December 2015
We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God.
—Psalms 48:8
World Aids Day
Holiday Health
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Advent Prayer for Hope
By Judi Buncher | Published: December 7, 2010
Lord Jesus Christ,
who is, who was, and who is to come,
we pray for the virtue of hope,
that amidst the trials and difficulties
of this world,
we may keep our hearts fixed
upon you, who reigns over the cosmos.
May your grace enliven us,
strengthen us,
and defend us,
as we await your coming in glory. Amen
By: David Bennett
Posted in Special Times of the Year |
Isaiah 9:6-7
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever."
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As We Celebrate Your Birth
Prayer:
Gracious God, fill my heart with the delight and abandon that is so palpable in children at Christmas time. Give me the desire to stare wide-eyed and curious at the miracle of life, the power of love, and the profound awe of mystery. Remind me to be child-like in my joy as I look expectantly for the blessings that saturate my life. I ask this for the sake of your love. Amen Author unknown
Chanukah
J Festival of the Lights
Eight-day Jewish Holiday Commemorating the Rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 BC
Chanukah
The Jewish holiday of Chanukah celebrates the victory of an army of poorly equipped Jewish freedom fighters — the Maccabees — over the mighty Greek army in 165 B.C.E. and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem for Jewish worship.
Reflections for the Chanukah Season
The winter solstice offers us a challenge of faith. Will we believe in our senses and accept that the world is a place of darkness, cold and death? Or will we nurture the flame in our hearts that reminds us that a time of light, warmth and rebirth is soon to come? Will we commit ourselves to the present and let the darkness invade our souls, or will we commit ourselves to hope, to a vision of a better future and positive action?
When we light the candles of the menorah, each candle is a ray of hope that we light in the midst of darkness. In the early days of our religion, our rabbis debated whether we should light eight candles on the first night and light one fewer each day, or light one candle on the first day and add one candle every day. Ultimately, the choice was to light one more candle each day, demonstrating our faith that a time of greater light is coming.
For most human beings, the act of living each day is filled with many incidents in which we are called upon to make choices between that which is tangible and that which requires a leap of faith. Making such decisions is very difficult, and often there is no simple answer. However, most people find it somewhat easier to choose that which they can experience with their senses.
The lights of Hanukkah challenge us to consider occasionally making choices based on faith rather than on the input of our senses.
Prayer after the lighting of the Candles
In order to recall the miracles and wonders that You performed for our ancestors through the agency of holy priests, we kindle these lights. These flames are sacred to us during the eight days of Chanukah; we will not make any profane use of them. Instead, we will simply look at them so that we may recall that You are our God who makes miracles, does wonders and delivers our people.
A Look Back in History
The
President Franklin Roosevelt called December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy." On that day, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory. The bombing killed more than 2,300 Americans. It completely destroyed the American battleship U.S.S. Arizona and capsized the U.S.S. Oklahoma. The attack sank or beached a total of twelve ships and damaged nine others. 160 aircraft were destroyed and 150 others damaged. The attack took the country by surprise, especially the ill-prepared Pearl Harbor base. LOC
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For now I am in a holiday humour.
–As You Like It, William Shakespeare, English playwright
A Look Back in ScientificHistory
First Nobel Prizes Awarded (1901)
The Nobel Prizes, named after Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, are awarded annually to those who have made outstanding contributions to the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace, and—since 1969—economic sciences. Nobel is said to have been inspired to create the prizes after reading his own prematurely published obituary, which condemned his invention of dynamite and referred to him as "the merchant of death." What family has amassed the most Nobel Prizes?More...First Nobel Prizes Awarded (1901) - This Day in History - English - The Free Dictionary Language Forums
A Picture from History
Nutrition tip of the Month
We know cranberry sauce as a staple at the holidays, but cranberries are a superfood that you should enjoy all year round.
Cranberries have vitamin C and fiber, and are only 45 calories per cup. In disease-fighting antioxidants, cranberries outrank nearly every fruit and vegetable--including strawberries, spinach, broccoli, red grapes, apples, raspberries, and cherries.
