Summer Reading Clubs

Hey Everyone!

It's summer! The perfect time to grab a book or your e-reader and enjoy a good story.

Are you part of a summer reading club? It is fun to track how many books you read. . . and did I mention there are usually prizes?

 

 

Online Summer Reading Programs

• BJU Press Summer Reading Program

Get a free surprise. Be in a drawing for a Kindle Fire (TM)! 

• Book Adventure 

This is a free reading program sponsored by Sylvan Learning. "Create your own reading challenge."

• Books a Million 2013 Summer Reading Program 

Read and get a free Hoot or Chomp backpack! Register online. Pick up backpack in person.

• Imagination's Destination 

This is Barnes and Noble's club. Register online. Earn a free book!

• Pizza Hut Spark Your Greatness Ignite a Great Summer of Reading!

• Read for the World Record 

This is the summer reading club hosted by Scholastic Books. "Help set a new world record in reading!"

In Person Summer Reading Programs

 

• Check out the summer reading club at your own library. Visit the library to find out more information. You can also search [name of your state] library summer reading clubs.

• Toronto Public Library Summer Reading Club

A fun summer reading club. Enter your own joke online!!!

 

Reading Lists

 

Are you wondering what books might be good choices? What will you check out of the library or pick up at the bookstore?

• Christianbook.com has compiled summer reading lists by age group.

Books for Grades K-3
Books for Grades 4-6
Books for Grades 7-8
Books for High School

• Mardel.com has compiled a list for  children ages 6-12. 

Summer Reading for Kids 


What summer reading clubs should be added? This is a growing list. Check back here for more reading club opps!


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Notes from Carol

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will come back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook!



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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

A Backpack Mission Project

School is out for summer. . . In fact, it is barely out. So why talk about a backpack mission project? It is an engaging mission project that tweens can do at home with their families. When it is complete, it will be time for school to begin again, and one child will be blessed by the project.

1. Begin with a new backpack, a list of school supplies, and a small, fun spiral notebook.
2. Explain to the tweens that each will have a week to take the backpack home. His or her family may choose one item from the list to add to the backpack. Check out my Pinterest board with faith-filled notes that could be attached to each item.
3. Also, ask each tween (as it is his or her turn with the backpack) to add a note of encouragement, message of faith, favorite Bible verse, or promise of prayer. The fun notebooks could be used for that purpose.
4. Before passing the backpack on to the contact person for giveaway, pray as a group for the student who will receive it.

Does the Bible talk about a backpack mission project? I think so. . .

. . . the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’   Acts 20:35b   (NIV)




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Tweetables

Does the Bible talk about a backpack mission project? I think so. . .   Tweet this!

. . . the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’   Acts 20:35b   (NIV)
   Tweet this!

Hey Tweens! Does the Bible talk about best friends? Oh yeah! New devos are coming from Zonderkidz in 2015.   Tweet this!

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Notes from Carol

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will come back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook!



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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Five Steps to Productive Writing - Step Four

This is a five-part look at making those layers work for you, the writer. I began with establishing productive writing time here. While that is important and a necessary first step, establishing priorities is equally important. So, the second post was about establishing a plan for which writing do approach first, second, etc. You can read it here. In the third post, I explored what amount of time might be devoted to each area of writing.

Today, I'm writing about a specific plan for writing time.

What is my writing schedule for the week?

Establish the Schedule

Establishing a writing schedule is more than the list of what to write (work in progress, proposals, marketing, revisions). It is more that knowing what time of day you are best at each of those tasks. Establishing a writing schedule is actually assigning a time block to each of your writing tasks, making an appointment with yourself to write certain types of things on certain days at certain times.

If you make an appointment to visit the doctor or to meet a friend for lunch, you would keep the appointment - right? So, plan your week with specific times to write and specific writing tasks during each time. Remember, in order for it to be successful, you should also plan (record) the other activities of your life as well. When you finish your plan, it will include both areas - writing and personal.

 

 

Then. . . Do It!

After you establish your writing schedule, the follow through is critical. Naturally, there will be surprises that will claim time reserved for writing. Children get sick, appliances break and must be replaced, unexpected visitors arrive. . . When things that are out of your control  happen, it is time to rework the plan. That will be my subject for the last step:

How should my writing time be reworked for next week?

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Tweetables

Establishing a writing schedule is more than the list of what to write.   Tweet this!

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1  (NIV)   Tweet this!

Hey Tweens . . . New devos are coming from Zonderkidz in 2015. Read 'em. Yep.    Tweet this!

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Notes from Carol

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will come back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook, too!



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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Memorial Day - A Time to Pause

Happy Memorial Day

 

                      I pray that you will enjoy the day with family or friends. . . 

                  and pause to thank God for those whose legacy is our freedom.

Hey Tweens! How Do You Recharge at Church?

Sunday. A day for church. A day to recharge. Here are some ways to recharge with God and His people.

• Worship
• Praise
• Prayer
• Singing
• Study
• Learning
• Challenge
• Giving
• Fun 
• Fellowship

What does recharging at church mean to you?


 copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Tween Ministry Idea - A Salad Garden

Some tweens are raised in church. They know many of the stories and verses that are taught in Bible lessons. They might seem almost bored as they hear the lessons and answer the questions, but they thrive when given opportunities to live out their faith.


Other tweens are new to church. They are trying to see how the truths they are learning apply to real life.

Having a salad garden ministry is a great way to reach both groups.

Planning the Garden

Planning a garden with a few salad veggies is fun and quickly rewarding. Tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, cucumbers, and lettuce are relatively easy-to-grow favorites. When planning, decide if the garden will be a group project or taken on by one person. If it is a project for one person, a smaller area (or even a single tomato plant) will be enough to care for.

Decide where the garden will be. Is there an area for garden plots on the church land? Could the garden be grown on a ministry leader's property? If it is a one person project, it could be grown in the individual's back yard.

Talk to church members and local businesses for donations of plants, garden tools, and hoses.

 

Working the Garden

Set up a schedule of care for the garden. Someone should be responsible for planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting. Perhaps the group will work together at specified times (like before a mid-week meeting), or maybe smaller groups will sign up for times scattered throughout the week. This is a neat way to involve parents with tween ministry.

Sharing the Garden

Sharing the garden is the fruition of the project. The Bible says this:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. . .   Matthew 25:35   (NIV)

Where can the garden produce be shared?

• Assisted living apartments
• Food pantries
• Churches
• Soup kitchens

What ideas can you add for a salad garden ministry?



copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Ideas for Writers

Sometimes people ask me where I get my ideas for writing. I write children -- fiction and nonfiction, so the fiction part of me is always thinking of story plots and characters. I am still at a loss to answer the idea question.




Here are some places that writers often get ideas, but the list is not exhaustive.

1. Personal experience from his or her own childhood
2. Experiences of the author's children
3. Interactions with children through work or volunteering in community service
4. Observations of children at the park (library, mall, pool, restaurants, any public place)
5. Reflections of characters in children's books and movies
6. All of the above
7. None of the above

What did I leave off the above list? If you are a fiction writer, where do you get your ideas?



copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Tween Ministry Worker - R U Running in Circles?

Are you working in children's ministry? Does it ever feel like you are running in circles? Maybe your experience is something like this.

1. You pray.
2. You read the teacher's guide to the lesson.
3. You study the related Bible passages.
4. You plan the lesson.
5. You gather materials for crafts and games.
6. You pray again.
7. Then, the day of the lesson arrives. And the kids come.
8. [How would you fill in this line?]

It's okay. You can be honest about #8. There are lots of things that impact how the lesson goes.One huge factor is how they learn. And guess what. . . they all learn differently.

I'm hoping that you will stop by my facebook page. If you click on the tab "Tween Ministry Tips", you can get my free guide on how tweens learn.


I love these verses:

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
1 Corinthians 12:5-6   (NIV)


Will you pray with me for all of the teachers, musicians, and helpers in the children's ministry of your church? Will for pray with me for the children's ministry workers as my church as well?



copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Green Shake Recipe for Tweens

Hey Tweens - Would you drink this? What if you made it for your friends??

Here is a fun recipe for a green shake. Quick and healthy. Perfect for the tweens - guys and gals.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• One stalk of celery (cut into chunks)
• One half avocado (peeled)
• One half cucumber (peeled, cut into chunks)
• A handful of spinach
• 1/2 cup of water

Wash the veggies. Carefully peel the avocado and cucumber. (You may want to ask as adult to help.) Cut the celery, avocado, and cucumber into chunks.






Put all of the ingredients in a mixing cup.Mix until you don't see any more large pieces of veggies. Enjoy!!!

Why is it important to eat (or drink) healthy foods? The Bible says this:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  1 Corinthians 6:19   (NIV)

What healthy snack to you like best? Share how to make it in the comments or send me a picture!

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Tweetables

Here is a fun recipe for a green shake. Perfect for the tween cook.   Tweet this!

