by Kelly King | Dec 22, 2014
I have a small confession. Well, maybe it’s a big confession. I’m a woman, and I’ve never seen a Hallmark Christmas movie. With that being said, I am a fan of Christmas movies—both those that fall in the Christian and secular section.
If you’re in the mood for some Christmas cinema, here are few I would recommend this season.
- The Nativity Story: This is definitely not a movie for young children because it tends to be a bit slow, but it does cause me to consider what Mary and Joseph went through in their quest to be obedient to God’s plan for Jesus.
- It’s a Wonderful Life: Everyone should probably own this movie because it is the classic tale of someone who questions their purpose in life and discovers the people he affects.
- White Christmas: I do get a bit bored after the travelers arrive at the inn, but the music and dancing are timeless. I still want to wear the Christmas gown that Rosemary Clooney dons at the end.
- Elf: You either love it or hate it, but there’s just something innocent about this movie. And who doesn’t love a good adoption story?
- Jingle All the Way: This is just a good, fun movie that helps us understand the extremes parents will take for their children. Every dad needs to see this movie.
What Christmas movies does your family enjoy watching?
by Kelly King | Dec 17, 2014
You’re feeling the pressure. It’s the last week before Christmas. You want to make Christmas special and make lasting memories with your children during the holiday season. But part of you just wants to throw up your hands and surrender to the madness of the season.
Even if you’re feeling a bit bah humbug about finding time to make your life a “Pinterest” Christmas, here are a few easy (and free or cheap) things you can do with your kids and still keep your sanity.
- Quick trip to the library. Check out a few Christmas books to keep your kids entertained at home. It’s absolutely free!
- Allow your children to sleep under the Christmas tree. They have to sleep sometime, right? Why not let them pull out the sleeping bags and have a magical night dreaming under the tree? It was a favorite of my children—and they are now 23 and 20.
- Take time to look at Christmas lights. You don’t have to spend an entire evening at an extensive light location. Just pick out a neighborhood that’s nearby. Make it a game by asking your children to rank their top three light displays.
- Sit back and watch a Christmas movie. There’s plenty to choose from, so pick a family favorite, make some popcorn or hot chocolate and sit together as a family for a couple of hours.
- Put on some Christmas music while you do chores around the house. Find a local radio station playing holiday favorites or enjoy some tunes you’ve already downloaded. Fill your home with Christmas music and see if it brightens the mood.
- Bake a birthday cake for Jesus. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Let your children do the work—even the decorating. This is not about perfection—it’s about focusing on the reason of Christmas and helping your children consider the importance of a baby born in Bethlehem.
- Attend a candlelight service on Christmas Eve. Find one that’s convenient for your family and their time schedule. There’s nothing like starting Christmas with some candlelight and “Silent Night.”
by Kelly King | Dec 2, 2014
Giving gifts at Christmas is a reality for most Americans. Consider that our country will spend more than 600 billion dollars on holiday shopping this year. That’s no small change…but we can affect change.
You and I may not reverse the tide in holiday giving, but what you give can last longer and help others beyond the profits of big box retailers.
If you want to give gifts that actually “give” something in return, consider these options for your family.
- WorldCrafts is a ministry of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), where you can purchase sustainable, fair-trade gifts that help impoverished people around the world. For information about artisans and online shopping, visit worldcrafts.org.
- There are several organizations in Oklahoma where you can make purchases and support ministry efforts or specific artisans. Three organizations the BGCO Women’s office likes to support include kairos10.com, everydayministry.net and thepearlhouse.org.
- How about food items? The BGCO Women’s Office recommends Equal Exchange. Their mission is to offer food products in a fair and honest method that empowers both farmers and consumers. Whether you are looking for coffee, chocolate, tea or organic options, you can shop online at equalexchange.coop.
- How is your family participating in the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering? There are close to 4,800 Southern Baptist missionaries who rely on your support through the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Last year, Southern Baptist international missionaries led more than 235,000 people to faith in Christ and baptized more than 114,000 new believers. If you want to make a gift that affects eternity, don’t forget to support the Lottie Moon offering through your local church. For more information, visit imb.org.
by Kelly King | Oct 28, 2014
Let me say this up front—profanity out of any mouth is not attractive.
But asking little girls to dress in princess costumes and fight for feminism with vulgarity is beyond ugly. It’s unacceptable.
Maybe you’re not aware of the recent video that went viral a few days ago. A for-profit t-shirt company released a video promoting little girls dressed in princess costumes who express their outrage at society’s sexist treatment of girls, but peppered with profanity.
