I found a great free website for printing out handwriting pages: http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/flash/printdots/paragraph/ . You can put in your text and it will print out a custom handwriting sheet. This made it possible for my youngest writer to be able to write out the Bible verse we were focusing on with ease.
We studied Philippians 2:14-15, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."
I had each of them write out the Bible verse and as they did I explained to them just what exactly that means.
- We talked about how it is important to do EVERYTHING without complaining! Boy is that a lesson we can all take to heart. I think it is more accurate to say we do everything WITH complaining lately!!!
- Without arguing!!!! The kids were challenged with this one as soon as they climbed out of bed and their feet hit the floor. I think this is a biggy, especially for those of us who are together 24/7!
-We talked about the importance of not complaining or arguing and how that helps us to lead blameless and pure lives.
-Then we discussed how there are people in the world that do not believe, acknowledge or live their lives according to God's laws. They are crooked and depraved. I explained to them how we can stray or get lost if we are crooked and that God desires for us to keep our eyes on Him to stay on the straight path.
-I printed out this picture for them and had them color it in. (http://www.thecoloringbarn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/star-1.jpg) . When they were finished we talked about things that make us shine like stars....praying, sharing, helping, serving, forgiving, etc., and as we said each thing we added some glitter glue to the main star. I told them that everyone has the ability to shine and we added some glitter glue to the top stars representing others in the world.
-Then we talked about sin and how it gets us dirty. I had a small cup of potting soil ready and we talked about things that would get us 'dirty' or cause us to not be pure and blameless. Much to their horror I sprinkled a little bit of dirt on to one of the sections of the wet glitter glue on their star. They were pretty upset that their picture now had a little dirt on it. Shelby even tried to cover her dirt up with more glitter, but you could still see it. This gave me the opportunity to share with them that we can try to cover up our sin, but it is still visible to God.
-Next we talked about what Jesus came to do. I had them each bring me a baby wipe and we wiped off the dirt just as Jesus wipes away our sin when we ask Him for forgiveness. It was a powerful moment. Then we added more glitter glue in that spot so that it could be restored and shine again for the Lord!
-Finally we talked about how everyone has sin, everyone of us. We added some dirt to the other stars to remember that. They asked me how to help get those stars clean and I shared with them that they will need someone to tell them what Jesus did for them, too. They each picked a star to 'tell' about Jesus and we then we wiped them clean and added more glitter to represent a new life choosing to shine for the Lord.
It was such a powerful lesson. I am so thankful to the God of Heaven who looks upon us and meets us right where we are to show us the way to shine like stars in the universe. The kids got it. They understood on a whole deeper level the power sin has to make us unclean and that only by the power of the blood of Jesus we can be pure again.
Now, I would be lying if I said my children were perfect little angels the rest of the day! I wish! But, I will say that the only correction I have had to give today is, "Be careful and STAY CLEAN!!!!"
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