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Thank you for visiting!
Ann
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Planning Time!
Since I'm working with the kids on the 10 Commandments right now, I decided to take a few days off to work on planning, technical issues and additions. I'll still be working with the kids on learning the Commandments using our string of commandment hearts and "The Perfect 10" Song, but I won't be blogging on it each night. I'll be back to blogging soon! :)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Beginning the 10 Commandments: Exodus 19:16-25, 20:1-6
Activity
We're going to re-learn a song that Kiera learned a few years ago about the 10 Commandments. I love the song "The Perfect Ten" from Angel's Aware created by Kathie Hill and Janet McMahan; it's great for kids, and very honestly, it's catchy, so it's easy for kids and adults (like me) to learn. I found the lyrics here..."The Perfect 10"
Andrew quickly picks up anything that is repeated to him several times, so I'm hoping that he'll learn the song right along with Kiera. I'll be singing it to him throughout the day while Kiera is at school as well as during Bible study time.
We're also making a heart for each of the Commandments as we study them. We're going to string the hearts and hang them at our work area. I chose hearts so that we could talk about the fact that God gave us the Commandments because of his love for us. ~ Hearts are also easy to cut! :)
How It Went
Kiera learned the 10 Commandments a few years ago, though I've known for a while that she doesn't remember them as well as she should. She started to remember "The Perfect 10" after I sang it for her, and she did like hanging up the Commandments. (She likes hanging any of her work on the walls... It's as close as she can get to writing on the walls I guess!) Andrew missed pretty much all of our Bible study tonight, he had a big day and a short nap, so he was cuddled up on the couch looking pretty sleepy through most of it.
We're going to re-learn a song that Kiera learned a few years ago about the 10 Commandments. I love the song "The Perfect Ten" from Angel's Aware created by Kathie Hill and Janet McMahan; it's great for kids, and very honestly, it's catchy, so it's easy for kids and adults (like me) to learn. I found the lyrics here..."The Perfect 10"
Andrew quickly picks up anything that is repeated to him several times, so I'm hoping that he'll learn the song right along with Kiera. I'll be singing it to him throughout the day while Kiera is at school as well as during Bible study time.
We're also making a heart for each of the Commandments as we study them. We're going to string the hearts and hang them at our work area. I chose hearts so that we could talk about the fact that God gave us the Commandments because of his love for us. ~ Hearts are also easy to cut! :)
How It Went
Kiera learned the 10 Commandments a few years ago, though I've known for a while that she doesn't remember them as well as she should. She started to remember "The Perfect 10" after I sang it for her, and she did like hanging up the Commandments. (She likes hanging any of her work on the walls... It's as close as she can get to writing on the walls I guess!) Andrew missed pretty much all of our Bible study tonight, he had a big day and a short nap, so he was cuddled up on the couch looking pretty sleepy through most of it.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Moses: Manna, Quail, and Water ~ Exodus 16 and 17
Activity
I know that manna came from God, so no one has any idea exactly what it was like and it can never be replicated. Today we're going to try and make a sort of sweet bread to remind us that the Israelites ate manna and that God provided it for them. I found two recipes for manna-like substances. The one I'm using can be found here... Ingredients On-Hand Manna This site just referred to it as "Manna"; it uses vanilla, sugar, salt and flour, so most people would have those things easily available. (I'll be leaving out the almonds.)
How It Went
Kiera was especially excited about making a manna-like recipe. I was a little concerned when we started mixing all the ingredients; they seemed much too dry to stick together. I only made two manna pieces from the original recipe because I thought it wasn't going to work. I should have followed the recipe! I halved the recipe and added 3 Tbsp of water and 2 Tbsp of butter. The manna that was made from the un-altered recipe was much sweeter and flaky. (We didn't roll them in powdered sugar as suggested, though that would have also made them whiter.) The pieces that I added ingredients for were much more cookie-like. Kiera actually told me that she preferred the original, but thought both were good...and Andrew certainly didn't argue about eating and of it. He just kept saying something like, "Oooohhhhh, manna!"
Update: I sent two pieces of manna to school in Kiera's lunchbox the next day. Apparently there was quite a commotion over it... A boy in her class tried to crush her manna and she complained loudly (because it was hers and because it was special); then they both got into trouble for the situation. (Kiera hardly ever gets into trouble at school...) She also explained to quite a few people about making manna, which elicited some strange looks and a lot of shocked silence. Be aware that making manna at home could make your life a little interesting for a few days! :)
I know that manna came from God, so no one has any idea exactly what it was like and it can never be replicated. Today we're going to try and make a sort of sweet bread to remind us that the Israelites ate manna and that God provided it for them. I found two recipes for manna-like substances. The one I'm using can be found here... Ingredients On-Hand Manna This site just referred to it as "Manna"; it uses vanilla, sugar, salt and flour, so most people would have those things easily available. (I'll be leaving out the almonds.)
How It Went
Kiera was especially excited about making a manna-like recipe. I was a little concerned when we started mixing all the ingredients; they seemed much too dry to stick together. I only made two manna pieces from the original recipe because I thought it wasn't going to work. I should have followed the recipe! I halved the recipe and added 3 Tbsp of water and 2 Tbsp of butter. The manna that was made from the un-altered recipe was much sweeter and flaky. (We didn't roll them in powdered sugar as suggested, though that would have also made them whiter.) The pieces that I added ingredients for were much more cookie-like. Kiera actually told me that she preferred the original, but thought both were good...and Andrew certainly didn't argue about eating and of it. He just kept saying something like, "Oooohhhhh, manna!"
Update: I sent two pieces of manna to school in Kiera's lunchbox the next day. Apparently there was quite a commotion over it... A boy in her class tried to crush her manna and she complained loudly (because it was hers and because it was special); then they both got into trouble for the situation. (Kiera hardly ever gets into trouble at school...) She also explained to quite a few people about making manna, which elicited some strange looks and a lot of shocked silence. Be aware that making manna at home could make your life a little interesting for a few days! :)
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Moses: Crossing the Red Sea ~ Exodus 13:17-22, 14
Activity
For our activity today, I'm going to use dry pasta in a cake pan to represent the parting of the Red Sea. We're going to start with a pan full of dry pasta, then, using my hands, I'm going to part the noodles as the water might have parted.
I also really wanted to do an activity with this lesson using fabric, but it didn't happen at our house tonight. I would have liked to use a large sheet of blue fabric (or a bed sheet) with a strip of brown fabric (or a few brown paper shopping bags - split open) safety-pinned or sewn in the center. As the kids or "Israelites" come to the sea, it would be moving in waves (one person on each end holding the fabric high enough so the kids can't see the brown fabric). When "Moses" holds out his hand at the waters, the "water" sheet is lowered to the floor to show the brown fabric "ground". The blue fabric should be held strait up to represent the walls of water on each side of the "dry ground". Kids can then walk through the Sea on dry ground! Then the kids can pretend to be the Egyptians, attempting to go through the Sea. As soon as all the kids are on the path through the sea, the "waters" will come down on them. (Kids will likely need a reminder that the Egyptians died when the waters came down.)
How It Went
The pasta activity went well for us, though it wasn't as "in depth" as I would have liked. (I didn't really expect it to be...) We acted out the story using the pasta, then both kids did quite a lot of playing with it. We worked with Andrew on sorting colors (I used a veggie pasta), counting, scooping, and pouring. He really didn't want to go to bed because he was busy playing with the noodles! I've promised to keep everything out for tomorrow so that he can play more then. Overall, this wasn't the most exciting activity, but it did go alright - and everyone enjoyed the after-the-lesson play.
Scripture Reference
Exodus 13:17-22, 14 (NIV)
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place."
After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell the Isrealites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.' And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." So the Israelites did this.
When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians - all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops - pursued the Israelites and over took them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"
Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen."
Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptians army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off, so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt."
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen." Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen - the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
For our activity today, I'm going to use dry pasta in a cake pan to represent the parting of the Red Sea. We're going to start with a pan full of dry pasta, then, using my hands, I'm going to part the noodles as the water might have parted.
I also really wanted to do an activity with this lesson using fabric, but it didn't happen at our house tonight. I would have liked to use a large sheet of blue fabric (or a bed sheet) with a strip of brown fabric (or a few brown paper shopping bags - split open) safety-pinned or sewn in the center. As the kids or "Israelites" come to the sea, it would be moving in waves (one person on each end holding the fabric high enough so the kids can't see the brown fabric). When "Moses" holds out his hand at the waters, the "water" sheet is lowered to the floor to show the brown fabric "ground". The blue fabric should be held strait up to represent the walls of water on each side of the "dry ground". Kids can then walk through the Sea on dry ground! Then the kids can pretend to be the Egyptians, attempting to go through the Sea. As soon as all the kids are on the path through the sea, the "waters" will come down on them. (Kids will likely need a reminder that the Egyptians died when the waters came down.)
