AWANA starts tonight.

For the past two years, our church has had the AWANA Club program.  Isaac and Seth have both been Sparks and now will both be in Truth in Training (TnT).  They study Scripture verses and earn jewels, patches, and stickers.  They also earn points to spend at a toy/treat store every quarter.

Seth finish 3 Sparks books in 2 years.  Isaac got a book AWARD upon completing his 1st (and only) year of Sparks.  They still remember some of the Scriptures from previous years!  I think it is great to have a motivation to learn Scripture and to have an opportunity to interact with other children their age.

Tonight, our third year begins.  The handbooks are A LOT more work than in Sparks.  Isaac only finished 1/2 of his book last year because of the steep expectations.  He is reading a lot better on his own now and I think he will improve a lot just from that.  (I am very proud of his recent progress in word decoding and in reading stories in which the context helps him to figure out difficult words.  As with all my children, he reads huge words more easily than small ones.  I KNOW that context clues are invaluable for that.)  In addition, Seth moves into Isaac's class, so they can work together a little more and 'spur one another on to love and good deeds'!

Jonathan will be in his second year as a Cubbie.  He started preschool this month and he turns 5 on the 20th.  He is a VERY smart little guy and is teaching himself to write and to read and spell.  He is also teaching himself to draw Marvel Comic Book characters from my boys' how-to book.  I am AMAZED by him!

Joshua and Erik are in Youth, of course.  Youth is on Wed. nights, as well.  Plus, now on Thursdays, from after school until 7:30pm, the Youth is invited to the Youth Pastors house to fellowship and get help with homework.  They are VERY pumped about that!  (Maybe that will be a motivator for getting work finished every week.  Outside influence certainly helps!)  They are doing well in school, though their English program could use some extra prayer for motivation and attention to detail!

I will continue to sew on the patches for all the AWANA Clubbers who earn them.  That way, I can serve the Lord and the kids, but not actually have to deal with children ANY MORE at the end of a very long day!

So...I'm taking a deep breath before the pluuuuunnnnnnggggggeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!