ParentLife Blog

Are You a Super Dad ... Who'd Like to See the SuperBowl?

Carey Casey, our Dad's Life writer, is also the CEO of the National Center for Fathering. He brought it to our attention that they are sponsoring a giveaway for two tickets to this year's SuperBowl - the #1 Football Dad Contest.

Their publicity article states:

The contest is part of the nonprofit’s initiative to reverse a trend of fatherlessness, said Carey Casey, the National Center for Fathering’s CEO.

“We have a crisis in this country: Our children have a critical shortage of heroic fathers and father-figures,” said Casey, adding that the dangerous trend is negatively impacting teenage pregnancy rates, drug abuse, mental and physical health problems, and poverty.

The giveaway is an opportunity to reward heroic fathering and raise awareness about the Center’s mission, said Carey. To enter the contest, a father will be asked to film a 60-second-or-less video explaining:

1) Why he is a great father or father figure;

2) Why his son or daughter is the ultimate football fanatic; and

3) Why he deserves to take his son or daughter to the Super Bowl.

Contestants will then upload the videos to YouTube and post them on the Fathers.com Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NCF4dads). The public will vote for the videos between January 16 and January 20. On January 21, three judges will select a winner from the top three vote-getting videos. The winner will receive two tickets to the Super Bowl: one for him, and one for a child of his choice.

That would sure be the trip of a lifetime for a kid and his or her dad! Let us know if you decide to enter so we can vote for you! You can find more information and e-mail for details from the Fathers.com Facebook Page.

LifeWay Kids Ministry Conference

Speakers include some people I know and some I don't know personally, but all I respect and think are awesome. Maybe my children's minister would send me ... because how much fun would it be to listen to Angie Smith, Pete Wilson, Ed Stetzer, the Duggars, Jon Acuff, and Michael Kelley, with worship by Dave Hunt, featuring Selah and Michael O'Brien?

I am excited just reading that list of names, and I hope you are, too. If you aren't, click around to some of those great names! I've been privileged to know Michael Kelley and Angie Smith in "real life," and they are incredible, faith-filled people.

I hope you'll consider clicking over and finding out more about the Kids Ministry Conference.

Events and Happenings: August and September

Some tidbits we've gathered that we thought you might be interested in:

• From now until September 30, Sprite is giving community members the chance to help their local school win a $25,000 grant to fund refurbishing playground equipment and athletic fields. The Sprite Spark Parks program has 25 grants to give away. The winners will be selected by community members donating MyCokeRewards points off specially marked Sprite products. A list of eligible schools can be found at mycokerewards.com/schools.
• The creators of Fireproof and Facing the Giants release another family-friendly film September 30: Courageous. Courageous is the story of four law enforcement officers who struggle with the balance of their work with fatherhood and family. Can't we all relate to that? What Fireproof did for marriages, Courageous promises to do for father-children relationships.
• As the 10-year anniversary of the September 11th attacks approaches, you may be looking for an event to attend, perhaps to help your children understand the significance of that time. This site has a list of submitted Healing and Remembrance Events; if you are planning something in your city, you can submit it as well.

What's happening in your neck of the woods in the next few weeks?

A Family-Friendly Field Trip

Passages, a non-sectarian, worldwide traveling exhibition of The Green Collection, tells the dramatic story of how the Bible came to be. This 14,000-square-foot, interactive display of rare biblical texts and artifacts and was designed to engage people of all ages and interests in the history and impact of the Bible. Passages invites visitors behind the scenes of the most-banned, most-debated, best-selling book of all time to discover the surprising story of Bible history and is currently open at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

The exhibition allows children and adults alike to see, touch, feel, and experience thousands of years of history through priceless artifacts and interactive features more readily associated with science museums. Along with some 300 priceless biblical artifacts from ancient papyri to dead sea scrolls to beautifully ornate gold Bibles, the exhibit draws in children with:

• A hidden riddle scavenger hunt hosted by Louie — a talking lion whose images appear throughout the exhibition to explain to young visitors the history and importance of each area;
• Hands-on activities such as writing by candlelight with a quill pen, setting block letters on a printing press, and creating an original page to adorn a Bible;
• Adult and children's versions of virtual guided tours via an iPod Touch
• Two working replicas of a Gutenberg and King James printing press that children get to manipulate;
• Animatronic historical characters including St. Jerome, Anne Boleyn, William Tyndale, and John Knox, which engage visitors with stories of human life and sacrifice that went into making the Bible available today; and
• Life-like galleries set in historical scenes including an ancient synagogue and a modern excavation site.

Passages is in Oklahoma City through October 16 and will then tour soon-to-be announced cities and locations worldwide. Tickets are $19 for adults and include the exhibit, the rest of the museum’s holdings plus the use of an iPod touch audio guide. Discount coupons are available at Hobby Lobby and Mardel.

Go Grab a Blizzard Tomorrow

Tomorrow, August 11, is the sixth annual Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day. For each Blizzard sold, $1 or more will be donated to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. What a wonderful (and tasty!) way to help a fantastic organization.

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds for 170 children's hospitals across North America, which, in turn, use the money where it's needed the most. When a donation is given it stays in the community, ensuring that every dollar is helping local kids. Since 1983, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4 billion, most of it $1 at a time. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of our mission to save an improve the lives of as many children as possible. Learn more at CMNHospitals.org.

Last year Dairy Queen raised over $5.5 MILLION dollars for CMN Hospitals! Wow! I guess people really like their Blizzards!

My favorite flavor is Turtle Pecan Cluster. (Not that I would refuse ANY flavor Blizzard, I don't think.) What's yours? — Jessie

Our Big Apple Adventure

Last week was an adventure for our family ... literally! My 2-year-old ... make that 3-year-old (he turned 3 last Monday and I'm still having a hard time making the switch) had the privilege of partcipating in the Big Apple Adventure at our church. It was an exhausting week but a GREAT one!

This is Jack's third year of VBS but it's the first year he's made it the entire week. Being at church for 4.5 hours (or more) for five days in a row is exhausting for a baby or toddler. Who am I kidding? It's exhausting for the adults too!! The past two years, Jack has ended up at his grandma's house for at least one or two days of the week in an effort to recover. But this year, he was there every day and he was thrilled to be there!

I'm so thankful for all of the hard work, time, energy, and love that VBS workers pour into the kids every year ... even the babies and toddlers. Jack had such a great time and made some amazing memories. I know VBS plays a large part in helping establish a strong foundation for spiritual development. I'm praying that each year Jack will look forward to this special week and truly enjoy learning more about God and Jesus.

So sing it with me now ... "Bi-bi-bi, Bi-bi-bi, Big Apple Adventure." I think we'll be singing the theme song for months to come! Jack loves it!

Have you seen the theme for VBS 2012? If not, check it out at www.lifeway.com! I can tell you right now, Jack is going to love it! It's going to be "amazing"!!

Tell us about your VBS experience this summer ... or about your favorite VBS memory as a child! We'd love to hear from you!

Fresh Air Fund - Hosts Needed

THE FRESH AIR FUND, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. In 2010, close to 5,000 children visited volunteer host families in suburbs and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. Three thousand children also attended five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York. The Fund’s year-round camping program serves an additional 2,000 young people each year.

The Fresh Air Fund is in need of host families for this summer. Families host a child for a week or two, allowing them to spend some time outside the city on a vacation their family could not afford.

Families are needed throughout the Northeast, from Virginia up to Maine. Would you be interested in making a difference in the life of a child? There is more info on hosting here.

Remember that God says:

"So My word that comes from My mouth
will not return to Me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please,
and will prosper in what I send it to do" (Isa. 55:11).

Allowing a child to live in your home and hear the Word of God could make a big difference in his or her life.

Events and Happenings: February and March

The Kohl's Cares Scholarship Program launched its 11th year on February 1st. Nominations will be taken at kohlskids.com until March 15. The scholarships honor young volunteers who have made an impact in their community. Scholarships range from $50 Kohl's gift cards to $10,000 for college.

On the Clorox Facebook page, you can submit a picture of you and your child(ren) cooking together for a chance to win trips to NYC or Vermont, a private baking party, or a prize pack with money to throw a baking soiree of your own! You can submit pictures until March 29.

The Women's Missionary Union hosts Children's Ministry Day this Saturday, February 19. It's not too late to look into the projects being done ... or think up one of your own! This year's theme is "neighbor to neighbor." Encourage your kids to think about how they could minister to their friends, neighbors, church family, or anyone you needs a little help.

March 14 is "Pi Day" since the date is 3/14. Your kids might enjoy making individual pies in jars or trying to break the record for the world's longest pi chain!

What fun things are going on in your neck of the woods?

Win a Free Week at Art Camp - Design a BounceU T-Shirt

BounceU has launched a nationwide search for their new 2011 Create and Bounce Graphic Artist. The company invites children age 13 and under to design the official Create and Bounce t-shirt, which will be used at the summer camp of the same name.

BounceU’s Create and Bounce art camp is one the of most popular program offerings at BounceU; sessions are offered at participating locations throughout the summer, spring, and winter breaks.

“Create and Bounce is truly an unforgettable camp experience where children create art projects, lessons, games, bounce time and even often enjoy special guest appearances,” said Joe Kendra, Vice President of Marketing for BounceU. “Our art camp has been so successful that it was only natural for us to honor these talented young artists by launching a national contest for campers to design our next 2011 Create and Bounce T-shirt.”

Parents can download the printable coloring sheet for children to color in their submission from BounceU’s Facebook page or, they can pick up their entry form at a BounceU location.

Three finalists will each receive a free Create and Bounce T-shirt and a 5-punch Open Bounce pass that can be redeemed at a local BounceU near them. The Grand Prize winner will be determined by public voting. The designer who receives the most “likes” from voters will be deemed the winner, and their design will be made into the official 2011 Create and Bounce camp shirt. The winning T-shirt designer will also receive a free week of Create and Bounce Summer 2011 art camp at a location near them.

This contest is running from now until March 26, 2011.

Do your kids enjoy entering contests like this? Is it helpful for us to tell you about them?

Build-a-Bear Huggable Heroes Program

... but first, a happy 9th anniversary to our very own Jodi Skulley! And Happy Groundhog's Day to everyone else. I can never remember which way I want the shadow to go ... but some warm weather would be nice. As last year summer started in April and went til November, I feel greedy asking for no more winter.

Anyway, on with our regularly scheduled programming. -Jessie, Resident PL Blogger

Build-a-Bear wants to recognize kids who are making a difference in this world through their Huggable Heroes program. Kids 8 to 18 can be nominated or nominate themselves on the Huggable Heroes website.

The nomination form asks questions about the hero's volunteer activity, impact and accomplishments for their cause, and how much money they have raised.

Eight heroes from the United States and Puerto Rico and two from Canada will receive an amazing prize package to honor their accomplishments. Each winner gets:

• A $7500 scholarship
• $2500 for their charity
• a video camera
• and a three-day trip to meet the other Huggable Heroes!

Nominations are being accepted through the end of the month online and at Build-a-Bear Workshop stores.

Do you know any kid heroes you could nominate?

Snowflake Adoption: Jon and Jodi by Bill Conger

This past Sunday was Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. One of the many ways that Christians can honor God's gift of life is through adoption. Our January 2011 feature "Choosing Life" by Bill Conger celebrates three families who chose life by choosing adoption.

Another very special form of adoption is embryo adoption ... also known as snowflake adoption. Jon and Jodi have a powerful testimony about embryo adoption to share! Enjoy their amazing story!

Jon and Jodi

For six long years, Jodi longed to be pregnant, but that didn't seem to be part of God's plan for her and her husband, Jon. The Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, couple quickly nixed the in vitro fertilization (IVF) option for moral and ethical reasons so they pursued domestic adoption.

"I kept wondering why would God give me such a deep desire to become pregnant that wouldn't go away if there wasn't going to be a pregnancy," Jodi recalls. "There's got to be a reason for that."
They eventually chose to adopt embryos.

"In embryo adoption, you're providing a solution for the extra embryos created though IVF. You're giving children life that wouldn't otherwise reach birth."

Just like a traditional adoption, the Jon and Jodi filled out reams of paperwork and were properly screened to make sure they were a suitable adoptive family. The doctor prepped Jodi's body through a series of hormone shots before transfering three embryos.

"Our prayer the whole time was that God would protect each embryo through the process," Jon said. "We didn't go into this with anything but the belief that life begins at conception. These embryos deserve every chance at life possible, and we shouldn't do anything that would put their lives at risk. We felt that was totally God's business and not ours."

At the ultrasound appointment, the future mom and dad discovered a triple blessing. "When they showed us one, we were just thrilled to death, and then they showed us two and we were just overwhelmed with joy," Jon said. "And then they showed us three, and we just burst out laughing. We were laughing so hard that the stenographer had a hard time finishing her work."

Aaron Isaac, Ginger Ann, and Sarah Rose were born February 2, 2008 at Baptist Hospital in Nashville. Although they were two months premature, they were strong and healthy for preemies.

Through years of struggling with infertility, Jodi couldn't imagine what could be better than just getting pregnant. Yet she and Jon learned to trust that God's ways are better even when we don't understand. They now celebrate the privilege and blessing of giving three children the opportunity to live.

What are some ways your family has celebrated the sanctity of human life this month?

Merry Christmas! from the ParentLife Team

December Events and Happenings

The 2010 Williamson County Jingle Bell Run/Walk is this Saturday, December 4th, and includes a 1K fun run and a 5K. If you are in the Franklin area, head out and show your support to the Arthritis Foundation.

The LifeWay Girls' Ministry Forum for 2011 is coming up February 25-26, 2011. It will be at the LifeWay HQ in Nashville, Tennessee.

Breakout topics for leaders include (but aren’t limited to):
• Girls and pornography
• Raising up godly girls in a feminist world
• Crisis issues in teen girls
• Girls’ ministry basics
• Understanding teen girl development
• Preteen girls
• Discipling Girls 101

Breakout topics for girls include (but aren’t limited to):
• Dealing with girl drama
• Discipling younger girls
• Dealing with stress
• Fight like a girl (conflict resolution)
• Living from your strengths (personality, spiritual gifts, etc.)
• Studying God's Word for yourself
• Healthy friendships

You can register online at LifeWay.com.

If you're looking for a little time away with your sweetie, there is a Valentine's Weekend Retreat at the LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center February 11-12, 2011. The creators of the movie Fireproof and the popular Love Dare Journal will be speaking during the course of the weekend. Enjoy some romance, time away, and the beautiful mountain scenery!

Any other events we should know about?

Mary Beth Chapman on National Adoption Awareness Month

November is National Adoption Awareness Month. I recently had the privilege to sit down and talk to Mary Beth Chapman about her family's miracle of adoption. Mary Beth provided some practical ideas for ways that every family can support adoption! 

Mary Beth Chapman on National Adoption Awareness Month from ParentLife on Vimeo.

Don't miss our January 2011 issue of ParentLife featuring Mary Beth. And ... we'll have even more insight from Mary Beth on the blog in the months to come. Stay tuned!

Does your family feel called to adopt? Tell us your story. If your family is not called to adopt, what are some ways that you have supported other families who are adopting?

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Lemonade Stand for Shoeboxes in South Carolina

Laurie Hanson — mother of two in Elgin, South Caronlina — had no idea the lemonade stand her 7-year-old daughter started in 2007 would turn into a project that impacts the lives of hundreds of children around the world each year.

