Faithful Families Resources May 13 2012

Weekly Inspiration

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.

 ~Anthony Brandt

Family Closeness

Game:

Finish the story

A family member begins a story with a single sentence. The next person adds another sentence to the story and it continues around the table until your story ends or gets so bizarre that everyone is on the ground laughing. You might like to give a theme or title to the story before you start to give the story some direction  and shape or you can just let it meander anywhere.

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

Finish these sentences:

• If I could become a colour, I would be … because
• Something I’d like to do in the future is . . .
• Of my five senses, the one I would most hate to lose is . . . because  . . .

 Story

With your family read: Psalm 1

Questions for Discussion:

• What does the Psalm say makes people happy?
• What are people who think about God’s word like?
• What is this Psalm trying to teach us?

Prayer and Celebration

One way to pray is to use "squeezy prayers" Everyone holds hands in a circle. An adult will begin the prayer. When they have finished they  squeeze the persons hand next to them to show it is their turn. They  may pray out loud, or silently, or may squeeze on to the next person.  When the squeeze has reached the starting person they may say another

closing prayer or just: Amen.

Here are suggestions for ways of using the squeezy prayer:

Using a squeezy prayer ask God for something that is needed in the world…like peace,or understanding or for help in a particular problem in the world.

Using a squeezy prayer say thank you for a good friend or friends. Say them by name and even say something you like about them.

Using a squeezy prayer say thank you for something that you are good at. A gift God has given you.

Service

An important part of service is learning about others. One way you can do this with your family is through websites such as: http://www.ifitweremyhome.com

This website lets you compare the living conditions in your own country with those around the world. This can be a useful tool for helping family members to realise how fortunate they are. Have a play with the website and find a country where you would like to make a difference and be part of building the kingdom of God. Seek out a reputable charity or organisation that doesa work in that country and make a donation or find out how you can support it.

Family Time

Bonus Family Activity

Candlelight Talk. Turn off all the lights and sit with your family. Discuss what it might be like living in the dark. What might some of the problems be? Light a candle and talk about how one of the names for God is light. Ask, “What difference does lighting this candle make to our room?” Talk about the difference knowing God makes in your life. (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