Day 7 Leap Day

"Do What is right and good in the Lord's sight."

Deuteronomy 6:18a

Read 

Luke 2:21-40

Discussion

Why did they have to take the trip? How do you think they felt when they finally arrived?Why wa going to Jerusalem the right thing to do?(It was in God' law) How do you think Mary and Joseph felt after hearing Simeon and Anna? Why did Mary and Joseph do the right thing?(Because they loved God, God's law and their son Jesus.) 

Our families help lead the young down the Godly path. List ways that your family follow's God's example in Jesus. Do you read your Bible, Do you attend Church, do you pray together, do you serve others together? What ways would you like to grow as a family in being examples for others to see God's love?

Hymn

Come into my heart

Quick Prayer

Dear God, thank you for families. Thank you for my family nearest me, thank you for my church family, thank you for your Love. Help us to be examples like Jesus so our young ones may have a Godly path to follow.

Lenten Symbol for your Easter Tree

your family picture

Activity Idea

*Think of other symbols that remind us of God. As Christians we often think of the cross to remind us of God's love.

*Part of growing our faith is by prayer. The more we talk to God the closer we become to Him. start a prayer emphasis for different nights. Example: Sunday pray for church or church workers, Monday pray for those in missions, Tuesday pray for friend and neighbors, Wednesday pray for world leaders and peace, Thursday pray for classmates and coworkers, Friday pray for family near and far, Saturday pray for need and concerns for yourself.

*The Bible is like a recipe for our lives. If we follow it as we should things turn out  as God planned. Make something from a recipe and discuss what happens if you change or add things into the batter, what would happen. Would it turn out ok? or be a mess? Read your Bible together. 

Day 6

When John saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

John 1:36

Read: Exodus 12:3-7, 12-13

Discussion

Along time ago, the people of Israel had become slaves to the people of Egypt. They had to work hard and had very little. God had said it was time for the people to leave Egypt, but the king of Egypt, the Pharaoh would not let God's people go. God sent 10 bad things to happen to the land of Egypt. The last thing was that God would kill all the first born children. God's plan was to save all who trusted Him. He told the people to take the blood of a perfect lamb and to put it on the sides and the top of the doors of their houses. If a family obeyed God and marked the door of their house with the blood of the lamb, he would pass over the house and no children would be killed. That night, the Lord killed all the firstborn children in Egypt, including the Pharaoh's son. In remembrance of how God saved the children of Israel, the holiday Passover is celebrated.

If God told you to do this to your house, would you do it? I'm sure the children of Israel wondered how the blood of a little lamb on their door could save them from death. They chose to believe, however, and because of their simple faith, they were freed. When Jesus died on the cross, He shed His blood for you so that you might be free. YOu might not fully understand what this means, but if you believe it and trust in Jesus, then you will be saved.

Hymn

Only trust Him

Quick Prayer

Dear Jesus, Thank you for being my Lamb. Thank you for dying for me and passing over my sins. I love You!Amen

Lenten Symbol for your Easter Tree

a lamb

Activity Idea

*The passover meal is done as a family event. Draw family trees and thank God for all your special people in your family.

* Draw a lamb and write Thank You Jesus over the top. Maybe add some cotton balls to the lamb to make it soft.

*Read over some passover meal, Seder meal, ideas. Maybe you could consider trying to do a Christian Seder meal later in Lent. I came across this interesting one here.

Day 5 February 27

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he

dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."John 11:25-26

Read John 12:23-24

Discussion: Do you remember how Jesus was willing to come down from heaven? He lived for 33 years then it was time for Him to go back to Heaven. Do you know how he would be able to do that? He told us to look in our gardens to find the answer in a seed.

Do you know what happens to a seed when you plant it in the ground? It sleeps for a while, and then it begins to fall apart and die. Soon something amazing happens. Water begins to give it food, and along with the soil, it helps the dead seed to grow again. When the green leaf comes out of the ground, it looks very different from the seed that is first planted. It is a miracle!

God had told Abraham that a Seed would come. The Seed is Jesus and He would save all people. All they would have to do is just believe in the Seed. It was wonderful for God to do this for us, wasn't it. The seed would have to do something, though. He would have to die. The Bible says when you plant a seed , it cannot grow unless it dies first. Jesus loved us so much that He did die on a cross for us and like the seed He came bursting into the light 3 days after being in the tomb. - Jesus said some interesting things. Think about the Bible verses for tonight. What do they mean to us. How was Jesus like a seed?What did Jesus have to do for us?

Hymn

Soon and very Soon

Quick Prayer

Jesus, it's hard to believe You were willing to die for us, and yet You did. Every time we see a flower, help us remember a seed had to die for that flower to live,. Help us to trust in Your Seed, Jesus. Thank you for spring!Amen!

Lenten Symbol for your Easter Tree

Seed

Activity Idea:* Watch seeds grow. Place a seed in small ziploc bag with a small amount of water. Tape it to a sunny window, watch it grow.

*Take a walk around the neighborhood and see signs of spring sprouting- new buds on trees, daffodils, tulips.

*Remind each other of how spring can be a good time to water our seeds in our hearts, by reading the Bible, Being kind to each other, talking about Jesus and how He treated others.

mini Easter 1

Sunday! Worship Day!

Attend Church today and reflect on the first week of Lent.
If you have collected food this week bring it to your church's food drive.

Day 4 March 12

Jesus said, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written:'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

Read Matthew 4:1-11

Discussion

Reading this passage in Matthew, it is easy to see where and what Jesus was tempted. Every time He was tempted, Jesus was prepared with scripture to confront Satan. Is there temptation that needs to be addressed in your family. Discuss  with your family times when they feel tempted to do things that would not be what God wanted. Do they loose their temper easily, do they feel like gossiping, are they worriers, do they not honor their parents? Review the 10 commandments. How important is it to read your Bible?

Hymn

Thy Word

Quick Prayer

Dear Jesus, We bow before your name. We are humbled to think how you would leave the glories of heaven to become our Servant. You have become a light unto the world to show us how to live. Help us with our attitudes, desires, and motives to be more like you. Thank you for the Bible

Amen

Lenten Symbol for your Easter Tree

A bible

Activity Ideas

*have time sharing your favorite stories from the Bible. Who are your favorite people? What would it have been like to see Jesus do miracles?
*Discuss what is the old testament, what is the new testament
*Pray for those who do not have a Bible
*Make a Book mark for you Bible

Day 3 February 24

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

Colossians 3:2

Read Genesis 3:1-21

Discussion

Do you remember the story of Adam and Eve? Their best friend was God, they could walk and talk with God in the Garden Paradise. What would it mean to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things? Do you think that Eve was thinking of 'earthly' things when she chose to eat the fruit or was she thinking of what God wanted? Give examples of our mistakes.

Hymn

"Are you washed in the Blood?"

Quick Prayer

Dear Creator, We thank you that you still love us when we make mistakes. Thank you for all that you provide. Help us to obey your word. Amen

Lenten Symbol for your Easter Tree

Fig Leaf

Activity Idea

*Headline Prayers- pick any news outletand discuss the headlines and have the children pray for different topics or praise God for the work He has done.

*Draw a picture of the Bible Story

Day 2 February 23

"Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."Matthew 3:15
For older children read the whole chapter 3 in Matthew

Discussion

Take time to discuss your own Baptism. What did it mean for Jesus to be Baptized?  Some people are baptized as babies some people chose to be baptized when they were grown ups. God loves all of us!

Song
Down to the river to Pray

Quick Prayer

Dear loving God, Thank YOU for sending Jesus to teach us the way. Thank you for water. Thank you for cleaning our spirit with water. Thank  you for loving us even when we make mistakes. 

Lenten Symbol for your Easter Tree

Jesus' Baptism

Activity Ideas

*Make a Lenten Calendar and add ideas to help others each day. Here's a great one to get you started.

*Lent lasts 40 days ( Not counting Sundays) Think of 40 Blessings that God has provided your family- you could make a game of pictionary to make it exciting!
* If you don't have a food collection box start one to take to church with you! 

Lent 2012

Last Year for Lent I set up a blog for families to have ideas to try during Lent. With songs and verses to read each day and an activity to tie into the daily lesson. My prayer is that it will help your family during this season of reflection. Since I just decided to repeat what I did last year, I'll be using a lot of what I prepared from previous.  Hopefully this site bring you closer to our Heavenly Father and will help you to see how you may deepen your walk or change some habits.

Have a Joyful Day 

Enjoy!

Day 1- Ash Wednesday

Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me."

Psalm 51:10

Read Psalm 51 with older children.

Discussion

Ask if there is a place in the house that needs to be cleaned, maybe a closet? In the Bible there was a man named David who wanted to do some cleaning. He didn't want to clean a room in his house, he wanted to clean his heart. He felt bad for the things he did that were wrong, so he prayed for God to help give him a clean heart.

Ask if there is something anyone is sorry for, or for something they might have said. Remind the children that God always loves us and wants to help. Tell them that God gave us the Bible to help show us what to do.

Quick Prayer:

Dear loving God, I am sorry for my mistakes. Teach me Your way and help me follow You. Amen

Lenten Symbol for your Easter Tree

Ash Cross

Activity Idea:

*Join  a church for a prayerful service Lent. 

*Let everyone write wrongs or bad habits on slips of paper. Place a small votive candle in a small shallow metal bowl or pan. Light the candle and say a prayer asking for God's help to change the bad things. Carefully place the paper slips in the bowl and let it burn to ashes. Talk about how many christians place the sign of cross on their foreheads with ashes to symbolize that they belong to Christ and that they are sorry for their sins. This act could help your child begin his or her journey to the cross.

Just as I am -Hymn words byCharlotte Elliott

youtube hymn here

What is Lent?... find out here.

Great Lent 101 article here.

Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. It marks the beginning of a period of reflection and penance. In the Bible, sprinkling oneself with ashes was traditionally a sign of one's sorrow for having committed sins. In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday also marked the beginning of preparation for the understanding of the death and resurrection of Christ. The particular symbolism of ashes for this day comes from a practice in the Roman Catholic churches in which the ashes from the palms used in the preceding year's Palm Sunday celebration are blessed. With these ashes, the priest on the first day of Lent marks a cross on the forehead of each worshiper. This practice has become a part of Ash Wednesday services in many United Methodist churches. Also another interesting bit of info on Methodist practice is found here.