Calendar – Family Faith Companion

Off to school? Don’t leave without this…

Posted on August 17, 2022August 23, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

Backpack? Check.
Lunch? Check.
Permission slip? Check.
Pencils? Check.

the kids, with their heavy backpacks, head out to the bus

Sounds like they are ready to head off to school. But wait! Don’t let them leave home without a blessing.

To your child, a blessing is a gift. It is a reminder that God loves them.

A blessing is words you speak to your child from your heart, but really they are words from God. God asks you to be his mouthpiece, to give your child words to carry with them.

A blessing is meant to replace secular statements; words that can overwhelm and shut down. Such as:

You can’t do that. Why try.
Nobody believes in you.
You aren’t good enough. You have to be perfect.

Instead give your child these words:

God has given you skills and talents that this world needs.
May you be surrounded in God’s love, peace and protection.

Words can have great power. They can over run a child with disbelief or fill them with confidence.

When we speak a blessing, we empower our children. We reach down into the deep well of living water that Jesus offers and draw up a refreshing drink. (John 4:13-14)

Send off each child with a blessing, reminding them that Jesus goes with them.

Photo credits…
Off to school by woodleywonderworks, licensed on Flickr under CC BY 2.0.

How to Raise Lifelong Learners

Posted on August 10, 2022August 22, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

A new school year approaches. Ready or not, time to get back into the learning mode.

If your child is experiencing even the tiniest hint of anxiety or trepidation about the re-start of school, remind them that God gave us an example of how we can consider learning.

God’s example is in the life of Jesus, who teaches us to view ourselves as “disciples.”

And what is a disciple but a student!

As disciples we are all life-long learners. How can we help our children to view themselves in this manner? Start off by talking about things you’ve learned this summer. Invite your child to share their list. A new swim stroke? Mastered a new game? Made a new friend? Perhaps they’ve learned what the word “Testament” means (as part of a summer video series on What’s in the Bible).

Ask what your children intend to learn over the next school year.

Make “SMART” goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. (It’s a school-ish way to think!)

Memorize the multiplication tables through 10?
Finish reading one new book a week?
Expand your sight vocabulary by 50 words?

But some worthy goals are harder to measure, such as learning to be more caring.

What will help your kids to build confidence, kindness, courage, perseverance, respect, enthusiasm, responsibility, or generosity?

Here are ways to help achieve those hard-to-measure goals!

Read the Bible every day. Just a few verses!
Learn a Bible verse by heart every month.
Ask “I wonder” questions around the dinner table.
Look for ways to practice being caring, kind, and generous.

What is your family planning to learn?

Photo credits…
School starts by Gideon Tsang, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
A show of kindness by Patty Brito, released under Unsplash License.

How To Add More Intention To These Ordinary Days

Posted on June 15, 2022August 22, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

‘Tis the season for vacations! Though perhaps in these COVID times, they are only virtual? But hopefully, you’ll have a chance this summer to spend time building family stories. You know; the sagas that start with: “Remember the time…”

lots of air time at the state fair

Back in the days when we could go somewhere on vacation, you planned for it, right?

What about the other, oh-so-ordinary family-together-times?

Meals around the dinner table?
Trips to the grocery store, post office, and other mundane errands. Maybe not with the whole family but at least with you and the kids? (Thinking of pre-COVID days!)
Chore time, reading time, or just hanging-out-together time.

All these seem pretty routine and ordinary. What about using them as a chance to build memories of a different sort?

Spiritual growth memories.

Can some intentionality be brought into play? (Let’s face it, raising kids takes a little bit of planning!) How about some of these ideas:

Perhaps at the dinner table you play a game that leads to discussion? (Try this one or some of these.)
Perhaps as a part of your next walk around the block, you allow a certain happenstance (every dog seen or every blue car) to spark the announcement of a grateful. And let that lead into talking about how being thankful is good for your health! (Read here for other family-friendly ways to practice gratitude.)
Perhaps the next time you are chilling together you brainstorm a place in your home to remind you that God is near?

How are you using every day, even ordinary, non-vacation days, to intentionally work on building your family’s spiritual growth?

