Dear Prayer Warriors, Today’s blog will feature a few projects for Thanksgiving. If you find them helpful just follow this link to our website and scroll down to the Thanksgiving sections… http://gciweb.org/2011/07/holidays-resources/
Keeping “Thankfulness” In Thanksgiving The Thanksgiving Book I. Children and the Thanksgiving Book – A. What you will need 1. Variety of wholesome magazines (Christian, Ladies, Outdoors) 2. Paper (preferably colored construction or heavy paper) 3. Glue or tape 4. Hole punch for paper 5. Brads, string or yarn 6. Scissors 7. Crayons, markers, pens or pencils (preferably colored) 8. Pre-selected Bible verses on Thanksgiving already cut out and ready. (Feel free to choose your own or use the ones provided in the appendix at the end of this project list.) 9. Remember, this project may be done with very young children. The parents simply adjust the activities of the child to their skill and educational level B. Collect the materials and organize them together on the floor, table or work area.. C. Sit down with your children and discuss the celebration of Thanksgiving. Stress to them the thankfulness of your forefathers and the Christian heritage which brought this celebration into being. D. Do not, and I stress do not, allow your children to argue and fight over their Thanksgiving Book. Have specific disciplines already prepared for fighting and explain clearly to the children that you will discipline them if they are arguing or fighting rather than being thankful just as God does His people and His church. If a child argues, fights or cries because he does not get his verse or picture or magazine, take a quick break, instruct and then discipline the child and then restore him to the fellowship of the family and the task. Do not allow an unmannerly child to ruin this special time for the rest of the family or to foolishly deny himself of the blessing of participation. E. Have the children read (or read to them) the pre-selected verses and allow them to choose one for the cover page of their Thanksgiving Book. 1. Write on the cover page “(name of child) Thanksgiving Book” 2. Paste the verse either above or below this or if the children are old enough they may want to write the verse out. 3. If there are leftover verses that children may want to add these to other pages of thier book. The same verse may be chosen by more than one child if they are old enough to write it out themselves. F. Either have the children cut or tear out pictures and paste on colored construction paper or if they are too young, help them with the pictures they choose. Next have them write a word, phrase or sentence as to what the picture reminds them of in terms of being “thankful to God”. (Iif they are too young, write for them). For your boys, be sure and add some masculine magazines to the mix. G. Then make into a book with brads or colored yarn. 1. Stack the pages together 2. Make sure the cover page is on top 3. Either the child or you punch holes at the top, middle and bottom on the left hand side 4. Make into book by connecting with brads, yarn or string. H. Have a share and prayer time as each child shows his book to the others. I. Each day at meal time have your children share and pray from their book. J. Now continue two important traditions throughout the year 1. Sit down family meals at the table 2. Your children sharing and praying at each meal. Suggested List Of Bible Verses For Your Thanksgiving Book (You are free to print and cut these out so that your child can paste the verse in his book or copy it himself)
Keeping “Thankfulness” In Thanksgiving At Meal Time
In our Family Discipleship Seminar, Eleanor and I stress that one of the most important events in the life of a Christian family is the evening sit-down dinner. It is here that the family interacts over a protracted period. It is here that mom and dad can get a feel for the behavior and social skills of their children. It is here that the father can lead the family in prayer, reading and discussion of the Word of God. It is here that the father gets a good idea of the spiritual state of his children. It is here that the mother can observe the interaction of the children with each other. It is here that the father can model his role of spiritual leadership and the mother hers of submission and respect for this leadership. It is also here that day after day, week after week, month after month, year upon year that the children stop, are quiet, heads bowed, eyes closed and learn the importance of giving thanks to God. Thankfulness can be learned in many ways. The most difficult for children, though, is from a purely instinctual reference point. Lectures help very little in this area. Scripture memory, though very important, will not stand on its own. This spiritual discipline must be accompanied by the father and mother as role model and the family as actively engaged in thankfulness as a lifestyle. The best environment by far for this is the evening meal.
Many parents tell me that they are dismayed by how unthankful their children are. As I observe their homes and families I see little reason for the children to be thankful. Their rooms are filled with unused toys. They have no chores or responsibilities in terms of the upkeep of the house. They choose what they eat, what they wear, what time they go to bed and what entertains them. The family life of the home resembles more a co-operative or dormitory than a home. The family does not eat together. Each member of the family eats on their own schedule, perhaps in a room, in front of the TV, at a kitchen counter or at the table. Dad eats when he gets home, the children eat on the basis of their school, sports and social schedule and mom coordinates this as best she can.
