Forget the Red Carpet - Make Your Own Awards Show

     February is awards season, which also means it's the month that I find out about all the movies and music I missed last year. The lists of nominees always make me think, "when did that movie come out?" or "I've never heard that song before" and "I need to pay more attention."

     But when it comes down to it, I just don't care. I don't care who's nominated, whose speech ran long, or who wins best-breakout-whatever. I don't usually watch a movie or listen to a song because they were nominated for an award. Like most of you, I make those choices based on recommendations from my friends and family. 

     Award season is the perfect chance to make our own lists of favorites and share them with everyone in the family. Your kids definitely have their favorite movies, TV shows, and music, and they would love to tell everyone about them! Forget the red carpet, and make your own awards show with your kids. Here's a few ideas to get your family started.

1) Make your lists.

     Give your kids a few categories, and let them pick their top 3 in each. If your family loves movies, you could make categories like "Funniest Movie," "Best Animated Movie," or "Movies My Friends and I Like." If you've got a family of readers, make categories for books like "Longest Book I Read Last Year," "Saddest/Scariest/Happiest Book I Read Last Year," or the classic "Favorite Book." You can make similar categories for music, tv shows, restaurants, games, etc.  

2) Present your favorites.

     This step can be as glamorous or as informal as you'd like. You can go all out decorating the family room to look like an awards show, or simply post your lists on the fridge. Give each member of your family the chance to present their lists while everyone else gives their full attention. The undivided attention will help each of your kids to feel loved, listened to, and appreciated.

3) Experience the winners together as a family.

     After the presentations are over, make time to experience each person's favorite book, song, movie, or show together as a family. Even if it might not be your personal favorite, you'll learn more about your kids and what makes them tick. Take advantage of the teachable moments in each of their picks, and talk to your kids about the messages and lessons that they communicate. Your kids will be thrilled that you took the time to share in their favorite things.

What movies, shows, or music do your kids like? Leave a comment and let us know what you would recommend to other parents, and what you would avoid. Let's learn together how to listen better to our children and enjoy the things that they love.

Web Catch of the Week: Raising Grateful Kids

     I used to think I was a naturally grateful person. Gratefulness is not something I struggled with growing up. My parents raised me to believe that because I am a sinner, I’m undeserving of the life I was given. But through God's grace and Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, I could live freely! As seasons changed in my life and I became busier and full of stress, there were days when that thankful mentality would fade away. That is, until the day my mom gave me a book; One Thousand Gifts: A Dare To Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.

     In her book, Ann shares her own struggle of cultivating thankfulness in dark days and everyday challenges. She decided that instead of fighting through the challenges of her circumstances, she was going to embrace each moment as a gift. She uses a gratefulness journal each day to write down three things for which she is grateful. It could be as simple as witnessing the sunrise on the drive to work, or as big as the blessing of a child. I’ve personally found that using a gratefulness journal helps me to be more aware of the endless ways God is working in my life. I’m able to recognize the physical blessings he puts right in front of me that I so often ignore. Gratefulness helps all of us realize that we always have more than we deserve.

     While reading Ann Voskamp’s blog, I came across a guest writer named Jessica who posted "5 Ways to Raise Grateful Kids" on her blog The Mom Creative. She also recommended a book with a similar focus called Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch. These are great resources to developing a thankful mentality in ourselves and in our kids. In a world full of instant gratification and self-promotion, we all need to proactively pursue gratitude. At the end of the day, it’s the only thing we can give back to God in response to all that he has given us. 

What I Learned From a Week in the Amazon Jungle

Loving people is hard.

     The book and major motion picture, "The End of The Spear" tells the story of the remote Waodani people group in the heart of the Amazon jungle. The Waodani are well-known for spearing to death five Christian missionaries in 1956. After this tragic event, the tribe eventually came to Christ by the grace of God and the loving ministry of the murdered missionaries' relatives. Two weeks ago, I traveled to Ecuador with an organization called “i-Tec” into the Amazon jungle to live with the Waodoni people. Of the many things God taught me during my week in the jungle, one of the most important lessons is that it takes humility to love others well.  

     It was painfully obvious that without the leadership and guidance of the Waodani people, none of us on the trip would have survived our time in the Amazon. The jungle is full of dangerous animals, plants, and landscapes. Instead of mocking our inability to hunt, build shelters, navigate through the dense jungle, or utilize our surroundings, the Waodani loved us well by teaching us their way of life. They took us under their wing, humbled themselves, and showed us what true, God-like love looks like.

Here are some pictures I took during my week living with the Waodani.

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     The Waodani people we lived with followed Jesus’ example. In John 4, Jesus had a conversation with a Samaritan woman. The woman had come to draw water by herself in the middle of the day and Jesus, being thirsty, asked her for a drink. Despite the many cultural traditions that should have kept these two at odds, Jesus humbled himself and asked the woman for a favor. Their conversation changed this woman's life for good. Not only did the woman return to her village as a believer in Jesus, but her testimony helped bring others to Christ as well.

