Sunday, February 3, 2013

Faithful Families Resources February 3 2013


Weekly Inspiration
What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.
~Martin Luther

Family Closeness
Game:
Pass the Orange
This simple game can’t be played sitting down. Everyone will need to stand up in a line. The first person takes an orange (any other reasonably sized piece of fruit could be used) and holds it between their chin and chest. This piece of fruit then needs to be passed down the line of family members from neck to neck. No hands are allowed.

Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
  • What activity brings you the greatest joy?
  • What activity gives you a sense of purpose and excitement?


Story
With your family read:  Luke 5.1-11
 Questions for Discussion:
  • Why didn’t Simon want to put the nets down as Jesus instructed?
  • What was Simon’s response to Jesus when the nets filled with fish?
  • What do you think we learn about Jesus from this passage?
  • What do you think it means to catch people?


Prayer and Celebration
Drawn Prayers
Give each family member a piece of paper and some pens or pencils for drawing. Either in silence or with some quiet music on, invite your family to draw on the paper, the people and things they want to pray for. This could include drawing the outcome that you might desire for particular situations. As your family draws encourage them to do so in silence so they may listen to what God has to say to them. At the end of the allocated time encourage everyone to share what they have drawn and what they are praying for.

Service
Family volunteering allows parents, children and other family members to spend time together while contributing to the community and causes they care about. It’s a great way for families to enjoy quality time with each other and introduce family members to the benefits of volunteering. Family volunteering can be a practical way to express values to children and young people.

Volunteering provides parents and other family members the opportunity to be a positive role model by demonstrating how to be involved with the community, and how to make a difference and enjoy it. People who volunteer when they are young are more likely to continue to volunteer throughout their adult life.

Volunteering in your family group can also improve communication among family members, strengthen family bonds and be a lot of fun.
(excerpt from Family Volunteering: Information for Families)

Family Time

In Steve Biddulph’s just released book Raising Girls he cites the work of Peter Benson who “discovered that children and young teenagers almost always have something inside them – an interest, enthusiasm, talent or concern – which if it is supported gives them incredible joy, motivation and direction.” He calls this thing their spark. This week ask your children the question in the sharing section above and explore with them what their spark might be. How might you as a parent support your child in engaging in that activity? Benson claims that there are three things a child needs for their spark to burn brightly. Firstly an adult in the family must support them, secondly someone in wider community must encourage and help them and third their needs to be the opportunity to encourage and engage the spark.
  
(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

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