This simple lemonade stand and its global impact began when Laurie’s daughter Grace learned about Operation Christmas Child — a global project that hand-delivers millions of gift-filled shoe box to needy kids. Grace wanted to pack 21 boxes; but with the tough economy, her mother Laurie didn’t know how to pay for the toys, school supplies, and hygiene items needed to fill the box.

November Events & Happenings

Win a $10,000 "Green" Nursery!

The Big Bundle of Joy $10,000 Nursery Giveaway, sponsored by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, will award one lucky grand prize winner a suite of certified low-emitting nursery products from manufacturers like Anderson Floors, Bona, Naturepedic®, Shaw Floors, Q Collection Junior™, and Young America by Stanley. The grand prize winner will handpick $10,000 worth of GREENGUARD Certified products from one, some, or all of these manufacturers, allowing for a completely customized nursery.

Five second-place winners will receive a GREENGUARD Certified Naturepedic mattress valued at $400, and 30 third-place winners will receive a GREENGUARD Certified Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaning System.

To enter, visit www.greenguard.org/sweeps, fill out an entry form, and click submit. The contest runs through January 31, 2011.

Sports Authority Move It Challenge

The ‘Sports Authority Move It Challenge’ is a national invention competition designed to uncover exciting new youth-created sporting and backyard games. The national competition kicked off on October 1, 2010 and will run through January 3, 2011 at www.Moveitchallenge.com. A grand prize of $10,000 will be awarded to the winner, with four finalists each receiving $1,000. All finalists will also have the opportunity to nominate the teacher or mentor who was most supportive to their creative process, and each dedicated professional will receive a $500 Sports Authority gift card. Entries will be accepted online or by mail using the official entry form.

It's Shoebox Time!

Each year, Samaritan's Purse collects shoeboxes filled with toys and hygiene items to ship to children in need around the world. National collection week is November 15-22. This article from Threads, LifeWay's Young Adult division, talks about hosting a fun shoebox-packing party! Threads and Operation Christmas Child are also offering a "prize trip" to a group who submits a story about their shoebox-packing party.

Teachers Need Help!

Del Monte Fresh Produce is launching a program to help support kindergarten through 12th grade public school teachers across North and Central America with cash to purchase school supplies and fresh fruit in the “Teacher Monday: Cash for Classrooms” campaign. One hundred prizes totaling $1,000 each will be awarded to teachers who get the most votes in the “Teacher Monday: Cash for Classrooms” online contest at www.fruits.com.

To be eligible to win, teachers must register for the “Teacher Monday: Cash for Classrooms” online contest at www.fruits.com. After teachers register their name and school, they can get all their fans — from parents to students, to friends and family — to vote for them. Ten winners will be selected each Monday for five consecutive weeks in October/November, 2010, for a total of 50 winning teachers North American teachers. Winners are based solely on the number of votes they receive. Winning teachers will receive $750 in cash to purchase school supplies and $250 in Del Monte fresh fruit coupons for classroom snacks and to use in fruit educational activities.

Any other contests or interesting events going on we should know about? We like to keep our readers informed!

Make a Difference Day

You may have read about the national movement Make a Difference Day in last Sunday's USA Weekend. Last year, more than 3 million people joined in community service projects around the nation to celebrate the holiday!

This year's Make a Difference Day is this Saturday, October 23. USA Weekend has a whole database of local projects to search (for instance, here are the listings for Tennessee). Or connect with your church or another organization you know is making a difference in your community!

Doing service together is a great way to show your kids what is really important and to model Christian life for them.

In concordance with Make a Difference Day, Blue Marlin Publications is releasing The Good Fun! Book, a handbook of 12 "service parties" that kids can organize and participate in.

"Whether it's a party to help animals or to collect sports equipment for needy kids, the 12 party plans in this book help elementary school children make a real difference in their neighborhoods – and the world – all year long. Filled with fun ideas that encourage participation and problem-solving, The Good Fun! Book includes themed party ideas, invitation suggestions, craft details, recipes, and even charity profiles."

Are you showing your children how to make a difference? Consider how you could be doing more--and get out and do SOMETHING this weekend!

Be Prepared in an Emergency

Did you know that September is the seventh annual National Preparedness Month? Since 2003, the Department of Homeland Security has urged families to get their acts together when it comes to having plans in case of an emergency.

The Center for Disease Control Web site offers some wonderful advice on what emergency preparedness truly means. They outline how each family can make an emergency kit, create an emergency plan, be informed about emergencies, and get involved in educating their community.

We were recently able to review the American Red Cross Blackout Buddy, a fantastic tool to have in your home in case of a common problem: a power outage. (If your kids are very scared of the dark, this can qualify as a national emergency!)
 

The Blackout Buddy functions as a night-light for everyday use, but when the power goes out it immediately has a bright LED light that comes on automatically. Flip down the prongs for plugging in, and it can be used as a flashlight — one that can be found a lot more quickly than the one buried in the bottom of a junk drawer in a dark kitchen.

The Blackout Buddy is just $15, and a percentage of proceeds goes to the American Red Cross.

Do you have an emergency plan for your family? Or even know where your flashlights are? Honestly, I’m not sure we even HAVE a flashlight.

September Events & Happenings

Here are a few fun things happening over the next weeks your family might want to take note of!
 

September 19th is the first annual Bless Our Schools Sunday, organized by Moms in Touch International™. Moms in Touch encourages pastor to bring forward all the educators and/or student in his congregation and pray blessings for their school year. You can download a PDF flyer with more information here.

September 25th is the 6th annual Smithsonian Museum Day. Over 1,000 museums are offering two tickets for free admission. To find a museum in your area, use this search engine, then request your two free tickets!

The new site Savvy Source offers discounts to family-friendly events in 20 cities across the U.S. Sign up to get e-mails with the specials so you won’t miss a thing!

One Crazy Week

July has been a crazy month in my house! We left on July 1st for a whirlwind trip to Texas to see extended family (definitely an adventure with an almost-2-year-old), came back for a few days, celebrated Jack's 2nd birthday with family, and have been involved in Vacation Bible School at our church this week! We've been going non-stop ... and it has been tiring ... but fun! It's a blast getting to see Jack experience elements of VBS for the very first time. He's been making crafts (with a lot of patient help), singing songs, and playing with his friends. But most importantly, he's been learning about Jesus!

Have your kids been to VBS this year? What were their favorite parts?

July Events & Happenings

All month — Family Golf Month

Throughout the month of July, affordable family fun is just a short par 3 away as PGA/LPGA Professionals nationwide encourage families to hit the links through special activities during the fifth annual Family Golf Month.

July 9 — Cow Appreciation Day

Chick-fil-A’s seventh annual Cow Appreciation Day is on July 9. On this fun-filled day, any customer who visits a Chick-fil-A restaurant dressed in a full cow costume will receive a FREE meal. Partially cow-dressed customers will receive a FREE entree.

To celebrate Cow Appreciation Day, Chick-fil-A has launched a photo contest at www.cowappreciationday.com to award the best cow-dressed adult and child with FREE Chick-fil-A products for a year. The best cow-dressed child also has an opportunity to win a $1,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond and a digital camera. The web site also includes costume ideas and downloadable cow spots that can be used on your web site.

This exciting celebration continues to grow and is sure to gather quite a bovine following this year as it has in years past!

July 12-24 — PRECEPT MINISTRIES BIBLE STUDY WORKSHOPS

While celebrating 40 years of introducing people across the world to the Inductive Bible Study Method, Kay Arthur and Precept Ministries International is bringing its Inductive Bible Study Method to your back door in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Visit Precept Ministries International during July 2010 and participate in a series of Bible study workshops using the Inductive Bible Study Method, as well as a 5 day study programs on Ezra and Esther.  Discover a new way to study your Bible by attending one or several of Precept’s Training Workshops.