     Humility is necessary to love others well. Here are a few things we can do as parents to humbly love our kids:

1) Get on your kids’ level.

     I’ve started trying to get at eye-level with my kids when I’m disciplining them. It shows my kids that I value this time of discipline and often allows us to have more engaging conversations beyond what they had done wrong. Beyond discipline issues, get on the floor and play with your kids. I’m convinced my kids’ favorite part of the day is when I come home and let them tackle me. In that moment, they know that I love them.

2) Admit your shortcomings.

     I talk to my kids about obeying Jesus and us as their parents frequently. After my trip to Ecuador, my wife and I have started to admit to our kids that we are also still learning how to obey Jesus. This doesn’t mean we need to air all of our sins and struggles to our family, but it is important for our kids to know that we also fail to obey Jesus sometimes. We are growing as a follower of Jesus everyday just like they are.

3) Allow yourself to feel uncomfortable.

     Loving people is messy and sometimes awkward. Be there to listen when someone in your family needs to vent. Listen well instead of trying to solve problems. Do the dishes so your spouse doesn’t have to. Come home ready to serve your family even if you’ve had a rough day at work.

     Sharing the love of Jesus with our families is a high calling. Pray with me that God would work through us to humbly love our kids well.

Web Catch of the Week: Protecting Your Kids Online From Explicit Material

Let’s just call this post uncomfortable from the beginning, shall we?

     Living when and where we do, the reality is that our kids have easy access to pornography. As parents, it feels as if we have little chance to protect our kids from pornography because our society continues to trend towards more lewdness and sensuality. Mainstream media and advertising seem to become more sensualized every day. The ability to access questionable and inappropriate material is literally everywhere. In short, we’re up against a lot.

How can we protect our kids from sexually explicit material?

     While I don’t claim to have the ultimate answer, I recently read the book Good Pictures Bad Pictures with my eight and nine year old sons. The authors, Kristen Jenson and Gail Poyner, provided a kid-friendly explanation of the dangers of pornography, and kept it from being explicit or sensualizing. I really appreciated the explanation of addictions and how porn triggers brains (and especially younger brains) in a dangerous way. Even more helpful is their practical “CAN DO” plan for kids to follow when they come across pornography.

     In addition to the book, the authors have a website called PornProofKids.com - Tips and Tools to Protect Young Minds. They regularly update their blog to keep this important issue on the forefront. While their blogs are not written from a specifically Christian perspective, I appreciate their focus on pornography as a major societal issue that needs to be tackled by everyone.  In “Who’s Fighting the New Public Health Crisis,” they highlight several others groups fighting back against porn.

     Part of defeating pornography is making sure we are comfortable discussing it with each other and with our kids. If we can't talk about it, our kids won't be able to talk about it either. Start the conversation with your kids today!

Summer Camp 2016

     Summer will be here before you know it - warm days, a glass of lemonade, maybe even a dip in the pool! It also means your kids won't be in school for 3 whole months. We know you want your kids to have an incredible summer, but how can you decide between so many different choices for childcare? Unlike some of the other childcare options, Camp of Champions USA offers more than a just fun experience. We're committed to helping your child grow in maturity and integrity. We believe that teaching kids Biblical character traits will help them become leaders who positively impact the world. That's why everything we do at Camp is shaped by these three values:

Gospel-Centered Discipleship, Safe & Quality Childcare, Fun for Campers and Staff

     Every year we hear kids and their parents say the same thing: Camp is awesome! Check out this story below to hear how COCUSA impacted the life of a young boy and his family.

     "Each week of the summer, the Counselors at Camp prepare a skill group to share a personal hobby, passion, or skill with their campers. At Pekin Camp, two of our male counselors teamed up to put on a skill group about manliness. After spending having some fun discussing sports, how to properly tie a neck tie, and showing off with feats of strength, the counselors talked about Jesus' example of masculinity. They highlighted Jesus along with other men in the Bible to show how true manliness is found in humility and service to others. Jacob, a boy brand new to Camp this week, happened to join this skill group and had a blast. On Friday that week, Jacob's mom wanted to talk to the Site Directors about her son's behavior. She said that Jacob had totally changed from his one week at Camp. He cleared the dinner table, held doors for people, and cleaned his room all without being asked. She was so grateful for the life-changing influence those two counselors had on her son. Jacob was only signed up for one week of Camp, but his mom promised he would be back next year."

     Our summer program runs June-August, Monday-Friday, 7:30am-5:30pm. We have 8 convenient locations in communities all across Central IL. Weekly prices start at just $120/camper (discounts and financial assistance available). Register now to take advantage of our early registration discount. Now through the month of February, receive half off your first week of summer camp!

We can't wait to see what God does at Camp of Champions USA this summer, and we hope that your kids can be a part of the story!

