Old Turtle Mosaics - a GREAT activity for kids 6 - 13

Douglas Wood is the brilliant author/poet behind the beautiful story, Old Turtle (he also authored the story that gave this blog it's name) and we believe this is a book every UU parent should have in their possession. It is the ideal tale for children of all ages, with it's deeply moving story, simple language, and stunning illustrations. If you've never read it or held a copy of the book in your hands, this Youtube video will give you some idea of how beautiful it is:


At our last Community Wednesday (a regular meeting of families and church members for delicious dinner and some fun activities at UUCFM) we introduced the kids to the story of Old Turtle and discussed the many messages within the text, all of which relate to acceptance and understanding of all faiths. Along with the story, we had a simple and ever so successful craft lined up ready to go!

Connecting with Michelle Richards

We are always excited when members of the UU community reach out to us to share their resources with our readers. Michelle Richards is a very talented lady who has done just that! For those of you who haven't heard of or read her book, "Tending the Flame: The Art of Unitarian Universalist Parenting," it's a

...first-of-its-kind guide to Unitarian Universalist parenting, [in which ]mother and experienced religious educator Michelle Richards encourages a practical and proactive approach to raising Unitarian Universalist children. Includes information about developmental stages, suggestions for incorporating spiritual practices into family life, teaching the Principles in age-appropriate ways, answering difficult questions on religious matters and dealing with religious disagreements. (UUA Bookstore)

For those of you who  know and love the book (as well as those of you who want to learn more about Michelle and her teachings) you'll be thrilled to know she writes a wonderful blog for UU World. You can check out Michelle's blog to find some wonderful perspectives on all kinds of youth-related issues concerning UU parents, such as differing religious practices, peer pressure, parenthood, respect of others, and so much more.

And for our crafty and social media friendly readers out there, don't miss Michelle's fun Pinterest board, Unitarian Universalist Parenting! There are buckets of craft ideas for kids of all ages, interesting teaching activities, and tons of fun resources to inspire the active UU parent into frenzied action. Happy pinning, because we know you'll be sharing them all like mad!

Unitarian Universalists, as a community, are very lucky to have so many wonderful ways to express themselves and their faith. With so many paths and so many practices all melded together, it's amazing how wild and wonderful our teaching opportunities are! We hope that you'll find Michelle Richards's book, blog and Pinterest board helpful tools to add to your toolbox. Here at And So Are They, we know we are thrilled to have her support and resources on hand.

- Jenn Blosser -

UU Kids and Vacation Bible School

My son was chosen "Disciple of the Week" at the local Christian Alliance Church's Vacation Bible School. While I tried to hide a sly smile at the thought of the only non-Christian child in the place winning this award, I also felt proud.  I was proud of his quiet, good behavior, his attention to his teachers' lessons, and his open-mindedness to some of the different beliefs of the other children. I was impressed at the number of Bible verses he memorized, as well as all the kids' memorization skills.  I can barely get through the Pledge of Allegiance without hesitation- never mind three lines of biblical verse.

This Alliance Church Bible School was a good one.  Active volunteers of all ages, engaged pastors, a well thought out program, and a big turnout of  children helped make it run smoothly. I like to observe a church's Bible School Camp for a few hours before I leave one of my children in its hands. There have been some good camps and some strange ones...Tarp Camp, for example, was a bit awkward.

Spiritually Alive, Radically Inclusive, Justice Centered

For one reason or another, UU congregations all over have been discovering that a certain age group is missing from their church, creating "the gap." Somewhere between their late teens and their late twenties, our youth are vanishing from the church scene. What's causing this phenomenon and how can we encourage our young adults to return to our congregations? Our church, UUCFM, is partnering with our local university, Florida Gulf Coat University, to begin a UU ministry on campus, the Eagle Unitarian Universalists. This work is being undertaken by congregation member Katie Romano Griffin, among others, who recently gave a sermon on this endeavor.

We encourage you to take a moment to watch Katie's sermon and ask that you share your thoughts and inspirations in the comments below.

The Parent's Mantra

Independence and Inclusion

The documents that our nation holds with most respect, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights shapes our democracy and remain a vital symbol of the freedoms we honor as citizens and in our American culture. We are still creating a more perfect union, and one of the ways we do this in practice is how we view each person as an individual, both in federal law and promises we make to each other in our church and spiritual communities.

As a Unitarian Universalist, I am always exercising the rights expressed in our country’s Bill of Rights: freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly and petition of our government. For example, how many Unitarian Universalists speak out against injustices by protesting and writing letters to government officials? This is one of the ways we are free to practice our own beliefs and be a contributing member of our society. But what happens when you feel like you can only practice some of these freedoms in a smaller, maybe less significant way because of your body and mobility issues? I have honestly struggled with this, and I know there are people that can relate to my story.

