Faithful Families Resources July 10 2011

Weekly Inspiration

We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. Psalm 78.4

Family Closeness

Game:

Mirror. One person must be the leader and the other the mirror. The mirror must copy exactly all the hand and face movements of the leader.

Sharing:

Begin a habit of asking around your family what is one thing you learned today. (A story is told of one family who were using this pattern whose children would look through the encyclopaedia before meal time to have something to bring, another family had to bring a new word to the dinner table and so would flip through the dictionary. (The Big Book of Family Fun. Gwen Ellis)

Story

With your family read Mathew 13.24-30

Questions for Discussion:

• Why do you think people do bad things to one another?
• Do you think that sometimes good people might appear bad and bad people might appear to be good? Can you think of an example?
• Why didn’t the farmer want the weeds pulled out? 

In this parable the weed being spoken about is probably bearded darnel that in its early stages looks exactly like wheat. It is almost impossible to tell them apart. When their heads form however it is easy to distinguish them but by this time the roots of the two are so intertwined that they cannot be torn out without destroying the wheat. At harvest they must be separated because the darnel tastes bitter and is poisonous, but it is a laborious and costly process.

This parable is a reflection on the presence of evil in the world. In essence in teaches us two things. Firstly that people are not to be the judge of others lest they root out and damage those who are good. Secondly that there will be a time of judgment at the end carried out by God.

Prayer and Celebration

Psalm Prayers

The Psalms are one of the best examples of praise and adoration. Choose a psalm that expresses this and pray it together with your family. Some good P & A psalms are: 8, 19, 23, 29, 33,47,48, 66, 84, 96 – 100, 104, 108, 111, 134, 135, 145 – 150. 

Service 

Service Project for Families with Teenagers and Young Adults

• Coach a sports team for young children.
• Speak out about social issues in your community.
• Use more indepth skills to create items for people in need. 

Bonus Family Activity

Story Time

Ask a child to find a favourite book or story. Read the book together, then ask, “In this book, what could (main character) have thanked God for? When might he or she have needed God’s help? If (character) had talked to God, what might he or she have said?

For younger children. Look at a picture book with your younger child. Talk with your child about the pictures using questions such as , “What do you see on this page that you are thankful to God for? What could the girl on this page tell God about?”

Remember it is not hard to be faithful with your family, it just takes intention and commitment. May the joy and love and peace of Christ fill your home. Stephen Harrison 


 (This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning