Our "Thanksgiving Best" to you. I enjoyed Thanksgiving Lunch with my 3 year-old granddaughter last week. What a treat. Her Nana and I shared not just the delicious turkey, but the true wonder of Emory's Pre-Schooler friends and their teacher's world of grace and excitement. The new world of our pilgrim fathers and mothers lives today. It was shared with us through the imagination of their joyous love for our celebration of "thanksgiving" day in America. The ARK staff sends our hope, appreciation and thanks to you this season . HAPPY THANKSGIVING

CHECK THIS OUT - - The ARKGROUP's new look on the WEB can assist you now to get to the information you need. The ARKGROUP's newly redesigned website awaits you. We believe the site will provide our most understandable information we have generated to date about the ARK (Adults Relating to Kids) Programs and Processes for Teachers and Schools, Parents and Others who would be Intentional in the lives of Kids, both faith based and secular. Visit our site today. ARK (Adults Relating to Kids) programs and processes are here to help.

Bill
William R. Duffy
National Executive Director
281-537-1301

Don't forget: New training DVDs are available: ARK Facilitator Training, The ARK Group Process and an Introduction to ARK hosted by Pat Summerall. Order yours today at www.thearkgroup.org. This excellent training guides will supplement the ARK lessons DVD's, manuals, workbooks, texts and advertising materials -- equipping you to begin ARK programs today. ARK programs provide breakthrough parenting and teaching "skills courses." With your help, we can make ARKrelationships the norm for the 21st century family, church, school and community.

For our Friends and Followers in the Dallas area, we are thrilled with the participation through November in our ARK for Parents - Churches Programs . Facilitation training can be scheduled to fit your schedule. Thanks to a wonderful gift by a local benefactor, we are able to provide ARK for Parents Programs to Dallas area churches. The program includes facilitator training, lessons on DVDs, books, and a host of supporting materials and services. We invite you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Contact us today by e-mail, letter or by telephone in Dallas at 817- 268-2100 or Houston at 281-537-1301 to reserve these programs for your church to enable your church family to become the parents and intentional adults in the lives of children that will change the world through your care

What is actually true and worth while is a question we each struggle to answer each day. George Carlin addressed the question with these words.

"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narror viewpoints.We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more convience, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgement. We have learned to make a living, but not a life. We've done larger things, but not better things".

But, we would add we are a people of hopes and dreams and we always have shown ourselves to be a Nation who serves one another. Carlin's monologue proceeds, "Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever."

"Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side."

"Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent."

"Remember, to say, I love you to your spouse and your loved ones, but most of all to those who would not know love, but through you. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share precious thoughts in your mind".

"AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breathe away...."

How can we help?

Our intentional relationships with one another, makes the opportunities possible in the world for our students and children and holds the promise for contributing to each of our children's and student's future. We can build this future we will build by helping each other in our moments of intentional care.

Read on...

I suspect, you who get involved with volunteering open yourselves up to frustration, disappointment and ridicule from those who do not agree with the cause or your direction. To volunteers, this is a mere distraction, whether pleasant or not, because at that moment when you realize that a change is taking place for the better, a sense of joy and accomplishment can be realized. You and I both know, when we start taking a mental history of meaningful events that we have participated in our lives, these moments will likely be our high points. Happiness is a simple thing. It most often comes down to caring and having the ability to make a difference and to know that our life matters. That is fullfilment. A simple old saying comes to mind:

"What I spent is gone, What I kept is lost. But what I gave to charity Will be mine forever."

How one volunteers is not the issue. It is the ACT of giving and caring as well as the intentional decision to make things better that are the primary points of volunteer service. Action and enthusiasm and the reward of being among and with people, especially children, which is at the core of our potential. As Americans, our pervasive characteristic is our unconditional gifts to others.

Creating nurturing environments of care and learning during the growing years of our children, students and neighborhood kids in this period of Thanksgiving is it's own reward. Realtionships developed early in the lives of children have continuing positive impacts over their childhood and young adult years. The intentional time that we do spend with youngsters holds the promise for their development through our mentoring. We do matter and our lives are significant when we engage in volunteer acts of unconditional care for our Nation's young people. We matter greatly.

Please share your ideas and read on...

Ideas about money are like new foods. They are best fed to kids in stages.

AGE 6

Habits adopted at this early age, like brushing teeth, are probably going to last a lifetime. This is a good time to start an allowance, but it should include placing a portion, (for example 15%) in a see through piggy bank. In that little piggy, your child or students can watch the money physically accumulate.

AGE 10

As "tweens", kids are getting the understanding of abstract ideas. This is a good time to move some of the "piggy money" to a saving account. All local banks will offer these accounts at no charge to children and they can provide you with financial children's literarcy products and comic books. Your child should be "ok" with this as they won't feel like they are giving the money away that they put into the bank. Learning multiplication will also help them understand how interest works. "Show kids how quickly money can grow, and aim for them to save 10% of birthday and holiday money, allowances and such".

AGE 13

Introduce Budgeting to your child and / or students. Children in Middle School understand that money is limited, and they can tell the difference between needs and wants. You can put that to the test. When school rolls around with back to school shopping, give your child a budget and let them decide whether they want a pair of designer jeans or tennis shoes versus five Value Village t- shirts.

AGE 16

One of five sixteen year-olds work part time jobs. If you are fortunate to have one, offer to match their dollar for dollar with a retirement savings plan. If they need convincing, show them how just $500 invested at an 8% rate of return can grow to $15,000 by the year 2051.

Check out this website for Kid Friendly ideas

Your support of The ARKGroup, Inc. creates possibilities in our churches, community centers, and public and private schools. If you have an opportunity, idea, challenge, or destiny to fulfill through helping children to grow into their full potential, please contact us. Together we can improve the quality of life in our communities--one child, one family, one classroom, one school at a time. Helping other people lifts one's spirits and gives hope for the future.

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