Family Faith Companion

Advent: it’s all about rituals

Posted on November 27, 2010November 26, 2020 by Carol Hulbert

Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent!

The word “Advent” comes from Latin; it means “coming” or “arrival.” Advent signals that Christmas is coming. Christmas is of course, based on the fact that God arrived on earth as a baby, Jesus. Advent gives us all-important time to prepare to re-celebrate Christ’s coming.

So, what sort of preparations are needed?

How about this one: Have you taught your kids to set the table? (The fork always goes on the left.) Setting the table is like a ritual. (It would look backwards if the fork were on the right!)

a child sets the dinner table

Why are rituals so important to us?

Rituals and traditions are repeated activities that help family members develop a sense of belonging; they connect us together and they connect us to God! During this Advent season, set a different kind of table in your home. Make time for rituals that help your children prepare for the coming celebration of Christmas.

Here’s an idea: put together a simple Advent wreath.

Traditionally they are made of greenery but that isn’t critical; just set up 4 candles in a circle. (The round shape of an Advent wreath is a reminder of the never-ending love that God has for you and your family.) Starting tomorrow and all next week, daily light one candle over your meal shared with your family. Can’t all be there for dinner? How about over breakfast or over a bedtime snack?

Use your Advent wreath as a way to spark faith conversation.

Print a copy of your Advent Wreath discussion guide.

Spend time as a family talking about other ways you’ll prepare to welcome the celebration of Jesus in your life. Need more ideas? Search for “Advent” on this blog.
Enjoy!

Photo credits…
Setting the table by Kitty Ireland, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Wednesday’s Weekly Blessing

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Carol Hulbert

Why should we bless our children?
Because the Bible tells us in Proverbs 16:24 (NiRV) that…

“Pleasant words are like honey.
They are sweet to the spirit and bring healing to the body.”

Spread some pleasant words (a blessing) on your child.

__Child’s name__, may you know that the Lord God is at work in your life. His strength keeps you safe and his Spirit increases your faith.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Photo credits:
Banner photo (not visible in readers or email) – Pink Sherbert Photography on Flickr.
Main photo – Peter Shanks on Flickr. Both licensed under: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

Four Friends: Family Talk Time… and an activity!

Posted on November 23, 2010January 26, 2017 by Carol Hulbert

Here’s an activity to do with your family, and questions to discuss, about our current Rotation on four friends who bring a lame man to Jesus.

Make cups of hot cocoa but leave out the sugar. Don’t say anything about your omission but allow everyone a chance to sample their cocoa.

Ask: What do you suppose is missing?
I am wondering if cocoa without sugar is sort of like our lives without Jesus?
I wonder what our lives would be like without Jesus’ love?

Pass around a sugar bowl and allow everyone to stir in to their cup, perhaps two tablespoons of sugar. After everyone has tasted their adjusted cocoa…
Ask: How does it taste now?

a boy shows his approval over hot cocoa

Ask: I wonder how adding sugar to your cocoa, is like adding Jesus’ love to your life?
How does having Jesus as your friend make life sweeter?
Say: Let’s read about a time when a man who was paralyzed (he couldn’t walk) had a sweetened life because he met Jesus.

Read Mark 2:1-12. Alternately, ask your kids to help you tell the story. Check the Bible for accuracy.

Ask: Would the man likely have been able to see Jesus without his friends help?
How has someone helped you recently and made your life sweeter?
What are ways that our helping other people is like bringing them to Jesus?
Are there other ways that we can “bring” people to Jesus by helping them?

Say: Those four friends had a lot of faith in Jesus. Jesus wants us to use our own faith to help spread Jesus’ sweet love.

Photo credits:
Wonderful cocoa by woodleywonderworks on Flickr, licensed under: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

It’s a miracle, but who is the real hero?

Posted on November 18, 2010February 3, 2017 by Carol Hulbert

A man who was lame (i.e., couldn’t walk) was taken by four of his friends on a little ride on his mat. Can you see it? Four men, each holding a corner, struggling to carry their friend.

A statue of 4 men holding up a stretcher; located in the National Memorial Arboretum in the UK

It probably wasn’t the sort of ride that the man expected. If he’d have known his friends would lower him to see Jesus from a roof top, would he have consented to be carried?

I doubt it.

The Bible doesn’t tell us, but I think that he’d likely say, “All that work to see Jesus? Don’t waste your time friends. Jesus probably won’t have anything to do with me!

Why such a negative view of himself?

In Bible times it was believed that if you were sick, it was because somewhere in the past, you (or perhaps your relatives!) had sinned. This lame man felt guilty – he had been taught that he must have done something to deserve his fate!

But, his friends were persistent. They didn’t let anything stop them in their quest to get their friend an audience with Jesus! They just knew that Jesus could heal their friend.

It’s a miracle!

“Wait,” you say. I’ve jumped ahead in the story. I’ve skipped the part where Jesus tells the man to get up and walk.

And then we could say that it was a miracle.

I didn’t mean that miracle. I meant a different miracle. Did you know there is more than one miracle in this story?

How about the one where the real heros of this story shine? We all know that Jesus will perform a miraculous healing. So, who are the unidentified super stars? (Cue the Superman music?)

a child in a Superman costume That’s right, it’s the four friends! It’s a miracle that the paralyzed man had four friends who persisted in carrying him to Jesus!

The friends needed courage and creativity. They needed the right equipment! They gave 110%. Taking your friends to Jesus is worth it, and these four friends were sure of that.

How about you? What would you risk to take a friend to Jesus?

But I don’t feel comfortable inviting people to church, you say.

But there are other ways to “bring” someone to Jesus. Discuss it with your family. Here are a couple of ideas:

Pray for someone. Let them know that you are praying for them.
Share ways that you have perceived God at work in your life.
Train yourself and family members, to be sensitive of the needs of others. (It requires us to take notice!) Are they lonely, tired, afraid? What are ways that you can help? (Because being Jesus’ hands and feet brings people to Jesus!)

What will you do to take a friend to Jesus?

a blue line

Photo credits:
Stretcher bearers by Sjwells53, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license.
“Superman” by Hiperterminal, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. (A cropped version of this photo.)

Wednesday’s Weekly Blessing

Posted on November 17, 2010November 16, 2010 by Carol Hulbert

Two happy girls holding hands walking to school at sunrise

Bless your children.
Every day.
Say words that God would speak.

Here’s one for you to try out this week…
Say your child’s name and…

God empowers you to be a friend to those in need, offering encouraging words and comfort.

View other blessings to use here.

Photo credits:
Banner photo (not visible in readers or email) – Pink Sherbert Photography on Flickr
Other photo – another one from the same talented person – Pink Sherbert Photography on Flickr, both licensed under: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

What is up for the four friends?

Posted on November 13, 2010September 29, 2019 by Carol Hulbert

During the school year, each Rotation for our Cool Disciples (our 1st – 6th graders at FUMC in Ann Arbor, MI) includes several workshops that each teach the story using the concept of Multiple Intelligences. (True Rotation Model goodness!) In November 2010, (and in January 2017 — we repeat stories every six or so years) we studied about four friends who worked really hard to bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. Read the story in Mark 2:1-12.

For prosperity, here is what we did in each workshop, for the Faith Through the Roof Rotation:

In the Art Workshop in 2010, students created blankets to donate to Project Linus. In 2017, they each created a scarf using fleece material, to give to someone (a friend or otherwise) in need.
In the Cooking Workshop students create an edible storytelling kit for sharing the story. Have your kids share the story using their kit twice before eating it!
In the Drama Workshop (2010) students will enact the story after identifying story characters and their feelings.
In the Games Workshop students will play a unique relay game to explore the faith and commitment of the four friends.
In the Newsroom Workshop (2010) students will participate in a Talk Show to hear the characters in the story describe their experiences. They’ll get to watch their taped show!
In the Video Workshop students will watch two different animated videos (video #1 and video #2) that tell our story. Watching the 2nd video muted will allow us to play a game by trying to provide the narration!

I wonder what your favorite workshop ~~will be~~ was?

Edited to add pictures… in the Cooking Workshop students built houses, complete with Teddy Graham people – to use as a storytelling kit. Before they could eat their creation they had to tell the story!

Building a graham cracker house - part of a storytelling kit for the Four Friends

four friends house storytelling kit

And in the Art Workshop (in 2017) we created Rainbow Scarfs to give away to someone we felt needed some extra love. Here the circles are prepared…

Four Friends - scarf project

Check out the growing list of opportunities to foster faith learning at home using this story.

Photo credits:
A painting of our story by James Tissot, in the Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Other photos are from my archives and are copyright.

Wednesday’s Weekly Blessing

Posted on November 10, 2010November 10, 2010 by Carol Hulbert

A note about Wednesday’s Weekly Blessing… The book Will You Bless Me? by Neal Lozano, says that saying blessings is “speaking the thoughts of God into the heart of your child.”

Think about that as you take leave of your child (as they make their way to school) and you say…

God wants you to go at your day with gusto; giving it all you’ve got!

May you go at your blessings with gusto!

View other blessings here.

Photo credits:
Banner photo (not visible in readers or email) – Pink Sherbert Photography on Flickr
Beach photo – Mike Baird on Flickr; both licensed under: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

Wednesday’s Weekly Blessing

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Carol Hulbert

Having difficulty getting started with this blessing stuff?

Does it feel awkward?
Not sure if your kids will think you’ve gone off the deep end?

Try this: Offer a blessing when your kids are asleep. (It’s not quite as good as when they are able to hear it but it’s a start. It can give you confidence that what you are doing is right!) This week’s blessing…