One cup of whole cranberries has 8,983 total antioxidant capacity. Only blueberries can top that: Wild varieties have 13,427; cultivated blueberries have 9,019 Web MD
Christmas Fact
- Christmas is a time for many scenes scene in front of the eyes and experienced again in the memory. ManyChristmas scenes hold a vision of the Nativity scene. The use of Nativity scenes originated in the year 1223on a hilltop in central Italy. St. Francis of Assisi set up a crib complete with ox, donkey, and an infantin a manger. The Nativity scenes are now displayed in many churches and communities across Americaand around the world. It is a tender, wonderful emphasis on the humanity of Christ. It helps to knowthat Jesus was like us and that we can achieve what He accomplished.Christopher Ian Chenoweth
Health Tip of The Month
Winter Skin Hazards
Use this pictorial guide to see top cold-weather threats to your skin and what you can do about them
Kid’s Health and Wellness
"The gimmes" are all around us during the holiday season. It can be hard for kids — and parents — to look beyond all of the product-driven hoopla and remember what the holidays are really about.
It's not the gifts but what's behind them that's important — the spirit of giving. Help your kids learn the fun of giving, and how rewarding it can be to look for, make, and wrap something special — or do something special — for people they care about and others who are in need.
Here are five ways to curb materialism in your kids and reinforce the real reason for the season:
1. Teach Kids to Question Marketing Messages
From the TV commercials during cartoons to the promos on the backs of cereal boxes, marketing messages target kids of all ages. And to them, everything looks ideal, like something they simply have to have. It all sounds so appealing — often, so much better than it really is.
The ads kids see around the holidays can help foster unrealistic expectations and lead to disappointment. After imagining their "wish list" items all around them, it's hard for reality to measure up when they actually open their gifts.
Of course, it's nearly impossible to eliminate all exposure to marketing messages. You can certainly turn off the TV or at least limit your kids' watching time, but they'll still see and hear ads for the latest gizmos and must-haves.
Explain, when your kids ask for products they see advertised, that commercials and other ads are designed to make people want things they don't necessarily need. And these ads are often meant to make us think that these products will make us happier somehow. Talking to kids about what things are like in reality can help put things into perspective.
- Ask what they think about the products they see advertised as you're watching TV, listening to the radio, reading magazines, or shopping together. Ask thought-provoking questions, such as "Do you think that product really looks, tastes, or works the same way as it seems to in the ad?"
- To limit exposure to TV commercials, experts recommend having kids watch public television stations, recorded programs (without the ads), and children's videos and DVDs.
Teach your kids that not everything they want can always be theirs and that a little "want" here and there isn't all bad. The key is to want things in moderation and to fully appreciate what you're given. Emphasize that the holidays are a special time, when a lot of love and thought is put into gift giving.
- Choosing Safe Toys
- How Can I Get My Kids to Donate Old Toys?
- Making the Holidays Safe
- Community Service: A Family's Guide to Getting Involved
Kidshealth.org
In and Out of the ClassroomNote: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.
Levels:E: Elementary; M: Middle;H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers
Subject Areas:LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing;M: Math;S: Science; Health;SS: Social Studies, Current Events;FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama;FL: Foreign Language;PE: Physical Ed;C: Career;A: All
HSTRY– “A HSTRY bundle is acollection of eleven timelines and lesson planswhich follow the Common Core State Standards. Geared towards Elementary and Middle School, our content is the perfect way to engage your students in their studies.” (L:M; SA:SS)
Socrative- “is a smart student response system thatempowers teachers to engage their classrooms througha series of educational exercises and games via smartphones, laptops, and tablets.” (L:G; SA:A)
Remind–“Remind is a communication tool that helps teachers connect instantly with students and parents. Send quick, simple messages to any device.”(L:G; SA:A)
Kinsey’s Wasps– “a video series for curious minds fromthe American Museum of Natural History, is all about the Kinsey wasp collection (yes that Kinsey), which at 7.5 millionspecimensisthe singlelargest chunk oftheMuseum’s 33 millionspecimens…get even more indepth contentabout Kinsey before he studied human sexuality,andthe huge collection of gall wasps he acquired.”(L:G; SA:S)
Mobile Location Privacy in a Nutshell– “You’re out with your friends, snapping pictures and uploading them to Twitter and Facebook on the go. That’s cool and all, but is there a problem with this picture?This Nutshell explains the potential dangers of revealing location information via your phone’s camera, and how you can protect yourself from giving out too much information when you snap and upload a pic.”(L:G; SA:A)
Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog ( ) by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
LIFE IS A GIFT, UNWRAP IT
Bono, social activist and frontman for U2, once spoke of the amazing idea that God would seek to explain God's self by taking on the form of a child born in poverty. He said, "I just thought: 'Wow!' Just the poetry. Unknowable love, unknowable power, describes itself as the most vulnerable."
