Fall Retreat Favorites

Retreats are never really retreats when you have kids. We usually sleep less than usual and our schedules get out-of-whack. Nonetheless, we enjoyed a sweet togetherness this weekend that was most definitely restorative.

Here are some of my favorites:

*Watching children engage in worship (few handraisers out there)

*Michele Mollkoy's teaching, but especially her friendship, presence, and good wit

*Competitive zeal between Zoe Womack and Sam Mollkoy as Amos' caregivers

*Parachute games with the children

*Worship in Music, especially "Mighty to Save"

*Worship in Creation: feeding squirrels, sitting on rocks, the hum of silence

*Jenna's Fargo Hat

*Pine Valley's chocolate chip cookies (dude!)

*Multigenerational Conversations

*Illuminated star-filled sky

*Children tree-climbing and engulfed in the wonder of nature and play

*Meeting gazes and words with parents in similar life seasons

*The Jappe dance

*Breathing Space

*Prayer and Reflection

*Driving home to Eli chanting every word to his memory verse!

Family Devotionals

Tom Muehleman shares this devotion from Family Life Ministries:

We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD.

Psalm 78:4

Whenever the subject of family worship comes up, you may feel guilt at your failure in this area. I understand that. Few things seem harder to pull off or easier to be put off. But when you consider the impact this one commitment could make on your own children for a lifetime, what could be more important?

It doesn’t have to be tightly preplanned. Take five or ten minutes before school to read a devotional with your children. Schedule one night a week when you’ll all be home to read a story and Scripture, sing (or make a joyful noise) and have some outrageous fun. Watch for those opportunities to practice “sandbox theology,” turning your children’s everyday events into spiritual training moments.

Don’t miss this: Dad and Mom, your ultimate assignment as parents is to introduce your children to God; His Son, Jesus Christ; and His Word. It may be hard to start and a challenge to continue, but it will make a huge difference in how they finish.

Discuss

Talk about what each of you can do to be helpful and encouraging to each other in getting family worship started or in keeping it going.

Pray

Pray for priorities to firm up in your life, for incidentals to be seen for the waste of time they are and for God’s Word to recapture each of your hearts.