Friday, May 28, 2010

Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

This is the next to last installment in this series - the final post will be up on Monday! Thanks for your patience!

Week Twenty-Nine: Gentleness
Day One:
* Pray
* Review
* Sing
* Pray

Day Two:
* Pray
* Read 1 Peter 3:3-4
* What does the word gentleness mean?
- Think about when you are around a little baby and mama says to be gentle: soft; quiet.
- It also means not acting unkindly or in a way that would hurt someone.
* Learn the sign for gentleness.
* Sing
* Pray

Day Three:
* Pray
* Read 1 Peter 3:3-4
* These verses tell us that a gentle and quiet attitude in our heart is more important than wearing fancy clothes and lots of jewelery.
* Because when we have a gentle and quiet attitude, it makes God very happy!
* Sing
* Pray

Day Four:
* Pray
* Read 1 Peter 3:3-4
* What does it mean to have a gentle and quiet spirit?
* Does complaining show a gentle and quiet spirit? (NO!)
* Does asking forgiveness show a gentle and quiet spirit? (Yes!)
* Does pouting when you don't get your way show a gentle and quiet spirit? (NO!)
* Does keeping quiet when you want to do or say something unkind show a gentle and quiet spirit? (Yes!)
* What makes us truly beautiful is what shines from inside us!
* Sing
* Pray

Day Five:
* Pray
* Read 1 Peter 3:3-4
* Review
* Sing
* Pray

Week Thirty: Gentleness
Day One:
* Pray
* Review
* Sing
* Pray

Day Two:
* Pray
* Read Philippians 4:5a
* Who are we to show gentleness to? (All!)
* Just to those who love us and are kind to us? (No, to all people)
* Just those who love God? (No, to all people)
* Even those who are not very nice to us? (Yes, to all people)
* Sometimes it will seem easy to show gentleness and other times it will be hard. But, it is something God tells us to do so we must obey Him!
* Sing
* Pray

Day Three:
* Pray
* Read Philippians 4:5a
* How can I show gentleness to those around me?
- If I ask my Mom for something and she says not right now - how can I answer with gentleness?
- If I wave or say "hi" to someone at the store and they frown at me - how can I act with gentleness?
- When I'm playing at a friends house and Mama says it is time to go - how can I respond with gentleness?
* Sing
* Pray

Day Four:
* Pray
* Read Philippians 4:5a
* Journal
* Sing
* Pray

Day Five:
* Pray
* Read Philippians 4:5a
* Review
* Sing
* Pray

Week Thirty-One: Gentleness
Day One:
* Pray
* Review
* Sing
* Pray

Day Two:
* Pray
* Read Matthew 11:29
* What does it mean to learn? (Remember when you learned your ABC's? When you were smaller, you did not know your ABC's - you had to learn them. You sang songs, looked at the letters and practiced your sounds and now you know them. Going from not knowing to knowing is learning!)
* Who is me? Who is the best person we can learn from? (Jesus)
* Sing
* Pray

Day Three:
* Pray
* Read Matthew 11:29
* This verse tells us that we can learn from Jesus! He sets an example for us to follow!
* Do you know what an example is? It is when someone shows us what to do and we follow.
* Let's play a game: Follow the Leader
* Sing
* Pray

Day Four:
* Pray
* Read Matthew 11:29
* Journal
* Sing
* Pray

Day Five:
* Pray
* Read Matthew 11:29
* Remember how we played Follow the Leader? Jesus is the very best leader we can follow! When we read the Bible - we learn about Jesus and then we can obey what it says!
* How does Jesus set an example in gentleness?
- He is kind.
- He does not act unkindly to us.
- He is not rude.
- He would never hurt us!
- He wants what is best for us!
* When bad people wanted Jesus to die on the cross, did He get angry? Did He yell and throw a fit? No, He acted with gentleness.
* Sing
* Pray

Week Thirty-Two: Gentleness
Day One:
* Pray
* Review
* Sing
* Pray

Day Two:
* Pray
* Read Proverbs 15:1
* What is a gentle answer? (soft, kind, not angry, quiet)
* A gentle answer turns away wrath - what is wrath? (anger or trying to get back at someone)
* If someone snatches a toy and says, "That's mine!" - how can you give a gentle answer?
* Let's think of how a gentle answer turns away wrath:

**John came storming into the house and yelled, "Where are you Amy? I'm going to hit you! I'm so mad that you moved my toy!"

Amy came and gently said, "I'm sorry, John - I didn't mean to upset you, I moved your toy because I was afraid someone would trip on it. Let's go outside together and I'll show you where it is, ok?"

John listened to Amy's soft answer and realized he wasn't angry anymore - "Thanks, Amy - that would be great! I did not know my toy was in the way. Thanks for telling me why you moved it! Come on, let's go play!"

* Did you see how her soft answer turned away wrath?!
* Sing
* Pray

Day Three:
* Pray
* Read Psalm 15:1
* The rest of this verse says that a harsh word stirs up anger. Let's think about our story with John and Amy. Let's see how it might work out differently.

** John came storming into the house and yelled, "Where are you Amy? I'm going to hit you! I'm so mad that you moved my toy!"

Amy came out and yelled, "Well, if you had put your toy away where it goes I wouldn't have had to move it! I don't care if you do hit me because I'm going to hit you!"

"Fine!" John yelled, "I am so angry with you and don't want to play with you today."

"Fine!" said Amy as she stomped away.

* See how awful it was when Amy did not have a soft and gentle answer?
* Sing
* Pray

Day Four:
* Pray
* Read Proverbs 15:1
* Journal
* Sing
* Pray

Day Five:
* Pray
* Read Proverbs 15:1
* Review
* Sing
* Pray

3 comments:

Adell said...

Monica, thanks for all you do on your blog! I think you are the sweetest person ever...such a great mom, wife, friend, and homemaker. Thanks for showing what a faithful servant of God is like. Have a blessed Memorial Day weekend!

Heather's Blog-o-rama said...

I LOVe this...I'm not sure how I missed it. I don't have kids...but this is so great...I think it would be okay for big kids, too, right? I love the godly encouragement from the Bible that you post on this blog. It's truly a blessing :) :) :) Have a great weekend.

Carolina Mama said...

Thank you! I can use this reminder! God Bless!