Faithful Families Resources August 25 2013

Weekly Inspiration

You cannot make your children love the Bible, I allow. None but the Holy Ghost can give us a heart to delight in the Word. But you can make your children acquainted with the Bible; and be sure they cannot be acquainted with that blessed book too soon, or too well.

~J. C. Ryle

Family Closeness

Game:

The Cereal Box Game

You will need a large empty cereal box for this game. Each family member takes a turn to pick up the box with their teeth without let anything but their feet touch the ground. After each round a few centimetres are cut off the top of the box and everyone has another go. Keep going until the last person can’t pick up the cereal box. Make sure you do it on a carpeted surface and older family members may need to do some warming up and stretching before trying this.

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

This is an appropriate one for Australian’s right now in the midst of a short but tedious election campaign.

• If you were running for Prime Minister/President what things would you want to change about the country?
• What issues do you think should be most important?
• Why do you think politicians don’t always do what they say they will do?

Story

With your family read:  Luke 14.1,7-14

(for a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at http://www.sermons4kids.com/all_puffed_up.htm

  

Questions for Discussion:

• Why do you think Jesus told this parable?
• Why do you think humility was important to Jesus?
• Why did Jesus tell the Pharisees to invite the poor to their home?

Prayer and Celebration

Psalm Prayers

The Psalms can be great models of prayer, especially for 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.

Family Activity

Family Time Line

To help your family think about good things God has  given you, work together to make a family time line. Draw a line in the centre of a long sheet of paper. Choose a starting date to write at the left end of the line. Your time line may cover a week, a one  month period, or the school holidays, or a year. To help family members think of time line events, ask questions such as: "What was something we did that we really enjoyed? How did someone help us in a special way? Who are some new friends our family made?" Display the time line on a wall or door. Allow younger children to enjoy drawing pictures to illustrate the time line. (Adventures for Growing Families. Wes & Sheryl Haystead.)

(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

Faithful Families Resources August 4 2013

Weekly Inspiration

This is the thought that should be uppermost on your mind in all you do for your children. In every step you take about them, in every plan, and scheme, and arrangement that concerns them, do not leave out that mighty question, "How will this affect their souls?".

~J. C. Ryle

Family Closeness

Game:

One family member is chosen to be "Simon". Simon then calls out an action for everyone to follow. It could be anything like touch your nose or wave your hands. When giving an action the words “Simon says” must be used before the action. For example: Simon says touch your nose. When this formula is used everyone must do the action. The trick is for Simon to tell people an action without saying “Simon says” first. If anyone then does the action they are out of the game.

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

Choose one word that starts with each letter of your name that describes you. For example if your name is Joe you might choose jolly, optimistic and exhausted. Parents might need to help younger ones with possible words.

Story

With your family read:  Luke 12.32-40

(for a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at http://www.sermons4kids.com/treasure_heart.html

Questions for Discussion:

• How do you think you get treasure in heaven?
• Jesus says “where your treasure is, there your heart is also”
• What do you think this means?
• What might is mean to always be ready for Jesus?

Prayer and Celebration

Passing of the Cross

At the dinner table a holding cross is passed from member to member. Whoever holds the cross is the person who prays.  This prayer begins with one person who either says a prayer out loud or silently says or imagines a prayer. The cross is passed when the person who holds it is finished.  Each person takes their turn.  Prompts may be given by parents as the cross is passed.

Eg. See…a friend in need, a hurt that needs healing…etc.

Pray one sentence…prompt:  thank you God for

  

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

 Family Activity

Hands and Feet

Draw around the outlines of your children's hands and feet onto cardboard. Cut them out and write words on them that might help them to remember how they help Jesus build his kingdom. They might be words like serve, share, love, grow. Alternatively draw pictures of these things or get your children to draw pictures of these things. Blue tack or sticky tape them around the house so that they might be reminded throughout the week that they are workers in the kingdom of God.

(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