And so it begins…

 

This week we began this spring’s season of Apple Seeds.  Over the next six weeks we are going to be imparting all kinds of wisdom to these eager 8-12 year old girls.  At least I hope we will! 

This first week was more of an introduction.  The girls started designing the pot holder they will be working on over the next few weeks.  Sort of a quilted thing.  They had a lot of fun with that as the picture at the bottom shows! 

My message to them was that the reason we’re doing Apple Seeds is to follow the example in Titus 2 of teaching younger ‘women’ how to live a life that pleases God.  This includes everything in life, not just reading our Bibles and going to church.  Each girl drew a picture of the kind of woman she wants to be when she grows up.  There were doctors, vets, moms, strong Christians, women who were nice, loving and look good.  As we looked at the list, I reminded them that even though they are young, they can already be practicing to become these women. 

For example, if a girl would like to be a vet but her cat is starving, that’s not very good.  She can already practice caring for animals now.  A girl who wants to be a mom can babysit.  A girl who would like to be kind can be nice to the annoying cousin who is coming to visit.  Each girl was challenged to pick one area she would like to work on through the week and one way she can practice that.

I’m excited to see what the next five weeks will bring.  I’ll be missing the next two so you can pray for Miriam and Stephanie as they talk to the girls about the gospel next week and insecurity and true beauty the following week.

 

Mentoring to Mentor

Spring is springing…or almost…or we hope it will soon…but spring means Appleseeds!  The age 8-12 version of Apples of Gold.  Appleseeds is a six week mentoring program for girls.  Throughout the six weeks they will learn some practical domestic skills (cooking, baking, setting tables), some manner lessons (table manners, posture) and spiritual lessons (who God is, who we are, how to live in our culture). 

 

I am exciting about this starting again this year.  Some extra excitement for me is that I am going to get to mentor girls to mentor girls.  There are some older teen girls who will be helping out in a variety of capacities, passing on what they have learned as they’ve gone through the teen years to girls just a few steps behind them.  I think this is getting a bit closer to the Titus 2 model of women teaching younger women.  Each of us are younger than someone and older than someone so we can both be mentored and mentor.  I am as excited to see how the teen girls will learn and grow as the actual participants themselves!

 

As Appleseeds approaches I will keep you updated on some of the topics we will be discussing.  Thanks for your prayers.