Family Faith and Fun Fridays: the Egg-cellent Treasure
For the word of God is alive and powerful.
It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword,
cutting between soul and spirit,
between joint and marrow.
It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
-Hebrews 4:12
-Hebrews 4:12
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!
The Egg-cellent Treasure
Over the summer two amazing moms I know organized a Bible study for our pre-teen boys. On many Fridays we met at the park where a crazy crew of little men played sweaty games of kickball, baseball or basketball in the green spaces and then filled the spaces in their hearts with Living Truth. Each boy had a tag-along sibling or two, so I decided to rally the preschoolers and young elementary kids and bring the Word to life for the less-sweaty little brothers and sisters 🙂 I used a treasure theme throughout the summer to emphasize that the Bible is filled with amazing things. One morning I unearthed the Easter box from my storage room and gathered brightly colored plastic eggs. After filling them with candy and trinkets, I hid the out-of-season momentoes all through the park.
You can imagine the kids’ surprise when I announced that we were going to have an Easter egg hunt on a sultry day in July. I told the chidlren that they were welcome to collect as many eggs as they could find, but they COULD NOT OPEN THE EGGS. (The other park visitors gave us some strange looks, but a few were intrigued enough that they asked what we were doing. What a fun way to share the gospel!) When all the eggs had been rescued, we gathered beneath a shade tree and admired the piles of loot. The kids shook their plastic eggs in anticipation. Trinkets rattled. Candy crackled.
“Now can we open them?” an eager four-year-old asked.
“No,” I said seriously. “Let’s toss them all back in this box so I can take the eggs home again.” I began to pass around the Rubbermaid crate that was still dusty from its long perch on my storage room shelves. One poor three-year-old looked like he might cry. Others mumbled and complained.A spirited fellow grabbed a handful of grass and threw it my way. “That was stupid!” the grass-thrower complained. “Why did we bother to find the eggs if we’re not going to open them?” The rest of the group gained confidence from his outburst and echoed grumbles in agreement.
I smiled. My plan was working! “So if we don’t open these eggs you think we’re missing out on something pretty good?”
“Yes, yes, yes.” The kids looked at me with hopefulness. Perhaps this strange Bible Study lady is finally catching on! I held up my Bible. “So if we have eggs filled with treasure and we don’t bother to look inside of them, we’d be pretty silly, huh?”Little heads nodded.
“Kind of like if we have a Bible sitting in our house but we never bother to open it up?” Eight pairs of eyes grew wide. “Ya know,” I continued as I tapped the well-worn leather cover on my Bible. “God’s Word is like a treasure box. It’s filled up with good things- wisdom, truth, joy… I suppose tt would be really silly to own a Bible and never open it up to find the treasure inside, wouldn’t it?”
Smiles replace the frustrated frowns. Little ears had heard. Little hearts had understood. “Kind of like having an Easter egg hunt but never opening the eggs!” one keen six-year-old summarized. I nodded quietly.
“So,” I asked with a smile, “do you think we should open up these eggs and see what’s inside?” My suggestion was met with hoopla and hoorays. “And while you investigate your egg treasure, how about I open up this Bible and read you a story so you can go home with treasure for your heart, too!”
Eggs were pulled apart by happy hands. Candy spilled. Trinkets were unwrapped and God’s Word was brought to life. For this mom, that was sweeter than the sugar laced treats packed inside of Easter eggs in July.
Why not have some egg-cellent fun this weekend? If you don’t have plastic eggs lingering in a dusty box in your attic, try brown paper lunch bags stapled closed or empty pill bottles with lids stuck tight or sealed envelopes. It doesn’t matter what you use, the truth is still the same. WE MUST OPEN GOD’S WORD to FIND the TREASURE INSIDE!
Today’s Overflow:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-45
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-45
Definitely! Just call them “faith eggs” or tie it in with the concept of “finding!” or “fun” or “fabulous finding fun”.. okay, you get the pictures. Way to go on the letter themes. You’re an amazing mom.
Alicia
AHHHHH! I’m so wishing I would have read this sooner – we were on “E” week and the egg hunt would have been PERFECT! We are supposed to start “F” tomorrow – should I do it any way? 🙂
~Robin