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Category: Kidmin

What’s Your Excuse?

Barbara Baker and Karl Bastian The highlight of my CPC this year was getting to see Barbara Baker again. I always keep an eye out for her. She is one of my favorite CPC “Regulars”. During the conference, INCM asked some of the speakers and bloggers to make some time to be interviewed for the INCM website throughout the year.  However, I told INCM’s Executive Director Michael Chanley they should interview Barb! She is living proof that you are never too old to be creatively reaching and teaching kids! We crossed paths for years until I finally stopped to meet her. (It seemed like I only saw her going the other way on  escalators!) When I first talked to her, she surprised me by asking for advice on how to incorporate a remote Internet audience of children she would be broadcasting her VBS to in the summer. I taught her how to use Ustream.tv to share her VBS over the Internet and she went home and did it! Now that’s one cutting edge lady! Now she tells me, at age 67, that she has just gotten an Amazon Kindle and is learning how to use it! She’s been struggling with…

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Disney Models Making the Most of a Bad Situation

I just got home from a week at Walt Disney World after CPC Orlando. I was lucky enough to be at Magic Kingdom the same day as the President of the United States! (or was I?) When we entered the main gates we discovered that Main Street was closed to normal low class citizens such as myself and my family: A nice wall said, “You are not important enough to get to see Main Street today.” (See the metal detector door?) Secret Service agents and other White House personnel roamed around where we were unable to go. So how were we to get to the rides? We had to enter through a side gate and go around the ugly backstage of Main Street… not the best of circumstances… right? But leave it to Disney to make a bad situation into something fun and unique! Too bad a camera doesn’t capture sound (Apple, are you working on that?) There was lively music playing, employees with Micky gloves on waving us through, giant flags and floats from the parades to see. Disney took what could have been a very negative situation and made it into something fun and festive! They even set…

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Help Me Give An iPad to a Boy with Autism

RAISED SO FAR: $405 (Just crossed the half way point! Thanks!) I’m looking for Children’s Pastors and Volunteers who would be willing to help me give an iPad and some special software to a five year old boy whose family has a real need for this. It could change his life. Meet Brook. Brook is a lively little boy who can only say a few words – one of which is “God’s House,” which he prefers to say instead of “church” – but for the most part is unable to speak and therefore communication with his sister and mom is very difficult. His mom has learned about the difference an iPad and some special apps could make in his life – and have tried out a few on an iPhone, and can see that it would be very helpful – but buying one is an obstacle that is out of reach for their family. As I learned of this need through a family member, and then met this mom and boy, I thought this could be a wonderful way for my network of kidmin friends to show the love of Jesus to this little boy. If you would like to…

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Day 22 – Thankful for Tennis Balls

This is part of a series called 24 Days of Thankfulness. These posts are in RANDOM order, NOT priority order. Each is something I am thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving. DAY #22: Tennis Balls OK, this post isn’t really about tennis balls, it’s about my grammy, but I knew that title might generate some curiosity and therefore some clicks! I am Thankful for My Grammy! (and Tennis Balls… keep reading!) I do not mean to elevate any relative above any other… I am thankful for ALL my relatives, and love them all differently and in different ways. But my Grammy B will always hold an extra special place in my heart. One of those reasons she and I kept secret. It wasn’t until after she passed away, that I finally let the secret out. In fact, at her grave side service, they let the children draw on her casket, and I drew a tennis ball on her casket with the words, “I win.” Relatives looked at me a little confused (and perhaps slightly shocked!) Here is why. One of my “Kidologist Secrets” of relating to kids is to have fun games or “inside jokes” with the kids who I…

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Kidmin Coaches Talk Equipping

This week on Kidmin Talk, the Kidology Coaches joined me in California to record my podcast – the topic? How to EQUIP yourself and your volunteers in children’s ministry. Continuing our ABC’s of Kidology, and taking up a Kidmin Key Word with each podcast, I’m on the letter “E” – and this week I had not one, but TWO “E” Kidmin words to Talk Kidmin about! PART ONE of the podcast is already live discussing EQUIPPING, and PART TWO will go live next week when we switched gears to the second “E” of Kidology’s Mission: ENCOURAGEMENT! Be sure to listen each week to Kidmin Talk, join the weekly discussion, and help shape the show with your questions, comments and suggestions – as I am responding to YOUR input in determining the direction the show takes! CONNECTING w/ KIDMIN TALK: E-mail: karl@kidmintalk.com Twitter: @KidminTalk Discuss Kidmin Talk #006 in the Forums

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