 We’re Teaching This: What is it about this time of year that causes us to feel a little more generous? We naturally think about helping families in need by providing Christmas presents or a meal, we visit soup kitchens, donate clothes, or drop food off at the local food pantry. Studies show we give more money and clothing to charity in December than any other time. But why? In the Gospel of John, we find a part of the Christmas story that doesn’t always make it into the nativity scene. Long before Mary and Joseph made it to Bethlehem. Long before there were choirs of angels visiting shepherd or wise men making their way from the East, Christmas began with a single decision made on our behalf. A decision God made to give. That simple but monumental decision has shaped this season ever since. And when we begin to understand all God has given to us, we can’t help but bring that tradition that began with His generosity into our present. Think About This: By Sarah Anderson Have you ever noticed that when it comes to our children—no matter what their age—the things we expect our children to enjoy and thank us for the most are usually the very things that go unnoticed or unappreciated? I’ve started noticing it in my own preschool aged kids that when I pull out my best parenting tricks, my best memory-making ideas, it is sometimes met with them being bored, not impressed, and lacking gratitude. The problem I face as a parent, and the problem all of us face to one degree or another, is what pastor Andy Stanley refers to as the tendency to raise experientially rich kids, but instead of raising relationally rich ones. In other words, in our effort to want to give our kids everything we create the chance for them to have some pretty amazing experiences but often neglect actually connecting with them. This becomes all the more complicated as our children become teenagers and appear to want neither experiences nor relationships with us. It’s hard not to take personally. But I’ve found that what students express as “wants” or “don’t wants” often doesn’t reflect their true desires. While they appear indifferent, that isn’t always the case. Our students, regardless of their age, temperament or wiring, are needing purposeful and committed relationships—with us. Strong relationships with their parents now will lay the groundwork for strong relationships in the future. They need to know—though they aren’t often willing to ask us directly—that we like them and we want to hang out with them. Maybe they aren’t looking for some big expensive vacation or experience. Maybe they don’t need anything that dramatic—just the chance for us to be with them and a chance to make a connection. Try This
Maybe your student moving out of the house feels like it is a long way off. It could be several years away, or it could be in a matter of months. Try thinking about their time with you in terms of the number of holidays you have while they still live in your house. Your teenager maybe four years from moving out, but that means you only have four Christmases left. “When you know how much time you have left, you tend to do more with the time you have now.” Reggie Joiner Take some time this holiday season to sit down with your student and together come up with a tradition you can repeat for the Christmas seasons you have left. It doesn’t have to be anything big, expensive or super time-consuming. But it does have to be something your teenager wants to do—and something that gives you the chance to have shared experience together and further your relationship as well.
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Session four picks up in the midst of the 75th Hunger Games. We continue to see the other contestants go out of their ways to protect Katniss, even to the point of laying down their own lives. We continue the movie and set the stage for the upcoming movie release, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (Part 1).  Share a high and a low from this past week.
 Talk about a time when you felt "an army encamped against you." How were you helped through this time in life? Were others involved in helping you through? How was God active in this time?  Jesus, when all is darkness and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of Your presence, Your love, and Your strength. Help us to have perfect trust in Your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to You, we shall see Your hand, Your purpose, Your will through all things. AMEN.  (Name), remember you are a child of God. (Mark each others foreheads with the sign of the cross from your baptism.)
In session three, Katniss and the other victors are in the games. Katniss is forced to make allies with some of the other contestants, she is forced to trust them because she has limited other options. Throughout this section of the movie we see her allies make sacrifices for both herself and Peeta. Both Katniss and Peeta are confused by these actions and they start to trust the others around them more and more...  Share a high or low from this week. Share a time when it was hard for you to trust someone. What made it hard to trust them? What made it easier?
 When has it been hard for you to trust in Jesus? When has it been easy for you to trust in Jesus? What can you do to be more trusting in your faith in Christ?  Jesus, when all is darkness and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of Your presence, Your love, and Your strength. Help us to have perfect trust in Your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to You, we shall see Your hand, Your purpose, Your will through all things. AMEN.  (Name), remember you are a child of God. (Mark each others foreheads with the sign of the cross from your baptism.)
This week we continued our The Hunger Games: Catching Fire study. Throughout the movie, the theme of hope is used in various places. We will focus on this theme in the coming weeks using the same Bible verse each week and asking different questions to unpack the ideas. Use the below blog post as a way to continue the conversation at home. Use all of the sections, or just a couple, it's up to you, to decide how your family uses this resource.  Share a high or low from the past week. Everything from having a good test grade, or achieving a goal as highs to missing a class, or missing a meeting as lows. Use this time to get caught up with what is going on in each others lives, sharing as much or as little as you choose.  Psalm 27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh-- my adversaries and foes-- they shall stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.  When you hear the "Lord is my light and salvation", what does this bring to your mind? Or when you hear "Lord is the stronghold of my life"? How do you struggle to understand this or remember this each day? Do you believe it?  Jesus, when all is darkness and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of Your presence, Your love, and Your strength. Help us to have perfect trust in Your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to You, we shall see Your hand, Your purpose, Your will through all things. AMEN.  (Name), remember you are a child of God. (Mark each others foreheads with the sign of the cross from your baptism.)
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What is this?Each week we will post one or more blogs related to our ministries for High School youth and families. Check back often and leave a comment! Archives
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First Lutheran Church
1000 3rd Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA | 319.365.1494 | info@firstlutherancr.org | A congregation of the ELCA
Office Hours: Mon. -Thurs. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ; Fri. 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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