A blessing for bedtime

Posted on by Carol Hulbert
What words announce that it is time for bed in your house?

  • Time to hit the hay.
  • It’s sleepy time.
  • Beddy-bye bunkies.

A stack of books for bedtime stories

How about adding these words:

It’s time for your blessing!

As you tuck your child in bed give them words that will fill their hearts and minds with peace and comfort. Try out this blessing:

You are a very special person, uniquely created by God.

What a nice way to cue that the day is over.


Click on a box if you would like to…
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Photo credits: For info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email) click here.
Bedtime stories by Robynlou Kavanagh, who licensed this photo on Flickr under Creative Commons License

Listening for God?

Posted on by Carol Hulbert

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Our Cool Disciples (both the Saturday’s Cool and the Sunday’s Cool varieties) are learning this month about Jesus’ visit to Mary and Martha’s home. In this story Jesus is teaching us that the best choice is to spend time listening to him. The question becomes: How do we teach our children to spend time listening to Jesus?

A baby wears large headphones while listening to music

The next time you are at the family dinner table (or wherever your family is gathered together) talk about listening. If you’d like to print out this Family Faith Companion discussion guide, click here.

First up, play some listening games:

  • Have everyone remain silent for one minute. When the time is up, ask everyone to say what sounds they heard.
  • Read a well-known Bible story, except change some of the details. See who notices.
  • Tap out a rhythm and see if everyone can repeat it. Make it harder. Can everyone still follow along? Try it again.
  • Have two people sit on the floor back-to-back. Give both people 5 toothpicks. Ask one person to layout the toothpicks in a pattern while describing to the other person what they are doing. (Example: Put one toothpick down so that a pointed end is facing you.) Do the two designs match up?

Debrief and extend the Bible learning:

  • What helped you to listen?
  • What made it hard to listen?
  • Jesus taught Martha something about listening. Let’s read the story to review. Read about it in Luke 10:38-42.
  • What did Jesus mean when he said that Mary had chosen what is better? (She chose to listen to Jesus, to spend time with him.)
  • What can you do in your daily life to make that same sort of choice?
  • What does it mean to listen to Jesus?

    Perhaps listening for Jesus doesn’t only happen with our ears. God made us different kinds of listeners. Some of us hear Jesus speaking to us when we see a pretty sunset. Some of us hear Jesus when we laugh at a funny joke or when we are reading the Bible.

    How were you made to best listen for Jesus?


    Photo credits:
    Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
    Baby wearing large headphones via photopin by Jo Jakeman, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

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A blessing: in pursuit

Posted on by Carol Hulbert
Make sure to remind your child that God is active in his pursuit of them with his goodness and mercy (his loving kindness). What can our response be?

To turn around, and actively pursue his presence!

“a

Here is a blessing to match these thoughts:

Say your child’s name and…

Jesus does not stop in his job to provide you loving kindness. May you turn right back around and crave friendship with Jesus.


Click on a box if you would like to…
A check-box Satisfy your curiosity about why you should bless your child.
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Photo credits:
Twirling girl by Karah Levely-Rinaldi, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

Are you seeing ads? They are not from me! They are placed by WordPress, who otherwise offers a free platform from which to share lots of good-ness. If you see an inappropriate ad, please report it to support@wordpress.com. Include the URL, the date/time the ad appeared, and a screenshot of the ad.

A blessing: goodness and mercy are pursuing you

Posted on by Carol Hulbert

The good shepherdAt the end of Psalm 23, Psalmist David is really raving about the benefits of living under the care of a “Good Shepherd.”

 
'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.  Psalm 23:6

Goodness and mercy, follow me?

What?

The Old Testament was originally written mostly in Hebrew. In it’s eventual translation to English (via Greek and Latin) something got lost. Peeking at the Hebrew version (along with an on-line Hebrew lexicon for translation!) we see that the word “follow” in this case was “radish,” meaning to pursue or to chase!

Can you see it?

God’s goodness and loving kindness, actively pursuing you!

One kid chases after another on a beautiful beach with a Hawaiian sunset

Bless your child with these words, saying their name and…

God’s loving kindness is chasing after you.

Don’t you wish that for your kids? I sure do!


Click on a box if you would like to…
A check-box Satisfy your curiosity about why you should bless your child.
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p.s. In the Games Workshop this month as our Cool Disciples have studied Psalm 23, they’ve played a relay race game called “Follow me to the Lord’s House.” Here are team members getting ready to race to the Lord’s House, dressed as a sheep with “goodness and mercy jingle bells” around their ankles! Fun!

In the games workshop for Psalm 23, members of a team become one SHEEP.