As a father of a 5-year-old daughter and a newborn son, I've become more aware of the vulnerability of a child. The piercing screams, the scrunching nose, the wiggling fingers and toes, and the gazing eyes. It amazes me that this is how God showed up to dwell among us. Not a man-sized warrior or a wise old king, but a baby born in a cow trough in the poorest area of town.
A love most dear and vulnerable has arrived.
Eternity has whispered your name
And so you have waited,
Waited with great anticipation
While preparing yourself for the coming of God's great gift.
Now the gift is here.
Waiting is over.
The anticipated arrival has come to pass
And your preparation is accomplished.
Go now in the blessed peace of Immanuel. God is with us!
Andy Acton
Thought of the Month
Top Ten Gifts for Children
Top Ten Gifts for Children
The greatest gift we can give our children is to recognize their unique light they can bring to the world.
View on
"The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves."
- Amelia Earhart
Project of the Month
Remember Low Income Families
Your church may have an outreach to the poorand there are many other ways to share Christmas, such as Salvation Army, Angel Tree and food pantries.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25
Homeless Memorial Day
Homeless Memorial Day
Dec 21st
National Homeless Person's Memorial Day
This day serves to raise awareness of those who don't have a place to call home, and to remember those who have died as a result of being homeless.
Since 1990, our country has observed National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day during the winter solstice on December 21, the longest night of the year. This memorial day serves to raise awareness of the tragic impact of homelessness on individuals, families, and communities, and to remember those who have died as a result of being homeless.
According to the 2014 Point-in-Time (PIT) survey[721 KB] from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, more than 578,000 people were homeless in the United States on a given night. Almost 70 percent were living in emergency shelters or in transitional housing programs, while 31 percent were living unsheltered. Nearly one-fourth (23 percent) were children younger than 18 years of age. One out of 12 people experiencing homelessness were veterans.
The good news is that homelessness has declined by 2 percent since 2013 and 11 percent since 2007. This decline is largely the result of the collective and concerted work of volunteers, advocates, organizations, and government agencies. These efforts need ongoing support.
Homelessness can have a severe impact on people’s health and lives.
Still, homelessness continues to have a severe impact on people's lives. Compared to the general population, people who are homeless are at greater risk of infectious and chronic illness, poor mental health, and substance abuse. They are more often victims of violence. They have a mortality rate four to nine times higher than those who are not homeless.
Addressing the public health needs of this population requires the collaborative and integrated efforts of health care providers, community organizations, and social service agencies. CDC contributes by promoting disease awareness and prevention programs, as well as access to choices for healthy living for all. There is much that we can do to improve the health of homeless individuals and families.
The challenges that cause a person to become homeless can affect anyone. This is the time of year when people reflect, and share thoughts and deeds of gratitude. On December 21, 2014, please join others in acknowledging those who lost their lives while homeless, and consider how we all can contribute to ending homelessness. To learn more about this national concern and how you can assist, please check out the link below
Quote of the Month
Many of us believe in angels, don't we?
There are Angels among us.
Some sing, some preach, and some listen.
We are all angels with one wing; we can only fly by embracing one
another. Each one of us has a message. And in a very special way, we give
the best we know how.
Rev. Christopher Ian Chenoweth
Winter Safety
The Extreme Cold Prevention Guide combines all of the key content of the CDC Winter Weather website into one downloadable, printable file. Printing this PDF file ensures that you will have important winter weather health and safety information available even when you're without power or Internet service.The Extreme Cold Guide is provided in Portable Document Format (PDF) below. While the PDF file might not be entirely accessible to people with disabilities, all information in the guide is available on this Web site. Below the PDF link are a set of links to the Web pages that make up this guide.Download the Prevention Guide
Extreme
Cold Guide[PDF - 3 MB]
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Web Pages Included in the Extreme Cold GuideBefore a StormPrepare Your Home
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PrepareYourCar