Independence Day Crafts

Here's another cross-over blog that comes to us from Crafty Mom 101 just in time for 4th of July's festivities! Enjoy your holiday celebrating both the freedoms we are gifted 

and those that we are still fighting for!

Fun star-shaped crayons are so easy to make!

I was wandering down the trusty Target dollar aisle and came upon these terrific star-shaped ice-cube trays. There are just so many things you can do with molds like these, so instantly I grabbed two of them! Two dollars is hardly too much to spend on a little fun! Here are three simple uses for these fantastic little crafty treasures.

Band Aids for Boo Boo's

This is a post that comes to us from Crafty Mom 101 (another blog authored by And So Are They writer, Jenn Blosser) It's an inspirational story about a little boy's bravery, kindness, and his goal to give to others. So read on UU friends, and perhaps you'll be able to participate in this drive to cheer up children who need it most!

In November of 2011, shortly before his 3rd birthday, little Ethan was diagnosed with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH). He underwent surgery in December to remove a tumor from his brain (spending Christmas in the hospital) and then endured 14 months of chemotherapy. It might not seem like much, but after all these procedures, all the shots and blood samples, getting a simple little band-aid with a superhero on it was enough to put a smile on Ethan's face (as you can see!) 

This is what inspired Ethan to start collecting "Band-Aids for Boo Boos." To lessen the fear of the multitude of hospital treatments and tests so many children undergo, to bring even a little grin to the face of a brave girl or boy, Ethan is on a quest to collect character band-aids of every kind to donate to local hospitals. 

His charity mission began with Tampa General Hospital (TGH), where he received treatment, himself. In August, 2012, Ethan had collected over 250 boxes of band-aids for TGH thanks to the donations and support of average people with big hearts.

Act of Kindness

Take a moment to reflect on the last time you were in the store, grocery, drug store, or a fast food mart. Got the image?! Now, recall when you were at the register and you were fumbling for the right change to pay the bill because your credit/debit card was denied. Got that image of your face turning red? The redness went from your face to your ears and down your neck, the heat was intense as a sense of embarrassment. Now take a second to imagine fumbling for the exact same change, but this time you're homeless. 

This was a moment today that I observed at Walgreens this afternoon. The older gentleman in front of me was purchasing a water and a few snack items. As he was fumbling, the cashier was apologizing for the man, making it appear that he was inconveniencing me by making me wait for him to gather his change. I wasn't feeling in the slightest put out, but it came across that the cashier was feeling put out, because this man had to dig and count out pennies, dimes, and nickels to pay for his items. 

Then in a moment of frustration and despair, the older gentleman realized he wasn't going to have enough to pay for these few items. I reached into my pocket and gave the man some money, making mention that it was found on the ground earlier, and it was possible it was meant more for this moment. The older gentleman almost let his pride get in the way and prevent him from accepting the assistance I so readily offered to him, but I think, sadly, that his hunger and thirst won the battle in the end. 

He graciously accepted my offer, and a genuine moment occurred when his hand touched mine as we exchanged the money between us...humanity. We have all been in a situation, where assistance has been offered in some way, shape or form, and our pride got in the way. What rang home for me in that moment, was how deeply sad I felt because this person had to experience the moment at all, due to his misfortune of being homeless.

An "Act of Kindness", can come in any form, but the next time you have the opportunity to say "hello" to a stranger or the opportunity to make a difference in someone else's life... make it... and be grateful that you had that moment.

- Terry Shupe -

Meet Terry Shupe!

We are happy to welcome another wonderful writer to the And So Are They team! Terry Shupe is the RE Director at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers, and she is wild about working with and empowering kids. We could go ahead and talk about her for a while, but it might be better to let her introduce herself in her own words...

I absolutely adore my partner with whom I am going to have a Commitment Ceremony with in August. I have 6 cats and 2 dogs who greet with such love and affection, even if I only went to get the mail! I tend to think I’m a very deep person; built up of such diversity even I sometimes have a hard time understanding myself.

I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania, with older guardian parents, who were from the “Great Depression.” Therefore, I grew up with no running water or inside conveniences.  My guardian father only had a 3rd grade education, because he was expected to work on the family farm to help provide for his 12 siblings, after his father died from a tracker accident. With that said he didn't believe in an education and that children worked for the food put on the table for them. It might sound harsh to some, however, now as an adult I can certainly see how that built confidence and character in me.

Equality Celebration at UUCFM

We celebrated the death of DOMA at our coffee hour after this Sunday's service at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers. Everyone contributed some rainbow goodies and the party was on! Here are a few pictures from our party:

Vegan rainbow sugar cookies!