Simple Scripture Study – with syrup and kids

A little while ago, my family of 6 studied one of the Psalms while eating a nice pancake breakfast.  We didn’t fight.  It wasn’t awkward.  I didn’t preach.  I wasn’t pulling teeth.  It worked.  Was it the fresh strawberries?  The fact that my husband made the pancakes extra fluffy?  Or maybe it was a good Psalm.  Or was it that it was a simple approach?  We have used this a few times since and it is so easy and open that I want to pass it on:

Draw a big heart on a paper and say,  “the point of reading the bible or praying is always to love God and to receive his love.  So, let’s keep love in mind.”

Notice – Draw a pair of glasses in the heart.  “In this Scripture passage, what do you notice.  What do you imagine?  What do you see in your mind?  If this bible portion were part of a movie, what would you see or hear?  What do you smell or feel?”  Read the passage and then let each person say something.

Wonder – Draw a think bubble (cloud with dots below).  “What does this passage make you wonder?  What are you curious about?  What is confusing?  What ideas pop up for you?”  Read the passage again if you wish and then let each person say something.

Act – Draw a stick figure running.  “What does this part of the bible make you want to do?  Make some change or resolution? Pray about?  Keep in mind?”  Let each person share.  This last one can perhaps be done as a prayer.  “Jesus, I would like to …”

“Thank you, Jesus, for this time in your Word.  Please help us to do the things you brought to mind.  We love you.  Amen”

 

 

Mom’s Bedtime Prayer

There is a wellspring of things to offer to God and receive from him by simply looking at your life.  This prayer never seems to get old because life is so full and God is so active.  Here is my version of this “examen” or “reviewing of my day with God.”  Most of it was passed on to me by some great Jesuits.  5-7 minutes is an ideal amount of time for this prayer but depending upon circumstances, it can take between 30 seconds to 30 minutes.  Whether you pray with words, feelings or images, lift up everything to God, bringing your life into the loving Light of Christ.   Periodically you can adapt this to review a certain season in your life instead of just a day.

Prayerful Review of the Day

Pray for Light

• Ask that you can look at this day and offer it to God in His grace.
• “Holy Spirit, please enlighten my mind so I may see this day you gave me in truth and love.”

From this day, for what am I most thankful? / What gifts did God give today?/ Where do I see God’s grace active in this day? 

• Converse with Jesus about these things and listen to what these good things mean in your life.
• “Thank you… Jesus, you are… This is special because…”
• Allow gratitude to well up.  Offer it back to the Father with love.

From this day, for what am I least thankful? / What needs to be converted?/ What was a challenge?

• Converse with Jesus about these things and listen to what needs healing.
• “Please forgive me… I’m sad… Please help…”
• Offer it back to the Father with love.

Tomorrow with Christ

• Converse with Jesus about how God wants to (or has already) equip you for tomorrow.
• “What concept, scripture verse or resolution shall I carry in my heart for tomorrow?”
• Make a tiny resolution about your own action for tomorrow.  Ask for God’s grace to fulfill it.

Delight in your Children

Early on I got some advice from a lady who always seems to be full of joy and on the verge of learning something new.  “Delight in your children” and later she added, “and they will be delightful”.  I love this advice.  There are so many things embedded in it.  It says, parenting can be fun, relaxing- delightful!  Children are worthy of awe- of our delight.  Children are full of surprises!  It says, life is good and you are free to enjoy it. It also has resounding principle in the goodness of people.  It says, there is always something wonderful in children – in people.  Find that.  Think about that.  Enjoy that.  Dwell on that. Certainly, however, our kids will not always delight us.  Far from it.  Certainly that needs to be addressed frequently and acknowledged but as a general disposition and practice- delight is the way to go,just as our heavenly father delights in His children.

There is also a positive influence on the child when a parent finds delight,  Don’t you feel better, kinder, more confident, happier, bigger people when you think that others are enjoying your presence?  Same is true for our kids, of course.  And conversely, we are better parents when we are delighting in our children.  This is true in the classroom as well.  The whole atmosphere of the classroom is elevated when the teacher truly is delighted by her students.

It reminds me of St. Paul’s advice to the Philippians “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

What is delightful about your children?

Grateful Hearts- Mealtime Grace

Having a small handful of memorized meal time prayers can keep grace focused yet easy – without being rote.

