Family Faith and Fun Friday

I’m beginning a new feature called Family Faith and Fun Fridays. As the week winds down and I anticipate more family time over the weekend, I often ask God for one good idea that will enable me to bring the Word to life and bring our family together. Usually, the activity overflows out of something the Lord has been teaching me through His word during the week. I’d like to invite you to join me and my family in the adventure. Sometimes I’ll post things we’ve tried; other times I’ll post an idea in the works. If you’ve got thoughts to add or suggestions on how to adapt or improve the suggested activity, please don’t hesitate to post a comment. Enjoy!

                                     TREES LIKE GOD

A few weeks ago, I took my youngest four kids on a TREE HUNT. (I guess I’ve been musing on trees for a while). We grabbed bikes, scooters, and a camera, and then headed to a nearby campground where trees abound. I gave the kids this challenge: Find a tree that reminds you of God. We spent a delightful afternoon wheeling around the paved paths and hiking cross country where there were no paths at all. When a child found a tree that reminded her of God, I took a picture. When I got home, I printed out the pictures and each child shared why the tree was like God. It was fun to hear their thoughts.

 Lizzy thought God was like a tree with giant branches because He “holds her” life in His hands. She thought God was like a tree with a huge hole in it, because He is a refuge for us. “Like, we can be safe with God the way animals can be safe in that big hole!” she said.

Josh thought God was like a tall tree, because “He is SO BIG.” While Hannah thought her tree was like God because it was “just so cool.. and SO IS GOD!”  Who could argue that?

We ended our tree day with one of my favorite stories: The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Ewell Hunt. If you haven’t read it before, it’s a beautiful picture of how God sometimes makes our dreams come true in unexpected ways.

Happy Tree Hunting! 

God’s Unique Trees.. and Kids!

We took a walk around the neighborhood and collected leaves from different kinds of trees. Then, when we got home, we took plain white paper and naked crayons (let the kids peel all the paper off of the crayons; they love this!) and made some leaf rubbings (If you’ve never made a leaf rubbing– just place the leaf vein–side up on the table, put the thin white paper over it, and using the crayon on its side rather than its point, rub over the entire leaf. A “print” of the leaf should appear on the paper.) We compared the leaf rubbings and noticed not a single one was like another. I shared with the kids that God created different kinds of trees with different kinds of leaves. No leaf is better than another, each one is beautiful in its own way. Then we talked about how God made people different, too. Each one of is special in our own way. We read Psalm 139:14 and thanked God for the way we are wonderfully made.

                         
May God show Himself to you and your family this weekend.