Welcome!

Welcome to Trinity's Faith, Family & Fun blog. We're so glad you found us!

We created this blog as a way to inspire, motivate and equip you, as parents, in reaching your kids for Christ. Each week, we will feature new posts emphasizing Faith (Monday), Family (Wednesday) and Fun (Friday). Our goal is to help families Build Faith @ Home.

The blog will go "live" Saturday, October 17.

But in the meantime, since you're here, please feel free to check out a few of our posts below and explore some of our links!

Tell Them Now

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you. Luke 11:9

My son had lost his Nintendo DS. One minute he had it, and the next? It was gone.

Now, Matthew is known around our house for misplacing things, so I wasn't surprised when he told me he couldn't find the DS. I figured it would just show up – like all the other lost items tend to do. But this time, the lost item stayed lost for weeks. In fact, Matthew seemed to nearly forget about it. Until his friend called and invited him over to play.

Matthew was excited about the invitation and quickly donned his shoes and coat, and began looking for his DS. Matthew and this particular friend always play their DSs together.
Always.
Suddenly his eyes filled with tears because he remembered his DS was lost. And he began a frantic search. Yes, Matthew began searching and I began praying.

LORD, I know You know where Matthew's game is. Would You please, please show him today? Even now?

I was confident God knew the location of the absent DS and I planned to tell Matthew after we found it that I had prayed for God to show us. And then it was as if God said to me, No, Karen. Don't wait. Tell him now.

But, God, I argued, what if we don't find it now?

Tell him!

So I did. I said, "Matthew, I'm asking God right now to show us where your DS is."

Moments later – we found it! Stuck inside the couch through a hole I didn't know existed.

This time, it was Matthew who prayed, "Thank You, God, for finding my DS!"

And this time, his tears were happy tears.

As I reflected on this event with Matthew, hoping it would be something he always remembers, praying it would be a moment which grows his faith, I realized there was a lesson in it for me, too.

While it's good for me to point out God's faithfulness and remind my children of the ways He has answered our prayers, I think it's better for me to tell them I'm praying while we're still in the middle of the storm. I think it helps them learn to watch for God. I think it models faith in the midst of what we cannot see. And when God, in His perfect timing, resolves our situation – I think it brings Him more glory.

Are you in the middle of a difficult circumstance today? How about telling your kids – right now – that you're asking God to show you the way!

~ Karen

Acts of Kindness

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

Last winter I took off a few days during the Christmas season to spend with my kids. Earlier that year, I had stumbled on a great site with ideas of acts of kindness that can be done as individuals or in groups: Acts of Kindness

My kids and I chose a few items from the list to put into action. What a great couple of days! We baked brownies and cookies with notes inviting our neighbors to Trinity. One neighbor sent a thank you note in return, which was great to share with the kids.

We also picked up big box of donuts and took them to our local fire department. They were very appreciative and gave the kids a tour – of course, the kids loved the fire trucks. It was a big highlight for them!

Later in the winter I was able to find an organization that accepted care packages for soldiers who were not receiving anything from home. We shopped for the necessities and they colored pictures thanking them for their service.

This fun website offers a number of daily acts of kindness that are sure to provide your child with what faith in action can look like. Here are a few of my favorites:

10 Students can clean classrooms for the custodian.

25 Be a good neighbor. Take over a baked treat or stop by to say “Hello.”

28 Say something nice to everyone you meet today.

38 Volunteer to read to students in the classroom.

52 Give another driver your parking spot.

53 Leave a treat or handmade note of thanks for a delivery person or mail carrier.

66 Pay for the meal of the person behind you in the drive-through.

77 For one week, act on every single thought of generosity that arises spontaneously in your heart, and notice what happens as a consequence.

82 Let the person behind you in the grocery store go ahead of you in line.

So here's your challenge: check out the Acts of Kindness site by clicking here and share with us the acts of kindness that resonate most with you and your family. Then, "GO!" and spread a little kindness and compassion.

~ Kelly