It is estimated that parents have 3000 hours of intentional time with their kids each year. The Kids Team knows that those hours are vital in the social, emotional, physical and spiritual development of your kids. In 2019, we want to encourage and challenge you to find rhythms in your home that are engaging, creative, fun and allow for natural conversations about faith and Jesus. Every month a staff member from the Kids Ministry Team will share an idea from their family rhythm that will guide you in making those 3000 hours a year a little more intentional. Join us each month by sharing how you incorporated the month’s challenge in your home. Post your family experiences to social media using #mhcfamilychallenge for chances to win prizes and encourage other families to join the challenge!

GIFTS FOR YOUR ‘VILLAGE’

I want to make December a magical month for my family, but also instill new traditions that will remind others of God’s love this season. I want my boys to lift their eyes out of the toy catalogs long enough to notice others in our village that we couldn’t do life without. I want our family to actively seek the ones in our community that serve us each week of the year and bless them this Christmas!

Each week we have a village supporting us as we do life here in Colorado, but we often overlook them. We have a neighborhood Garbage truck and crew who happily serve our home weekly, we have a mailman that delivers my one too many amazon purchases to my doorstep each week, a teacher that loves on my wild preschooler, a Serve Team Member at church who loves on my baby so I can worship in peace and the dry cleaner that can press my husband’s work shirts better than I ever could! These people and so many more serve us and make our lives run smoother.

This Christmas season, I plan on starting a new tradition with my young family. Will you join us? Will your family make Christmas cookies, Christmas ornaments, or even hand out small Starbucks gift cards to the ones in your “village” that support you all year. I plan on the kitchen being a complete mess with flour and sprinkles, but I hope the kids will see the smile on others’ faces as we pass out Christmas cookies all throughout Highlands Ranch to our own village. I have that date marked on my calendar already and am praying that this small tradition will let others know they are seen and loved!

Take a picture during your “gratitudechallenge” and tag @mhckids on Instagram or Facebook. We would love to share them.
Facebook @MHCKids or Instagram @MHCKids.

LAURA ARMINGTON 
KIDS MINISTRY WWEEKDAY COORDINATOR