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Photo credits:
Good Shepherd by waldryano.
Scene of a chase by Lance Shields.
Both photos licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 2.0).
Bottom photo copyright Robert Langdon from our program at Green Wood. Used with permission.

A blessing: personalized

Posted on by Carol Hulbert
We can’t constantly be with our kids. Psalm 23 can steel us. Without fail, God is with our children. So say a blessing for your child that reassures them that God is always with them and strengthens and protects them.

A mother and a child walk in the woods

Say this to your child (inserting their name in the blank):

The Lord is ___’s shepherd.


Click on a box if you would like to…
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Photo credits: For info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email) click here.
Mother and child by Ross Griff, who licensed this photo on Flickr under Creative Commons License

Are your kids bonding with their Holy Shepherd?

Posted on by Carol Hulbert
a cute little lamb

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Lambs look so cuddly don’t they? (Yes, dirt and all.)

My favorite stuffed animal as a child was a lamb. Yep. Serious loving. If that sheep could have talked it probably would have said, “Stop squeezing me so tight!”

Psalm 23 gives us the words of a different lamb doing some talking.

This lamb is describing the care of a watchful, loving shepherd.

He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.

Psalm 23:2, The New Living Translation

The author David (of David and Goliath fame) wrote Psalm 23 over 3,000 years ago, painting a tranquil portrayal of life lived under a close relationship with God. Trusting. Loved.

Are your kids fostering that sort of a relationship with God?

Help ensure they do by talking about Psalm 23 around the family dinner table. (Or wherever your family is gathered together.) If you’d like to print out the following Family Faith Companion Guide click here.

  • Play a couple rounds of the game Twenty Questions. Point out that in order to figure out what the object is, you need to gather clues that help you describe something.
  • Say: The Bible gives us a description of what our relationship with God can be like. Let’s read that passage. Be thinking about what sort of picture you get when you hear these words.
  • Get out a Bible and read Psalm 23. (If your child is in 3rd grade or up, ask them the clue for quickly finding the book of Psalms.) Or check it out on-line: here.
  • Ask: What do those words describe to you?
    What would it mean to a sheep to have a green pasture and still water?

  • Say: That sounds like one very contented and trusting sheep! David’s words describe what God can be like for us! Protective. Caring. Always watching over us.
  • Ask: Do you suppose those words describe your relationship to God?
    How does God take care of you?
    What are your quiet waters?
    How do you get there?
  • Say: Sheep are covered in scratchy wool. That wool can get bugs and stickers in it and sheep don’t have arms to reach and scratch.
  • Ask: Have you ever had itchy bug bites?
    Do certain situations or things that people do, sometimes irritate you?
  • Say: When we have troubles, we need our shepherd-God to help us so that we can find rest and enjoy our lives!
  • Close with a short prayer. A suggestion: Lord, thank you for being our protecting shepherd. Help us to turn to you, our friend, trusting in your care so that we can reach green, restful pastures. Amen.

How did this work? Share about your family devotional time.


Photo credits: Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Little lamb by Chris Rice, who licensed this photo on Flickr under Creative Commons License

A Blessing: Comfort

Posted on by Carol Hulbert
A painting of a shepherd with a rescued sheep.
Psalm 23 can be offered as a source of support for so many of our daily situations. It’s a multi-purpose tool!

Consider just a few possible uses:

  • Child stressed out about a test? Suggest she think about being led to calm waters.
  • Mom in need of revived energy? Psalm 23 reminds us that God always offers restoration.
  • Child fearful of what lurks in the closet? Emphasize that God is our shepherd; his trusty shepherd’s crook makes us feel secure.
  • Dad worried about the finances? Our cup overflows.

Here’s another way to present Psalm 23: Use it to bless your kids.

Say your child’s name and the words from Psalm 23 that are applicable to your child at any particular moment. For example:

May the Lord comfort you and lead you beside still waters.


Click on a box if you would like to…
A check-box Satisfy your curiosity about why you should bless your child.
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Photo credits: For info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email) click here.
Shepherd painting by Harold Copping, a photo offered for free use at Bible Picture Gallery.

A Blessing: Restored

Posted on by Carol Hulbert

True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction. Psalm 23:3, The Message

An adult and a child take in a sunset on the beach

A second chance,
A breath of fresh air,
Revived energy,
Mended strength,
A restored soul.

Remind your child with a blessing that tells that God does all of that for us.

Say your child’s name and…

May the Lord renew your strength and your soul.


Click on a box if you would like to…
A check-box Satisfy your curiosity about why you should bless your child.
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Photo credits: For info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email) click here.
A beach scene by Leland Francisco, who licensed this photo on Flickr under Creative Commons License