Photo credits…
A remember-when story in progress, copyright by my niece, Sarah Clouse. Used with permission.

Easter has come: Now run towards Jesus!

Posted on April 17, 2022August 22, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

Mary Magdalene has reported that Jesus’ tomb is empty! Disciples John and Peter waste no time in quickly running towards the tomb; wondering what they would find (John 20:1-4).

Disciples John and Peter on their way to the tomb on Easter morning

Of course, they didn’t find his body at the tomb, because Jesus is alive!

Later they would see the risen Jesus several times. And once more Peter would find himself “running” towards Jesus. (Okay, there was probably some swimming involved, more than running, see John 21:7.)

How often do you find yourself wishing for an opportunity to run to Jesus?

When things are rough.
When it seems like everything is turning against you.
When you are ready to give up…

What is holding you back? Don’t walk—Run!

When was the last time you reminded your family members, your friends, and even yourself, that running towards Jesus is always an option?

When you are weary.
When it looks like there is no hope.
When you can’t think of a better way…

What is holding you back?

So turn to God! Give up your sins, and you will be forgiven.
Acts 3:19

But the people who trust the Lord will become strong again.
They will be able to rise up as an eagle in the sky.
They will run without needing rest.
They will walk without becoming tired.
Isaiah 40:31

An Easter blessing:

On this day and every day,
regardless of where you are at,
or how you are feeling,
may you turn and run to Jesus.

Happy Easter !
— Carol

Photo credits…
Disciples John and Peter running on their way to the tomb on Easter morning, a painting by Eugène Burnand. Offered by crazyapplefangirl, on Flickr licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-ND 2.0). Palm-tied cross is from my archives, offered here.

Preparing for Easter: Telling the story

Posted on April 13, 2022August 22, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

Got any of these around?

I figured you might.

That’s good because they can be useful… to tell the Easter story… and I don’t mean the Easter bunny version! These eggs can be filled with symbols of the story from Palm Sunday to Easter. Use them to help children to learn and re-tell the story of Easter.

First, shoo away the chickens and gather some eggs
You’ll need some plastic, separating eggs – 8, or perhaps 12, or more! It all depends on how detailed you’d like to get in telling the tale. This is a project where creativity can reign!

It should be noted that you can buy a set of 12 pre-filled eggs (do a Google search on “Resurrection Eggs”). But where is the fun in that?

If you have young children perhaps you’d like to make a set of 8 eggs and open one every day from Palm Sunday to Easter; a sort of “advent calendar” for Easter week! (Though the elements inside the eggs, except for the two Sundays, don’t really relate to the days of what we call “Holy week.”)

If you’ve got readers in your family, add slips of paper with the Bible verses written on them (as indicated below). Include reading the verses as part of the daily opening of an egg.

For older children perhaps you’d like to elicit their help in preparing the eggs. Ask them which details to include in the story, thus determining how many eggs will be used.

Keeping your ~~ducks in a row~~ eggs in order!
Whatever the number of eggs you create, you’re going to want to keep track of the order in which they should be opened. Use a permanent marking pen to number each egg or use different colors of eggs, or different color combinations of eggs (maize and blue is my favorite combination). If you go the color route, create a numbered list of the objects placed in the eggs and write down the color of the egg next to each object.

Following are some ideas of what to include in your eggs…

The 8 egg version – open one a day between Palm Sunday and Easter

Palm Sunday – a piece of palm branch (that you brought home from church, or cut one out of green paper) – Mark 11:1-10
Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus – a couple coins – Luke 22:1-6
The Last Supper – a cup (use a small bottle cap) or a piece of bread – Luke 22:7-20
The Garden of Gethsemane – a twisted pretzel (because pretzels were first made in this shape to represent someone praying), or perhaps a drawing of praying hands – Matthew 26:36-46
Jesus is arrested – A slip of paper with a lip print – Matthew 26:47-56
Jesus is killed on a cross – use a bread twist-tie to wire together two small twigs as a cross – Luke 23:26, 32-49
Jesus is buried – a rock (to cover the tomb) – Matthew 27:57-60
Jesus is risen (the tomb is empty) – an empty egg! – John 20:1-20

If you’d like… Add more story details and more eggs! (You’ll have to re-number your list!)