How It Went
The pasta activity went well for us, though it wasn't as "in depth" as I would have liked. (I didn't really expect it to be...) We acted out the story using the pasta, then both kids did quite a lot of playing with it. We worked with Andrew on sorting colors (I used a veggie pasta), counting, scooping, and pouring. He really didn't want to go to bed because he was busy playing with the noodles! I've promised to keep everything out for tomorrow so that he can play more then. Overall, this wasn't the most exciting activity, but it did go alright - and everyone enjoyed the after-the-lesson play.
Scripture Reference
Exodus 13:17-22, 14 (NIV)
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place."
After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell the Isrealites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.' And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." So the Israelites did this.
When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians - all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops - pursued the Israelites and over took them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"
Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen."
Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptians army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off, so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt."
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen." Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen - the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Moses: Plague of Locusts, Plague of Darkness, Plague of Firstborn ~ Exodus 10, 11, 12:1-30
Scripture Reference
Exodus 10, 11, 12:1-30
Activity
I know that the Plague of the Firstborn is a very significant one, but I'm not really going to touch on that one in my Bible studies with the kids. Biblical stories about the death of children really trouble Kiera; she gets extremely upset (inconsolable) and worries for days that something will happen to Andrew. Kiera knows about this plague so I'd rather not dwell on it and instead get to the crossing of the Red Sea and all that follows.
I'd planned to make locusts out of construction paper (with wings attached by brads, so that they moved), but Kiera had different plans...
In her new Crayola Doodle Pad, Kiera found instructions for drawing bugs and butterflies with symmetry. She wanted to follow those instructions, so we sat down for our Bible study and went on to the activity that she wanted to do...I just improvised a little and made locusts. The following are the directions given in the Crayola Doodle Pad:
"Symmetry means that something looks the same on both sides. Explore symmetry by creating your own creatures! Fold a sheet of Doodle Paper in half. With a pencil, draw one half of a unique bug or butterfly. Trace over the drawing again with your pencil so the lines are very dark.
Now fold the page backward along the same crease so the drawing is inside.
Rub hard with your thumbnail over the folded paper.
Unfold the paper to see the light pencil transfer of the other half of the bug or butterfly. Trace over the drawing with your pencil so you can see the lines. Use your Crayola markers and crayons to add colorful details to each side so the bug is symmetrical."
I was also planning to go on a quick search for locust "shells". (The skins they shed that are left on trees, decks, and the like.) We've also been finding a locust or two most every time we're out. We were going to talk about what it must have been like to have locusts everywhere. The kids had been cooped up in the house all day and were much more interested in just playing outside than in having a "project" while they were out, so I let that idea pass!
How It Went
I'm so glad that this is the last day of plagues! I'm feeling a little "down" at the thought of what the Egyptians went through during the plagues and the thought of what the Israelites went through while in Egypt. It exhausts me just to think about it!
Kiera really enjoyed the symmetry activity. I did most of the work, but she liked seeing how the process worked and thinking through why it was able to work. She did do most of the tracing on her own, though I had to go back and fix a few spots. She also colored her locust and was quite pleased with the result, though I think it really looks more like a fly! While Kiera was adding the finishing touches to her locust, Andrew and I drew his hands on another sheet of paper and talked about how God loves each of us, "God loves Andrew. God loves Kiera..." We had never drawn around his hands before; his immediate response was "Ooohhh! Paw prints!!" (He really loves the videos we have of Blues Clues!!)
Exodus 10, 11, 12:1-30
Activity
I know that the Plague of the Firstborn is a very significant one, but I'm not really going to touch on that one in my Bible studies with the kids. Biblical stories about the death of children really trouble Kiera; she gets extremely upset (inconsolable) and worries for days that something will happen to Andrew. Kiera knows about this plague so I'd rather not dwell on it and instead get to the crossing of the Red Sea and all that follows.
I'd planned to make locusts out of construction paper (with wings attached by brads, so that they moved), but Kiera had different plans...
In her new Crayola Doodle Pad, Kiera found instructions for drawing bugs and butterflies with symmetry. She wanted to follow those instructions, so we sat down for our Bible study and went on to the activity that she wanted to do...I just improvised a little and made locusts. The following are the directions given in the Crayola Doodle Pad:
"Symmetry means that something looks the same on both sides. Explore symmetry by creating your own creatures! Fold a sheet of Doodle Paper in half. With a pencil, draw one half of a unique bug or butterfly. Trace over the drawing again with your pencil so the lines are very dark.
Now fold the page backward along the same crease so the drawing is inside.
Rub hard with your thumbnail over the folded paper.
Unfold the paper to see the light pencil transfer of the other half of the bug or butterfly. Trace over the drawing with your pencil so you can see the lines. Use your Crayola markers and crayons to add colorful details to each side so the bug is symmetrical."
I was also planning to go on a quick search for locust "shells". (The skins they shed that are left on trees, decks, and the like.) We've also been finding a locust or two most every time we're out. We were going to talk about what it must have been like to have locusts everywhere. The kids had been cooped up in the house all day and were much more interested in just playing outside than in having a "project" while they were out, so I let that idea pass!
How It Went
I'm so glad that this is the last day of plagues! I'm feeling a little "down" at the thought of what the Egyptians went through during the plagues and the thought of what the Israelites went through while in Egypt. It exhausts me just to think about it!
Kiera really enjoyed the symmetry activity. I did most of the work, but she liked seeing how the process worked and thinking through why it was able to work. She did do most of the tracing on her own, though I had to go back and fix a few spots. She also colored her locust and was quite pleased with the result, though I think it really looks more like a fly! While Kiera was adding the finishing touches to her locust, Andrew and I drew his hands on another sheet of paper and talked about how God loves each of us, "God loves Andrew. God loves Kiera..." We had never drawn around his hands before; his immediate response was "Ooohhh! Paw prints!!" (He really loves the videos we have of Blues Clues!!)
Friday, September 16, 2011
Moses: Plague of Hail ~ Exodus 9:13-35
Scripture Reference
Exodus 9:13-35
Activity
This activity requires a bit of advanced preparation; it's simple, but do start a little early... I'm freezing water to make a variety of sizes of ice cubes (home-made "hail"). I'm using 1/4 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, a medicine cup, and a sippy-cup to freeze water. We're going to take our "hail" outside (probably to the garden) and try throwing the various sizes. We'll talk about what would result from a storm with the different sizes of hail that might have fallen. I'll remind the kids that we're working with just a few pieces of ice - the Egyptians experienced mass amounts of hail.
Things to look for: marks in the ground from larger pieces of hail, bent or broken grass/plants, broken pieces of hail, etc.
How It Went
Well, if it hadn't rained this evening, I think this would have been a much more interesting activity. Plus Kiera still isn't feeling well, and Andrew is out-of-sorts (hopefully not getting sick too!) Both kids still enjoyed playing with the ice. I watched Andrew especially carefully since ice is a choking hazard. I was surprised to find out that Kiera didn't remember what hail was! When I finally got to the end of the story, she ask what I was talking about. If I had it to do again, I'd do a little more explaining beforehand!
Scripture Reference
Exodus 9:13-35 (NIV)
"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might by proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every man and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.'
Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that the hail will fall all over Egypt - on men and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.' When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt: hail fell and lightning flashed back and froth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields - both men and animals, it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. 'This time I have sinned,' he said to them. 'The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the Lord for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go, you don't have to stay any longer.'
Moses replied, 'When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the Lord's. But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.'
(The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. The wheat and spelt however were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)
Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the Lord; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. So Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.
Exodus 9:13-35
Activity
This activity requires a bit of advanced preparation; it's simple, but do start a little early... I'm freezing water to make a variety of sizes of ice cubes (home-made "hail"). I'm using 1/4 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, a medicine cup, and a sippy-cup to freeze water. We're going to take our "hail" outside (probably to the garden) and try throwing the various sizes. We'll talk about what would result from a storm with the different sizes of hail that might have fallen. I'll remind the kids that we're working with just a few pieces of ice - the Egyptians experienced mass amounts of hail.
Things to look for: marks in the ground from larger pieces of hail, bent or broken grass/plants, broken pieces of hail, etc.