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit . . .   1 Corinthians 6:19a   (NIV)  Tweet this!

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Notes from Carol

I hope you will stop back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook, too!


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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Five Steps to Productive Writing - Step Three

Hey Tweens!

Does the Bible have anything gross or outrageous? Yep. New tween devos are coming. Must read. . .coming from Zonderkidz in 2015. 

 

Writing has many layers. There are many tasks within each of the layers. It all can be more than a little overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.





This is a five-part look at making those layers work for you, the writer. I began with establishing productive writing time here. While that is important and a necessary first step, establishing priorities is equally important. So, the second post was about establishing a plan for which writing do approach first, second, etc. You can read it here.

Today, let's think about a question that I have asked myself and others again and again.

What amount of time should I devote to each area of writing?

Chicken and Egg Theory

The idea of which came first - the chicken or the egg - seems to fit here. Without writing, there is no need for marketing or social media. Without marketing and social media, the writing remains a well-kept secret on the writer's computer or in a desk drawer.

So, the take away on this thinking would be that both areas of writing are equally important. Sometimes the season (approaching deadline or book launch) might warrant a little more time one direction, rather than the other. But the goal is to keep things even, and to plan ahead, so that both areas of responsibility are met without jumping into the deep end of only one pool.

Rocks and Pebbles Theory

The idea of the rocks and pebbles also seems to apply. Truly, without writing, there wouldn't be a need for any planning. It seems that focusing on the big task, writing - writing - writing, is critical. The many, many pebbles of social media can fill in the extra times (grinning here) and too-tired-to-write times (not grinning here).

What ideas have helped you decide what amount of time to devote to each area of writing?

Next week, I will explore this question: How does the writer refuel?


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Tweetables

What amount of time should I devote to each area of writing?   Tweet this!

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12  (NIV)   Tweet this!

Does the Bible have anything gross or outrageous? New tween devos are coming from Zonderkidz in 2015.    Tweet this!

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Notes from Carol

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will come back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook, too!



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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Memorial Day Projects for Tweens

Hey Tweens! Memorial Day is coming up. What do you think of when you think about Memorial Day? Parades? Picnics? The day the swimming pool opens? The end of the school year?

Memorial Day signals the beginning of summer, but it means more than that. It is a holiday to remember people who have served our country. Wouldn't it be great if we honored all the people who have or are serving in the military?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              


Do you know anyone in the military? Maybe there are people in your family that have been in the military in the past. Or maybe you know someone in the military right now.

What else could you do to honor people in the military? Here are a few ideas:

• Make a thank you card.
• Write a note that says thanks.
• Make a special patriotic dessert.
• Decorate with small American flags.
• Go to a Memorial Day parade.

Here is one more idea. You know how much you enjoy spending time with the adults in your family? Don't you just love it when you do something together and you have their complete attention? Why not plan a special Memorial Day time together - no cell phones, no video games, no TV?

Here are some activity ideas:

• Take a walk together.
• Play a board game.
• Go on a picnic.
• Go fishing.
• Go swimming.
• Play catch.
• Take time to talk.

It really doesn't take a lot of money or something fancy to make someone feel special. It just takes you, and your time and attention. 

How are you planning to honor someone for Memorial Day?

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Tweetables

Do you know anyone in the military? Here are some ways tweens can honor them.   Tweet this!

How are you planning to honor someone for Memorial Day?   Tweet this!

Why not plan a special Memorial Day time together - no cell phones, no video games, no TV?   Tweet this!

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Notes from Carol

I hope you will stop back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook too!


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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Fruit Smoothies

Here is a sweet fruit smoothie recipe. Quick and healthy. Perfect for the tween cook. A wonderful breakfast or snack for the whole family.

 

Ingredients

• One banana (cut into chunks)
• 1 cup of fruit (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries)
• 1 cup almond milk

 

Cut the banana into one-inch chunks. Place them in the mixing cup. Add one cup of another kind of fruit. Berries work well, but you could also try pineapple chunks or a can of mandarin oranges that has been drained. All of them are yummy options!!!




Add one cup of almond milk. If you don't have almond milk, use the kind of milk that your family drinks. This is a fun recipe that can be mixed up many different ways.

Mix until you don't see any more large pieces of fruit. Enjoy!!!

Why is it important to eat (or drink) healthy foods? The Bible says this:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  1 Corinthians 6:19   (NIV)

What healthy snack to you like best? Share how to make it in the comments or send me a picture!

