Friday, February 24, 2017

Lent



Lent begins this Monday and rather than a list of ideas this time, I'm going to share one idea that I want to implement as a family. If you'd prefer a list, you can visit this one from a previous year.

The one thing I want to implement this season of Lent is to teach my children to have their own Bible study time each morning. We read together at breakfast each morning - a faith story of missionaries usually, more frequently lately we've also read the Proverb chapter that matches the date and we've learned all four verses of Stand Up for Jesus. We learned the hymn by taking one verse each week for four weeks and just singing once each morning. I have two hymnals that were free when our church replaced them with new versions a number of years ago.

In addition to this, they practice Awana verses and have a Bible curriculum to work through. But, I think you will know what I mean when I say I want them to just pull out their Bibles and read it. I want them to learn to glean wisdom from these life-giving words and it takes practice to know how to do this.

My friend Jen has trained her children beautifully in this: I've watched them pull out Bibles/journals and read an assigned portion quietly and write something about it in a journal. Perhaps a younger one just copying a verse word for word.

I decided to order the He/She Reads Truth books for Lent with the intent of us doing this together as a family. They are working through the Book of Isaiah - you definitely don't have to buy the books to participate, you can follow along for free on their website. My hope is that David and I will each use the books in our own quiet time where we can make notes of things that stand out to us.

Then I hope to have our children read the chapter of the day at the beginning of their morning and make notes in their journal. At dinner time, we can come together and share all of our thoughts from the days study. It will be a way we can teach our children how to begin this practice, which I've long wanted to implement but didn't feel clear on how to begin, and hopefully be a meaningful time together as a family studying God's Word.

There are hymns in the She book too - so we can include those to be learning together. We've just finished learning one hymn diligently in this way and I hear my children singing it at little times during play and presenting on it in front of their friends at CC. I'm hooked! Teach them all the hymns! Fill their hearts with worship of our God! 

Friends, I just cannot seem to find words to express how God is impressing on my heart to remember what is really important, be in His Word, quietly being faithful and the power of investing little bits day by day in our children. It does add up over time and invests truth, beauty and blessing in their hearts and lives for eternity.

I look forward to brightening our home by pulling out some Spring decor items to sprinkle in here and there - and I pray that these seeds of grace and truth planted in the soil of our heart will reap a beautiful harvest in His Kingdom. 

2 comments:

Mrs. Chrissy T said...

I start all my children at 9 with their own devotion and reading time also requiring then to praise and pray. I took a few weeks demonstrating together and then they had to find a special prayer closet/place. I read to them a one year bible reading daily after school. They have their quiet time after they get ready, breakfast, and bedrooms picked up. Thanks for sharing. Blessings.

Simply Handmade Farmhouse said...

What a wonderful difference this will make on their sweet little lives. My family is working on one year bible reading calendar this year. Looking forward to spring here as well.