How It Went
Well, if it hadn't rained this evening, I think this would have been a much more interesting activity. Plus Kiera still isn't feeling well, and Andrew is out-of-sorts (hopefully not getting sick too!) Both kids still enjoyed playing with the ice. I watched Andrew especially carefully since ice is a choking hazard. I was surprised to find out that Kiera didn't remember what hail was! When I finally got to the end of the story, she ask what I was talking about. If I had it to do again, I'd do a little more explaining beforehand!
Scripture Reference
Exodus 9:13-35 (NIV)
"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might by proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every man and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.'
Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that the hail will fall all over Egypt - on men and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.' When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt: hail fell and lightning flashed back and froth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields - both men and animals, it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. 'This time I have sinned,' he said to them. 'The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the Lord for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go, you don't have to stay any longer.'
Moses replied, 'When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the Lord's. But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.'
(The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. The wheat and spelt however were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)
Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the Lord; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. So Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Moses: Plague on Livestock and Plague of Boils ~ Exodus 9:1-12
Scripture Reference
Moses: Plague on Livestock and Plague of Boils
Exodus 9:1-7, Exodus 9:8-12
Activities
Plague on Livestock: I was planning to have the kids set up some of our play animals to represent the livestock of Egypt and those of the Israelites. Then as the plague came, I was going to knock down all the "livestock" of Egypt.
Plague of Boils: I was going to cut out "spots" from construction paper and use tape to put them all over each of the kids. Then we were going to talk about how painful it would be to have open sores all over their skin (giving a comparison by saying, "remember how much your skinned knees hurt?" or something similar).
How It Went
Kiera came home from school today with a slightly elevated temperature and complaining of a sore throat. After a quick trip to the doctor, we found out that she has a very slight case of strep. (The Doctor could barely get a strep reading, but it was there...) Her fever has gotten quite a lot higher through the afternoon and evening, so we didn't do a Bible study today. She just needed some special taking care of, and Andrew needed some extra play time so that Kiera could rest. We'll try again tomorrow!
Scripture Reference
Exodus 9:1-12
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me.' If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand of the Lord will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field - on your horses and donkeys and camels and on your cattle and sheep and goats. But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.'
The Lord set a time and said, 'Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.' And the next day the Lord did it. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh sent men to investigate and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.
Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils broke out on men and animals. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.
Just A Thought
So often when something "goes wrong" in my life, I'm quick to wonder why this is happening to me (and please God, make it end soon!) Can you imagine being an Egyptian at the time of the plagues? Life was going so well for them, then *bam* all these awful things start happening; as soon as one is over, another starts...the water turns to blood, frogs everywhere, gnats, flies, all the livestock die, boils, devastating hail, locusts, darkness, and finally the death of all the firstborn including the livestock. The Bible tells us that "The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart". It all happened because God had a bigger plan...and God was in control the whole time!
Moses: Plague on Livestock and Plague of Boils
Exodus 9:1-7, Exodus 9:8-12
Activities
Plague on Livestock: I was planning to have the kids set up some of our play animals to represent the livestock of Egypt and those of the Israelites. Then as the plague came, I was going to knock down all the "livestock" of Egypt.
Plague of Boils: I was going to cut out "spots" from construction paper and use tape to put them all over each of the kids. Then we were going to talk about how painful it would be to have open sores all over their skin (giving a comparison by saying, "remember how much your skinned knees hurt?" or something similar).
How It Went
Kiera came home from school today with a slightly elevated temperature and complaining of a sore throat. After a quick trip to the doctor, we found out that she has a very slight case of strep. (The Doctor could barely get a strep reading, but it was there...) Her fever has gotten quite a lot higher through the afternoon and evening, so we didn't do a Bible study today. She just needed some special taking care of, and Andrew needed some extra play time so that Kiera could rest. We'll try again tomorrow!
Scripture Reference
Exodus 9:1-12
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me.' If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand of the Lord will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field - on your horses and donkeys and camels and on your cattle and sheep and goats. But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.'
The Lord set a time and said, 'Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.' And the next day the Lord did it. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh sent men to investigate and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.
Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils broke out on men and animals. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.
Just A Thought
So often when something "goes wrong" in my life, I'm quick to wonder why this is happening to me (and please God, make it end soon!) Can you imagine being an Egyptian at the time of the plagues? Life was going so well for them, then *bam* all these awful things start happening; as soon as one is over, another starts...the water turns to blood, frogs everywhere, gnats, flies, all the livestock die, boils, devastating hail, locusts, darkness, and finally the death of all the firstborn including the livestock. The Bible tells us that "The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart". It all happened because God had a bigger plan...and God was in control the whole time!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Moses: Plages of Gnats and Flies ~ Exodus 8:16-32
Scripture Reference
Moses: Plagues of Gnats and Flies
Exodus 8:16-32
Discussion
With today's lesson, we're going to talk about the magician's responses to the plague of gnats (Exodus 8:18-19). Even they acknowledged that the plagues were from God when they could not create anything comparable, and even then Pharaoh would not listen...
Activity
Gnats and Flies Splatter Paint ~ I had a hard time coming up with a way to convey the sheer number of flies and gnats that Egypt must have had at the time of the plagues; stamping...too tiring, sand...hard for Andrew to do neatly, glitter...too pretty. The only thing I could come up with is splatter painting. I'll cover our work area with newspaper and have the kids wear paint smocks. I'm going to draw a person on each of two sheets of paper. They can each color their person with markers if they want (crayons will repel the paint, I'm guessing). Then we'll dampen black water color paint and dip an old toothbrush in it. (Too much water in your watercolors will create big drips. I put about 1 drop of water on the dry watercolor and rubbed the water in well.) The kids will run a thumb across the bristles of the toothbrush (bristle side down), allowing the paint to splatter onto the drawing. The paint spots will represent the gnats and flies that plagued Egypt, so the more spots they splatter-paint, the better! (If drawing people isn't your choice, consider tracing them from a Bible coloring book or making a scene with trees, etc.)
How It Went
I'd love to tell you that today's Bible study was awesome, but to be honest it just didn't happen. After school we had speech therapy and church, not to mention making and eathing dinner, giving baths, etc. We just didn't make time for our study today. I'll hope to do better tomorrow!
Scripture Reference
Exodus 8:16-32 (NIV)
"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground, and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.' They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came upon men and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. And the gnats were on men and animals.
The magicians said to Pharaoh, 'This is the finger of God.' But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord has said.
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the water and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says, Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground where they are.
'But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.'
And the Lord did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace and into the houses of his officials, and throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, 'Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.'
But Moses said, 'That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the Lord our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? We must take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, as he commands us.'
Pharaoh said, 'I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.'
Moses answered, 'As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only be sure that Pharaoh does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.'
Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, and the Lord did what Moses asked: The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go."
Moses: Plagues of Gnats and Flies
Exodus 8:16-32
Discussion
With today's lesson, we're going to talk about the magician's responses to the plague of gnats (Exodus 8:18-19). Even they acknowledged that the plagues were from God when they could not create anything comparable, and even then Pharaoh would not listen...
Activity
Gnats and Flies Splatter Paint ~ I had a hard time coming up with a way to convey the sheer number of flies and gnats that Egypt must have had at the time of the plagues; stamping...too tiring, sand...hard for Andrew to do neatly, glitter...too pretty. The only thing I could come up with is splatter painting. I'll cover our work area with newspaper and have the kids wear paint smocks. I'm going to draw a person on each of two sheets of paper. They can each color their person with markers if they want (crayons will repel the paint, I'm guessing). Then we'll dampen black water color paint and dip an old toothbrush in it. (Too much water in your watercolors will create big drips. I put about 1 drop of water on the dry watercolor and rubbed the water in well.) The kids will run a thumb across the bristles of the toothbrush (bristle side down), allowing the paint to splatter onto the drawing. The paint spots will represent the gnats and flies that plagued Egypt, so the more spots they splatter-paint, the better! (If drawing people isn't your choice, consider tracing them from a Bible coloring book or making a scene with trees, etc.)
How It Went
I'd love to tell you that today's Bible study was awesome, but to be honest it just didn't happen. After school we had speech therapy and church, not to mention making and eathing dinner, giving baths, etc. We just didn't make time for our study today. I'll hope to do better tomorrow!
Scripture Reference
Exodus 8:16-32 (NIV)
"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground, and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.' They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came upon men and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. And the gnats were on men and animals.
The magicians said to Pharaoh, 'This is the finger of God.' But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord has said.
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the water and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says, Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground where they are.