Mary anointed Jesus’ feet – a cotton ball with some vanilla extract or some perfume on it – John12:1-8 (Make this a new egg #1)

Split Palm Sunday into 2 eggs… Procuring a donkey – A picture of a donkey, or a piece of fake fur, or even dog hair!  – Mark 11:1-6, and the palm branch portion of the story – Mark 11:8-10

Then come eggs #2, 3, 4 and 5 from the list above.

Next, add Peter’s denial with a feather or a picture of a rooster – Matthew 26:69-75

Then add Jesus being bound – a piece of rope – Matthew 27:1-2

Pilate washing his hands – a small piece of soap – Matthew 27:15-24

Jesus beaten with whips – a piece of leather cording or a shoe string – Matthew 27:26

A crown of thorns is placed on Jesus – a piece of a rose bush  or a drawn crown of thorns – Matthew 27:27-31

Change the cross egg (the tied together twigs) to Matthew 27:31-32

Add an egg with a slip of paper saying “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” – John 19:19-22

Then add an egg for the dividing of Jesus’ clothing – A dice or two – John 19:23-24

Add a piece of cloth ripped in half – Mark 15:38-39

Finish with eggs #7 and #8 (from the list above).

Have fun telling, and re-telling, the Easter story!

Photo credits…
From Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 2.0):
Easter eggs by Jeff Petersen, and Lips by Jan McLaughlin.
And from Pixabay:
Rooster by OpenClipart-Vectors, released under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Public Domain.

I love a parade, don’t you?

Posted on April 8, 2022April 27, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

It’s Lent!
Rather than giving something up, how about adding daily family faith discussion.
Make it your Lenten investment!

Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey on what we now call Palm Sunday

If you are doing a Rotation on the events of Holy Week, you are covering a lot of scripture! So this post will be the start of several which will provide mini reading plans for small portions of each story in the “Events of Holy Week.”. Included are discussion questions for use around the family dinner table. (Or wherever your family is gathered together—perhaps in the car on the way to soccer practice?) Use the chart below to read and talk about this portion of our story… in stages… over the course of several days.

First up: What we now call Palm Sunday!

If you’d like to print out this reading plan/discussion guide, click here.

Read	Talk about or do…
Matthew 21:7-9	This is like a parade! Describe a parade you’d like to be in. What town is Jesus entering? (Jerusalem) Why is this first event in Holy Week called “Palm Sunday?” How do you plan to celebrate Palm Sunday?
Matthew 21:8-9	Imagine the excitement! Does the Bible you are using have a footnote that explains the meaning of the word “Hosanna?” In Hebrew Hosanna means “save us now,” although over time it had come to be an exclamation of praise. What words do you shout when you are excited and full of appreciation? Shout some worshipful words!
Mark 11:1-6	Take a look at a Bible map (here’s one). Find Jerusalem, Bethany, and Bethphage. Jesus and his disciples walked everywhere. How far did they walk between those towns? What is the furthest you’ve ever walked?
Luke 19:28-34	What would you think if someone asked you to do what Jesus asked? Would you wonder how you’d ever find this colt? Would you be afraid of being accused of stealing?! Would you be anxious to see Jesus riding a never-been-ridden-before, animal? I wonder why Jesus felt that these details were important?
Matthew 21:1-5	Does the Bible you are using help you to discover which prophet said these words? (Hint: Look at Zechariah 9:9) What sort of king were the people expecting? +++++A) a riding-on-a-giant-horse, ’m-going-to-whip-everybody-into-shape sort of a king OR +++++B) a gentle-loving riding-on-a-donkey king? What sort of king did Jesus turn out to be?
Matthew 21:10,11	Obviously not everyone knew about Jesus! The people had been waiting for hundreds of years for the Messiah! Look up the word “Messiah” in a he dictionary (there is usually one in the back of a Bible).
Matt 21:8,9 Mark 11:8-10 Luke 19:36-38 John 12:12-16	What differences do you notice between these four accounts of this story? Why do you suppose these differences exist? What do you make of John’s reference to looking back on this story after Jesus’ resurrection?

How does it feel to add faith talk for Lent?

Photo credits:
Palm Sunday, originally posted by Waiting For The Word on Flickr under a Creative Commons license.

How to prepare for Hosanna-ing with a bit of make-believe

Posted on April 5, 2022April 27, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

I like this painting that depicts the inaugurating event of Palm Sunday, because it includes children. Look over on the upper, right-hand side. Notice the man holding a baby(!) up over his shoulders? (One can easily miss seeing!)

Show this picture to your kids and point out the taking-flight toddler.

There are other kids. Can you find them?

Notice this child in particular… (The one designated with the red arrow in the close-up shot.

Have your child pretend that they are that kid. Place yourself in the painting!

You are witnessing Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem!

What do you see?

What do you smell?

What do you hear?

There were of course, lots of people. Some happy and others not. And probably the usual noise a loud crowd makes.

(“Is he coming yet?” “I can’t see!” “Excuse me, you are stepping on my foot!”)

palm waving-2 The Bible tells us there were loud cries of “Hosanna!” (John 12:13). Which was like saying “Save us!”

Go ahead and shout some Hosannas!

Practice for this coming Sunday at FUMC.

Do you suppose there were people at this “parade” who wondered what the Hosanna hoopla was all about?

Why do we celebrate Palm Sunday? (If you’re not sure, go ahead and click on that link to learn more.)

Why did the people greet Jesus with such enthusiasm?

How would you greet Jesus today?

Photo credits:
Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem by Hippolyte Flandrin, 1842, from FreeChristImages.org, used under license.
Palm Sunday photo copyright from my archives.

How can your family prepare for Easter?

Posted on March 23, 2022August 22, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

I recently learned something new:

The 40 days of Lent is a tithe of the year.

40 / 365 = 0.109589041096

Lent is indeed pretty close to one-tenth of the year!
(I had to prove it to myself by doing the math. Broke out my trusty abacus.)

These 40 days (not including Sundays) before Easter, is a time when we traditionally prepare our hearts and minds for the awesome truth of Easter; a day that is so special that it deserves ahead-of-time forethought.

A tithe is one-tenth of something, traditionally thought of as one-tenth of one’s income given to support the church and other charitable organizations. In this case we are talking a tithe of time; taking time-out to think about the meaning of Easter.

Of course it’s not possible for most of us to spend all day, every day during Lent, contemplating Easter. What can your family do to intentionally put God at the center of your life – say for about for 10 – 15 minutes a day?

Here are ideas for your family’s Lent experience. Try one (and repeat daily)!

Ask questions: Agree to spend 12 minutes a day with your family discussing the story of Easter. Use these discussion questions as a guide, or dig deeper into the reading-the-Bible-a-bit-a-day plan for the story of Holy week.
Experience God in nature: Go for a walk outside. To give your walk some focus make it a discovery walk (to notice one new thing) or a smelling walk (what smells come to your attention) or a prayer walk (pray for everyone whose house you pass).
Journal through Lent: Leave an open notebook on the counter with a pen handy. Ask everyone to jot down or draw instances where they have seen God at work in their daily life. Review the entries over dinner.
Bless your child(ren) and yourself! Read about this way to enrich your child’s life here. For blessings to choose from check out here.
Give up something: Can you fast from using anything dependent on electricity? Can you turn off the phone, the TV, the refrigerator? (Hey, it’s only for a short time. As long as you remember to turn it back on!) Eat dinner by candlelight. Tell stories of past Easter celebrations.
Add something: Silence. Can everyone agree to be silent for a set amount of time? (Okay, age appropriateness may come into play here.) Ask everyone to think of when they experienced beauty. In their mind return to that particular scene. Study it in silence. Talk about it afterwards. Where was God in your picture?
Improve upon your “silence” experience by having everyone chip in to create a “sacred spot” in your household. What visual reminders will enhance this place? A cross here, scripture written on an index card there? Allow touching and rearranging and additions and subtractions.
Serve others some happiness: Look for opportunities to be the difference in someone’s day. Compliment janitors at work on how nice the building looks, how you appreciate the work they do. Whom else can you thank?