Week of June 28th-Rain!

Well friends, it is already the end of June and we haven't gotten our summer blog off the ground!  But finally today here is the first installment!

The goal of our summer blog is to give you a chance to spend a few minutes with your family in quality conversation, talking the faith.  

So a refresher of the Faith 5....remember there are 5 steps....to share, read, talk, pray, and bless...here they are again...SHARE your highs and lows   READ a Bible verse or story  TALK about how the Bible reading might relate to your highs and lows  PRAY for one another's highs and lows  BLESS one another

Enjoy the following Faith 5 to get you til Sunday....a new post will be out with more Faith 5 Activities for next week!

Wednesday: Share your highs and lows for the week so far.  Read from Genesis 7 (if you have real little kids, read the Noah's ark story from a Children's Bible).  If you have short time together, read verses 11-20.  To get more of the story, check out verses 1-20.  Talk about what animals you would put on the ark with all the rain today.  What animals (if any) do you wish were not on the ark?  If still time, talk about what you think Noah and his family did when they were on the ark?  What can you and your family do with all the rain today?  Pray for one another's highs and lows.  Bless one another by taking a bowl of water and making the cross on each other's foreheads and saying God will never leave you.  Or by going outside together to splash in the puddles and remember that you are God's loved and baptized children! :)

Singles version:  Journal your highs and lows.  Read Genesis 7:1-20.  Journal how the rain must have made Noah and his family feel.  How is the rain making you feel today?  Is it refreshing?  Draining?  Somewhere in between?  Take time to pray for those who stuck in the rain today, as well as for your own lows.  Give thanks to God for your highs too! :)  As a way of blessing, splash your face with water and remember that you are a part of God's family, or go outside and splash in the puddles with bare feet and remember that all of creation is connected and we are all a part of God's family.  

Thursday: Share your highs and lows since yesterday.  Read from Genesis Chapter 9: 8-17. Talk about the last time you saw a rainbow.  What are some other places you have seen God in the world lately?  Pray for one another's highs and lows and thanking God for all the weather he provides us.  Bless one another by drawing pictures for one another, and then giving them to one another.  How do you see God in one another?  What are you thankful for in each other?  You can color with words or pictures!  Hang up your blessing pictures where you can see them the rest of this week. 

Singles version:  Journal what you are grateful for and challenged by today.  Read Genesis 9:8-17.  Journal about the last time you saw a rainbow and/or other places that you have seen God in the world lately.  Take time to pray for what you need and give thanks to God for what he has provided for you.  As a way of blessing, draw/paint/color (don't have art supplies?  Pastor Amy has some you can use!) ways God has been at work IN YOU lately.  Hang it somewhere you can see it to remind you that God is always at work in us!

Friday: Share your highs and lows since yesterday.  Read Mark 4:35-41.  Talk about storms.  Do you like them?  Are they scary?  Why?  How did the disciples feel? What did they do to feel better?  Pray for one another's highs and lows as well as that all may be kept safe during the thunderstorms this week.  Bless each other by holding hands as a family and passing a squeeze around the circle...reminding each other that God is with you always and in all the storms of life.

Singles version:  Journal what you are grateful for and challenged by today.  Read Mark 4:35-41. Journal what are some of the storms you are facing right now?  What are some of the storms God has already brought you through?  Pray for God it give you courage to face whatever storms you are facing and to open your eyes to see others who might need your help through life's storms.  Bless others with the blessings you have been given by writing a note to thank someone that has helped you through a storm of life or a note to encourage someone who might be facing a storm right now.

Saturday: Share your highs and lows.  Read Psalm 100 together.  Talk about what your favorite noises are.  What are your favorite songs?  If you have time, listen to each other's favorite songs together!  Pray for one another's highs and lows as well as giving thanks to God for all the good sounds we can hear!  Bless one another by telling each other what you are thankful for in each other.

Singles version:  Journal what you are grateful for and challenged by today. Read Psalm 100.  What is your favorite song?  Listen to it if possible.  What are some sounds you enjoy?  Journal about them.  Take time to pray and give thanks to God for the gift of music and other sounds you enjoy.  Bless someone you know by sharing your favorite song with them and asking them to share theirs with you.