Review: Spiritual Circle Journal for Kids and Teens

When I first saw the Spiritual Circle Journal for Kids & Teens it reminded me of me.  See, when I sit in church, I have a lot of thoughts during the sermon, and while we do go to an Assemblies of God church and I could, feasibly, just stand up and start talking in the middle of the pastor's message, it's not one of my goals to cause a major disruption with my comments/questions.  So what do I do to keep quiet? I make my sermon notes pretty.  Sometimes I draw shapes. 

Actual sermon notes from July 2015.  True story. PS- if you're ever in class with me, you want to get my notes, not someone else's. They're fantastic notes and they're usually color-coded.  Taking notes and using shapes helps me keep quiet, but it also helps me to organize my thoughts, and it helps me to remember important things. The Spiritual Circle Journal helps you do the same thing- organize your thoughts and questions using shapes and colors to help guide your reflection process.  My middle son used this journal and he really enjoyed it.  However, he asked me not to share any of his pages because his thoughts in journals are private, and I can appreciate that sentiment, so you won't see any here, but I will explain how the journal works.  Each of the shaped sections is for a different use.  They are: 1. Journal 2. Lyric/Verse 3. Message 4. Confession 5. God Moving 6. Light bulb moment 7. Prayer 8. Adoration 9. Action The idea is that by using this journal to respond to daily devotional Bible reading in a set way so that over time, your children learn how to use that time for their benefit and not just as a check box on their list of things to do. By guiding them to think about how their daily reading relates to other things (for example, what is a song this reminds me of?) it helps them to make connections from their reading to the rest of their lives.  One neat thing that I noticed about using this journal was that thinking critically and really engaging in his devotion reading was that he extended it to his schoolwork reading, too.  His brain really started to analyze connections between his language arts reading and outside sources, things he knew from history/science, and even pop culture references.  That was certainly an unexpected bonus! I liked the organizational structure of this journal, and so did Logan, although his chief complaint was that it didn't "feel" journal-y.  To understand that, you need to know that Logan really likes serious journals (he got that from me)- leather-bound, embossed, special feeling journals- so the spiral bound book didn't give him that.  However, I don't think that's really a necessary thing as far as content goes!  If you're looking to help give your child a more meaningful devotional time, we definitely recommend you check this out! See more reviews at: 

NatGeo Educator Night 2016

Register using this LINK

Dear Educator,

Join us at National Geographic headquarters on September 19th for a free evening dedicated to DC area educators! Learn how Nat Geo’s resources can help prepare your students to be explorers while meeting our staff and mingling with fellow local instructors.

Bring your educator ID to gain free access to National Geographic Museum's The Greeks exhibit, a mock Nat Geo Bee, Explorer magazine, and our Giant Traveling Maps. There will also be light refreshments, giveaways, and raffle prizes!

We hope to see you there!

To ensure your spot, please RSVP by September 10th, 2016

Play Nintendo Tour at Tysons Corner This Weekend!

THE PLAY NINTENDO TOUR BRINGS FAMILY FUN AND MAGICAL ADVENTURES TO

TYSONS CORNER CENTER

 

Come Be a Kid for a Day with Nintendo 3DS Games,

Exciting Activities and Prizes

 

 

WHAT:           Nintendo’s classic characters and games are coming to life as part of the one-of-a-kind Play Nintendo Tour. You’re invited to be a part of the tour when it visits Tysons Corner Center in Tysons Corner, Virginia, from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28. Enjoy a unique experience bursting with color and imagination that offers parents and their kids the chance to play some of Nintendo’s best games on New Nintendo 3DS XL and Nintendo 2DS systems, participate in exciting contests, win awesome prizes and snap memorable photos.

 

                     Inspired by Play Nintendo, Nintendo’s site for kids and families, the tour invites visitors to hop into a Yoshi egg to play Yoshi’s New Island, recline on a giant banana while checking out Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and relax in pink beanbag chairs to play one of Nintendo’s newest games, Kirby: Planet Robobot. People who are into cool family photos or amazing selfies can take some pictures next to a huge Kirby figure, beside an oversized Yoshi egg, inside a barrel flanked by Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, under a devastating blue Spiny Shell in the Mario Kart 7 area or next to a giant Pokéball in the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire region. The New Super Mario Bros. 2 section even features a photogenic flagpole, stacks of coins and a warp pipe, while the YO-KAI WATCH area makes people look like they have stepped into the town in the game, complete with mischievous Yo-kai lurking about.

 

                     There’s a surprise around every corner, so you really don’t want to miss it.

 

                     For more information about the Play Nintendo Tour, visit https://play.nintendo.com/tour. To enjoy Nintendo’s site for kids and families, visit https://play.nintendo.com/.

 

WHO:            Nintendo fans, kids, families, Mario, Kirby, Donkey Kong and all the Nintendo gang

WHEN:          Aug. 26-27: 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

                     Aug. 28: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

                         WHERE:        Tysons Corner Center

                                                  1961 Chain Bridge Road

                                                  Tysons Corner, VA 22102

Guest Post: A Child In Search Of...