You do not need to watch the video to know what it is about. I won’t even provide a link for you to check it out. While the young princesses may address very real issues such as inequality and sexual violence, the video was produced more for shock value and t-shirt sales than anything else.
Did the producers of this video consider the innocence of little girls who should be more concerned with learning language that edifies than exploits? Did they consider the tenderness of a young girl or clearly calculate the shock value that would ensue? Would you approve of your little girl flippantly using the f-word over and over again?
Human exploitation goes beyond human trafficking and pornography. Media exploitation is as dangerous as any form of human exploitation and we allow it in our living rooms daily when we turn on our television or browse through viral videos on our computer. Advertisers consistently send mixed messages to sell goods. That’s what this company did by using a viral video to sell t-shirts shown at the end of the video. They used little girls as a means to a commercial end. In fact, they used sexism to sell. Shame on them and shame on consumers. We can do better.
Do you monitor the constant input of messages you receive on a daily basis? How much junk filters through our habits of digital media and entertainment choices? Our viewing habits, spending habits and even giving habits are a reflection of what we consume—for better or for worse. It not only becomes a reflection of what we say, but a reflection of our heart.
If we truly want girls to find their true value—value that finds its worth in the Gospel of Christ—teach them to speak words that are true, honorable, just, pure and lovely. What if we teach young women that words matter? Foul language isn’t attractive, but neither are words that are hurtful, resentful or bitter. Instead, let’s teach girls to hide God’s word in their hearts, including Ephesians 4:29, “Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.” (The Message)
by Kelly King | Sep 25, 2014
I have some news for all the “haters” of women’s ministry. There are many of us who love ministry to women, and there are lots of good reasons you should too.
I get it. You say you don’t like pink. You don’t like cupcakes (seriously—who doesn’t like cupcakes?). You don’t like events that focus on self-worth, modesty or Biblical womanhood.
What I really think the “haters” are saying is that they want purpose. Their time is precious, so don’t waste it. They want transparency and authenticity. They want community. They want missional activity. These are all great goals, and I applaud those who are calling women to have a higher standard in ministry.
I’ve been involved in some form of women’s ministry since I was in college. Maybe we didn’t call it women’s ministry, but I can tell you that ministry “between” women and “to” women has shaped my life and my ministry calling. For those of you struggling with women’s ministry, here are five reasons why it has been an important part of my spiritual journey.
- I have a deeper love for God’s word. Whether it was debating the Second Coming in a dorm hallway or facilitating small group discussion on the book of Daniel, women’s ministry has given me unique opportunities to learn and apply God’s word. I’ve learned how to dissect scripture, defend my theology and have confidence to teach because Bible study has been the focus of my women’s ministry experience.
- I have learned how to lead. There aren’t always a lot of opportunities for women to lead in the local church, but because of women’s ministry, I have learned how to develop teamwork, mastered project planning, and learned how to navigate conflict management. I learned some of those things in the secular workplace, but it definitely wasn’t from a Biblical worldview.
- I’m a better wife and a better mom. I have great role models in my family, but I have acquired a much broader education because other women mentored me. We didn’t call it “mentoring,” and we weren’t paired in a systematic program (although some ministries do a great job of matching women with one another). I learned because I watched Godly women just be themselves. I asked a lot of questions, but they always encouraged and instructed me with Godliness that I wanted to imitate. Without them, I’m not sure I would have made it through the potty training years.
- I’ve learned we are all broken “Jesus girls” in need of a Savior. I hear the moans of women who are intimidated at going to a women’s ministry event because they feel inadequate, underdressed or just ashamed. If we can get over it and realize we all have our “stuff” and need each other. Seriously. We all need Jesus and we all need community. The prayers of other women have prayed me through some dark days. They’ve forgiven me when I’ve messed up and we’ve learned to leave judgment at the door.
- I have a deeper appreciation for beautiful things. I just spoke at a women’s event, and I asked my college students to attend and evaluate what they learned. (emphasis on college students) Do you know what impressed them the most? All the details to beautiful things. They all mentioned it was an event done with excellence. Maybe you like to bash tablecloths and cute centerpieces, but I promise, women want to know that when they enter a room, there has been an effort to make them feel wanted and special. Jesus created women with an appreciation for the beautiful. I like to think He created spectacular sunsets, so women can dream of new colors like saffron, citron and lavender.
I could list additional reasons I love women’s ministry because I believe it’s Biblical. I believe it’s vital to the body of Christ. Most of all, I believe Jesus loves women and making disciples might just include a chocolate fountain.