For children to learn “thankfulness” it will take more than a few Sunday School or holiday projects. First and foremost, then, I would ask that the parents evaluate as to whether there will be any connect between these teaching projects and the everyday life of the family. The first, and I emphasize, the first change in the modern Christian family must be a return to the family sit-down evening dinner, where the father leads the family in a daily prayer of thanks. Apart from this, I offer little hope in the long-term benefits of a family lifestyle of disconnected teachings and projects from the day-to-day experience of the child in the context of his family.
Having said that, I present to you Thanksgiving in the context of the family sit-down meal. Again, it should be noted that these projects are to be done in the context of a family that regularly eats evening meals together. These meals should begin with a prayer of Thanksgiving and include family Bible reading and discussions led by the father as the spiritual head of the family.
I. The Thanksgiving Basket A. Have a Thanksgiving Basket at the table. 1. This is a small basket filled with Bible verses. (You may write your own or print and cut the verses from the list provided at the end of these projects.) 2. These are various themes: Salvation; Protection; Blessing, Etc. Each person takes a verse and prays a prayer of thanks based on the teaching in the verse. These are then placed back in the basket and repeated at the next meal.
B. Variations 1. Share something from Thankful Book; 2. Share one thing you are thankful for concerning the person to your left; 3. Each person prays a sentence prayer of Thankfulness; 4. Each person writes a Thank You Card before the meal begins. At the mealtime prayer, each person prays a prayer of thanksgiving for this person and then you mail these cards the next day. 5. Texting, cell phones and phone calls are off limits at our dinner table. Make this nuisance a blessing during the Thanksgiving Season. At the close of each family meal have each member of the family pray a prayer of thanks for a relative or staff person at church for which you are particularly thankful and then send them a “Thank You Text”. 6. Avoid prayers memorized by rote. The most insincere “thanks” I receive are those said by rote. Teach your children to talk to God as their heavenly Father and to give Him the thanks that a Father is due.
II. Take a gripe break A. Make it-off limits to say anything negative or unthankful at the dinner table during Thanksgiving. If a person does (including you) the other members of the family may chime in “Thanksgiving Check” Then the person caught must go around and say something about each person at the table that he is thankful for. B. Eleanor once told me during the Thanksgiving/Christmas Holidays, “I am not going to let the world rob me of my joy.” It seems that the media takes a perverse pleasure during this time of the year in relaying to us every sad story, every wicked sin and every dark event, which is used to change a day of Thanksgiving into guilt and regret. To combat this for the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we lay aside newspapers, TV and radio and substitute reading the Bible, reading classic Christians novels concerning Thanksgiving and Christmas and playing hymns of praise and thanksgiving throughout the day. C. Let me also encourage you to take a gripe break. Instead of griping about the materialism of the season be thankful that God has blessed our country, that people are out buying gifts for loved ones and that this is the easiest time of the year to share Christ. Take a break from the griping media and replace it with the Word of God, edifying words of great saints and the great hymns of praise and thanksgiving. Instead of griping to the clerk, the merchant or the service person, begin to say, “Have a blessed Christmas”; “Praise God Jesus was born”; “God bless you this Christmas” and “Have you every read the Christmas story? Here, I have a New Testament right here for you.” D. Since we are on this topic, let me also encourage you not to allow others (especially members of your extended family) to ruin your Thanksgiving celebration. Do not perpetuate another generation of dysfunctional holiday memories out of a sense of obligation to pagan relatives. Your first priorities center around your wife and children and your spiritual leadership of the home during these Christian holidays. E. Also do not cheat your wife and children out of Thanksgiving traditions and memories while you fulfill your ego or guilt. If you are going to work in a soup kitchen wait till your kids are grown or do the early morning shift while they are still sleeping.
Suggested List Of Bible Verses For Your Thanksgiving Have the Bible open on the table and teach your children to find the verses. Talk ask the questions - who, what, when, where, why
Psalms 9:1
Psalm 16:6
Psalm 50:23
Psalms 86:12
Psalm 107:31
Psalm 107:43
Psalms 108:3
Psalms 109:30
Psalm 116:7
Psalm 136:26
Psalm 138:1
Psalms 139:14
Psalm 140:13
Isaiah 25:1
May God bless you this Thanksgiving.
By His mercy, II Corinthians 4:1 Rev. John S. Mahon Director - Grace Community International - extremely thankful for the privilege of representing you throughout the world as I preach and teach Jesus Christ - crucified, raised, risen, returning and Lord of all.
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