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 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 and Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning
