Easter Basics
What do you know about the basics of Easter? Suppose you only visit church on Christmas and Easter or you have never visited one but are curious about Easter. Here are some Easter Basics to get you started or help you understand what Christians are celebrating. Easter Basics Easter is the Christian celebration of the resurrection (coming back to life) of Jesus Christ from the dead after his crucifixion (hung on the cross) and death. Two thousand years ago Jesus, the son of God, was hung on a cross, died, was buried, and three days later he came back to life. Followers of Jesus Christ are called Christians. Sinless God demands payment for sin (wrong doing) and Jesus gave his own life to pay for the sins of mankind. This is why Christians annually celebrate Easter, celebrating new life and new beginnings. Instead of a death sentence, eternal life is a free gift for all who believe. This is the best free gift ever. Way better than chocolate bunnies, marshmallow peeps or colored eggs full of jelly beans. Many cultural traditions of Easter are merely that. Cultural traditions to celebrate the arrival of spring such bunnies, eggs, flowers, lambs, and…
Table Talk 3 Especially for the Younger Years
When was the last time you had an engaging conversation with a preschooler? It is never too early to begin asking good questions, especially at the kitchen table. I love asking kids questions. My favorite question is “Are you more like a pencil or a school bus?” While that is a great conversation starter, it does not really work with the younger years. They are more inclined to answer “should kids have a bedtime?” or “what does grandma do when she is not at our house?” What you need is a list of conversation starters for preschoolers. I created Table Talk 3 especially for the younger years. Use the 30 printable Table Talk questions at home, in carpool, at school, and just about anywhere. You can ask questions on the list, in any order, or you can print and cut out the cards. You can use one a day or spread a few of them around a table to use as conversation starters at your next party. You’ll be more likely to actually remember to ask good questions if you print them out and put them on the table! When was the last time you had an engaging conversation with…
Table Talk Cards Especially for Advent
What does advent look like at your house? The word advent means coming or arrival. Advent starts the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Traditionally each week has a different theme: hope, peace, joy, and love. Many people have different traditions regarding Christmas and Advent. The purpose of Advent is to help us remain focused on the birth of Jesus Christ and our hope in His glorious return one day. For many, it is a joyful preparation for the Christmas season, a season of great hope. You all know I love to ask questions that get people thinking and talking. I especially love to ask questions around the table! I created Table Talk card sets to be conversation starters. Let me introduce my newest card set: Table Talk card set 4 – Especially for Advent. You can use the Table Talk questions at home, on a road trip, on a bus, in the classroom, at a family reunion, in line, on a video call, in carpool, and just about anywhere. Most of these questions do not have a correct answer. I always ask people to give me one reason to support their answer. This list is especially for Advent, which begins on…
Table Talk 2
What goes on the bread first, peanut butter or jelly? Last year I shared Table Talk 1, a set of 30 conversation starter questions, perfect for the dinner table or break room. I love to get people talking. I also love to equip people to start their own conversations. Each week I start my tutoring sessions with a question like this. I hope my students will reuse the questions at their dinner or lunch tables. The launching years are especially tricky when it comes to starting conversations with others. I’ve witnessed painfully quiet car rides and lunch tables because kids didn’t know how to start a conversation and just waited for someone else to do it. Table Talk 2 is now available. Purchase this new card set and get more questions to launch conversations. Print up a copy and let your tweens or table mates select a question to ask the group. Answers don’t have to be long, but they should give a reason to support their answer. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate times of silence on car trips or with my morning coffee. But I also don’t want to miss out on natural opportunities to deepen relationships. This…
Table Talk
Are you more like a pencil or a school bus? I love to ask people this question! I have asked it around the dinner table, to help a student prepare for an interview, on an airplane, in line at an amusement park, at gatherings, walking down the beach, and many more places to people both young and old. Mostly I just love to get people thinking and talking. I always ask them to give one reason to support their answer. I have heard plenty of interesting answers, the best being from my daughter who said she was sharp like a pencil but you never knew when she might snap! If you think this is just a silly idea, let me explain. A question like this causes one to think about a pencil then to think about a school bus. Probably floods of memories come when they think about their own experience with buses or lack of experiences. Then they have to think about themself and what they want to review or hide about themself when they give an answer. Next they have to evaluate both options and analyze the object and themself. Lastly they have to make a judgement… are…