Grateful hearts prayer: Give us grateful hearts, O Father, for all your kindness and make us mindful of the needs of others.  Amen.

Sign Language Prayer: I give myself to your beautiful love.  I want to be good with your grace from above.  Your cross will guide all I do and say.  Lord Jesus Christ, please hold my hand today.

Traditional Meal Time: Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Everything: Thank you, God, for feet to run, thank you for my play and fun, for eyes to see for hands to lift, for food to eat and every gift that make me strong and wish to sing thank you God for EVERYTHING!

Family Prayer

Here is a family prayer guide that can take from 5-15 minutes which can be adapted for zillions of situations.  Of course, it is even more fun and habitually reinforcing if you add sweets to the event or a nice setting like a fireplace.  Sunday is a natural choice for a day to do this but it can be any time.  Having a job for each member makes it truly feel like a “family” prayer.  Try it once.  Then try it again.

Family Prayer

 

Kids in Church – Let them See!

People have been telling me forever that my kids are well behaved at Mass.  I’ll tell you the secret…  It is really easy and takes no preparation.  Most people aren’t willing to do it though.  Are you ready?

Sit in the front pew.  Not the second, not close to the front.  The first row.  Think about it.  If you were 30 inches tall and you were standing behind a 6 foot man and a large lady, what would you see and think about at church?  Rear ends!  Even if you hold your kids up (which does help) they still are not seeing as high as you are and it is not practical to hold them the whole time.  There are SO many distractions in a crowd.  Up front what do you see?  The candles, the priest, the bible, the bread and wine, the cross.  Kids become engaged in the “play” of the Mass.  Sitting up front helps even at a VERY young age- as soon as a baby has long range vision and continues through all of childhood.  You can whisper in her ear about the candles, about Jesus, about the kids who are helping at Mass.

Of course, kids do make noise.  Lots of it sometimes so, having a get-away plan is pretty necessary in the early ages.  Sitting on the side helps.

Not only will your kids benefit but, once you start this as a habit, you will realize you your self are getting tons more out of Mass.

The Church Bag – Toys for Kids

With babies and toddlers, having a bag ready to go full of good toys for church will save you some angst.  Watch out for hard plastic or metal which can be banged noisily on the pew.  Opting for special toys which echos the message of the gospel (loosely) helps to set the tone for Sunday.  Try stuffed animal lambs, bible bored books, Christmas cards, holy cards, bible character figurines, rosaries, holy water bottles, religious picture books, Christmas nativity figurines.  If your child puts everything in her mouth, purchase a small photo album and slide in a bunch of pictures of Jesus, the saints and his people. Although this won’t totally protect your pictures, it will keep your child from eating paper. You can cut these kind of pictures from nonprofit organization mailings, trifolds in the back of the church, religious calendars, Christmas cards or holy cards you purchase at a religious books store or online.

Authority of Affection

Kids need lots and lots of physical affection.  Well, actually we all do.  For most kids, extra daily physical kindness from parents will aid healthy brain development, confidence and (believe it or not) obedience.  A playful toss up in the air does more to establish the parent’s authority than a harsh talking to.  So if it is welcomed, daily load it on…high five, give a smooch, tousle hair, cuddle, back scratch, tickle feet and enjoy the authority of affection.

Lullaby

Singing a hymn for your baby every time you put her down to sleep has many benefits:

• it establishes a peaceful routine,
• you are teaching her to pray,
• there is a special song in her heart,
• you get to beautifully tap into God multiple times during the day,
• the words of the song take on numerous meanings.

If you use the same song every time then this becomes almost a magical song for her and will bring peace even much much later in life when she hears it.  This baby song makes an easy “go to” for prayer as a toddler.

Christ Calories

I’ve wondered for years how to figure out how many calories a day kids need and today I came across this ratio on SFGate.com:

If your child is within a healthy weight range, you can use his body weight to help estimate his calorie needs. According to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, infants need 41 to 55 calories per pound of body weight, 1- to 7-year-olds require 34 to 41 calories per pound, kids ages 7 to 12 need 27 to 34 calories per pound and pre-teens and teens ages 12 to 18 require 14 to 27 calories per pound of body weight each day.

Since we need nutrition rich calories for our bodies, why not for our souls too?  How many Christ calories a day does a kid need?