Sunday, December 27, 2015

Faithful Families Resources December 27 2015



Weekly Inspiration
Resolution One: I will live for God.
Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.
~ Jonathan Edwards

Family Closeness
Game:
Mute Spelling
This game is suitable for al family members as long as they can spell. Each player begins with a score of "A". The first person is given a suitable word for them to spell but they can only say the consonants. Vowels must be spelled using the following hand actions.
    "A" - raise your right hand
    "E" - raise your left hand
    "I" - point to your eye
    "O" - point to your open mouth
    "U" - point to any other player.
For example, the word "APPLE" would begin with the player raising their right hand (A) then saying P-P-L before raising their left hand (E). The score of any player who makes a mistake goes from "A" to "E" and so on through the vowels (I, O, U) until they get out on their fifth mistake.
  
Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family. 
  • What was the hardest thing about this year?
  • What is something that you achieved this year?
  • What is something you want to give thanks for this last year?
  • What are your hopes for next year?
  • What do you hope to do, experience, discover or be next year? 

Story
With your family read Luke 2.41-52
(for a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at

Questions for Discussion:
  • How do you think Mary and Joseph felt when they couldn’t find Jesus?
  • What surprises you about this story?
  • What do you think Jesus words meant?

Prayer and Celebration
People like to celebrate New Year’s Day in many different ways. Some people like to stay up until the clock strikes midnight – others like to go to bed so they can be up fresh for the first day of the year. Whatever you like to do, may you be encouraged this New Years to think about how God might be honoured, remembered and shared in your family. Pray together, either at midnight or on getting up on the first of January. Give thanks for the year ahead. Ask God to guide you and your family in all you do…and dedicate yourselves to serving Christ in the year to come.

Service
As a family discuss how you might service your community and world in 2013. Talk about some of the things happening in the world you would like to change and decide how to make a difference. Make a commitment to give a certain amount of money to a charity or cause. Work out how your family might raise money or give time or talents to help a local charity.

Family Time
Big Dreams 2016

One day an expert was speaking to a group of students and on time management and he used this illustration. Firstly he took out a wide mouthed jar, then he produced about a dozen large rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.        
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes."
Then he said, "Really?"  He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.  Then he dumped some gravel in and shook  the jar  causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him.  "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!"  he replied.  And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand.  He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.  Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"
"No!"  the class shouted.  Once again he said, "Good!"   Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.  Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point.  The truth this illustration teaches is this: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

I wonder…what are the big rocks you wish to fit into your family life next year. Sit down with your family and dreams some dreams and make some plans for 2016. What things would you like to do? What places would you like to see? What habits would you like to make together?

(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

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Faithful Families Resources December 20 2015



I pray that all who read this blog may have a blessed and holy Christmas as we celebrate the coming of Christ our saviour into the world and human history. I hope these resources might help you to enjoy the time with your family and tell the story of Jesus birth really well.

Weekly Inspiration
The Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation.
 ~ J.I. Packer

Family Closeness
Game:
Christmas Card Toss
Simple gather together a collection of old Christmas cards and carefully cut off the backs. Avoid glittery cards.

Now set up a "course" by placing a large box or bin on the floor and marking a place to stand some feet away from it, depending on the age of the children. If you are playing with mixed ages, older children should stand further away than younger children. Each family member takes turns tossing a stack of cards (like a frisbee) into the box. Count up and the family member with the most cards in the box wins.

Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family. 
  • What is your favourite thing about Christmas?
  • What does it mean to be thankful?
  • What do you find special about the story of Jesus birth?
  • What can we learn about God at Christmas?
Story
With your family read Luke 2.1-20

Questions for Discussion:
  • How do you think Mary and Joseph felt about having a baby in a place where they didn't live?
  • Why do you think the shepherds were the first to be told about Jesus birth?
  • What effect did seeing the baby Jesus have on the shepherds?
  • What amazes or intrigues you about this story?

Prayer and Celebration
Each day choose a Christmas card you received. Put it in a central location such as your dining room table. Pray for the people who sent the card.

Service
Make a special Christmas recipe to share with your neighbours. Include a card with pictures that tell about Jesus birth. (One easy recipe is for Rocky Road. Ingredients. 375g chocolate, 100g mini marshmallows, 200g red & green glace cherries chopped. Slowly melt the choc. in the microwave on medium stirring every minute. Mix in mallows and cherries. Pour onto a paper lined baking tray. Refrigerate until firm.)

Family Time
Story of St Nicholas
With your family discover the real story of Santa Claus – or St Nicholas. Think about his story and let it transform the way you do Christmas. Below are some links to websites with information about St Nicholas.

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/who-is-st-nicholas/

http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/fatherchristmas.shtml

Christmas is also a great time to read Christmas stories. This blog provides some ideas for great Christmas books.

http://storypath.upsem.edu/

Merry Christmas and God Bless
Stephen 

(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

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Faithful Families Resources December 13 2015




We are now in the season of Advent, a time that is focussed on waiting with anticipation. We wait with anticipation for the return of Christ, we relive in our own lives the expectation of the birth of Christ and his birth in our own heart everyday. We wait with anticipation for the kingdom of God to be fulfilled on earth. Over the these  four weeks the material will be shaped around four themes that are relevant to this time: promise, waiting, journey and gift.