'But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.'
And the Lord did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace and into the houses of his officials, and throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, 'Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.'
But Moses said, 'That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the Lord our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? We must take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, as he commands us.'
Pharaoh said, 'I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.'
Moses answered, 'As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only be sure that Pharaoh does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.'
Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, and the Lord did what Moses asked: The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go."
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Moses: The Plague of Frogs ~ Exodus 7:25, 8:1-15
Today's Story
Moses: The Plague of Frogs
Exodus 7:25, 8:1-15
Activity
Construction Paper Frogs ~ With today's scripture, we are (of course!), doing a frog craft. I am drawing two circles, one slightly larger than the other for the body and head. (I draw horrible circles, so I traced around two bowls from my set of dishes - I put the paper down and then put the bowl upside-down on the paper to trace it.) I drew a line across the bottom section of the smaller circle to make the top of the head, and the "chin". I rounded out the corners of the top part of the head. The legs were just a guess; I didn't use a pattern. The same was true of the tongue and the bug. We used large google-eyes, though the eyes could just be drawn on.
Discussion
We're going to do a lot of talking about today's scripture, in addition to our craft. Yesterday we talked about Pharaoh's magicians changing water similar to God turned the waters of Egypt to blood. Today's scriptures clearly state that the magicians also made frogs "come up on the land of Egypt" (Exodus 8:7) I want to make sure the kids understand that it doesn't necessarily mean that the magicians were "creating" frogs. It just means that they were making frogs come, which gave an appearance of them being created. Also, I'm going to have Kiera think about this: Why didn't the magicians make the plagues end? If they were really "magic", why didn't Pharaoh ask them to stop the plagues?
How It Went
While we were reading the passages about Pharaoh's magicians making frogs come up on the land, Kiera actually ask how that was possible - a great time for my planned discussion! Both kids really enjoyed making frogs, which surprised me since I thought this craft would be a little young for Kiera. She did change her frog's design a little; she decided that the frogs God sent couldn't have been cute (probably true!), so she gave hers spots. Andrew decided to color his too.
Other Possible Activities
More Construction Paper Frogs ~ I think that the frogs below would also be cute! This one was made from a square of green construction paper, folded in half diagonally. I added google eyes, nose holes, and a tongue for a super-easy project.
Balloon Frogs ~ I recently saw a balloon frog at Kroger. The one I saw was helium-filled and Mylar, but I'm thinking that any green helium balloon would do (providing it wasn't a choking hazard for little ones). To do this, you could add z-folded green construction paper to create legs. Attach them with packing tape to one side of the balloon (the frogs tummy). Add webbed feet and give the frog eyes on the fatter top-end of the balloon. The weight needed for the legs and feet would depend on the size of the balloon. They would need to be heavy enough to keep the balloon almost, but not quite on the ground so that he would "hop" in the breeze.
Lots Of Frogs ~ I think it would be fun to fill a classroom with frogs for this lesson...stuffed frogs, construction paper frogs (maybe ones that the kids make), frog pictures, balloon frogs...the possibilities are endless!
Scripture Reference
Exodus 7:25, 8:1-15 (NIV)
"Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile. Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. The frogs will go up on you and your people and all your officials.'
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.'
So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land. But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, 'Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go offer sacrifices to the Lord.
Moses said to Pharaoh, 'I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.'
'Tomorrow,' Pharaoh said.
Moses replied, 'It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God. The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people, they will remain only in the Nile.'
After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the Lord about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields. They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said."
Moses: The Plague of Frogs
Exodus 7:25, 8:1-15
Activity
Construction Paper Frogs ~ With today's scripture, we are (of course!), doing a frog craft. I am drawing two circles, one slightly larger than the other for the body and head. (I draw horrible circles, so I traced around two bowls from my set of dishes - I put the paper down and then put the bowl upside-down on the paper to trace it.) I drew a line across the bottom section of the smaller circle to make the top of the head, and the "chin". I rounded out the corners of the top part of the head. The legs were just a guess; I didn't use a pattern. The same was true of the tongue and the bug. We used large google-eyes, though the eyes could just be drawn on.
Discussion
We're going to do a lot of talking about today's scripture, in addition to our craft. Yesterday we talked about Pharaoh's magicians changing water similar to God turned the waters of Egypt to blood. Today's scriptures clearly state that the magicians also made frogs "come up on the land of Egypt" (Exodus 8:7) I want to make sure the kids understand that it doesn't necessarily mean that the magicians were "creating" frogs. It just means that they were making frogs come, which gave an appearance of them being created. Also, I'm going to have Kiera think about this: Why didn't the magicians make the plagues end? If they were really "magic", why didn't Pharaoh ask them to stop the plagues?
How It Went
While we were reading the passages about Pharaoh's magicians making frogs come up on the land, Kiera actually ask how that was possible - a great time for my planned discussion! Both kids really enjoyed making frogs, which surprised me since I thought this craft would be a little young for Kiera. She did change her frog's design a little; she decided that the frogs God sent couldn't have been cute (probably true!), so she gave hers spots. Andrew decided to color his too.
Other Possible Activities
More Construction Paper Frogs ~ I think that the frogs below would also be cute! This one was made from a square of green construction paper, folded in half diagonally. I added google eyes, nose holes, and a tongue for a super-easy project.
Balloon Frogs ~ I recently saw a balloon frog at Kroger. The one I saw was helium-filled and Mylar, but I'm thinking that any green helium balloon would do (providing it wasn't a choking hazard for little ones). To do this, you could add z-folded green construction paper to create legs. Attach them with packing tape to one side of the balloon (the frogs tummy). Add webbed feet and give the frog eyes on the fatter top-end of the balloon. The weight needed for the legs and feet would depend on the size of the balloon. They would need to be heavy enough to keep the balloon almost, but not quite on the ground so that he would "hop" in the breeze.
Lots Of Frogs ~ I think it would be fun to fill a classroom with frogs for this lesson...stuffed frogs, construction paper frogs (maybe ones that the kids make), frog pictures, balloon frogs...the possibilities are endless!
Scripture Reference
Exodus 7:25, 8:1-15 (NIV)
"Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile. Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. The frogs will go up on you and your people and all your officials.'
Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.'
So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land. But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, 'Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go offer sacrifices to the Lord.
Moses said to Pharaoh, 'I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.'
'Tomorrow,' Pharaoh said.
Moses replied, 'It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God. The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people, they will remain only in the Nile.'
After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the Lord about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields. They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said."
Monday, September 12, 2011
Moses: The Nile Turns To Blood ~ Exodus 7:14-24
Scripture Reference
Exodus 7:14-24
Moses: The Nile Turns to Blood
Activity
Several days ago, Kiera told me that she could understand how Moses made the Nile to blood; God did that. What she couldn't understand was how Pharaoh's magicians were able to change water. So, tonight I'm going to show her that anyone can change the appearance of water... I'm going to fill a glass with water and sprinkle in some Kool-Aid powder. We'll talk about the fact that she knows I can't do "magic", but even I can change water in a dish without God's help. The difference is that God changed ALL the water...the Nile, the streams, canals, ponds, reservoirs, and even the water in buckets and jars...to blood. It even killed the fish, had a stench, and was undrinkable. God's was no trick; it was very real. (I'm also going to mention that there was no Kool-Aid in Bible times, but there are other things that would have been available then.)
How It Went
Both kids really enjoyed my trick. Kiera even tried it for herself. We talked extensively about how anyone can do tricks, but only God can do things like changing the Nile to blood and doing miracles. I think it gave her a new appreciation for what God can do.
Scripture Reference
Exodus 7:14-24 (NIV)
"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Pharaoh's heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the water. Wait on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. Then say to him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert. But until now you have not listened. This is what the Lord says. By this you will know that I am the Lord. With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink, the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.
The Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt - over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs' - and they will turn to blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars.'
Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.
But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river."
Exodus 7:14-24
Moses: The Nile Turns to Blood
Activity
Several days ago, Kiera told me that she could understand how Moses made the Nile to blood; God did that. What she couldn't understand was how Pharaoh's magicians were able to change water. So, tonight I'm going to show her that anyone can change the appearance of water... I'm going to fill a glass with water and sprinkle in some Kool-Aid powder. We'll talk about the fact that she knows I can't do "magic", but even I can change water in a dish without God's help. The difference is that God changed ALL the water...the Nile, the streams, canals, ponds, reservoirs, and even the water in buckets and jars...to blood. It even killed the fish, had a stench, and was undrinkable. God's was no trick; it was very real. (I'm also going to mention that there was no Kool-Aid in Bible times, but there are other things that would have been available then.)