Lydia Schnack is my momma.  She's going to be blogging here more as we start to offer more events for grown ups.  Recently, she and my middle guy, Logan, have been church shopping, and she shares their experiences here.  My background, for those of you who don't know, is in children's ministry with a degree in comparative religious studies.  It's important to me that my kids have faith, but it's not important to me that they experience it in the same way that I do.  My eldest and I love my very contemporary church (Chapel Springs) but my middle guy hated it, and having studied the value of quiet, contemplation, and order for children, I had zero problem looking for a way for him to have that.  It's one of the weird things I do (according to some people).  I try to value the uniqueness of each of my kids, even from a young age.  It's why my eldest can be psychotically into Boy Scouts and my middle one doesn't have to even try it. I want to honor who they are as people.  Anyway, this is a very long introduction to my mom's experiences church shopping with Logan. 

One of the things I have most regretted from my child rearing days was that in trying to tend to my husband’s religious needs, I didn’t realize that my easy going, don’t like change, son was unhappy because we were hopping from place to place.   Hopefully sometime in his future he will find it in himself to return to church.  

Anyway, because of my son's experience, when my daughter contacted me to ask if I would take Logan “church shopping” because he was unhappy at their very contemporary church I knew I had to jump on this opportunity.  

For approximately the last four months Logan and I have visited numerous churches in the western Prince William area.  It has been an interesting ride and I am still amazed at the things that are important to this 10 year old little boy.  Our first Sunday, we attended Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Haymarket and afterwards we went out to chat over breakfast.  Once our food was ordered we began with the positives and I was surprised and amazed to see the level of thought and consideration that Logan put into his responses. 

 “I like that it looks like a church.  I like the stained glass window over the altar, it is beautiful and welcoming.  I also like the ones of all the apostles in the side windows too.  I also liked the wooden arches on the ceiling, they really made it look like a church.  Oh, and I love those hand bells, they sound so beautiful.  I also like the outside, especially the steeple and warm feeling I got when I walked in.  All of the people were so friendly and I really liked the pastor and the way he spoke.  I like all the traditions, order and quiet.”

Hmm, I thought, did you really listen to the sermon?  “Tell me about the sermon Logan, what did you get from it?”

“I could not believe this sermon, it was like he was talking directly to me.  Don’t you think it was weird that his sermon was about “Doubting Thomas”?

Dislikes came last and the only thing Logan did not like about this church was their Sunday school program and that was simply because it was not very structured and their set up made for a very noisy environment which does not sit well with him.

Wow, what an amazing start to our search! 

Well, after visiting six different churches twice each, and starting an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the likes and dislikes Logan narrowed the search to one Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran, St. Thomas United Methodist and Trinity Episcopal Church all with very similar plusses.  They all looked and felt like churches to Logan, had sermons that spoke to his needs, and were populated by friendly people (surprisingly, not all churches have friendly people – we even heard a sermon about a pastor that attended an all-day church function and was not spoken to once!) 

We have been frequenting these three churches on and off for a while now and I was beginning to believe that perhaps Logan was putting off making a decision so that he would not lose breakfast out with Grandma every Sunday, but low and behold, he finally decided that St. Thomas United Methodist was the church he wanted to call home.  He has definitely put a lot of thought into his decision and is apparently going to do his part to make himself feel comfy.  

They had volunteer signups and he definitely took me by surprise when he signed up to be an acolyte.  He was a little funny after the fact when he saw the acolytes during church.  Whispering in my ear “Grandma, am I going to have to wear a dress if I acolyte?  It’s not a dress, Logan, it is a robe.  Oh, so a “man dress”?  We both giggled.  

Our next steps will include acolyte training, becoming members, signing up for Sunday school classes and attending a Pokémon Go event in Old Town Manassas that includes lunch (two of Logan’s favorites)!  

It's been a fun experience church shopping with this serious little guy!

It's Kristina, again! If you're taking your kids (or family) church shopping, here are a few things to consider, from the perspective of someone who used to run a children's ministry! 

1. How did you feel in your class/large group/small group? 

2. Was it easy to talk to the grown ups? Did they introduce themselves or have name tags? 

3. Did anything make you feel uncomfortable or scared? 

4. What was your favorite thing you did today? Least Favorite? 

5. Would you like to come here again? 

And things you should ask whomever is in charge:

1. How do you screen your volunteers? Do you do background checks? 

2. What type of curriculum are you using? (Google it, guys!) 

3. What type of volunteer holes do you have? (Because if nobody is volunteering, the programs aren't going to go well!) 

4. What type of special groups or opportunities do you have? (Midweek programs, acolyte, baptism prep, communion classes, CCD, confirmation, youth groups, fun events, etc) 

Guest Post: PokeQuan GoBoat Adventure

Sarah Meisenhelter is a special education teacher, pastor's wife, mom, and all around awesome gal (not necessarily in that order)! Thanks for writing this for us, Sarah! 

If you have kids who love Pokémon GO! consider setting sail for a one-hour leisurely cruise on the PokeQuan GoBoat Adventure!   My 8 year-old son, Max, a few friends (ages 8-11), their moms and I went on the 9 p.m. Sunday night sailing.  We had such a fun time! 

Why would you go Pokémon hunting on the water….at night?  According to Max, being on the water at night at a slow, consistent speed increases the likelihood of catching Pokémon.  He also claims that there is a higher chance of finding rare Pokémon at night.  He found this to be true. He caught 3 Dratinis. His friends caught Dragonite and Aerodactyl.

This was a great mother-son activity and the moms had fun together as well.  After getting our kids settled at the table, we went on the small outdoor area at the front of the boat to enjoy a relaxing hour on the river. 

This is a new endeavor and dates and times for sailings are released often, so liking the Facebook page for this is the best way to keep up with the schedule.  Tickets can be purchased via an Eventbrite.com link posted on the Facebook page.   Pick up is at the dock behind Madigan’s Waterfront Restaurant in Occoquan.  As an added bonus, Occoquan is an historical area, so there is a lot of good Pokemon hunting by just walking through town.

We will definitely be going again!

Here are some tips from the creators of this experience:

TO BE THE BEST TRAINER YOU MUST BE PREPARED!

 *Bring as many Poké Balls as you can!

 *HAVE TWO INCENSE!

 *Our GoBoat travels at 10mph so incense will be your best bait while we travel. The Incense algorithms increase generated Pokémon based off the distance you travel at a consistent pace. Simply put, cast that incense on the water and you can sit back and cash in on Pokémon.

 *INCUBATE YOUR EGGS

 *Since we cruise at roughly 5 to 6mph, your eggs will all incubate quickly during the expedition. Hatch em all while ya catch em all!

 TICKET PRICES

 $15 Per Traveler

 Travelers 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

PERKS OF PASSAGE

 Free charging stations for phones/tablets

 Fun music!

 Full cash/credit Bar with adult and children beverages

 A beautiful hour on the water with real nature!

 Prizes for the "Catch of The Day" on each cruise

SIGNATURE DRINKS! $6

 *PeachAchu*

 *Charmandarin*

 *Squirtle*

 Catch them all! :) TIPS:
TO BE THE BEST TRAINER
YOU MUST BE PREPARED!

*Bring as many Poké Balls as you can!
*HAVE TWO INCENSE!
*Our GoBoat travels at 10mph so incense will be your best bait while we travel. The Incense algorithms increase generated Pokemon based off the distance you travel at a consistent pace. Simply put, cast that incense on the water and you can sit back and cash in on Pokemon.
*INCUBATE YOUR EGGS
*Since we cruise at roughly 5 to 6mph, your eggs will all incubate quickly during the expedition. Hatch em all while ya catch em all!

TICKET PRICES
$15 Per Traveler
Travelers 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

PERKS OF PASSAGE
Free charging stations for phones/tablets
Fun music!
Full cash/credit Bar with adult and children beverages
A beautiful hour on the water with real nature!
Prizes for the "Catch of The Day" on each cruise

SIGNATURE DRINKS! $6
*PeachAchu*
*Charmandarin*
*Squirtle*
Catch them all! :) TIPS:
TO BE THE BEST TRAINER
YOU MUST BE PREPARED!

*Bring as many Poké Balls as you can!
*HAVE TWO INCENSE!
*Our GoBoat travels at 10mph so incense will be your best bait while we travel. The Incense algorithms increase generated Pokemon based off the distance you travel at a consistent pace. Simply put, cast that incense on the water and you can sit back and cash in on Pokemon.
*INCUBATE YOUR EGGS
*Since we cruise at roughly 5 to 6mph, your eggs will all incubate quickly during the expedition. Hatch em all while ya catch em all!

TICKET PRICES
$15 Per Traveler
Travelers 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

PERKS OF PASSAGE
Free charging stations for phones/tablets
Fun music!
Full cash/credit Bar with adult and children beverages
A beautiful hour on the water with real nature!
Prizes for the "Catch of The Day" on each cruise

SIGNATURE DRINKS! $6
*PeachAchu*
*Charmandarin*
*Squirtle*
Catch them all! :)

Bonus Fun from Daytime Playtime

Nutrition Sunday: Rock Those Abs

Nutrition  Sundays are provided by MaxMuscle Manassas. 

National Night Out 2016

Looking for something to do tonight for National Night Out?  Check out these community celebrations if your neighborhood isn't participating, and be sure to check out the NNO link above to register your neighborhood or HOA for next year!

The City of Manassas (link) will host a family-friendly event with demonstrations and displays from first responders, free museum admission, food, games, and fun. The event begins at 6pm at the Manassas Museum Lawn (9101 Prince William Street, Manassas VA)

The City of Manassas Park (link) will also host an event featuring McGruff the Crime Dog from 5pm-9pm at Signal Hill Park (9300 Signal Hill Drive, Manassas Park).


First United Presbyterian Church of Dale City will host a free family-friendly event from 5-8:30pm in the church parking lot (14391 Minnieville Road Woodbridge).

The Town of Haymarket will host a block party from 5-9pm at 15000 Haymarket Street with food, music, inflatables, and more.