I’m a 90’s kid. Grunge music, baggy jeans and flannel shirts, fruit by the foot (strawberry only please),

MTV vs. VH1—that’s me. Now, we have a FEW music artists of this millennium that are worth some

merit, but for the most part, give me the music pre-2000 and I am a happy camper. I learned to sing to

that kind of music. The first song I learned on the guitar was by Metallica. I had a collection of Doc

Martins that would have made Kurt Cobain jealous. So naturally, when I found out this month’s theme is

Gratitude, this song came to mind:

I'm only happy when it rains

I'm only happy when it's complicated

And though I know you can't appreciate it

I'm only happy when it rains

You know I love it when the news is bad

And why it feels so good to feel so sad

I'm only happy when it rains

Pour your misery down, pour your misery down on me

Pour your misery down, pour your misery down on me

I'm only happy when it rains

I feel good when things are going wrong

I only listen to the sad, sad songs

I'm only happy when it rains

Yes, Shirley Manson made melancholy and teen angst into a hit that is still played on the 90’s weekends

on radio stations…and I sang along whole heartedly because, of course, no one understood me or my

generation. Fifteen years later, what strikes me more about this song is how many people I know who

live it. Every. Single. Day. Seriously, they are only happy when they are miserable, when there is drama

going on, when they’re sick to their stomach over something; but give them a moment of peace…whoa!

They can’t stand it.

I was in that place for a long time in my life, mostly bleeding over from my high school years into college

and slightly beyond. If my life wasn’t totally messed up, well then, I had no idea what to do. I will be the

first person to admit that I created negative situations so that I could “fix” them or at least get some

sympathy. Thankfully, I grew out of that and married a guy who, for the most part, looks on the brighter

side of things.

I thought that my negative attitude was just about having a bad attitude. Really though, it wasn’t that I

just had a bad attitude, it’s that I was being UNGRATEFUL. I had a job, friends, a house, etc. Sure, there

were problems, but who doesn’t have those? However, I couldn’t—or rather WOULDN’T—see the

positives in my life because, well, then I wouldn’t have anything to complain about.

Now, I’m not gonna jump on my soap box and preach on how you should be grateful for everything in

your life. We are human, and life is hard. Maybe you aren’t starving in Uganda, but everyone has their

own battle they are fighting. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just feel like you are

drowning, which makes parenting that much harder. So here’s what you do: find a friend and vent. Get

it out of your system. Then, wipe it up. Put on your big girl or big boy pants and pray. You probably

won’t get up from that first prayer feeling much better, but just keep going. When Logan is his most

difficult and I am feeling my most negative, I have a rule that I can only pray a prayer of thanks.

Sometimes my prayer is, “Thank you Lord that I didn’t do anything that would seriously harm my child,”

and it is prayed through gritted teeth. And that’s ok. I keep saying it until the prayer gets better and

longer, and I can again remind myself of everything that the Lord has given me for which I am truly

grateful.

I leave you with this thought: Our response of gratitude shows that we trust God in all circumstances. So

by being ungrateful we are really showing that we don’t trust the Lord with our lives. You’re alive today,

so you can always start your prayer there.

Much Love,

Rhiannon Bell

Children’s Director

________________________________________

Here is what your children are learning in R!Kids in October:

BABIES & TODDLERS

Basic Truth: God made me.

Bottom Line: Thank You, God.

Bible Words: “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart.” (Psalm 111:1, ESV)

PRESCHOOL

Theme: I am thankful.

Basic Truth: God made me.

Key Question: Who do you thank for everything?

Bottom Line: Thank You, God, for everything!

Memory Verse: “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart.” (Psalm 111:1, ESV)

ELEMENTARY

Memory Verse: “Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank him because

you believe in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIrV)

Life App: Gratitude – Letting others know you see how they’ve helped you.

Basic Truth: I can trust God no matter what.

WEEK 1 | GENESIS 1:6-10God made the water and we are thankful.

WEEK 2 | GENESIS 1:9-13 God made the land and plants and we are thankful.

WEEK 3 | GENESIS 1:14-19God made the sky, sun, moon, and stars and we are thankful.

WEEK 4 | GENESIS 1:20-25God made the animals and we are thankful.

WEEK 5 | GENESIS 1:26-27; 2:7, 20-23God made people and we are thankful.

SMALL TALK

NOVEMBER2014

MEMORY VERSE“I will give thanks to the Lord

with my whole heart.” Psalm 111:1, ESV

KEY QUESTION Who do you thank for

everything?

BASIC TRUTHGod made me.

BOTTOM LINEThank You, God, for

everything.

This month our young friends are learning to say, “Thank You, God, for everything.” Thank You, God, for the trees outside. Thank You, God, for the food I eat. Thank

You, God, for my toes and my feet. They’re learning that everything comes from God, and we should thank Him for it.

When is the last time you said “Thank You” to God? Yesterday at the dinner table? Or was it last night before bed? Did your preschooler hear you thanking Him? Does she know you are thankful, too? Model a thankful heart this month and watch your child join in the fun while growing in gratitude.

Help your child start a “Thankful Tree” on the kitchen wall. Let your preschooler draw or write something she’s thankful for on a paper leaf each day. Parents and siblings can play, too. Soon, you will have a wall full of thankfulness.

Interested in connecting with a community of parents just like you?Visit www.TheParentCue.org and see how others are not just surviving, but thriving during these parenting years.

PLAY TIME: Take some ice cubes outside on a sunny fall day and draw water paintings on the driveway or sidewalk. It’s also a fun way for preschoolers to practice writing their name

and letters. Watch and wait, then you’ll see them disappear as the sun dries them up. Talk about different kinds of water as you draw together. Snow, ice, waterfalls, lakes, oceans, and even the water we drink are all wonderful! Thank You, God, for making water!

BATH TIME: Add a little shaving cream fun to bath time. Put a few piles of shaving cream along the side of the tub and encourage your child to make clouds with it. He can make clouds on the side

of the tub or make floating clouds in his bath water. He can also spread it flat and use his finger to draw the sun, moon, and stars. Talk about how God made the great big sky and everything in it.

CAR TIME: Each time you get in the car this month, name one thing you want your child to look for as he looks out his window. It can be anything God made, which really can be anything, because God

made everything! You may tell him to be on the lookout for birds, a tree, cloud, person, dog, flower . . . anything! When you get home, talk about how many [thing you named] your child spotted on your drive and how God made them all!

CUDDLE TIME: Cuddle up with your child and pray. “Dear God, I had such a great day with [name of child]. I am so glad he’s mine! We’ve been talking a lot about animals and

how cool they are. We just wanted to tell You “thank You” for making them. Help us to take care of [name of pets] and remember that You made them for us to enjoy. We love You, God. In Jesus name, amen.”

NOVEMBER2014