How It Went
Both kids really enjoyed my trick. Kiera even tried it for herself. We talked extensively about how anyone can do tricks, but only God can do things like changing the Nile to blood and doing miracles. I think it gave her a new appreciation for what God can do.
Scripture Reference
Exodus 7:14-24 (NIV)
"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Pharaoh's heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the water. Wait on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. Then say to him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert. But until now you have not listened. This is what the Lord says. By this you will know that I am the Lord. With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink, the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.
The Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt - over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs' - and they will turn to blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars.'
Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.
But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river."
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Aaron's Staff Becomes A Snake ~ Edodus 7:8-13
Scripture Reference
Exodus 7:8-13
Aaron's Staff Becomes A Snake
Activity
We're going to make "Funnel Snakes" today! I'm using a recipe for funnel cake that I found over at momswhothink.com I'll be deviating just a little by making the batter into "snake" shapes rather than into the traditional drizzly funnel cake pattern.
How It Went
We had lots of things accidentally turn into snake activities today. Randy played play-dough with Andrew this morning; he doesn't have much artistic ability with play-dough, so they ended up making snakes. (I suspect that his "lack of ability" stems from the fact that I hate snakes and he gets a kick out of teasing me with play-dough snakes...*sigh* J)
Randy wanted to take pancakes to work with him, so I whipped up a batch of them. I had a little extra batter and thought I might be able to skip the funnel cake snakes if I were able to make pancakes into the shape of snakes. I scooped some batter into an icing squeezer and tried to "draw" a snake in the skillet with the batter. BIG failure! Kiera could tell what it was supposed to be, but I think that was only because I'd already told her what I was trying to make!
So, we ended up making funnel cake snakes after all. This recipe was a success; both kids thought it was great! Andrew came to the table saying, "worms!", but he didn't argue when I corrected him. We read the Bible story after making our snakes, so he didn't really have a reason to know what they were supposed to be. I was just happy that he could identify their general look after my pancake disaster...J
Scripture Reference
Exodus 7:8-13
"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a miracle, then say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh', and it will become a snake.'
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts. Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord has said."
Exodus 7:8-13
Aaron's Staff Becomes A Snake
Activity
We're going to make "Funnel Snakes" today! I'm using a recipe for funnel cake that I found over at momswhothink.com I'll be deviating just a little by making the batter into "snake" shapes rather than into the traditional drizzly funnel cake pattern.
How It Went
We had lots of things accidentally turn into snake activities today. Randy played play-dough with Andrew this morning; he doesn't have much artistic ability with play-dough, so they ended up making snakes. (I suspect that his "lack of ability" stems from the fact that I hate snakes and he gets a kick out of teasing me with play-dough snakes...*sigh* J)
Randy wanted to take pancakes to work with him, so I whipped up a batch of them. I had a little extra batter and thought I might be able to skip the funnel cake snakes if I were able to make pancakes into the shape of snakes. I scooped some batter into an icing squeezer and tried to "draw" a snake in the skillet with the batter. BIG failure! Kiera could tell what it was supposed to be, but I think that was only because I'd already told her what I was trying to make!
So, we ended up making funnel cake snakes after all. This recipe was a success; both kids thought it was great! Andrew came to the table saying, "worms!", but he didn't argue when I corrected him. We read the Bible story after making our snakes, so he didn't really have a reason to know what they were supposed to be. I was just happy that he could identify their general look after my pancake disaster...J
Scripture Reference
Exodus 7:8-13
"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a miracle, then say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh', and it will become a snake.'
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts. Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord has said."
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Moses: Bricks Without Straw ~ Exodus 5:1-21
I'm trying something different for today; the verses that I took this lesson from are noted at the top of the post, but the verses are written out for your convenience at the bottom of the post. I think the change in format will help give a better idea of the project from the get-go.
Scripture Reference
Moses: The Israelites are ordered to build bricks without straw.
Exodus 5:1-21
Memory Verse
Exodus 15:2
"The Lord is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him."
Activity
I would have loved to have the kids create "real" bricks using mud and straw for today's lesson. I found a "recipe" for making bricks here Make Mud Bricks In 6 Steps. These are intended to be "real" bricks, rather than a kid's project, so I would improvise a little due to the ages of the kids; I would use a square plastic tub for the "form", would mix our "recipe" in a bucket, use weeds in place of the straw and would make them fairly small so that they dried more quickly. ~ We didn't end up going this route; we all seem to be fighting colds and it rained most of today here. My kids LOVE to play in the mud though (Kiera actually "painted" with mud and a stick outside today!!) So I hope to do something like the mud bricks on another day!
Supplies needed: dirt, water, straw or weeds (who doesn't have enough weeds!?), a bucket, a "form" (small pliable plastic dish, preferably square), something to stir with such as a stick).
We're going to make play-dough "bricks". One set will have nothing but play-dough inside, while the other will have twist-ties inside (our pretend "straw"). We're not going to let the play-dough dry out for our example, but the "bricks" should still be stronger with the "straw" than without.
Supplies needed: play-dough, twist-ties.
How It Went
Andrew was really ready for our Bible story tonight. He grabbed his little New Testament, hopped up on the couch, and said, "Read Jacob?" We quickly got Kiera to come over and started reading about Moses. Both kids were really interested in tonight's story; Andrew hasn't expressed a real interest over the past few days, so I was glad to see his enthusiasm back!
I remember being taught this story when I was little; I didn't "get" why they didn't just leave out the straw and skip that step entirely. I thought that since Pharaoh wasn't helping them get the straw, they should just leave it out...sort of the consequences for his actions. I couldn't grasp the importance of the straw in the "recipe"! Now that I'm older, I understand the reasoning behind this now, but tonight's lesson was still interesting for me too...
I had to teach both kids how to make a rectangular "brick" with the play dough. I had Kiera fold in the twist ties with her play-dough so that they wouldn't be a danger for Andrew. She was very surprised at how much stronger her "bricks" were than Andrew's. We didn't let our play-dough dry, we just experimented with it when it was moist.
Scripture Reference
Exodus 5:1-21 (NIV)
"Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.'
Pharaoh said, 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.'
Then they said, 'The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.'
But the king of Egypt said, 'Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!' Then Pharaoh said, 'Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.'
That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: 'You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they will keep working and pay no attention to lies.'
Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, 'This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all' So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, 'Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.' The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drives were beaten and were asked, 'Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?'
Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: 'Why have you treated your servants this way? Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.'
Pharaoh said, 'Lazy, that's what you are - lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.' Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.
The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when thy were told, 'You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.' When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, 'May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.' "
Scripture Reference
Moses: The Israelites are ordered to build bricks without straw.
Exodus 5:1-21
Memory Verse
Exodus 15:2
"The Lord is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him."
Activity
I would have loved to have the kids create "real" bricks using mud and straw for today's lesson. I found a "recipe" for making bricks here Make Mud Bricks In 6 Steps. These are intended to be "real" bricks, rather than a kid's project, so I would improvise a little due to the ages of the kids; I would use a square plastic tub for the "form", would mix our "recipe" in a bucket, use weeds in place of the straw and would make them fairly small so that they dried more quickly. ~ We didn't end up going this route; we all seem to be fighting colds and it rained most of today here. My kids LOVE to play in the mud though (Kiera actually "painted" with mud and a stick outside today!!) So I hope to do something like the mud bricks on another day!
Supplies needed: dirt, water, straw or weeds (who doesn't have enough weeds!?), a bucket, a "form" (small pliable plastic dish, preferably square), something to stir with such as a stick).
We're going to make play-dough "bricks". One set will have nothing but play-dough inside, while the other will have twist-ties inside (our pretend "straw"). We're not going to let the play-dough dry out for our example, but the "bricks" should still be stronger with the "straw" than without.
Supplies needed: play-dough, twist-ties.
How It Went
Andrew was really ready for our Bible story tonight. He grabbed his little New Testament, hopped up on the couch, and said, "Read Jacob?" We quickly got Kiera to come over and started reading about Moses. Both kids were really interested in tonight's story; Andrew hasn't expressed a real interest over the past few days, so I was glad to see his enthusiasm back!
I remember being taught this story when I was little; I didn't "get" why they didn't just leave out the straw and skip that step entirely. I thought that since Pharaoh wasn't helping them get the straw, they should just leave it out...sort of the consequences for his actions. I couldn't grasp the importance of the straw in the "recipe"! Now that I'm older, I understand the reasoning behind this now, but tonight's lesson was still interesting for me too...
I had to teach both kids how to make a rectangular "brick" with the play dough. I had Kiera fold in the twist ties with her play-dough so that they wouldn't be a danger for Andrew. She was very surprised at how much stronger her "bricks" were than Andrew's. We didn't let our play-dough dry, we just experimented with it when it was moist.
Scripture Reference
Exodus 5:1-21 (NIV)
"Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.'
Pharaoh said, 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.'
Then they said, 'The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.'
But the king of Egypt said, 'Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!' Then Pharaoh said, 'Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.'
That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: 'You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they will keep working and pay no attention to lies.'
Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, 'This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all' So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, 'Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.' The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drives were beaten and were asked, 'Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?'
Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: 'Why have you treated your servants this way? Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.'
Pharaoh said, 'Lazy, that's what you are - lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.' Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.
The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when thy were told, 'You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.' When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, 'May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.' "
Friday, September 9, 2011
Moses and the Burning Bush ~ Exodus 3:1-14
Scripture Reference
Exodus 3:1-14 (NIV)
(You may also want to use Exodus 2:11-25 for background.)
"Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight - why the bush does not burn up.'
When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, 'Moses! Moses!'
And Moses said, 'Here I am.'
'Do not come any closer,' God said 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.' Then he said, 'I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.' At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
The Lord said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey - the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.'
But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?'
And God said, 'I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.'
Moses said to God, 'Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you, ' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?'
God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.'"
Exodus 4:29-31
"Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped."
(There is quite a lot of content regarding Moses' feelings between the first and second Scripture References. I left it off for younger audiences, but that could be a lesson in itself with an older group!)
Activity
I'm going to have the kids make a "burning bush" tonight. This could easily be done with construction paper leaves and red/yellow strips of paper. This might also make a fun painting project. Instead, I want to help the kids create a burning bush by using a fan, a construction paper "bush" and strips of red, yellow, and gold ribbon. I'll have the kids use tape to tape the bush and ribbon "fire" together. (The fan will be unplugged for safety until I'm ready to use it.) When all of the parts are taped together, I will turn on the fan (out of reach of children.) We'll turn off the light and shine a flashlight on our burning bush to give it a more "fire-like" appearance.
*If you plan to do this project, please make sure that the children understand the danger of being around a fan. Depending on the ages involved, you may also want to create the bush in advance and use it as a story illustration instead so that little guys don't get the idea that playing with a fan is safe.
How It Went
Kiera thought that our "burning bush" was pretty cool. Andrew was interested, but not quite as much as Kiera. I'm sure that was partly because I didn't let him help make it; he has always had a fascination with all things he shouldn't have, which has included fans in the past. I didn't want to encourage him to have an interest again.
We found that curling ribbon didn't work as well as ribbon from a old bow I had. Kiera also colored some tissue paper in fire-like colors, and that worked well too.
Exodus 3:1-14 (NIV)
(You may also want to use Exodus 2:11-25 for background.)
"Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight - why the bush does not burn up.'
When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, 'Moses! Moses!'
And Moses said, 'Here I am.'
'Do not come any closer,' God said 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.' Then he said, 'I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.' At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
The Lord said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey - the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.'
But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?'
And God said, 'I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.'
Moses said to God, 'Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you, ' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?'
God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.'"
Exodus 4:29-31
"Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped."
(There is quite a lot of content regarding Moses' feelings between the first and second Scripture References. I left it off for younger audiences, but that could be a lesson in itself with an older group!)
Activity
I'm going to have the kids make a "burning bush" tonight. This could easily be done with construction paper leaves and red/yellow strips of paper. This might also make a fun painting project. Instead, I want to help the kids create a burning bush by using a fan, a construction paper "bush" and strips of red, yellow, and gold ribbon. I'll have the kids use tape to tape the bush and ribbon "fire" together. (The fan will be unplugged for safety until I'm ready to use it.) When all of the parts are taped together, I will turn on the fan (out of reach of children.) We'll turn off the light and shine a flashlight on our burning bush to give it a more "fire-like" appearance.
*If you plan to do this project, please make sure that the children understand the danger of being around a fan. Depending on the ages involved, you may also want to create the bush in advance and use it as a story illustration instead so that little guys don't get the idea that playing with a fan is safe.
How It Went
Kiera thought that our "burning bush" was pretty cool. Andrew was interested, but not quite as much as Kiera. I'm sure that was partly because I didn't let him help make it; he has always had a fascination with all things he shouldn't have, which has included fans in the past. I didn't want to encourage him to have an interest again.
We found that curling ribbon didn't work as well as ribbon from a old bow I had. Kiera also colored some tissue paper in fire-like colors, and that worked well too.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Baby Moses ~ Exodus 2:1-10
Scripture Reference
Exodus 2:1-10
"Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. 'This is one of the Hebrew babies,' she said.
Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?'
'Yes, go,' she answered. And the girl went and got the baby's mother. Pharaoh's daughter said to her, 'Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you,' So the woman took the baby and nursed him. When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, 'I drew him out of the water'."
Memory Verse
Exodus 15:2
"The Lord is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him..."
Activity
I'd planned to play a game for our activity tonight. I was going to hide a baby-doll somewhere in the room, we were going to take turns hiding/searching for the doll (Moses). I was going to have the kids search for him just as the Egyptians searched for the baby boys of Moses' time and maybe as the servant girl searched for the basket among the reeds.
*If you're teaching in a classroom where hiding places are scarce, consider cutting a smaller circle out of construction paper and drawing in a baby-ish face (possibly even adding in some yarn hair) and using this "baby" in place of a doll.
How It Went
We did not do our Bible Study today. The kids wanted to play outside when Kiera got home from school, then we had someplace we had to go. Andrew spent most of the afternoon in tears and fits; even after his nap, he was overly tired from a busy week and a night filled with wake-ups. Kiera spent a good portion of her night in fits too because she was also overly tired. She was upset to a large degree because she wanted to buy items to give to a missions project at church. After quite a lot of tears, we decided that I would pay her a quarter for every toy that she decided to give to our garage sale boxes. She earned a little over $6, but since she doesn't have a real grasp on money yet, she didn't think she could get many items with that amount. In then end, we decide that I would make a sort of store where she could buy things off the "needed items" list. I had lots of items in my stockpile that were on the list, so I'll mark prices on each item and she'll be able to "shop" with her money in my store tomorrow. ~ We're going to have a very relaxing weekend and next week's schedule is going to be extremely reduced for us!
Exodus 2:1-10
"Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. 'This is one of the Hebrew babies,' she said.
Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?'
'Yes, go,' she answered. And the girl went and got the baby's mother. Pharaoh's daughter said to her, 'Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you,' So the woman took the baby and nursed him. When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, 'I drew him out of the water'."
Memory Verse
Exodus 15:2
"The Lord is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him..."
Activity
I'd planned to play a game for our activity tonight. I was going to hide a baby-doll somewhere in the room, we were going to take turns hiding/searching for the doll (Moses). I was going to have the kids search for him just as the Egyptians searched for the baby boys of Moses' time and maybe as the servant girl searched for the basket among the reeds.
*If you're teaching in a classroom where hiding places are scarce, consider cutting a smaller circle out of construction paper and drawing in a baby-ish face (possibly even adding in some yarn hair) and using this "baby" in place of a doll.
How It Went
We did not do our Bible Study today. The kids wanted to play outside when Kiera got home from school, then we had someplace we had to go. Andrew spent most of the afternoon in tears and fits; even after his nap, he was overly tired from a busy week and a night filled with wake-ups. Kiera spent a good portion of her night in fits too because she was also overly tired. She was upset to a large degree because she wanted to buy items to give to a missions project at church. After quite a lot of tears, we decided that I would pay her a quarter for every toy that she decided to give to our garage sale boxes. She earned a little over $6, but since she doesn't have a real grasp on money yet, she didn't think she could get many items with that amount. In then end, we decide that I would make a sort of store where she could buy things off the "needed items" list. I had lots of items in my stockpile that were on the list, so I'll mark prices on each item and she'll be able to "shop" with her money in my store tomorrow. ~ We're going to have a very relaxing weekend and next week's schedule is going to be extremely reduced for us!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Joseph's Brothers Buy Grain ~ Genesis 42,43,44,and 45
Scripture Reference
Genesis 42-45
Since the scripture reference is so long, I'm going to leave it off for today. I'm not trying to downplay the significance of the scripture; it's just quite a lot to include here...
Memory Verse
Colossians 3:13
"...Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Activity
I really had to think and pray about this one...it's hard to find a new and different activity for this story.
