Did you know Compassion International headquarters is in Colorado Springs? One way to learn more about Compassion is to take a building tour. The 1-hour tours are offered Mon. - Fri. at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. A tour especially for children is also available (call ahead at 487-7000).
Thanksgiving Sunday, the kids took a tip from teachers to count all the things they were thankful for. Before anyone knew it, it became a contest to see how many different things for which they were thankful. The 9:00 kids came up with an impressive 495 blessings and the 10:45 group thought up 860 blessings! Kudos to the teachers for counting them! Here is a sampling of what the kids were thankful for:
God has given me an allowance, snow days, good coordination, unspoiled food, cherry bombs...
After polling the children at Pulpit Rock Church on a Sunday morning, this is what we learned about how they see Christmas and the things the surround the season.
What does Jesus have to do with Christmas?
"He was a baby." Colby, age 3
"Jesus was born on the first Christmas." Janet, age 6
"Santa comes because the wise men came." Rebecca, age 6
"Jesus is the reason we have Christmas because He was born. It was amazing that someone who never sinned before was born. So we made a holiday for him." Sam, age 9
Fun things to do on October 27 and 28
Diana's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze
1649 Poplar Ave. Canon City, CO 81212
More details & Map
This place is, quite honestly, the closest pumpkin patch to us. Those in Elbert, El Paso and Pueblo counties are already done or they have closed down. This one sounds like it's worth the drive because it features a corn maze for day or night, a Halloween celebration, as well as those pick-your-own pumpkins.
Halloween celebration, Saturday, October 28:
Bring your flashlight after dark and try and find your way out of the spooky corn maze. Trick-or-Treaters, come in costume for your treats.
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Price List
Corn Maze w/ your choice of a Pumpkin is $7.00
Pumpkins can be bought individually: Small $3.00, Large $5.00
As the children were all spending their last Sunday in their classrooms before moving up to a new room, I decided to conduct a serious poll on what they learned. So, as I toured around, I asked them, "What did you learn about God this last year in Sunday School?"
"I like to pray with Him all the time." Jacob age 3-1/2
"He keeps me safe." Mateo 2-1/2
“God’s in heaven. He made all the animals. I don’t remember all of it.” William, age 6
“God likes when you are sharing your toys and your bedroom.” Joseph, age 4
"I learned about butterflies. God is making them all the time, even now. He made them because I like them. I thank God for butterflies because they're so beautiful." Bethany age 4.
Starsmore Discovery Center
This is a very fun, hands on experience for kids. There is a sand box where the kids can make animal footprints, drawers of bones, furs, and sticks to look at, and a box of worms to hold. It's nice and small, so little ones have a lot to do, but they don't have to walk long distances. www.cheyennecanon.org
New Splashpark for outdoor fun!
There's a new, free splash park on the corner of Pine Manor and Sycamore Glen. Unlike downtown's Uncle Wilbur founrtain, you can take your little ones from the water to playground equipment without moving your blanket to the grass. It's all in one location! Bring plenty of sunscreen, because the young trees in this new housing development are too small to provide adequate shade.
Every year they camped for a week in a mystical location. . .
Dean's family would take him camping every year to the same incredible spot. They would stay for a week and bring bikes, go swimming, and just enjoy the great outdoors. He thought that it was the best place in the world. When he go older he realized that this great campground was only five minutes away from his house. It was practically across the street. Although, it was a bit confusing, he was overjoyed to know that he need not have to go far to enjoy the great outdoors. --Candy Tenpas
Sharing a tent with four howling dogs in a windstorm. . .
Before we had kids, we went camping with our four dogs. We lived in South Dakota and drove eight hours into Montana. We tried three different locations. The first was still buried in snow, the second had hail and rain, but the third seemed to work well. Then at about two in the morning this incredible wind picked up and everything in the campsite went flying everywhere. The dogs were going crazy and everything was in complete chaos so we packed up and drove eight hours back home. –The Brunettes
A strange sniffing outside the tent in Africa. . .
While I was still in high school, a friend of the family took me out of my boarding school and flew me off to Africa to go camping. In the middle of the night we hear sniffing outside the tent. Since it was during poaching season, we had a park ranger and a military escort along with us, so I didn’t worry too much. I found out later, they were laughing about the animal and wondering if they should move me closer to the fire, since the animal probably wouldn’t approach the flames to eat me. The next morning, we found out it was a hyena, who really could have eaten me. After high school, I joined the army and had to camp a whole lot, so I don’t camp anymore. –Ralph Mayer
God loves to hear from us, but some prayers are probably more entertaining than others.
This month's question: What is one of the funniest things your child has prayed?
"Dear Heavenly Father, please bless all the peoples and my fire engine bed." –- Jacob, age 3
"Lord Jesus, thanks for the food, help me score 5 goals in the first half of the game. Amen" – Tanner, age 7
"Dear God, please let me always play in the water puddle for ever and ever. Amen." --Bethany, age 3.
This is our three year old's prayer every day: "Dear Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross, and blessing this food in our bodies. Thank you for my birthday and all my presents." –Kenzie, age 3
"Dear God, please, please, please let Aunt Minda come to our house soon so we can get some doughnuts around here." --Tori, age 4