Storm Chasers

It's not totally approved yet, but here's the banner for our upcoming series, Storm Chasers.  We talked about this one at work today, among other things.  Actually, we did some planning for Summer Xtreme too - Daddy has written a couple videos for that event this week, working a bit in advance so things don't sneak up on us.  Still, "Storm Chasers" is actually a bit closer, starting at the end of this month, really.

Here's another message Daddy wrote, which is somewhat the central theme story of this series:

“Keep Calm and Carry On”

    Hold on tight, and get ready to ride it out!  Just ahead through the barrage of hail and lightning, there’s a swirling vortex of ominous darkness – it can only mean one thing:  spotters are tracking a storm front coming!

     It rains on the just and unjust, and when menacing weather looms, keep calm and carry on.  The rain cloud isn’t just over your head alone – Jesus said that rain comes to everyone.  Ever since sin swept into this world, we’ve all had to encounter seasons where severe storms advance across the skies, threatening destruction.

     But remember that your footsteps are ordered of the Lord.  Jesus said to the apostles, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.”  They had no idea what they were heading into – He sent those apostles right into the heart of a storm!  It was quite an adventure, but Jesus knew everything would be okay. 
     Don’t be afraid when the dark clouds start to form around your life.  Your steps are ordered from the Lord!  Just make sure Jesus is in your boat. The key to riding out any storm is having Him with you.  Just ask the apostles, who marveled, “Who is this?  Even the wind and waves obey him!”  He can certainly calm the storms in our lives. 
     In fact, with Jesus in our lives, we can have complete calm.  He has made us to be greater than the storms that come.  We can’t necessarily stop them all, but we can do the next best thing:  keep calm and carry on.

    “When evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” They left the crowd behind. And they took him along in a boat, just as he was. There were also other boats with him.
    A wild storm came up. Waves crashed over the boat. It was about to sink. Jesus was in the back, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him up. They said, “Teacher! Don’t you care if we drown?”
     He got up and ordered the wind to stop. He said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down. And it was completely calm.
     He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Don’t you have any faith at all yet?”
     They were terrified. They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

 Mark 4:35-41 NIrV

1.  It rains on ___________.  The rain cloud isn’t just over your head alone – Jesus said that rain comes to everyone.  Ever since sin swept into this world, we’ve all had to encounter seasons where storms will come.

“He causes his sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don’t.” Matthew 5:45 NIrV

a. you              b. them                       c. everyone

2. Head into the ________. Jesus sent the apostles right into the path of that storm – and he knew everything would be okay.  Don’t be afraid when the dark clouds start to form around your life.  Your steps are ordered from the Lord, and He wants you to trust Him through the storm.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way.” Psalm 37:23 NKJV
a.  field           b. storm          c. quiet

3.  Make sure ______ is in your boat. The key to riding out any storm is having Jesus with you.  Just ask the apostles, who marveled, “Who is this?  Even the wind and waves obey him!”

“What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Matthew 8:27 NIrV 

a.  Joy             b. Preparation           c. Jesus

I'll post more eventually, but it's still being written currently.  Right now, Daddy is working on message #5 of 8, and nearly done with that one.  It's looking like a fun series though - at least from a message stand-point.  Currently, I have no idea what to do with the skits!

ANYWAY, Madison had school today as she always does.  And after that, piano.  Daddy picked her up from school and we rode together to piano, talking about the upcoming Olympics and snow and other things like that.  The "Frozen" soundtrack is no longer mandatory, although we did play a little Disney Infinity when we got home so that Madison could once again play as Queen Elsa.

We left the Old Testament today - it was a children's Bible with "younger" versions of the stories from the Bible, and apparently there wasn't anything about Malachai the authors thought was worth sharing. Or Obediah.  Or Micah.  Or Jeremiah.  Or Isaiah.  And so on.  But that's okay - we're enjoying this version very much.  We hit the New Testament, recapping the Christmas story, which is odd because it is February, and you're not supposed to talk about the birth of Jesus in February!

Piano went well, although the kids were all pretty wound up.  This may be because of the missed week, but I'm not entirely sure.  Madison did okay in class, but she could have been better focused.  We're starting to get a little more challenging, so I'm glad there are power discs to hand out as rewards, or some motivational things to get her wanting to finish up her practice.  Beyond the discs, the other rewards are there:  stickers each week to put on her wall chart, and her snowman that is hung up on the wall there.  Also, the Winter Wonderland event that we go to each year:  nobody knows what it is except for Mrs. Pam, who has given three clues.  Clue one is a rope.  Clue two are colorful scarves.  Clue three is a ping pong ball.  Daddy and Madison are leaning towards a circus or a magician right now.  It'll be fun guessing, and of course more fun going.