It might be fun to have a box of grain for the kids to play in (a small version of a sandbox using grain), but that takes some planning and special supplies for most of us.
I also considered filling a clear container (such as a soda/water bottle) with grain and adding a small "cup"-shape cut out of cardboard. Then the kids could turn the bottle around-and-around and upside-down to find the "cup" in the grain. Again, special planning and supplies would be needed. I considered using some of the leftover corn from our garden, but that isn't Biblically accurate...
The above ideas would be much more interesting, but I decided that since Kiera wanted to do a craft so badly yesterday, we will do a craft-activity. I'm going to cut a 2-sided shape of a grain sack out of brown paper. (I'll be using a brown grocery sack since our brown construction paper is gone.) We'll be drawing in some grain and adding a cut-out "cup" inside the grain-sack. I'm going to have the kids decorate their cups (colored silver) with sequins (jewels) from our craft cabinet. The jewels aren't in the scriptures for today, but I'm imagining that because he was second-only to Pharaoh, Joseph had some very fine things...Use your discretion on this. It would also be cute (though messy) to glue in some "grain".
How It Went
Andrew has loved sparkly things for as long as I can remember. Of course, when you have a big sister who loves everything "girlie", you get exposed to things like that at an early age! I think he even came home from the hospital as an infant with a few sparkles in his hair. Needless to say, he LOVED today's activity! It was also good for his fine motor skills, as well as hand-eye coordination. Kiera thought that the lesson was "okay", but it was a little below her capabilities. I think her enthusiasm was also a little squelched because we had to come in from outside to do our Bible study. She also wanted to leave for church quickly, so she was in a rush. Not a bad activity overall though.
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Genesis 42-45
Since the scripture reference is so long, I'm going to leave it off for today. I'm not trying to downplay the significance of the scripture; it's just quite a lot to include here...
Memory Verse
Colossians 3:13
"...Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Activity
I really had to think and pray about this one...it's hard to find a new and different activity for this story.
It might be fun to have a box of grain for the kids to play in (a small version of a sandbox using grain), but that takes some planning and special supplies for most of us.
I also considered filling a clear container (such as a soda/water bottle) with grain and adding a small "cup"-shape cut out of cardboard. Then the kids could turn the bottle around-and-around and upside-down to find the "cup" in the grain. Again, special planning and supplies would be needed. I considered using some of the leftover corn from our garden, but that isn't Biblically accurate...
The above ideas would be much more interesting, but I decided that since Kiera wanted to do a craft so badly yesterday, we will do a craft-activity. I'm going to cut a 2-sided shape of a grain sack out of brown paper. (I'll be using a brown grocery sack since our brown construction paper is gone.) We'll be drawing in some grain and adding a cut-out "cup" inside the grain-sack. I'm going to have the kids decorate their cups (colored silver) with sequins (jewels) from our craft cabinet. The jewels aren't in the scriptures for today, but I'm imagining that because he was second-only to Pharaoh, Joseph had some very fine things...Use your discretion on this. It would also be cute (though messy) to glue in some "grain".
How It Went
Andrew has loved sparkly things for as long as I can remember. Of course, when you have a big sister who loves everything "girlie", you get exposed to things like that at an early age! I think he even came home from the hospital as an infant with a few sparkles in his hair. Needless to say, he LOVED today's activity! It was also good for his fine motor skills, as well as hand-eye coordination. Kiera thought that the lesson was "okay", but it was a little below her capabilities. I think her enthusiasm was also a little squelched because we had to come in from outside to do our Bible study. She also wanted to leave for church quickly, so she was in a rush. Not a bad activity overall though.
Top: Andrew working with his sparkles; he wanted to put them everywhere! Bottom: Andrew's cup and
grain sack (left) with Kiera's.
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The kids love the "Beginner Bible" video series. We checked out this one about "Joseph and His Brothers" from the church library. Kiera even sings along with the song! J It might make for a good Christmas gift!
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Monday, September 5, 2011
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams ~ Genesis 41:1-40
I'm sorry for the posting delay! I was sick on Saturday and spent a good portion of the day in bed. I'm recovering, but then I had "technical difficulties" and couldn't get my computer to turn on and stay on. I'm praying that I'll be able to have no interruptions like those over the weekend so that I can get some new posts up! I've missed blogging!!
Scripture Reference
Genesis 41:1-40 (NIV)
"When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted - thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
Then the chief cup bearer said to Pharaoh, 'Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dreams. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.'
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.'
'I cannot do it,' Joseph replied to Pharaoh, 'but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.'
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up - scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.
But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. They I woke up.
In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted - withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me.'
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, 'The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind. They are seven years of famine.
'It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reasons the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.
'And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.'
The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, 'Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?'
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you'."
Activity
When I was little, I always had a hard time envisioning the skinny cows eating the fat cows, so while telling the Bible story today, I'm going to illustrate it a little using sock puppets. We always seem to have extra socks (singles), so I'm going to choose one small sock and one big one to represent the types of cows. I'll use a permanent marker to draw on eyes and nose-hoses (two spots). On the smaller cow, I'll cut a small slit in the mouth. Then as I read/tell the story, I'll have the skinny cow gobble up the fat cow. (I'll use the slit in the small sock to pull in the larger sock until it can't be seen.)
How It Went
Both kids really enjoyed the illustration. Kiera knew what I had done right away, but Andrew looked and looked for the puppet of the big cow. He checked up my t-shirt sleeve, behind me, etc. It was fun to watch him try and figure it out!
Kiera immediately wanted to know what our activity for the night would be. I told her that we'd done an illustration tonight with the puppets, rather than an activity. She told me in no uncertain terms that would not be acceptable. She wanted to make cow masks!
Below is a picture of our cow masks and sock puppets. Looking at the puppets now that the lesson is done, I guess I should have given them ears to make them look a little more cow-like! The cow on the left is the larger one; it's a men's tube sock. The one on the right is an ankle sock - not tiny, but it has to be able to "eat" the other sock...
Kiera didn't want to do what I suggested. I would have rather made them into cows by taping spots on their clothing, making headbands with "ears", and maybe adding a paper cow-bell.
Scripture Reference
Genesis 41:1-40 (NIV)
"When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted - thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
Then the chief cup bearer said to Pharaoh, 'Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dreams. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.'
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.'
'I cannot do it,' Joseph replied to Pharaoh, 'but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.'
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up - scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.
But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. They I woke up.
In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted - withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me.'
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, 'The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind. They are seven years of famine.
'It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reasons the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.
'And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.'
The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, 'Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?'
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you'."
Activity
When I was little, I always had a hard time envisioning the skinny cows eating the fat cows, so while telling the Bible story today, I'm going to illustrate it a little using sock puppets. We always seem to have extra socks (singles), so I'm going to choose one small sock and one big one to represent the types of cows. I'll use a permanent marker to draw on eyes and nose-hoses (two spots). On the smaller cow, I'll cut a small slit in the mouth. Then as I read/tell the story, I'll have the skinny cow gobble up the fat cow. (I'll use the slit in the small sock to pull in the larger sock until it can't be seen.)
How It Went
Both kids really enjoyed the illustration. Kiera knew what I had done right away, but Andrew looked and looked for the puppet of the big cow. He checked up my t-shirt sleeve, behind me, etc. It was fun to watch him try and figure it out!
Kiera immediately wanted to know what our activity for the night would be. I told her that we'd done an illustration tonight with the puppets, rather than an activity. She told me in no uncertain terms that would not be acceptable. She wanted to make cow masks!
Below is a picture of our cow masks and sock puppets. Looking at the puppets now that the lesson is done, I guess I should have given them ears to make them look a little more cow-like! The cow on the left is the larger one; it's a men's tube sock. The one on the right is an ankle sock - not tiny, but it has to be able to "eat" the other sock...
Kiera didn't want to do what I suggested. I would have rather made them into cows by taping spots on their clothing, making headbands with "ears", and maybe adding a paper cow-bell.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Joseph Sold Into Slavery ~ Genesis 37:12-36
Scripture Reference
Genesis 37:12-36 (NIV)
"Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, and Isreal (Jacob) said to Joseph, 'As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.'
'Very well,' he replied.
So he said to him, 'Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.' Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, 'What are you looking for?'
He replied, 'I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?'
'They have moved on from here,' the man answered. 'I heard them say, "Let's go to Dothan.'"
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
'Here comes that dreamer!' they said to each other. 'Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams.'
