Weekly Inspiration
Love is patient, love
is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
~1 Corinthians 13:4–7
(NIV84)
Family Closeness
Game
Question web
You will need a ball of
wool for this game. Make sure there is nothing on your table that could be
knocked over. Whoever starts must hold onto the end of the wool and throw the
ball to someone around the table. They then ask a question for that person to
answer. Some suggestions are listed below. Once the question is answered they
hold onto the string and throw to someone else around the table and asks them a
question. See how many time you can go around your table before your web is
tricky to hold.
- If you had a time machine that would work only once, what point in the
- future or in history would you visit?
- If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
- If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try and save?
- If you could talk to any one person now living, who would it be and why?
- If you HAD to give up one of your senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling,
- tasting) which would it be and why?
- If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
- Do you have a pet? If not, what sort of pet would you like?
- Name a gift you will never forget?
- Name one thing you really like about yourself.
- What's your favourite thing to do in the summer?
Sharing:
- Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
- What makes you angry?
- What do you do when you are angry?
- How do you stop yourself from doing the wrong thing when you are angry?
Story
With your family
read: Luke 4.21-30
Questions for Discussion:
- How did the people respond to Jesus at first?
- How did they feel after he had finished speaking?
- What made them angry?
Prayer and Celebration
Balloon Prayer
There are two ways you
might use this idea to pray. Both involve writing words in permanent marker on
a balloon. The first way involves your family writing one or two words naming
the things or people they wish to pray for at different places over the balloon.
When you have finished doing this toss the balloon around the dinner table. The
words that your hands touch or a near to when you catch the balloon are the
things that person must pray about. The second way uses the same method but
instead of things to pray for write down different types of prayer like:
praise, thanksgiving, asking, confession, waiting. Whatever your hands land on
that is the type of prayer your family must do – this probably works best if
everyone takes turns at each individual type of prayer.
Service
As a family or in your
church think about how you might bless the lives of those who live around you.
Reflect on those people in your local area, who may be your neighbours or go to
church with you, who serve in the community. Examples might be teachers or
police officers, charity or emergency workers. Think of ways that you might let
them know they are valued. This could include small things like making a thank
you card together as a family or making a biscuit or cake for them to take to
work to share. How often do we stop to thank those who look after us every day,
who take risks for us or do jobs that really aren’t that pleasant? Acting in
this way builds habits of thankfulness and empathy in ourselves and our
children.
Family Time
Geocaching can be a great
family activity that will take you to places you have never seen while solving
puzzles at the same time. It is almost like a giant game of hide and seek. If
you have never heard of it before check out: Geocaching.com
(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
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