January 19, 2019

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." -Martin Luther King

Dear Aspen Chapel families,

    I think this quote is so powerful and can apply to any situation and any age group. Whether we're starting ski school, doing a school project, performing in a play, taking on new responsibilities, or even coping with trauma or change, stepping into it without knowing the outcome is where we find and grow our faith.
    This Sunday we'll be connecting ourselves with who and what we have faith in. As we grow up, we'll encounter so many people and situations that either strengthen our faith or weaken it. Some people cheer us on and mirror our strength and confidence. Others might do and say things that knock us off our path with discouraging comments or actions, which can create self-doubt. This starts right away in early childhood, as young as pre-school when children are learning to work alongside each other. Over the years I've tried to listen in on my kids' playdates, to make sure there's emotional and physical safety. I've observed friends who bring out the best in my kids, making them long for more time together. I've also seen and heard my kids get deflated by comments, which you can see in their face. These doubts can follow us as we grow, causing us to fear failure so much that we sometimes don't take the first step toward the top of the staircase.
     The idea is to foster our children's inner-faith. That they see themselves as divine beings with divine potential. Once they develop this inner faith in themselves, they can meet encounters with all people with confidence. We'll always have people in our lives who cheer us on. But there will also people people who project their own self-doubt onto us. The more connected we are to our divinity, the easier it becomes to keep stepping up toward the unknown.
     Our children might not fully understand this right now. It can take a lifetime to integrate these ideas, but my goal each Sunday is to plant seeds. I hope to see your children tomorrow!
     Also, I want to remind you that for Martin Luther King Day, the chapel is hosting a community dinner for the homeless. You and your children are invited to join us anytime between 3:30 and 6:00 to prepare the meals and tables. It is not necessary to come for the whole time, if you need to come a little later. Then at 6:00 we'll enjoy a community dinner together. It should be a heart-opening experience!

If you ever have any questions regarding our services or your children's needs, please email me at michelle@aspenchapel.org

In Peace and Blessings,
Michelle Skagen
Aspen Chapel Youth Coordinator

January 12, 2019

Dear Aspen Chapel Families,

     I hope this first week of getting back into a routine has felt as wonderful to you as it has for our family! As lovely as the holidays are, I find that my own children are far happier when the days are predictable and when they have a sense of purpose and responsibility.
     I ended up getting sick at the tail end of the holiday break, and felt frustrated at first, and resentful of how far behind in my responsibilities I became. But through meditation (which was restored once the school bus arrived;)), I came to realize that sometimes it's okay to experience CONTRAST. When we are experiencing lack of productivity and motivation, or even depression or sluggishness, it provides an opportunity for us to fully appreciate the contrast once we get back on our feet. It's like recovering from a cold, and finally breathing through our nostrils without congestion. We promise ourselves that we'll never take that for granted again! This can be a great way to help kids move through their own frustrations. Conditions are never permanent, and sometimes CONTRAST or feeling the opposite of how we WANT to feel is our best teacher. 
     As I mentioned in a previous email, January can be a time to push the reset button. We'll spend the next three weeks examining Faith: what it is, how to find it, and how it can help us. In conjunction to that, we'll commit time to a guided meditation every Sunday this month. Below is a link to an article in Forbes magazine: Science shows meditation benefits children's brains and behavior. I find that in my own life, with pressures coming from so many directions, that meditation is where I find perspective and heart-centered answers. What a privilege to help kids learn this tool so early on! 
    I hope to see your children tomorrow and hope you're having a safe, relaxing, and joyful weekend. 

If you ever have any questions regarding
our services or your children's needs,
please email me at michelle@aspenchapel.org

In Peace and Blessings,
Michelle Skagen
Aspen Chapel Youth Coordinator

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/10/18/the-many-benefits-of-meditation-for-children/#172601eddbe3


     

January 5, 2019

Dear Aspen Chapel Families,      Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break filled with good health, relaxation, fun, and cheer! The pace of the holidays can make us feel glad to start the new year with familiar routines and healthy habits.      If as parents we're modeling how to make resolutions or set goals for the New Year, our children are paying attention and perhaps thinking about their own goals for the year. However, even adults can get discouraged right off the bat when resolutions are broken in the first week due to illness, unpredictable stress at work or in the family, more festive obligations and gatherings, or just the obstacles we face in our daily round. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the growing list of tasks we must do in order to meet our goals when we get met with setbacks. So if adults can feel discouraged, then kids can feel discouraged as well! They also experience setbacks with school work, illness, friends, siblings, and exhaustion from the holidays.      With this in mind, I'd like to start the New Year focusing on the theme of FAITH. It's so easy to start a negative thinking spiral when things don't go our way or when what we want doesn't happen when we want it, but when we have Faith, it builds resilience and the trust required to surrender to the process of life unfolding. We will spend the next few weeks discussing what faith is, what we have faith in, and how we can use our faith to guide us and encourage us when life throws us curve balls. In addition, we'll work on meditation and relaxation techniques as a tool children can use when it's necessary to listen to their inner guide.     "Take a leap of Faith and begin this wondrous year by believing. Believe in yourself. And believe that there is a loving Source - a Sower of Dreams -- just waiting to be asked to help you make your dreams come true." - Sarah Ban Breathnach    Hope to see you tomorrow! In Peace and Blessings, Michelle Skagen Aspen Chapel Youth Coordinator If you ever have questions regarding our services or your children's needs, please email me at michelle@aspenchapel.org