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Tweetables

Here is a sweet fruit smoothie recipe. Perfect for the tween cook.   Tweet this!

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit . . .   1 Corinthians 6:19a   (NIV)  Tweet this!

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Notes from Carol

I hope you will stop back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook, too!


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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Planning to Meet with Editors

One of the perks of attending a writers conference is the opportunity to meet with editors. Some conferences provide designated tables at meals, with a sign indicating which editor will be at each table. Some conferences offer appointment times to meet one-on-one to pitch a book idea or just to make that first professional contact. Here are a few planning steps to make that most of those opportunities.

Pray

This might sound like a given. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement and opportunity that we run ahead of God. That seldom works. Okay. That never works. Begin your time preparing to meet with editors with prayer. Pray that God will lead your to the people you should meet. Pray that you will have the opportunity to share the work He has written through you. Pray for the editors and their families. Pray for their health and safety. Pray for the workloads of the editors. Pray that they will be able to come and meet without an overload of work on their minds. Editors are very, very busy. Pray for them as your plan to attend the conference. 

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:14  (NIV)

 

Do Your Homework

Study the list of faculty members before you ever leave home. Which ones acquire the kind of things you write? What similar works has their house published? What gaps to you see in the publisher's booklist that you might be able to fill? In other words, have a list of editors who may be interested in your work. Look for opportunities at the conference to meet with as many of them as possible.

Take Notes

Even though you have done your homework, you will learn valuable information at the conference to fine tune the list of editors you hope to meet. Take notes during panel discussions, in breakout sessions, and from handouts. What new information should you take into consideration? Is there an editor who is not on your list that is a perfect match for your work? After listening to a panel of editors, do you realize that one of the editors on your list is not looking for what you are writing? If that is the case, you may want to wait on meeting with him or her.

Make a careful list of the editors you hope to meet. Time at writers conferences is short. Making the most of your contact time is wise and makes a good impression.

Be Prepared

 

Take some samples of your work, especially if you are a published author. Paper gets heavy, so you might consider scanning samples into an ipad for easy access without the extra weight. I blogged about some things to take here.

Be Relaxed

Editors are people. They understand that you may be nervous. They understand that you are putting the ideas and words of your heart out there. Talk about your work. Try to relax and talk to the editor as a person. 

Which writers conferences will you attend this year? How do you prepare to meet with editors?


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Tweetables

Print these four tips for meeting with editors at writers conferences.   Tweet this!

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord . . . Psalm 19:14  (NIV)   Tweet this!

Make the most of your time at writers conferences.   Tweet this!

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Notes from Carol

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will come back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook, too!


P.S. These days I am busy writing two devotional books for Zonderkidz. Will you pray with me about the devos? You can sign up to be a prayer partner on the right. I won't share your contact info. Promise.


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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Kid Ministry Worker - A Detour

Are you considering working in the children's ministry? Maybe you have been working there for a long time. Maybe you are re-entering that realm of service after a busy season of work and raising your own children. How do you see your role in children's ministry? You might be surprised at what God calls you to do!

Teaching

Often we think of teaching a Sunday School class when we think of children's ministry. It is perhaps the most visible form of serving. Teaching is important and certainly necessary, but maybe that is not what you are called to do.

Consider the other areas of ministry as well. Remember that Jesus has a specific calling for you.

Music and Drama

Is your passion music? Children of all ages love to sing. There are many ways that musicians can serve in children's ministry. Worship leader, accompianist, and children's choir director are a few of them.

Often children's ministry involves a drama component. It might be putting on a skit to teach the Bible story, or it might be working with a children's group to put on their own play or musical production. You might be called to help or lead children's drama.

Arts and Crafts

Do you love making things? The arts and crafts area of children's ministry might be for you. Many times, teachers are reluctant to undertake this area, or they are too busy preparing the lesson to really gather the needed art ideas and supplies.

Recently, I heard of a Sunday School program that has an focused art component. A retired art teacher visits each classroom (on a rotating basis) to lead an art activity that relates to the week's lesson. Genius!   

Recreation and Sports

VBS recreation is hugely popular. What a great place to serve and teach Christian sportsmanship. Recently, the idea of combining Christian teaching and outreach has extended to church-sponsored sports programs open to the community. The Upwards Sports program is a good example.

Many families seek Christian summer camps for their kids. The Spring Hill Camps offer a wide range of recreation and sports while kids learn to grow in their faith.

Food - Food - Food

Bake cookies, serve VBS snacks, prepare food for children's outreach programs. Kids need to eat. If you love to cook or bake, consider the food area of children's ministry.

