDonalds. And, I would go to the park and have a party with all my friends, and it would be the sunniest day. Not too hot, not too cold, just right!"

Nick-enjoying a carnival!

This sounds like a good day, but I can assure you, those high school student can think of even better activities. This isn't saying that little Jakey was wrong. But, he knows so little of the world, he could only list the best that he knows. His 'puny brain' couldn't comprehend the fun that we adults know to exsist! So it is with God. If he told us all that he knew, it would be gibberish. We couldn't comprehend the greatness, just as we can't comprehend his plan.

Wow--that was long winded! I'll shorten it up for the next few.

Psalm 107 Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
God controls it all. He commands the sea and the waves. Thank him for his love!

2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Whoever is in Christ is a new creation. We love God, and through that love, He changes us and builds us up to be His people.

Mark 4:35-41
Back to the greatness of God. Jesus and his people are hanging out in a boat. Chillaxing. A storm comes up and they all fall apart like the stalwart sailors they are...? Anyway, I love Jesus' response!

He calmly and confidently tells the storm to stop. No drama, no stress, no anger. He simply tells the storm to be still and it listens. The apostles are in awe of Jesus. We should spend our lives perpetually in awe of Jesus. He IS in control. Whether we see if or understand it, Jesus does have it all in control and we just have to follow along his path. This might be a great opportunity for a game of Simon Says (Jesus Says!) to really help this message his home.

Saint of the Week: Saint Anthony
Saint Anthony is the patron saint of lost things. If your kids don't know a lot of saints, Saint Anthony is a great starting point! I don't know about your kiddos, but mine lose things every day. Mady quickly remembers to pray to Saint Anthony, so this is a daily connection that she is making to our Communion of Saints.

I might start linking up to What I Wore Sunday over at Fine Linen and Purple...we'll see if it becomes a weekly thing. So far, it's just awkward to pose in my churchy outfit...as you can tell by my strange pose. Weirdness makes everything seem more comfortable!

Pretty much my whole outfit is thrifted...so I have no great info for you on where to shop...besides thrift stores! I think the necklace is from Shopko...?

These are the boys summer church uniforms-anything covered with a button up shirt. Classy, I know. Mady, as always, looks delightful. We even had time to straighten her hair this morning--it's kind of nice having time for such things this summer. She wore the easy ponytails the whole school year. Practical but boring for such a little cutie!  Have a great Sunday!