When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. 'Let's not take his life,' he said. Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him.' Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe - the richly ornamented robe he was wearing - and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
Judah said to his brothers, 'What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.' His brothers agreed.
So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, 'The boy isn't there! When can I turn now?'
Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, 'We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe.'
He recognized it and said, 'It is my son's robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.'
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. 'No,' he said, 'in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son.' So his father wept for him.
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard."
Memory Verse
Colossians 3:13
"...Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Activity
Kiera has enjoyed acting out our Bible stories so much that I thought we would do that again; it's pretty much a nightly request and she knows the story of Joseph very well already. We're going to build a well out of blocks. (Pillows would make a good substitute for the blocks if none are on hand.) She'll likely play the part of Joseph and Andrew and I will be all of the brothers.
How It Went
It's getting close to bed-time and we've had a full day because of a church activity and some other things. We're going to skip tonight's devotion.
Tomorrow at the church library we're going to pick up "The Beginner's Bible: Joseph and His Brothers" by Sony Wonder. Both of our kids LOVE this video series.
Genesis 37:12-36 (NIV)
"Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, and Isreal (Jacob) said to Joseph, 'As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.'
'Very well,' he replied.
So he said to him, 'Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.' Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, 'What are you looking for?'
He replied, 'I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?'
'They have moved on from here,' the man answered. 'I heard them say, "Let's go to Dothan.'"
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
'Here comes that dreamer!' they said to each other. 'Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams.'
When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. 'Let's not take his life,' he said. Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him.' Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe - the richly ornamented robe he was wearing - and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
Judah said to his brothers, 'What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.' His brothers agreed.
So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, 'The boy isn't there! When can I turn now?'
Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, 'We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe.'
He recognized it and said, 'It is my son's robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.'
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. 'No,' he said, 'in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son.' So his father wept for him.
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard."
Memory Verse
Colossians 3:13
"...Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Activity
Kiera has enjoyed acting out our Bible stories so much that I thought we would do that again; it's pretty much a nightly request and she knows the story of Joseph very well already. We're going to build a well out of blocks. (Pillows would make a good substitute for the blocks if none are on hand.) She'll likely play the part of Joseph and Andrew and I will be all of the brothers.
How It Went
It's getting close to bed-time and we've had a full day because of a church activity and some other things. We're going to skip tonight's devotion.
Tomorrow at the church library we're going to pick up "The Beginner's Bible: Joseph and His Brothers" by Sony Wonder. Both of our kids LOVE this video series.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Joseph's Coat ~ Genesis 37:1-11
Scripture Reference
Genesis 37:1-11 (NIV)
"Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
Now Isreal (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, 'Listen to this dream I had. We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.'
His brothers said to him, 'Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?' And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. 'Listen,' he said, 'I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.'
When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, 'What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you? His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind."
Memory Verse
Colossians 3:13
"...Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Activity
Kiera and Andrew will be doing different activities tonight. Kiera is going to make a coat. I'll give her a paper grocery bag. We'll cut a split along the seam that runs in the center of the back of the bag. Then we'll cut a circular hole in the bottom of the bag for her neck. We'll also cut two large holes in the bottom-sides of the bag for her arms. I'll flip the bag inside out and probably will have to staple the bottom of the bag to get it to keep its shape. Then Kiera will color the bag to her liking to have a coat like Joseph might have had. Andrew could have easily done this activity too, but he doesn't like to wear anything out of the ordinary. That typically includes dress-up clothes, so I was pretty sure it would also include paper sacks (and not wearing it afterward would limit the fun of making it...)
Andrew will be coloring a picture that I drew of a coat. He's really "into" coloring lately and usually starts by trying to color in the lines, so I want to encourage that.
How It Went
Kiera and I colored her coat project together. She just decorate the front, which she enjoyed, and then she wanted to act out today's Bible story. We actually decided to encourage Andrew on his coloring (and learning the letters of his name) instead. Andrew loves to get compliments on his work...especially from Kiera!
Other Possible Activities
When I was teaching Sunday School classes on a regular basis, I actually sewed a coat for this story. I've used it so many times over the years. I just used very colorful striped fabric and made a very rough, no-pattern-required, large robe for the kids to play with as dress up. I also used it as an example as I read the story and let all the kids try it on when the story was done. Even if sewing isn't your strongpoint, you could use fabric glue to put large rectangles of colored fabric together to form a vest from colored fabric.
Genesis 37:1-11 (NIV)
"Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
Now Isreal (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, 'Listen to this dream I had. We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.'
His brothers said to him, 'Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?' And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. 'Listen,' he said, 'I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.'
When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, 'What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you? His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind."
Memory Verse
Colossians 3:13
"...Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Activity
Kiera and Andrew will be doing different activities tonight. Kiera is going to make a coat. I'll give her a paper grocery bag. We'll cut a split along the seam that runs in the center of the back of the bag. Then we'll cut a circular hole in the bottom of the bag for her neck. We'll also cut two large holes in the bottom-sides of the bag for her arms. I'll flip the bag inside out and probably will have to staple the bottom of the bag to get it to keep its shape. Then Kiera will color the bag to her liking to have a coat like Joseph might have had. Andrew could have easily done this activity too, but he doesn't like to wear anything out of the ordinary. That typically includes dress-up clothes, so I was pretty sure it would also include paper sacks (and not wearing it afterward would limit the fun of making it...)
Andrew will be coloring a picture that I drew of a coat. He's really "into" coloring lately and usually starts by trying to color in the lines, so I want to encourage that.
How It Went
Kiera and I colored her coat project together. She just decorate the front, which she enjoyed, and then she wanted to act out today's Bible story. We actually decided to encourage Andrew on his coloring (and learning the letters of his name) instead. Andrew loves to get compliments on his work...especially from Kiera!
Other Possible Activities
When I was teaching Sunday School classes on a regular basis, I actually sewed a coat for this story. I've used it so many times over the years. I just used very colorful striped fabric and made a very rough, no-pattern-required, large robe for the kids to play with as dress up. I also used it as an example as I read the story and let all the kids try it on when the story was done. Even if sewing isn't your strongpoint, you could use fabric glue to put large rectangles of colored fabric together to form a vest from colored fabric.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Jacob's Flocks ~ Genesis 30:25-43
Scripture Reference
Genesis 30:25-43
*I've added "..." in a few places that talk about mating. It is not my place to decide what, if any, of these scriptures are read to others' children.
"After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban. 'Send me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland. Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way. You know how much work I've done for you.'
But Laban said to him, 'If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.' He added. 'Name your wages, and I will pay them.'
Jacob said to him, "You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock has fared under my care. The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?'
'What shall I give you?' he asked.
'Don't give me anything,' Jacob replied. 'But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them. Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages. And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen.'
'Agreed,' said Laban, 'Let it be as you have said.' That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs, and he placed them in the care of his sons. Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban's flocks...
He (Jacob) made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban's animals...
So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large locks, and the maidservants and menservants and camels and donkeys."
Activity
We're going to start with 2 small balls of play-dough in different colors. (I happen to have black and white.) I'm going to explain that the white represents Laban's flocks, and the black represents Jacob's. Then I'm going to tell the kids that when white sheep and black sheep have babies, they are generally have spotted coats. I'll illustrate this using the play-dough balls. When they mix, they create a spotted ball.
How It Went
Kiera enjoyed the activity, but I don't think she really "got it". I think in the end, all she was able to grasp was that Jacob tricked Laban.
Genesis 30:25-43
*I've added "..." in a few places that talk about mating. It is not my place to decide what, if any, of these scriptures are read to others' children.
"After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban. 'Send me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland. Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way. You know how much work I've done for you.'
But Laban said to him, 'If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.' He added. 'Name your wages, and I will pay them.'
Jacob said to him, "You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock has fared under my care. The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?'
'What shall I give you?' he asked.
'Don't give me anything,' Jacob replied. 'But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them. Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages. And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen.'
'Agreed,' said Laban, 'Let it be as you have said.' That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs, and he placed them in the care of his sons. Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban's flocks...
He (Jacob) made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban's animals...
So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large locks, and the maidservants and menservants and camels and donkeys."
Activity
We're going to start with 2 small balls of play-dough in different colors. (I happen to have black and white.) I'm going to explain that the white represents Laban's flocks, and the black represents Jacob's. Then I'm going to tell the kids that when white sheep and black sheep have babies, they are generally have spotted coats. I'll illustrate this using the play-dough balls. When they mix, they create a spotted ball.
How It Went
Kiera enjoyed the activity, but I don't think she really "got it". I think in the end, all she was able to grasp was that Jacob tricked Laban.
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