Matt Dowling, is doing a wonderful job helping us develop and restore Family Worship (click here).  I would like to piggy back his thoughts with a video of one of our preschool students and a few thoughts regarding the words from Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 should define our roles as parents and our family values.  Let’s look at God’s Word and see how Moses reminds Israel that God is central to the nation’s faith.  “Hear of Israel (listen and don’t forget):  The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”  As parents, we must lead from the perspective that everything is connected to God!  It’s all about Him.  As a parent and grandparent, I want to make sure my family stays focused on the bigger picture and makes God central in all we say and do.

Verse 5 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  This tells us that we are to not only love God, but must be willing to fight for Him. We must fight for something that is more important than lifestyle.  Parents, if we have chosen to love God with all our hearts and souls, it will show in our lives.  As a result, when we trust God the next generation will see this and the legacy will continue.

Verse 5 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.”  We are to make it personal!  Our kids need to see us struggle with answers, face our weaknesses and even admit we are wrong.  They need to know we must work at resolving conflict… they need to see us being human!  More importantly, our kids need to see us make relational, emotional, and spiritual growth a priority.

I vividly remember the very first Vacation Bible School (VBS) I attended.  I was introduced to songs I had never heard before.  I played games and made crafts, but the most impressionable moment was my introduction to homemade peanut butter cookies with the fork indentations on the top!  I have loved peanut butter cookies ever since. 

I am sure you have your own memories. Your memories may have been great time with friends, making new friends or even getting to know adults you would never have had an opportunity to know.  Your memories may have been the great songs you learned or that special craft you made.  You know the one, it's still displayed on the shelf by the TV. Whatever your memories, they have remained with you because many volunteers wanted you to know the love of God in a very personal way.

VBS today makes the same memories for our students, but what has changed are the styles of teaching at VBS.  This year our students and families will have an opportunity to step back in time to ancient Egypt.  Imagine living in a dusty, noisy city along the Nile.  Imagine learning about Pharaoh's palace. Imagine hearing from Joseph himself telling his story of how he was placed in charge of Pharaoh's land.  Alameda's volunteers make this happen.