The ministry holds Training Workshops several times through the year. Since popular classes often sell out and some advanced workshops require pre-workshop homework, registering early is recommended. For more information or to register, visit www.precept.org and click on the "Workshops & Classes" tab or call Precept at 888-678-5660.

July 16-18 — Target’s Arts & Wonder Free Family Event

This summer, Target is opening the doors to museums, galleries and other venues across the country for one activity-packed weekend.  From July 16-18, 2010 over 80 institutions in 30 cities from coast-to-coast will be participating in Target’s Arts & Wonder Free Family Event.
 
Committed to making the arts affordable and accessible, Target is granting FREE access to cultural institutions for an entire weekend, giving families across the country the opportunity to step into a whole new world where they can explore and learn together.  So Moms looking for unique, fun activities can take her kids on an art-tastic adventure where they can ponder masterpieces and get crafty with hands-on activities, giving the whole family a learning experience they don’t want to miss.   

The Chapmans Show Hope

Many of you have commented how you enjoyed seeing Steven Curtis Chapman and his family in the current issue of ParentLife. Please check out the lead feature on the Chapmans if you have not been able to yet! We wanted to update you on the Chapman's latest venture this fall.

Show Hope presents Steven Curtis Chapman and his family embarking on a new journey together this fall as they venture out on a “A Night with the Chapmans.” The special family affair kicks off September 10 in Lancaster, Pennyslvania, and will hit 34 cities before ending on November 21 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The night of music and hope with the multi-platinum selling and award-winning artist will feature some of his most memorable hits from his two decades plus career. Songs to expect include “Live Out Loud,” “Cinderella,” and many more of his extensive catalog loved by all. Chapman will also bring back by popular demand his request time where attendees can ask that their song be added to the set via www.StevenCurtisChapman.com.

"We've prayed for months that each evening of this tour be an opportunity to ponder important things, and to celebrate the hope we have in Jesus, the great hope I'm so thankful continues to carry us all," comments Chapman.
 

As a part of this very special season, Mary Beth Chapman will join her husband for the first time ever on the tour. “There are three things I told God I would never ever do: homeschool, adopt, and speak in public,” she says. “Well, we've already homeschooled, you know we've adopted, and now this fall I'll be on stage speaking at Steven's concerts." With a smile Mary Beth adds, "Now I'm telling God I will not go to Hawaii for three months."

Mary Beth will share her journey as reflected in her inaugural book, Choosing To See, available this September and co-written with Ellen Vaughn. Discussing her courtship and marriage to Chapman, struggles for emotional balance, and living with grief, she will open up about how she has wrestled with God even as she has allowed him to write her story--both during times of happiness and those of tragedy. Mary Beth's transparent style will surprise audiences with the depth of her faith struggle and her hilarious sense of humor. Mary Beth and Steven will also proudly introduce audiences to the band Caleb, a new band featuring their sons Caleb and Will Franklin. 
 
Show Hope, the title sponsor of the tour, is a ministry founded by the Chapmans that enables individuals and communities to change the world for orphans by not only addressing a child’s need for food, shelter, care, and spiritual nourishment, but by also addressing the root issue for an orphan: the lack of a family.

About Show Hope:
 A ministry founded by Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman to help care for the millions of orphans around the world, Show Hope helps to provide waiting orphans with forever families by giving financial grants to those adopting. To date, Show Hope is now an internationally recognized voice for orphan advocacy and has given over 2,300 financial grants, affecting the lives of children from 45 different countries, including the U.S. In addition to giving financial grants, Show Hope also empowers families, churches and communities with adoption and orphan care resources and advocacy efforts to change the world for orphans.
 
In the summer of 2009, Show Hope opened the doors to Maria’s Big House of Hope, a six-story healing home facility located in Luoyang, China, which provides surgeries and medical care for special needs orphans. The mission of this healing home is to provide the highest level of care for these orphans who are in desperate need of surgeries and medical attention, thus enabling the children to thrive and increase the orphans' chances of being adopted.
 
For more information, please visit www.ShowHope.org.

Extra June Events

Be sure add these two events to your June calendar. Enjoy shoes and dessert ... while helping out two great causes!

Purchases with a Purpose by Pediped

Beginning June 8 through July 11, pediped® footwear will host a Purchases with Purpose fundraiser.   Fifty percent of the purchase price will be donated to the Make-A-Wish® Foundation to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. During this period, select styles of both Originals and Flex shoes will be marked down as much as 40 percent. So if you love to shoe shop, check it out, knowing that your purchases will serve a wonderful purpose!

Father’s Day Frosty Weekend

There are several additional ways customers can get involved and raise money for the DTFA. Visit www.frostycard.com or www.facebook.com/frosty for all of the details.

The money raised online in the weeks leading up to Father’s Day weekend and in-store during the holiday weekend will directly support Dave Thomas Foundation’s signature program – Wendy’s Wonderful Kids (WWK). The program awards grants for adoption agencies to hire recruiters to aggressively work to place foster children into adoptive families.

Does your family have big plans to celebrate this Father's Day Weekend? How will you celebrate Dad?

June Events & Happenings

Don't miss your chance to participate in these exciting events during the month of June! 

Join internationally-renowned Bible teachers Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer, and Beth Moore for a unique one-weekend event — June 11-12 in Magness Arena in Denver, Colorado. Visit www.lifeway.com to register.

Life & Faith Tour

Red Robin "Etch A Sketch a Burger" Contest

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is kicking off this nationwide contest in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Etch A Sketch. The "Etch A Sketch A Burger" contest runs through July 25 and encourages the young and young-at-heart to draw their favorite Red Robin burger on an Etch A Sketch and then submit a photo of that drawing online at www.redrobin.com/etchasketch. Fifty contest winners will receive a limited edition 50th Anniversary Etch A Sketch and a $50 Red Robin gift card.

Johnson's Big Bubblin' Stars Contest

Bath time is fun, right? Show the world how fun bath time is at your house ... and have the opportunity to win some great prizes as well as contribute to a charitable cause. If your child is between the ages of 6 months and 4 years, you can shoot an under 3-minute bath time fun video and upload it to the Johnson's Baby YouTube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/baby).  Approved videos will be featured on the YouTube channel. After July 6th, a panel of judges will pick the top nine finalists. Then you get to vote to choose the winners! For every video submitted, Johnson's will make a donation to the March of Dimes.  For more detailed information, visit http://www.youtube.com/baby.

Know of any other fun, family friendly events going on in your area this month? Tell us all about them by leaving a comment!

May Calendar of Events

We hope you will be inspired and encouraged by this month's calendar of events. Notice the great ways you can make a difference through prayer, a simple click of the mouse, or getting out to walk!

All month - You can help the Erika Kate Foundation win a $50,000 grant this month in the Pepsi Refreshes Everything Challenge. Log onto www.refresheverything.com/erikakate once each day and vote for EKF to win a $50,000 grant. With this money, EKF could help up to 100 families whose children face critical heart issues! If you want to learn more about EKF, visit Erikakate.org. You can also support EKF by joining their EKF Facebook page.

 

May 6, 2010 - National Day of Prayer - Join together with local believers and those all across the USA to pray for our country. Discover local observances and read more about this year's theme "For Such A Time As This" by logging onto www.nationaldayofprayer.org. We echo Chairman Shirley Dobson's prayer: "May we continue to seek the Lord's guidance and protection during these crucial days that will impact the direction of our country for generations to come."

