Toothpaste Squeeze 

One way to ruin 'Super Family Bible Night' is to set my family a challenge and then have them achieving the seemingly impossible task!

We used:

• 1 tube of toothpaste 
• 1 plate 
• A Bible marked at Isaiah 9:6 
• A Bible marked Romans 10:13 

Family gathered around the table, squeezed out a big blob of toothpaste and set them a challenge: Do you think you can get all this toothpaste all back inside the tube?
I gave each family member a chance to try. Toby tried scooping it back in and then eating it. Lily wouldn't touch it, she didn't want sticky fingers. All the while Adam was concocting his own plan, and searching for a syringe. Sure enough when his turn came around he was able to get all of the toothpaste back into the tube. A seemingly impossible task he achieved in a few seconds. Grrr... that put a hiccup in my plans.

Adam puts toothpaste back into the tube

Is it possible to get all the toothpaste back inside?  The answer should be NO but tonight our answer was YES!!!

The analogy was supposed to go like this...The toothpaste is kind of like your words. Once something comes out of your mouth you can’t take it back. So if you don’t mean it, or you don’t plan to follow through with it, don’t say it. Every word you say should be as trustworthy as a promise.

Next to ask—Did God ever make promises?  (Yes, the Bible is full of promises) and can you name a promise that God made?   Lily shared her thoughts on God's promise for Australia, check out her video. Lily also shared a what she learnt in Kids church this week that God promises to throw our sins to the bottom of the ocean. Toby shared about the promise God made to Moses about freeing the Israelites from Pharaoh

God also promised that a Savior would be born.
Read Isaiah 9:6
This is talking about Jesus. God sent Jesus to be the
Savior of the world, for us to love and accept him as the big boss (using my kids language so they get it).
Read Romans 10:13
The best thing anyone can ever do with their mouth is to pray and give their lives to Jesus.

Tonight we used a great website for family devotions. http://threethirtyministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Week-8-Toothpaste-Squeeze.pdf 

Want more information on Bible engagement go to www.milktomeat.com.au

Would love to hear your comments on your family devotions.

Nahum & chicken pox

Well this last fortnight has certainly been challenging with both Toby & Lily having chicken pox. But we finally got the chance to have our "Super Family Bible Night". This week it was Lily's turn to lead and she chose the story of Nahum and his healing (her choice may have had something to do with her hating chicken pox).

Lily & Adam reading the story of Nahum together for us

Lily asked us why did we think God put this story in the Bible, we all had a chance of answering, I thought I'd be funny and say it's in the Bible because God thinks it's important to wash and clean ourselves 7 times every day  - the reply was blank faces, *sigh* "mum, don't be silly" - well I thought it was funny & some good practical elements too. hehe...

Then Lily shared her view. She thought it was in there because Elijah was God and Nahum is us, and sometimes God asks us to do funny things like wash ourselves 7 times. But we always need to listen and obey God - Profound for a 6yo!!

Lily had each of us draw the story in our own way but with strict instructions, we were NOT to copy anyones work. So off we went drawing away...

Lily drawing her Nahum artwork

Toby sharing his artwork with us

The artist, Adam, shares his picture - impressive

Lily finished with a simple prayer - which of course included a prayer for her chicken pox to be healed - bless her - poor thing. (I tried to secretly video her prayer but I got sprung - not so sneaky)

This week we also put up the Christmas tree and decorations. I can't believe how it's nearly Christmas already! What a year!

Love to hear your comments and thoughts on Family devotions.

Enjoy your week.

From our family to yours - blessings
xo

More information:
info@milktomeat.com.au
www.milktomeat.com.au

David & Bathsheba as told by a 9yo

Well this weeks Super Family Bible Night was certainly interesting, to say the least. Toby chose the story of David & Bathsheba, I think because he liked the war pictures in his Bible when Uriah & Joab were on the battle field. Little did he know the bigger context of the passage... Made for interesting discussion.

Thankfully we'd had some discussion on adultery last week, so we are to use last weeks chat and this weeks passage together. Obviously we spoke about it in an age appropriate way.

After we'd read the story, we came to practical illustration time and can I say truthfully .... I was unsure what Toby was going to have us draw. Thankfully his focus was about drawing what we thought God's temple would look like or draw David's crown.

Tonight was certainly challenging but again fun, and about releasing our kids to engage God's word in their own way.

Why not have a go with family nights with your family this week.

Moses & the drawing tablets

Well its been awhile since I've uploaded a 'Super Family Bible Night' we've been still enjoying our family nights just slack in uploading. So with a new phone and a blogging app there's really little excuse. Enjoy our family antics.

Tonight's theme was the 10 commandments. Adam's plan was to read to ask the kids which ones they remembered, they did remember 3 but got fixated on one in particular 'do not kill'.

Adam read through the rest of the 10 commandments, and was doing really well with his explanations until... 'do not commit adultery' ... How do you explain that to a 6yo & 9yo...

Each of us drew a picture of one them, Adam drew resting on the sabbath, Kylie drew coveting someone else's stuff, Toby drew someone stealing his new toys but the most interesting was lily's she decided to draw do not murder. Mmm...

Great fun, easy night. Why not explore Family Nights with your family.

For more info on Bible Engagement go to www.milktomeat.com.au

Craft activity

Enjoying time playing craft and beauty of creation and family time

Saul does number two's

This week was Adam's turn to lead 'Super Family Bible Night' and it was acting night! And the story was Saul and David. Where David had the opportunity to kill king Saul when he went to relieve himself in a cave but decided not to and the apologised to Saul.

Of course Toby wanted to be king Saul, and opted to wear Santa's hat as a crown. Adam read the story (edited version) and we each played our part in the story - Toby especially liked the being allowed to make wee and poo noises while read the Bible.

The lesson we considered was how we can respond to others. King Saul wanted to kill David, and David had every opportunity to retaliate against Saul. Even David's friends encouraged him to kill Saul, but David chose differently. Sometimes people do things to us that we don't like - how do we respond (we even talked about the afternoon's sibling argument about Beados) and what we could have done differently. Great teaching point.

Gideon's 3 army men

Ok, so I'm a little behind on posting (or rather writing blogs) but we have been having a fun time with our 'Super Family Bible Night'. So here's a little update.

This week we looked at the story of Gideon from Judges 6-8. It was a little tricky to find 30,000 army men, so we worked with 30, then 10, then 3. And of course we used army men. The kids thought it would be impossible for Gideon's army of 3 to win over an army of 30, but to their amazement God's army won!

Great way to interact with this story with Toby's favorite toys - I always try to find ways to help the family engage with the story in a way that they will remember and understand.