Random thoughts from today...

We headed out to the museum today with a friend of Cutie Pies, from church. We hada great time and the walk there was even fun...

Friend: Is the museum close to your house?
Me: Yup, it is not too far
Friend: (after 1 block) How much farther is it?
Me: 3 more big streets
Friend: (a couple minutes later) How much longer?
Me: 5 minutes
Friend: (after 1 minute) Now how much longer?
Me: Still 5 more minutes
Friend: (after a few more minutes) Is this building it? (pointing to a house on the street)
Me: What do you think? It looks like a house!!
Friend: Are we almost there yet?
Me: It is at those lights up there

That was our conversation on the way to the museum. The conversation was a bit better on the way home...

We were walking along on the sidewalk and the tractor had gone over on the lawn, so you could see the grass under all the snow.

Cutie Pie: I wish it was spring already
Friend: Me too, did you know the sun is fire?
Me: Yeah, it is a big ball of fire
Cutie Pie: (seeing the grass) Oh my goodness, the snow is melting, spring is coming!!
Cutie Pie: 'friend' do you know how the snow melts? It is because of the sun
Friend: No, it is because of the fire

We had fun today, usually on Fridays we got to the museum and to the bank and to the store and the kids each get $2 to buy whatever they want, which is usually candy. So, we did that today too.

Mission Sunday is a fun class to teach at church. Our church relates to a group of churches around the world, through NCMI. Every month there is a Leadership Training Time going on somewhere around the world and we like to pick one of those countries each month and learn about it and pray for the leaders there and for the country. The kids have grown so much in class and many of them are praying for the countries on their own. It has been great to watch the growth in so many of them.

So, last month we learned about the Netherlands, and this month Australia and New Zealand and next month is either Congo or Tanzania (we already did Ethiopia last year, though I love Doro Wat and Injera and would gladly do that again!!).

So, I will put together a fact sheet, where I have a picture of the flag (and a description if I can find one) and a map of the country, some phrases in the language and counting (if it is different). I try to find the anthem and the population and some different facts or unique things that you may find there.

Then on Sunday morning we find the country on a world map and we find our city and we discuss how far it is and how we would travel there. I attempt to cook different recipes from the country and all the kids have to try it out. Usually our conversations are 'if God sent you to another country to do work for Him, what would you eat? They may not have peanut butter and jam sandwiches, or kraft dinner...'. I also try to find some kind of traditional music that is appropriate for Sunday school and we talk about the instruments and the words, and if there is a craft idea that really stands out for the country, we try that as well.

I just want to make sure that our kids know there is more out there then Canada and the USA. Not everyone is the same, and that is ok. I want my kids to be willing to try different things and foods and experiences and I want them to be respectful. This is my attempt at teaching them all those things so they are not growing up as self-centered people where everything revolves around them...

Ok, of my soapbox now, time to get some cleaning done, after I get a drink of water, and get ready for ladies group too...