Technology

This generation of children is all about technology. They bring their Bibles on their ipads or phones. Seriously. They adore multi-media games on the big screen. They often worship in groups with complicated sound systems. Are you a techie? Children's ministry needs you!



For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts. . .  Romans 12:4-6a   (NIV)


Are you being called to children's ministry? Which area is the one in which God has gifted you? Which roles in children's ministry did I forget?
 


copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Father-Son Grill Out

Are you looking for a Father's Day idea for your tween ministry group? What about a spin off from the traditional Mother-Daughter Tea. Plan a Father-Son Grill Out.

Here are the steps to a successful event:

• Plan the date and time. Be sure to coordinate with other church activities. 
• Select the location. This will take some space. Does your church have an outside area that will accommodate grilling and a decent ball game?
• Where is the food? The menu doesn't have to be fancy, but it is important to feed those large appetites. Maybe burgers or hot dogs, chips, cold soda, and some sweet treats will do it. (Invite the moms to send also baked goodies for the sweet treats.
• Have several designated grill masters. This is a great way for the ministers or other male leaders of the church to interact with the boys and their dads on an informal level. 
• Plan a game of ball. Maybe have several kinds of games going.
• Have a rain plan. Choose a movie that will be entertaining and appropriate.
• Spread the word. Advertise the event in the church newsletter. Have the tweens create a flyer to invite the dads.
• Plan for the tween boys who do not have a dad in the home. Have male teachers and other church leaders be a dad for the event. What a great opportunity for witness and role-modeling!
• Get a head count. Hungry men and boys = not so great event.
• Pray for the guys (of all ages) who will attend. Pray that the dads will be available to attend and that work commitments will not be a conflict. Pray for a fun time of sportsmanship and fellowship. . . and that their will be enough food for all! 

What father-son activities have you planned in tween ministry? Have you tried a father-son grill out? What suggestions would you add to the list above?


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Tweetables

Plan a Father-Son Grill Out.   Tweet this!


What father-son activities have you planned in tween ministry?   Tweet this!

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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore

Five Steps to Productive Writing - Step Two

Hey Tweens!

Does the Bible have anything to do with friends? bullies? secrets? tests? The Bible is all about you! New tween devos are coming. Must read. . .coming from Zonderkidz in 2015. 

 

Last week, I blogged about establishing productive writing time here. While that is important and a necessary first step, establishing priorities is equally important. Many writing-related tasks tug at the writer's arm, distracting her from true writing. Marketing and a strong presence on social media are valuable and needed, but the writer must juggle those with actual writing. Even pure writing has many identities. Prioritizing those true writing activities is what we will focus on today.


In other words. . . What writing tasks are my highest priority at this point in time?

What are my current works in progress?

Obviously, the work for which you been given a contract is your number one priority. Others have entrusted you to complete a particular work by a specified date. Writers often establish a work backward schedule to meet such deadlines. Wendy Lawton of the Books and Such Literary Agency blogged about that here.

What writing is needed for proposals?

Most writers are looking ahead to develop a career. He or she is not thinking that the current work in progress is going to be the last thing written, so there is a need to write for proposals. Notice that I said write for proposals, not write proposals. That is a separate writing-related task. Writing the manuscript or sample writing for a proposal is what falls into this section. It is just like writing the current, contracted work, but it has not sold yet.

What articles am I writing?

Writers generally establish a parallel presence in the realm of articles. Writing articles is another kind of writing that requires its own allotment of time. It is not the same as writing contracted work or writing for proposals, but it is definitely writing. . . and not "just" a writing related task.

What revisions are necessary for each?

Good writing (in any of the above areas) doesn't happen without revisions. While revisions could be list in their own, separate area, I think that they need the same clear focus as the initial writings.

So, when the writer has established the best time to write, he or she will schedule the actual writings in that time. On occasion, one of the areas above, will move to a higher position than the others. At times, one of the above may take up all of the writing time. 

Next week, I will explore this question: What amount of time should I devote to each area of writing? 

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Notes from Carol

I am beginning a new blog schedule:

Sundays - Praisin' Jesus
Mondays - Notes & Doodles
Tuesdays - My Books
Wednesdays - Fun 4 Tweens
Thursdays - It's a Sign
Fridays - A Writer's Heart
Saturdays - Tween Ministry

I hope you will stop back often! Let's connect on Twitter and Facebook, too!



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copyright (c) 2013 Carol McAdams Moore