 

May 8, 2010 - For 22 years Project ACES (All Children Exercise Simultaneously) has impacted millions of children. Founder Len Saunders is now introducing PACES Day (Parents and Children Exercise Simultaneously). PACES, which asks parents to exercise with their children for 15-45 minutes each Saturday, will be highlighted by the third annual national PACES DAY on Saturday, May 8, 2010. To learn more about PACES Day, visit the web site at: www.pacesday.com

May 22, 2010 - Ellie's Run for Africa - Ellie Ambrose, a 10-year-old whose heart was moved by the stories of those hurting in Africa, began an event to raise money know as Ellie's Run for Africa. Eliie is now a high sophomore but her heart and vision for Africa is strong.  Ellie is a fantastic example of what a young person can do when her heart is inspired to make a difference in the world and spread the message of God's love and mercy. This May will mark the sixth year for Ellie's Run, which has raised over $210,000 to date. Visit the website for Ellie's Run www.elliesrun.org and learn more about how your family can participate. 
 

May 23, 2010 - Deadline for the Red Robin "How Do You Make A Difference?" Kids' Poem Contest. Kids ages 5-10 are encouraged to submit their poems (100 words or less) describing how they make a difference in their communities. Kids can complete the contest entry form and submit their poems online at www.redrobin.com/makeadifference. There are six winners chosen and lots of great prizes for the winners including getting published online.  

Let us know if you participate in any of these programs!

April Events & Happenings

You and Your Girl with Vicki Courtney

Saturday, April 17
First Baptist Church in Carrollton, Texas

Living Proof Live with Beth Moore

Friday, April 16-Saturday, April 17
Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, FL

 

Awake & Alive Tour

Not only are John and Korey Cooper of the band Skillet on the cover of this month's ParentLife. They are also going on tour this month. The “Awake & Alive Tour” begins April 15th at Scranton, Pennsylvania’s Scranton Cultural Center and then continues through late May. For more more information about the tour as well as concert dates and ticket information, visit www.skillet.com. 

 

One Life Tour

You may remember Jason Barton, frontman of the band 33Miles, from our October 2009 issue. Right now, 33Miles is in the middle of its “One Life Tour.” The tour begin in mid-March, but there is still time to catch a show near you. The tour is partnering with Food For The Hungry to seek aid for earthquake-affected children in Haiti. Concert attendees will have the opportunity to sponsor one of the thousands of children affected by the January 12 disaster. For tickets and information, visit www.33milesonline/tour.

 

iShine Live!

iShine LIVE!, a unique faith-based concert tour designed specifically for the preteen (ages 8 to 14) market, will head back out on the road this spring, hitting more than 20 cities nationwide. iShine LIVE! is a power-packed, high-energy two-hour event that brings together live music performances, a speaker, DJ, dancing, and more! This spring tour will feature performances from Paige Armstrong, The Rubyz, Mission Six, Jamie Grace, and more. Visit www.iShineLive.com for concert dates and locations. And don't miss our feature on single-dad Robert Beeson, founder of iShine Live, coming up in the July 2010 issue of ParentLife.

Know of any other great events in April? Leave a comment and let us know!

 

Pump It Up -- Sensory Nights for Autistic Children

A group of children bouncing around on inflatable equipment might not be the typical picture of therapy, but parents across the country who have children with autism are touting the physical and social benefits of playtime at giant, indoor inflatable playgrounds. 
 

The environment at indoor inflatable playgrounds, featuring giant bounce houses and slides, can become an ideal place for children with autism to receive helpful sensations. This is the reasoning behind Sensory Nights hosted by the Autism Society, and Pump It Up, a national franchise of giant, indoor inflatable playgrounds. The private playtimes are designed exclusively for children with special needs and their families — the music is turned off and the bounce arenas are less crowded, so children aren’t as likely to be overstimulated as in other similar environments that might be noisier. But besides avoiding overstimulation, bouncing in this sort of environment also can provide therapeutic benefits for sensory challenges by creating a calming sensation called proprioceptive input.
 

For added bouncing benefit, children could wear firm-fitting clothing, especially if it has a stretchy quality, like dance clothing. The firm pressure along their skin provides calming information to the brain and keeps the brain organized as they play. It’s the perfect sensation for therapeutic benefit. 

In addition to Sensory Nights, Pump It Up locations across the country and the Autism Society are hosting “Bounce for Autism” events, a broader community fundraiser to raise support and awareness for autism during National Autism Awareness Month this April. More information is available at www.bounceforautism.org.

To find a Sensory Night in your area, check with your local Pump It Up. To learn more about autism, visit www.autism-society.org.

March Events & Happenings

Life feels so busy! Sometimes you just have to make time to slow down and get away to gain a new perspective on life, marriage, and parenting. Check out the following great options for the month of March.

Fireproof My Marriage

Friday, March 19-Saturday, March 20
First Baptist Church North Mobile in Saraland, AL

Friday, March 26-Saturday, March 27
Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, FL
 

Living Proof Live with Beth Moore

Friday, March 26-Saturday, March 27
Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, AZ

You and Your Girl with Vicki Courtney
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Longview Heights Baptist Church in Olive Branch, MS

And check out these fun ideas for you and your preteen to spend time together!

The Awake Tonight Tour with Skillet & TobyMac

Sure to be an evening of pure adrenaline and energy, the tour will hit over 20 cities throughout March and April, kicking off tonight in Indiana. TobyMac & Skillet pairing has created the ultimate concert EXPERIENCE. With two headliners on the same stage, that have this much energy to offer night after night, all I can say is go get a ticket. You don't want to be the unlucky person that spends the rest of his life wishing you were there.

The 2nd Annual Rock and Worship Roadshow

The stellar cast includes the talents of MercyMe, David Crowder Band, Family Force 5, Francesca Battistelli, Fee, Remedy Drive and Sidewalk Prophets. Last year, the Rock and Worship Roadshow drew more than 170k fans to major cities across the U.S. This year it hopes to continue to attract people by the thousands providing them the best entertainment along with a meaningful message. The 25-city tour will kick off March 18 in Indianapolis and will carry through to April 25 in Columbia, SC.

The Ultimate Summer Field Trip Contest

Discovery Student Adventures launches the "Ultimate Summer Field Trip" online sweepstakes on its Facebook Fan Page for a trip to Italy and Greece this summer: July 5-19, 2010.  Students ages 10-18 and teachers of grades K-12 are eligible to enter.  Winners will go beyond typical tourist places to experience climbing and camping on Italy's Mt. Etna, tour through the Vatican and watch a Greek tragedy in Athens. The contest ends on April 15, 2010.

And what do Beth Moore, TobyMac, and Skillet have in common? Besides having great events you can attend in March, they have all been featured in ParentLife of course! Don't miss Skillet's John and Korey Cooper on the April 2010 cover of ParentLife!

 

 

 

March 2010 Blog Giveaway

I think it's safe to say that everyone is looking forward to Spring and Summer which are just around the corner! But if you are planning to send your child to summer camp this year, now is the time to start preparing and planning ... and even making reservations! And maybe we can help!

Everyone* who posts a comment on our blog in March will automatically be entered to win one free CentriKid camp registration this summer. A winner will be drawn randomly on March 31, 2010. So let us hear from you!

CentriKid is a five-day, four-night camp for 3rd through 6th graders to experience the time of their lives and learn more about the message of Jesus Christ! From the future sports star to the young scientist to the rising chef, every kid gets to participate in exciting activities of their choice. Church groups bring kids to camp where they will take part in Bible study, recreation, track times, and worship. Camps are staffed by college and seminary students who can’t wait to hang out with your kids and love to share Christ through every aspect of camp! Visit the CentriKid Web site for more information.

*LifeWay employees are not eligible for this giveaway. Multiple comments do not increase chances of winning. The child must go officially as part of his church or a parent must accompany the child as a chaperone. If a parent is accompanying the child, two spots will be provided. If the church isn't coming already, the camp location must be at one where there is space.
 

February Events & Happenings

Check out these exciting events and contests taking place during February!