Web Catch of the Week: Kids in the Kitchen

     In our last two posts ("Make 2016 Count" Part 1 & Part 2), we’ve been exploring ways to have our best year yet. I can imagine one of your goals for the year may have something to do with physical health. An important factor in staying healthy and making sure our kids learn healthy habits is watching what we eat. I know from personal experience that I can go to the gym every night of the week, but if I'm not maintaining a healthy diet, exercise seems pointless. When we consider our children’s eating habits, the decisions we make today could impact them for a lifetime.

     One way to model healthy eating habits for your kids is to get in the kitchen together! This may sound daunting or even dreadful for busy parents, but a mom named Kelly has offered some great tips for "cultivating little sous chefs" on her blog The Nourishing Home. She reminds us that yes, the kitchen may end up messier and the cooking process will most likely take longer in the beginning, but there are so many educational and practical skills that your kids can learn from helping prepare a meal. You can help diversify their taste buds, and with a little patience, strengthen your relationship as well. Hey, you may even end up with someone to make you dinner!

     If you’re worried about finding the time to cook with your kids, a good starting point may be to try and make a healthy breakfast on Saturday morning with the whole family. Here is a delicious recipe for homemade granola from Pass The Knife, a home-based blog solely focused on bringing kids into the kitchen. 

     Is cooking a family affair for you? Tell us some ways you integrate your children into the cooking process, share a favorite family recipe, or feel free to ask meal-prep questions by leaving a comment!

Make 2016 Count Part 2: Start the New Year Weak

     I find it easy to get swept up in the idea of what New Year’s represents: a clean slate, a new start, a chance to make things right. It’s an opportunity to start the year strong, but far too often our resolutions seem to be full of ambitious goals of self-improvement that will never succeed. What if instead of trying to start the new year strong, striving to accomplish goals we’ve set to make our lives better, we decided to start off our year by being weak? 

     When the apostle Paul was facing a struggle that forced him to see his own weaknesses, God told him, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul continues on describing his new outlook on his weaknesses saying, “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me… For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Instead of looking to my own strength to find the willpower to make my life better, I can take Paul's view and boast in my weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings knowing that my brokenness is God’s platform for showing his power and grace in my life.

     Instead of making a resolution this New Year, I simply pray to live and walk in the grace that God has shown me through Jesus Christ. I need the truth of the Gospel in my life every single day. I need to preach the Gospel to myself— not to guilt myself into obeying the Bible, not to check it off the list of things to do that day, but because the Gospel “is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). In recognizing my need for the Jesus everyday, I am able to start my day off humbly, relying on God’s grace for my strength and motivation.

Here are three practical way to start your day off weak:

• Place some verses near where you get ready each morning. Some great verses besides those already mentioned are: Ephesians 1:19-20, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:1-2
• Start each morning acknowledging your weaknesses— from physical aches and pains that accompany getting out of bed to the emotional or spiritual exhaustion you may be experiencing from life’s struggles and trials. Pray and invite God’s grace into these weaknesses.
• Roll out of bed and onto your knees. When we kneel before God we physically acknowledge our need for His grace in our life. 

     So this year let’s start our year weak— with God in His rightful place as Lord and Savior and our place as grateful recipient of His grace. Let’s pray together that God will daily strengthen us in the the truth of His Gospel and that we will in turn help others find their need for His grace in their life. Let's make 2016 count by pointing others to Jesus in our weakness.

Make 2016 Count Part 1: Set Goals for You and Your Family

     At the end of every year, we all feel the pressure to change - lose more weight, read more books, volunteer more often, make more money. Despite our hardwired desire to improve ourselves, years seem to go by without many significant changes. I don’t know about you, but I want next year to count. I want next year to be the best year yet for myself, my family, my career, and (most importantly) my relationship with Jesus. The most effective way for improve ourselves is to set goals. Here’s a few resources to help you write goals that you can accomplish to actually change your life.

     Michael Hyatt is a world-class business leader and best-selling author. He wrote a short blog post on his website called, “The Beginner’s Guide to Goal Setting.” This post has 5 simple steps to writing goals that work. One of the most important take-aways for me: after you set a goal, write it down! You are statistically much more likely to accomplish the goals you write down rather than just keep in your head. Check out the other tips in his post.

     After you’ve set goals for yourself, you can help the rest of your family do the same. Stewardship.com is a site that helps us manage all of God’s blessings - from money to family to skills. If you want to help your kids set goals for 2016, check out this blog post. Hopefully it will give you the confidence you need to teach your children how to set and accomplish their own goals in the coming year. 

     What goals do you have for 2016? How about your kids' goals? Share them in the comments to help inspire us to make 2016 count! Make sure to subscribe to the COCUSA Blog with the button below so you don’t miss Part 2 of our Make 2016 Count series - "Start the New Year Weak."