Welcome to 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!
Celebrate National Encouragement Week
I don’t carry Hallmark’s official pocket calendar of national holidays in my purse (okay, so I don’t even carry a purse), so if I hadn’t stepped into our local Christian bookstore yesterday I would have missed a FABULOUS chance to celebrate one of my favorite things: ENCOURAGEMENT. Who knew that someone had declared this very week “National Encouragement Week.” Frankly, I think EVERY week should be “National Encouragement Week,” but that’s a whole other post!
Creating time and space for a bit of “organized encouragement” is one of my girls’ favorite family activities. Here are a few ideas we’ve used in the past. Why not pick one and try it out at your house this weekend?
*Put each family member’s name in a bucket and draw names. Commit to being a “secret encourager” for one week to the one whose name you’ve drawn. Leave notes on pillows, candy in backpacks, do a chore for them unseen. The possibilities are endless! At the end of the week reveal the “secret encouragers” at a family dinner. What fun!
*Provide pretty stationary or plenty of construction paper, scissors and “bling” and have your kids create their own encouragement cards. Deliver the cards through the mail or in person. Consider blessing grandparents, neighbors, friends, or someone you know is in need of an encouraging word.
*Play this simple mealtime game: Give each person a notecard with these six sentence starters.
1. I think you are good at…
2. One thing that I love about the way God made you is…
3. You encouraged me once when you…
4. One thing that makes you special is… 5. I am proud of you/ I admire you when… 6. One way I think you made God smile this week is…
Roll a dice and fill in the sentence starter about the person to your left, your right, across from you (you can determine this detail as you go). Pass the dice around the table as many times as you want. Enjoy the bouquet of verbal encouragement!
Today’s Overflow: But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. –Hebrews 13:3
(Pop Quiz: Can you tell who needs encouragment in this picture? Answer: the MOMMY behind the camera! )
What a great idea…I wrote this one down to use at suppers this week. Be encouraged, dear friend, you bless to many of us Moms!