I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.
~Louisa May Alcott
Family Closeness
Game:
Blow Wind Blow
Everyone sits around the table. Select one family member to start off without a seat. You want once less seat like in musical chairs. The standing family member begins by calling out "Blow wind blow". The rest of the family responds "blow what?" Then the standing family members say some kind of statement like "everyone wearing red" or "everyone not wearing shoes". All the family members that fit into that category must get up and switch chairs with another family member. This allows a chance for the person standing to steal a chair also. Once everyone has finished switching as quickly as possible, there will be one family member left stuck in the middle….and you can start all over again.
Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
- What is your idea of an ideal day?
- If you were invisible where would you go and what would you do?
- What do you worry about the most?
Story:
With your family read: Matthew 5.13-20
Questions for Discussion:
- What do we use salt for?
- What do you think Jesus meant when he called his followers salt?
- What might it mean to be a light for other people?
- How can you let your light shine more brightly?
Prayer and Celebration
Praying ACTS
Often children get into the habit of always praying thank you prayers or always praying asking prayers. One way to help them broaden their idea of prayer is to teach them this simple way of remembering some different types of prayer.
A – adoration : Prayers telling God how wonderful He is.
C – confession : Prayers saying sorry for the wrong we have done.
T – thanksgiving : Prayers thanking God for all He has done.
S – supplication: Prayers asking God for the things we and others need.
On different days of the week you might like to get your family to talk about and pray each of the different types of prayers. Alternatively you could write the four letters on pieces of paper and pick them out of a hat to determine which one you will use. When it come to confession prayers help your children think not just about their own personal sin but the things we as a people have failed to do – like care for the environment or the needy.
Service
Clean up a park or your neighbourhood
One simple way of serving your local community is to spend some time picking up rubbish in a local park or in your neighbourhood. This is a wonderful way to teach children about Christian stewardship of the earth. Have a conversation about how as followers of Jesus we are to live as Jesus kingdom has come and this means being part of the restoration of the earth. You might also like to talk about how we should do good even when it cannot be seen by others.
(In some places it may not be safe for children or adults to collect rubbish because of needles or other dangerous items. An assessment of this needs to be made in your area and appropriate safety precautions (gloves etc) employed or the decision to do something else.
Family Time
Build a Fort Night
With your family make a fort in your house big enough for your whole family to sit in. This can be done by hanging and draping blankets and sheets over chairs and dining room tables and whatever else is around. Try to build the biggest fort you can. Eat dinner in it together and play some games. Read Psalm 46.1-3 together and have a discussion about what it means for God to be your fortress and shelter.
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