We recently felt the need to have a family lesson on gratitude...every now and then we all just need to be reminded of how truly blessed we are. Our kids sometimes get stuck in the "glass half-empty" attitude. Several years back we were given an excellent pack of Biblical family devotions. Sadly, we had not ever used them until yesterday. Such a valuable resource right at our fingertips, and it had been stashed away in Emily Ann's play kitchen - guess she had found them and was using them for recipe cards! I came across this particular one on gratitude and knew we all needed it. At the end of this post, I have included the entire "recipe" for the devotion.
Everything about this family devotion just went so well - guess it was simply perfect timing for each of us. Jake, Drew, and Emily Ann really got the half full/half empty thing and we were able to have a meaningful discussion on our attitudes. It was really cool that it was even simple enough for our four year old (Emily Ann) to get it.
Part of the lesson was to draw a half-filled glass and write or draw pictures in the water portion of things you have and in the empty portion to draw/write out things you want or wish you had. One of the funniest and "out of the mouths of babes" moments was hearing one of the things Drew put in his empty section - "mircy evry time." Translation = mercy every time!!! Oh, I just love him so! In our home when you get in trouble, which for Drew - believe it or not - happens more often than he would like, you sometimes receive a mercy as your consequence. This means that you do not get what you deserve - it gets forgotten and life goes back to being grand! I just love how honest he was with this lesson.
And, oh, how I love that God's mercies are new every morning - He knew that we would all need a new day everyday!
"Because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" Lamentations 3:22-23
Check out Drew's picture...the top section is the empty items that he wishes he had, and the bottom are things he has and is thankful for.
And, Jake's picture - he stole the "mercy every time" from Drew. I would've stole that one too!!!
And, I helped Emily Ann write hers, with the exception that she did write the letter "E" for her name! And, yes, she did say that she wished she had a baby sister in the family named Ashlyn! Bless her!
"But godliness with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction." 1 Timothy 6:6-9
Boy do I know that I'll be re-learning this lesson for the rest of my days! Thank you, King Jesus, that You are patient with me.
Here's the "Attitude of Gratitude" lesson we used:
1. Fill a glass of water halfway and place it on the table in front of the children.
2. Give each child an index card with the phrase, "The glass is half _______" written on it and ask them to complete the phrase.
3. Once they've completed the phrase, go around and find out who wrote "full" and who wrote "empty" in the blank.
4. Now give each child a piece of drawing paper and crayons. Ask them to draw a large glass half full of water. Ask them to spell the name or draw pictures of good things they already have (toys, books, family, food, clothes, etc.) in the portion of the glass WITH water.
5. In the space WITHOUT water have them write or draw things they would like to have such as more money, a new toy, a vacation to Disney, a special kind of cereal, or whatever they can think of.
6. Read 1 Timothy 6:6-9 and Philippians 4:11-12 and discuss why it is important that we learn to be content no matter what we do or don't have. Then read Ephesians 5:20 and explain that the practice of expressing thanks is one way we make our life half-full instead of half-empty because it helps us focus on the blessings God has given rather than complain about the things we don't have.
7. Wrap up your time by giving your children an index card and have them do a thanksgiving scavenger hunt by running all over the house and identifying as many things as they can in 10 minutes (or as long as you like) for which they are thankful. Let them write a word or draw a picture to represent each blessing.
8. Gather back together and have the children pray a brief prayer of thanks for each thing they wrote on their card.
9. Memorize the jingle "I'll be content with what God sent!"