• LifeWay's Valentine's Retreat Weekend (February 12-13, Ridgecrest, NC) — Valentine's Day is approaching quickly, but there is still time to register for this great marriage event featuring Tim and Darcy Kimmel, Kenn Kington, and Warren Barfield.
• Kohl's Kids Who Care® Scholarship Program — Kohl’s Department Stores will award more than $410,000 in scholarships and prizes, ranging from $50 Kohl’s gift cards to ten $10,000 scholarships, recognizing students who make a difference by volunteering in their communities. Nominations for kids ages 6 to 18 will be accepted from now until March 15 at kohlskids.com.
• Boba Baby Carrier Design Contest — Do you have a flair for design? Then you might be interested in this contest! Bobababycarrier.com - together with Spoonflower, is holding a new contest from February 18-25. Everyone is eligible and encouraged to submit one new fabric design per person for NAP, Inc.’s backpack-style Boba baby carrier. The theme of the new design submitted should be “nature.” One winner will receive $500 in cash and the opportunity to work with NAP, Inc. to name the winning design. The winner will be selected based on the highest number of votes received from online voters. Voting begins online on Monday, March 1 through Sunday, March 7.  The winner will be announced on March 9. Visit the Spoonflower blog for more details and to enter the contest!

Planning Ahead to March? Be sure to check out information on HomeLife's Love & Marriage event happening March 6th in Austin, Texas!

Poster Contest

On this particularly cold, rainy, winter day in middle Tennessee, you might think I'm out of my mind posting information about Arbor Day, but I don't want anyone who is interested to miss the opportunity to be involved in the 2010 National Poster Contest put on by the Arbor Day Foundation. Many of the state deadlines are fast-approaching.
 

The annual National Poster Contest teaches thousands of students each year about the value of trees. This year's theme is “Trees are Terrific … And Energy Wise!”

The competition is open to all fifth-grade students nationwide. Visit www.arborday.org/postercontest for contest rules, state deadlines, and to view the previous year’s winners. A free educational guidebook with extensive classroom activities is available for download.

Has your child ever won a contest like this? Tell us about it! Or if you enter the Arbor Day Foundation's poster contest, leave a comment and let us know!

Winter Wonder Slam 2009

Looking for a fun event for you and your preteen? Check out the Winter Wonder Slam 2009 Tour  headlined by GRAMMY® Award winner TobyMac. The tour also features the talents of Relient K, B.Reith, and Stephanie Smith. For the first time ever the tour will head to the West Coast as well as making its way to New York City; Fairfax, Virginia; Pittsburgh; and numerous other cities across the states.

The tour continues its tradition of giving, as Winter Wonder Slam teams up with the U.S. Marine Corps to help with their Toys for Tots campaign. Toys for Tots aims to provide tangible signs of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. Music fanatics will be encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift to the event as Marines will be on site to collect toys at every venue.

This will be the fifth year that TobyMac has brought his highly energetic show to the holiday season to crowds across the country. This family reunion show is one that keeps bringing people back for more each year sharing the true meaning of Christmas.
 
For more details on Winter Wonder Slam 2009, visit www.winterwonderslam.com or www.tobymac.com.

Orphan Sunday

In celebration of November as National Adoption Awareness Month, Show Hope and Steven Curtis Chapman, along with Focus on the Family and FamilyLife, are helping to lead the charge this Sunday, November 8th -- also known as Orphan Sunday --  for a live event in Nashville, Tennessee, with one goal: raising awareness of the more than 140 million orphans worldwide. The free event, beginning at 4:00 p.m. CST, will be simulcast through satellite and Moody Radio Network and through a webcast at www.OrphanSunday.org. It will also be streamed online at www.GospelMusicChannel.com in the days following the event.
 

The Orphan Sunday event (held by Cry of the Orphan) will feature a special acoustic performance from Chapman with other musical guests Geoff Moore and the Children of the World Choir. Guest speakers include:

• Focus on the Family President Jim Daly, a former orphan himself
• Dr. Sharen Ford, Manager for Permanency Services for the Colorado Department of Human Services in the Division of Child Welfare Services
• Jedd Medefind of the Christian Alliance for Orphans
• Dennis Rainey, an adoptive father and President of FamilyLife

If you live in the Nashville area, this free event will be held at Christ Community Church (1215 Hillsboro Road, Franklin, just south of Nashville) and will not be ticketed. Seats will be available on a first come, first serve basis. So be sure to get there early! Doors will open 30 minutes before show time.

If you don't live near Nashville, be sure to check out the available simulcast and webcast. For more information, visit www.OrphanSunday.org or Cry of the Orphan's Web site. 

If you attend this event or participate via simulcast or webcast, we'd love to hear about your experience and what it meant to you. Tell us all about it. 

Worthy Cause

The following is a worthy fundraiser taking place in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 25, 2009. We thought you might be interested in their story whether local to Nashville or not.

Laurian and John Scott, lost their two children, Thisbe and Noah, to a rare pediatric motor neuron disease. Now in their memories, friends and family will host a walk at Centennial Park in Nashville to celebrate their lives and to raise awareness about this devastating disease. The following is part of their story and more info about the fundraiser.
 
On Sunday, October 25th, 2009, at 3:00 p.m., The Olive Branch Fund: A Thisbe and Noah Scott Legacy, started by Franklin residents, John and Laurian Scott, will be hosting “A Mighty Voice,” a multi-city fundraiser to raise awareness and fund research for pediatric motor neuron diseases (MNDs) at Centennial Park.

The Olive Branch Fund was founded in honor of the Scott’s two children, Elenna “Thisbe” and Noah Scott, who were both lost to Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere (BVVL), a rare form of MND. Their daughter Thisbe was perfectly healthy the first 16 months of her life, yet gravely ill the last 17 months and passed away on April 30, 2007. One month later, their son Noah, 10-months-old at the time, also began showing symptoms of the same disease. Nine months later, on April 9, 2008, he also passed away. It has since been their mission to raise awareness of these diseases, help fund research to find a cure and be a support system for all families of pediatric MNDs.

“As the second annual A Mighty Voice event in our hometown, we look forward to strengthening the awareness, momentum, and research dollars for these diseases while also making it a wonderful event for families,” said Laurian Scott. “It’s amazing how many people are carrying the genetic mutation for a MND and have no idea – the number has been estimated at approximately 1 in 35 to 40 people. SMA, the most common pediatric MND, is the number one genetic killer of infants and toddlers. Since my daughter’s ‘diagnosis’ in 2006, we have radically changed the face of BVVL, and multiple families here and abroad, even as far away as Libya, have reached out to us for help. We’re the only ones on the planet advocating for this disease while also vying for a universal treatment for all MNDs.”

This family-friendly fundraiser will include a walk through Centennial Park with live entertainment by the popular children’s band, Adam and the Couch Potatoes, face-painting, and a book signing of Thisbe’s Promise, a children’s picture book written by Laurian Scott. Through this, and other fundraisers throughout the nation, the Scott family hopes to create “A Mighty Voice” for all children affected by motor neuron diseases.

The Olive Branch Fund is a component fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, a 501 (c) (3). For more information visit www.amightyvoice.org or www.cfmt.org.

Please let us know if you go to this fundraiser on Sunday!

A Better Bedtime

Fall is finally here, and with fall comes chilly weather. If you are like me, you've already packed away the summer clothes and brought out the warm ones ... especially warm pajamas.

Unfortunately, not ever child has the luxury of having warm pajamas. In the U.S. foster care system, alone, there are more than 500,000 children. Every two seconds another child enters the system. Many have been abandoned or abused and have never enjoyed the simple comfort of putting on a cozy pair of pajamas and having a mother or father tuck them in at bedtime and read to them. But now ... thanks to the non-profit Pajama Program, thousands of children in orphanages, group homes, and shelters are being given new pajamas and new books.

Read for the Record Day

Today, Jumpstart’s Read for the Record will set a new record for the world’s largest shared reading experience and raise funds for early education in low-income communities.  People everywhere will join together to read the beloved children’s classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle to more than one million children across the country and globe. 
 