In addition to the weekly resources have a look at the special Advent  page for some ideas and resources on how to celebrate the season well in your home.

Weekly Inspiration
Thanks be to God for his unspeakable Gift— indescribable, inestimable, incomparable inexpressible - precious beyond words.
~Lois Lebar

Family Closeness
Game:
Pass the Parcel
This old game still get played at parties but could be a fun game to play at home around the table. It would also be a great way to unveil a gift for your family. Put something nice in the middle for the whole family – like a family move pass or a note saying you are all going to your favourite restaurant. Wrap it up. Now put multiple layers of wrapping on with small prizes in between such as chocolate bars or sweets.   Blind fold a family member. Their job is to say when to stop passing the parcel. Pass the parcel and when it is stopped someone gets to take off a layer. You might even like to play music or sing a song while the parcel is passed around.

Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family. 
  • What is the best gift you have ever received?
  • What is the best gift you have ever given?
  • What is the most precious gift in the world?


Story
With your family read Luke 1.39-56
(for a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at

Questions for Discussion:
  • How did Elisabeth know Mary’s baby was special?
  • What do you find interesting about Mary’s words?
  • What does Mary say God will do?


Prayer and Celebration
A prayer for candle lighting during Advent:

O God,
as light comes from this candle,
may the blessing of Jesus Christ come to us,
warming our hearts and
brightening our way.
May Christ our Savior bring life
into the darkness of this world,
and to us, as we wait for his coming.


Family Time
Song Stories
A great way to explore the story of Christmas would be to listen to some Christmas Carols or hymns with your family. One option would be to listen and sing together and just enjoy the music and your family. Alternatively, listen very carefully to the words and to the feel of the song. Discuss what this particular carol is saying about the birth of Jesus. Are there any words or phrases that children don’t understand? Discuss what these might mean.


(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

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Faithful Families Resources December 6 2015


We are now in the season of Advent, a time that is focussed on waiting with anticipation. We wait with anticipation for the return of Christ, we relive in our own lives the expectation of the birth of Christ and his birth in our own heart everyday. We wait with anticipation for the kingdom of God to be fulfilled on earth. Over the these  four weeks the material will be shaped around four themes that are relevant to this time: promise, waiting, journey and gift.

In addition to the weekly resources have a look at the special Advent  page for some ideas and resources on how to celebrate the season well in your home.

Weekly Inspiration
The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too.
~ Teresa Of Avila

Family Closeness
Game:
Alphabet Car Game
Since the theme this week is journey here is a game you can play next time you are in the car. It is a simple game that requires players to find all the letters of the alphabet in order, on car number plates. A letter on a number plate can only be claimed by one player, the first to call it out. Multiple letters on the one number plate can be claimed and by different players. For example if the number plate was ABE - someone could claim the AB and someone else the E. Whoever gets to Z first is the winner. Find some more travel games for the car at the bottom of the blog. 

Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family. 
  • What are the best and worst things about long journeys?
  • What is your favourite thing to do on a journey?
  • Where is your favourite place to journey to? 
Story:
 With your family read Luke 3.10-18
(for a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at

Questions for Discussion:
  • What did John the Baptist tell people they must do to turn back to God?
  • Who did the people think John the Baptist was?
  • What did John say about the one who was to come? 

Prayer and Celebration

A prayer for Advent

We thank you, Lord God, for the prophets and leaders who looked forward to the coming of Jesus the Saviour.
We thank you for those who prepared the way for him, like John the Baptist.
We thank you for the angels you sent with the message about Jesus.
and we thank you for Mary, who believed the message and was willing to do your will.
We thank you most of all for Jesus, who was born to save us.

In this Advent time, when we get ready for Christmas, help us to hear your message, to be excited that you want to be with us, and help us to an tto be part of your plan for this world you care so much about.
Amen.

  
Service
Here are some more Advent Service Ideas

  • Get a group together to sing at a nursing home.
  • Go through your cupboard and give some clothes to a charity.
  • Encourage your children to think of what toys they have that are still in good condition that they might give to a charity.
  • With your family choose a way to give a gift to a needy family. This may be best done through a registered charity or church. If you can make food donations take your children shopping to buy the food so they can actually see what it is they are giving. Some charities have schemes where people give gift-wrapped presents for children from needy families. 

Family Time
Are trips in the car a nightmare? Why not turn them into a family adventure. Here are a few ideas.

Semi Search
All you need is a sheet of paper to keep score, one person to be scorekeeper and a writing utensil. Each player chooses a colour. Each player's name and chosen colour is then written down on the score card by the score keeper, who will announce when there is a winner. Each player announces each semitrailer on the road that is his chosen colour. One mark, or point, is given for each semi the person identifies as his colour. The game can be played until one person reaches a certain number of points. Most people play Semi Search until one person reaches 50 points, but a longer game can be played for older children.

Guess Mobile
Name someone as guess master. This person is the one who poses a guessing challenge for other family members. He or she could ask passengers to guess the colour of the next passing car, or how long before you get to the next town

Car Scavenger Hunt
Give your children a pack of index cards and get them to write or draw pictures of fity things they might see on a long road trip. Keep the cards for scavenger hunts when players vie to match what they see with the cards.


Find more family car games at:


(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