Daily Notes of Grace

Health and Wellness Ministry -- Messenger 12/09

It’s that time of year again: cold and flu season. What’s the difference between the flu and the common cold? They’re both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. Because they have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell them apart. Influenza or “the flu” develops when a flu virus infects your respiratory system, including your nose, throat, bronchial tubes, and possibly the lungs. A cold virus  usually infects only your upper respiratory tract: your nose and throat. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. An excellent chart comparing symptoms is available at www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/Flu/PDF/sick.pdf  or stop by the parish nurse office for a copy or take one off the Health ad Wellness kiosk in Fellowship Hall.

Several helpful common sense tips that can protect you and prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses:

• Wash your hands frequently. Use an alcohol-based gel if you don’t have access to water. 

• Cough and sneeze into a tissue or  bend your arm and sneeze into it.. Wash your hands afterward. 

• When you cough, turn your head away from others. .

• Wash any shared surfaces (like phones and keyboards) frequently. Viruses can live on surfaces for several hours. 

• Get plenty of rest.

• Take time every day to do something you enjoy! (Read, paint/draw, dance, cook, talk to a friend).

• Eat a healthy diet that includes at least 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

• Stay home from work or school if you are sick. If you have a fever stay home for 24 hours fever free without medication. ( cited from CDC)

If ever in doubt of the severity of symptoms contact your physician. 

 “I thank my God every time I remember you.” (Philippians 1:3)

Ann Gornik RN MSN FCN, Advocate Parish Nurse

LOGOS -- Messenger 12/09

LOGOS: Building and Experiencing Christian 

Relationships

The LOGOS themes for December are: 

“Bring-a-Friend Fiesta Night” (Dec.2), “Backwards Night” (Dec. 9) and “Happy Birthday, Jesus” (Dec. 16).

Through scripture, we come to know that to God relationships are everything – our personal relationship with God and the relationships we have with each other. Our relationships with one another are made new because of our relationship with God. These theological foundations set the stage for the only rule of LOGOS: Treat every person as a child of God. We are never to treat others as if they do not matter. 

   Jesus used powerful examples of treating “outsiders” as if they belonged. By striving to treat every other person as a child of God, we try to repeat Jesus’ pattern of giving people experiences of God’s unconditional love – experiences that will call them into right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. 

   In the LOGOS weekly ministry, everyone participates in the four parts: Bible Study, Recreation Play, Family Time, and Worship Skills.  At Grace Lutheran Church of La Grange, 78 youth and 88 volunteers work together to make the ministry succeed in its goal: to build and experience relationships as Christ would have us do. LOGOS is a means to help the church be what it is called to be. LOGOS seeks to strengthen the effectiveness of our nurturing ministries with youth and children. 

   LOGOS is for all of us! Contact Barb Mahn to enter into this relationship.

Christmas fills the Preschool -- Messenger 12/09

November was an exciting month at Grace Lutheran Preschool. Days were filled with celebration and praise for the blessings of harvest time and Thanksgiving. The 3’s classes hosted apple and corn muffin parties and invited the 4’s to join in the fun. The 4’s classes learned about the first Thanksgiving feast through story, art and song. 

   The sights and sounds of Christmas are filling the preschool classrooms and hallway. The 3-year-olds will once again search for the elusive gingerbread man, and the 4-year-olds will enjoy the costumes and pageantry of Christmas. There is much excitement, anticipation and magic in the air.

   The preschool will again sponsor the Mitten Tree for the La Grange Community Nurse Association. The tree will be in the narthex during the first three weeks of December. We invite you to hang new hats, scarves, gloves, mittens and socks on the tree as we bring warmth and love to families in our community during the winter months.

   The preschool will benefit from Jewel Shop and Share Days on December 7, 8 and 9. There are shopping slips available in the preschool hallway and outside the sanctuary.  

   Preschool registration for the 2010-2011 school year begins in January. Registration packets will be mailed the first week of January. All registration forms must be postmarked or dropped off in the preschool office by January 31, 2010. Registration for all three- and four-year-old classes will be processed on February 5, 2010 by a random drawing in the following order:

• Grace Lutheran Church members

• Families currently enrolled in a program at Grace Lutheran Preschool

• Families previously enrolled at Grace Lutheran Preschool

• Families new to Grace Lutheran Preschool

Registration must be accompanied by the $70 non-refundable registration fee and the registration form and session preference sheet included in the January registration mailing. If you would like to receive a registration packet or schedule an observation visit, please call the preschool office at 708-352-0730. Questions should be directed to Lynne Blatchley, preschool director.

   There are still openings in the Parent’s Day Out program for December and January. The program is held from 9:00 am to 1:00 p.m. on Fridays. Please call the preschool office for further information.  

   The children and staff at Grace Lutheran Preschool join together in wishing the congregation a holiday season of peace and joy and a New Year filled with good health and much happiness. 

   Merry Christmas from the Preschool Staff: Lynne Blatchley, Jane Cikanek, Virginia Franceschina, Vicki Michaels, Carol Pardo, Bridgette Snyder, Laura Taylor, Amy Thoms and Suzy Weisshaar

From the church library -- Messenger 12/09

The library has so much to enrich your Advent and Christmas; books (of course), videos, DVD’s and CD’s. Here is a listing of some:

Advent

One hundred meditations for Advent and 

   Christmas (242.33 ONE)

Day by Day in Advent (242.33 MIL)

Around the Advent Wreath (242.33 SAS)

How Can I Celebrate Advent (DVD Y263.91)

Prepare the Way (CD 783.6 MCC)

Christmas

One Incredible Moment (232 LUC)

Let’s Keep Christmas (232 MAR)

Certain Poor Shepherds (394.26 ONE)

The Purpose of Christmas (394.26 WAR)

Shepherd’s Abiding (F Karon –)

Alabaster’s Song (E LUC)

The Crippled Lamb (E LUC)

The First Christmas (E MAI)

The Fourth Wiseman (VIDEO F)

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever(VIDEO YF Jacob’s Gift (VIDEO YF)

Go Look to the Manger (DVD Y394.26)

A Fruitcake Christmas (DVD Y394.26)

Three Christmas Classics (DVD YF)

The Three Tenors’ Christmas(CD 783.6 CAR)

The Joy of Christmas with Leonard 

   Bernstein(CD 783.6 MOR)

A Festival of Carols (CD 783.6 ROB)