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is a celebration of reading and community service created to raise awareness about the importance that reading with young children has in developing crucial early language and literacy skills they need to succeed in school and in life. Each year, one third of America’s children arrive at their first day of school developmentally behind their peers and without the skills necessary to succeed. This year’s campaign will donate hundreds of thousands of books and raise more than $2.5 million to support Jumpstart’s yearlong work with preschool children. 

The official campaign book for the 2009 Read for the Record is a special, limited edition of the Philomel Books classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Walmart stores nationwide are offering the official limited edition copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar in support of Jumpstart's Read for the Record. All net proceeds from the book sales will be donated to Jumpstart.
 
Anyone, anywhere can participate in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record by pledging to read at readfortherecord.org, buying their official limited-edition campaign book at Walmart, and then reading with a child at home or at one of the thousands of events taking place in schools, libraries, town halls and community centers across the country. To see what’s happening in your community, visit the Event Finder at readfortherecord.org. 

Did your family participate in any Read for the Record events today? Tell us about your experience.

Free Girls' Ministry Webcast

When?: Today at 12:00 PM Central

What?: Get into Their Heads: Understanding the Struggles of Today's Girls
Wondering what is going on in girl world? What they are thinking about? What their fears are? What stresses them out? New issues they are facing? Join us for this Webinar as we identify and discuss some of the latest struggles our teen girls are facing. We will also discuss how we as girls' ministry leaders can meet those needs.

Where?: http://bit.ly/12QYe3

DQ® Miracle Treat Day

On Thursday, August 13, Dairy Queen® will host the 4th Annual Miracle Treat Day, when proceeds from Blizzards® sold will be donated to Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals.

Last year on Miracle Treat Day, Dairy Queen raised more than $4.5 million for 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. A cause partner since 1984, Dairy Queen has raised more than $77 million and is one of the top five contributors to Children’s Miracle Network.

Dairy Queen will bring back the Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard as the featured Blizzard of the Month for August, just in time to celebrate Miracle Treat Day. Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie is the most popular limited-time-offer Blizzard ever, since the first one was served upside-down with a spoon in 1985. The Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard is made with creamy DQ vanilla soft serve blended with Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie pieces and a Crème de Menthe topping.

For more information about Miracle Treat Day or Dairy Queen, visit www.miracletreatday.com or www.dq.com.

ParentLife Visits Saddle Ridge Ranch

Today is a very exciting day at LifeWay Christian Resources. It is VBS 2010 Preview Day (and Bring Your Child to Work Day!! LifeWay will be taken over by children, children's ministers, and other children's ministry workers as they get a taste of the Wild West on Saddle Ridge Ranch with an advanced look at the theme for VBS 2010.

Children in kindergarten through sixth grade, parents, and guests will participate in a worship rally and various VBS rotations. For lunch, the LifeWay cafe will offer special western-themed, kid-friendly food options! It promises to be a great time!

ParentLife has the wonderful opportunity of participating in the fun this year. We get our very own booth dedicated to letting people know about our magazine, our blog, and the LifeWay children's devotional magazines — More, Adventure, and Bible Express! We will be handing out business cards promoting the blog and directing folks to our Facebook and Twitter pages. Even more exciting ... we will be giving away one free subscription to ParentLife and each of the children's devotional magazines!

It's going to be a great day!

If you attended VBS 2010 Preview Day today, tell us about your experience and what you enjoyed the most!

Summer Fun Idea -- Children's Garden

The grand opening for the new garden is this Saturday. Admission is free this Saturday only 9 a.m.-Noon and will feature a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:00. But it is an affordable day visit at other times. Admission to all areas of the Botanic Garden is $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors, $3.00 for children (3-12) and free to children under two and to Members.  For more information visit www.memphisbotanicgarden.com. 

Speaking Louder Than Before Tour -- Coming This Fall

If your family loves great music and opportunities to minister to others, you're going to love Jeremy Camp's fall 2009 tour!

Making his passion known this past year with the release of Speaking Louder Than Before, BEC Recordings artist Jeremy Camp is introducing his fall tour named after the recently released CD and with a purpose at hand. As his first headlining tour in almost two years, Camp will be joined by reigning Dove Female Artist of the Year Natalie Grant and label-mate Bebo Norman. The Speaking Louder Than Before Tour is sponsored by Compassion® International and is kicking off in Florida on September 10th.

Tickets for the anticipated tour went on sale Friday, July 10th in addition to a special iTickets / iTunes promotion. Those who purchase tickets via iTickets from July 10th until July 24th will receive a code for two free downloads at iTunes ("Beyond Measure" by Jeremy Camp and "Never Saw You Coming" by Bebo Norman).

Earlier this year, Camp and his management company began a ministry called Speaking Louder Ministries. The purpose behind Speaking Louder Ministries is tri-fold:

1. Bringing a raised awareness to the local outreaches in the cities that Jeremy Camp performs
2. Helping equip the church body and local community to get involved in ministry together
3. Impacting the needs of the community/organization with physical goods.

Visit www.speakinglouderministries.com for more information.

Jeremy is thrilled about this 30+ city tour. "I'm really looking forward to the tour and to what's being planned with Speaking Louder Ministries," shares Camp. "We'll have unique opportunities in each and every town that we play on this tour to be a part of local ministry. I'm hoping to see the body of Christ engaged and fired up to help local ministries in need. This will be more than just a typical concert experience, we will be working and worshiping together for the Kingdom of God."

For tour dates and additional information, visit www.jeremycamp.com.

Don't miss Jeremy in the July 2009 issue of ParentLife as he talks about how God has been faithful to Jeremy and his family. And make a note not to miss our January 2010 issue, featuring Natalie Grant on parenting twin toddlers!

Family Golf Month

During the month of July, golf facilities nationwide will offer free and affordable activities for families during the fourth annual Family Golf Month.

Golf is a great way to spend quality family time together, especially during the summer months. Throughout Family Golf Month, participating courses will provide activities such as golf clinics, family scrambles, parent/child golf camps and play days.

To find participating facilities in your area, go to PlayGolfAmerica.com, and click on Family Golf Month. The Play Golf America site also highlights other programs available to families, including the Sticks for Kids program, providing kids the ability to play golf and learn the game who may not otherwise have the ability to participate.

Do you ever play golf together as a family? What are some other great family summer sports that you like to participate in together?

VBS Excitement

This week, I have the privilege to work at Vacation Bible School at my church. It has been a great week so far ... and there's still one more day to go!

VBS brings back so many fun memories. As we were decorating our room on Sunday, my friend Heather was commenting about how exciting it is to be involved. We both agreed that it makes us feel like kids again ... anxious to see what each new day of VBS will hold! VBS may have changed over the years (now with amazing themes, fantastic music, and lots of extra options) but the basic purpose is still the same -- to tell kids about Jesus!

In years past, I've worked with preschool, but this year I was ready for a change. I am working with 2nd graders and I love it! It's such a great age. They are sweet, smart, and kind. And most excitingly ... they are very receptive to the gospel. Yesterday was the day we emphasized the plan of salvation. We learned about the ABCs of becoming a Christian:

• A -- Admit to God that you are a sinner.
• B -- Believe that Jesus is God's Son.
• C -- Confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

We must have gone over the ABCs 6 or 7 times yesterday (if not more). By the end of the day, the kids knew it by heart! I just hope and pray that in His time, God will soften each of their hearts and draw them to Him. It's so wonderful to get to play a small role in God's plan for these children. I'm so thankful and excited to see what He does through them!

What memories do you have about VBS? Did you come to know Christ as your Savior at VBS? Have your children participated in VBS this year? Tell us about your experiences.

World Vision's Summerfest '09

World Vision unveils “World Vision’s Summerfest ’09,” their first-ever summer concert series featuring pop-rock band Building 429, 33Miles, Lanae Hale, and new act Kimber Rising. The Summerfest will visit 12 to 15 cities and kicks off this week. World Vision hopes to have more than 800 child sponsorships by the end of the tour.

The tour dates lead up to Building 429’s World Vision mission trip to Uganda this July where the band will be performing to approximately 30,000 people in Rwanda with Andrew Palau of the Luis Palau Association. The band will continue their tour with World Vision in August for 15 dates across Canada.
For more information on World Vision Summerfest ’09 and the tour dates, click here.

For more information about World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice, visit the World Vision Web site.
 
ParentLife is excited to feature 33Miles’ lead vocalist Jason Barton and his story in our upcoming October 2009 issue. You can see Jason and 33Miles as part of Summerfest '09. Don't forget to check out this month's ParentLife feature on musical artist TobyMac.

Tell us! Who are your favorite Christian artists? Do you sponsor a child through World Vision?

Staying in Shape

As a mother, I know it is very hard to find time to exercise and stay in shape. So why not include baby in your fitness routine? Exercising with your baby can be fun for both of you. Check out Stroller Strides® — the total fitness program for moms with their babies.

And now might be the perfect time to give Stroller Strides a try! In honor of Pregnancy Awareness Month and moms and moms-to-be everywhere, Stroller Strides will be offering both its traditional postnatal exercise classes and new prenatal Fit4Baby classes absolutely free at its more than 800 locations across the country, May 10-16! The classes are not only a fun and effective way to get fit, but also inspire lasting and supportive friendships.
 
For the free class pass, visit www.pregnancyawarenessmonth.com and click on the "Stroller Strides/Fit4Baby" banner to print the coupon. (Good for first-time clients only.)
 
To find a Stroller Strides/Fit4Baby location near you, visit www.strollerstrides.com.
 
How do you find time to stay in shape as a parent?

How Do You Help Kids Learn the Bible?

Take Your Child to Work Day

You and Your Girl

You and Your Girl is a mother/daughter event (for mothers and their daughters ages 10-18 or grades 5-12) that gives spiritual encouragement and practical tools to navigate through this generation. Best-selling author Vicki Courtney encourages moms and equips daughters to steer toward a God-filled life. Soak up Vicki's inspiring messages, music by worship leader Lindsey Kane, age specific breakouts, and more. The drive back home could be some of the best times you've ever shared.

Vicki Courtney is a an author, speaker, and founder of Virtuous Reality Ministries, which reaches more than 150,000 girls and mothers per year through books, speaking engagements, virtuousreality.com (for teen girls) and virtuealert.com, her blog for moms.

In addition to Vicki's messages, moms, daughters, and their friends will also hear from a variety of breakout leaders (Jackie Kendall, Pam Gibbs, Sissy Goff, Melissa Trevathan, Carrie Hopkins, and Becky Loyd) and worship leader Lindsey Kane.

Moms, don't miss this weekend opportunity to connect or reconnect with your daughter, while she can be encouraged to stand up for Christ. The next event is this Saturday, April 18, in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Check out information about other LifeWay events here.

Have you been to a You and Your Girl event? Let us hear from you about your experience!

How Do You Make a Difference?

March for Babies

Baby Boot Camp by Amy Hammond Hagberg

iShine LIVE! -- Exciting Event for Preteens

Hosted by Luke Benward, star of How to Eat Fried Worms and Disney's Minutemen, iShine LIVE! features Robert Pierre, The Rubyz, and speaker Paige Armstrong. There will be a DJ, dancers, live video, and many other kinds of high energy entertainment all centered on finding your identity in Christ!

For tour dates and more information, visit the iShine LIVE! Web site.

Rock & Worship Road Show

Doodle for Google

Upward® Scores!

What we do: Specifically designed for K5 through 6th grade boys and girls, Upward sport leagues provide a fun, positive atmosphere for children to grow in a sport they love while also learning about Jesus Christ.

Who we are: Upward^™ Unlimited is an international nonprofit children's sports organization designed to give children and their families a positive sports experience. To fulfill their mission, Upward partners with evangelical churches across the country. By working with and training local churches, over half a million children will participate in Upward this year.

How we operate: Giving children the opportunity to learn and grow through participating in games they love is one of the most rewarding aspects of conducting a league. Unlike traditional sports programs, Upward programs are structured so children participate in practices and games without league standings. Characteristics such as sportsmanship, kindness, and character are valued as winning qualities. Coaches primarily focus on ministering to children and their families instead of game strategy. Teams are arranged in a substitution system where all players are allowed equal playing time and equal opportunity for improvement.

What we emphasize: To further the "Every Child Is a Winner" philosophy, Upward coaches encourage each player with a game-day star award following each game that builds self-esteem and team spirit. Coaches also are prepared with guides containing a Scripture learning verse and devotions for practices and games. In addition, the referee will lead all sports teams in prayer in the center of the field or court at the beginning of each game. 

Upward offers basketball, cheerleading, soccer, flag football, and several camp options so find a church near you who offers one of our sports leagues.

Have you participated in an Upward league? Tell us about your experience!

Happy Read Across America Day!

• "Raising Bookworms" -- Crystal McDowell helps you develop your child's love of reading.
• "Talk, Read, and Listen" -- Donna R. Hoomes gives the keys to increasing your preschooler's vocabulary.
• "Practice, Practice!" -- Mary Ann Bradberry helps you build on your 6- to 8-year-old's reading skills.

National Pancake Day

• IHOP served 1.5 million free pancakes on National Pancake Day 2008.
• All of the free pancakes served on National Pancake Day 2008 would create a stack more than 12 miles high.   
• Pancake lovers donated more than $875,000 to children's charities, far exceeding the fundraising goal.
• Since beginning its National Pancake Day celebration in 2006, IHOP has raised nearly two million dollars to support charities in the communities in which it operates.  
• National Pancake Day 2008 was IHOP's largest one-day event in the company's 50-year history.

Winter Jam 2009

Burn Awareness

Events of Interest in February and March

As part of the blog, we want you to know about upcoming events that we think you might like. These pages could be updated so don't hesitate to check them out more than once. Here's the first one:

February 5-7, 2009 -- Living Proof Live -- El Paso, Texas
Join Beth Moore on Feb. 5-6 or 6-7 with Travis Cottrell and the praise team.

February 6-7, 2009 -- Going Beyond with Priscilla Shirer --  Marietta, Georgia

February 20-21, 2009 -- Going Beyond with Priscilla Shirer -- San Jose, California
Join Priscilla Shirer for this inspiring women's event.

March 14 - LifeWay Kids Workshop: Leaving a Leagacy - Columbia, SC

March 28, 2009 -- You & Your Girl with Vicki Courtney
A dynamic mother-daughter event for preteen and teen girls. There are more dates and locations throughout the year.

Welcome to the ParentLife Blog!

ParentLife Online is here! We are excited for the opportunity to communicate with you online. ParentLife Online will be updated daily during the week with commentary from the ParentLife staff, content that goes deeper into topics appearing in our print magazine, product reviews, and helpful links to parenting sites and the latest parenting information.

We also want to hear from you! Respond to our posts, send us ideas for articles, and submit your writing and queries to be considered for ParentLife.

Meet the Editor in Chief

Hi there! I am William Summey, the editor in chief of ParentLife. I have been working on ParentLife for 7 years, initially as editor and now as editor in chief (EIC). As an EIC, I help edit the magazine but function as team leader, helping everyone do their jobs as best they can.

I have been married to my wife, Christy, for 15 years. We have two boys, Jonathan (10) and Christopher (4).

One of my passions is to help encourage parents in their parenting journey. One of the best ways to encourage others is by being open and honest about parenting struggles and challenges. By building community, we are all stronger. I hope that our blog can be a small piece of that community for you!

What are the parenting issues you feel most strongly about? I would love to hear from you!