Etmo (ET-moh) Embrace the Moment

Transcription

1 (ET-moh) Embrace the Moment ENLIGH: PREPARE YOURSELF (The Hummingbird) Embrace the moment! Each moment is a gift to be cherished, not discarded by regrets from the past or worries about the future. What does the statement above mean to you? 1828 definition of embrace 2 : To seize eagerly; to lay hold on; to receive or take with willingness that which is offered. Listen to the Hummingbird. Record your thoughts and impressions. Read the hummingbird facts. After reading the animal facts and listening to the song, how can you liken the hummingbird to embracing the moment? Are there stories in your core books that exemplify? Find stories about individuals who had an unexpected event come up. How did they embrace the moment? In s song it says: So EMBRACE this moment and you will discover the power of creation in loving each golden moment of time. What was created in that moment when he/she embraced the moment? How did their ability to embrace the moment affect those around them? HOW TO USE ETMO Respect and cherish each moment, for it is the only reality that we have. The past has gone; learn from it. The future is yet to come; prepare for it. The present is now; act upon it. The best way to prepare for the future is to learn from the past (free of regrets) and act on the now. RESULTS FROM APPLYING ETMO Prevents past negative experiences and future concerns to waste or procrastinate time away Greatly assists in seizing new opportunities Reduces stress and increases energy Increases gratitude READ THE TALE OF HOPE: Read together the section in The Tale of Hope: Island of Resilience. COMING SOON! 1

2 LISTEN TO THE SONG: Listen to the Hummingbird. EXPLORE THE HUMMINGBIRD: 1. Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world, their eggs are smaller than a jelly bean. They are native to the Americas only. 2. Many hummingbirds have bright colored feathers, especially around the neck. They can flash these colors but also hide them when needed. 3. Hummingbirds drink the nectar from blooming flowers. They can remember every flower they visit and know how long it takes a blossom to refill. 4. A hummingbird s tongue is very long, sometimes as long as it s body. When a hummingbird feeds, it gets close to the flower and appears to embrace the flower as it laps up the nectar with its tongue. 5. A hummingbird is the only bird that can hover, and fly backward as well as forward. Flowers are very delicate and instead of landing on the flower, a hummingbird stays in one spot in the air to feed. 6. The male hummingbird is extremely territorial; it will chase other hummingbirds out of the area if it feels encroached upon. 7. What else can you learn about hummingbirds? PONDER: 1. What does it mean to embrace the moment ()? How can you liken the hummingbird to embracing the moment? 2. When a hummingbird feeds, it gets close to the flower and appears to embrace the flower as it laps up the nectar with its tongue. What are things you can do to embrace the moment? How can you embrace difficult moments? 3. Hummingbirds can remember every flower they visit. What important moments/events in your life have you embraced and what have you done to remember those events? Why is it important to remember those things? 4. The male hummingbird is extremely territorial, and will chase other hummingbirds out of the area if it feels encroached upon. It is important to embrace moments with loved ones. What are some things that get in the way of embracing moments with your family and what can you do to chase these things away? 2

3 Teaching Tip If you want someone to know the truth, tell them the truth. If you want someone to love the truth, tell them a story. Story is how human beings make sense of the world. Throughout history, all peoples in the world have used stories to pass on wisdom and culture to their children. Personal and family stories sink deeply into the hearts of children and help them know who they are and how they fit into the world. Look to your everyday life for powerful stories to which your children will relate. Find personal or family stories that might be relevant to the issues your family is currently experiencing. Ancestral stories teach us it's in our DNA to do difficult things. Clive Romney Search your core books for stories that will stir your children's hearts. Tell them in your own words with as much detail as possible to bring them alive. 3

4 Stories A Mission in Dark Places During WWII, two Christian sisters, Betsie and Corrie ten Boom, were sent to a concentration camp for hiding Jews in their home. Through miraculous means, they were able to smuggle a Bible into their camp. In her book, The Hiding Place, Corrie tells their story. The barracks appeared almost identical with the one we had left this morning, except that this one was furnished with bunks as well as tables and benches. And still we were not allowed to sit: there was a last wait while the matron with maddening deliberateness checked off our documents against a list. Betsie! I wailed, how long will it take? Perhaps a long, long time. Perhaps many years. But what better way could there be to spend our lives? I turned to stare at her. Whatever are you talking about? These young women. That girl back at the bunkers. Corrie, if people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love! We must find a way, you and I, no matter how long it takes. She went on, almost forgetting in her excitement to keep her voice to a whisper, while I slowly took in the fact that she was talking about the guards. I glanced at the matron seated at the desk ahead of us. I saw a gray uniform and a visored hat; Betsie saw a wounded human being. [Life in camp] grew harder and harder. Even within these four walls [of our barracks] there was too much misery, too much seemingly pointless suffering. Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy. Will you carry this too, Lord Jesus? But as the rest of the world grew stranger, one thing became increasingly clear. And that was the reason the two of us were here. Why others should suffer we were not shown. As for us, from morning until lights-out, whenever we were not in ranks for roll call, our Bible was the center of an ever-widening circle of help and hope. Like waifs clustered around a blazing fire, we gathered about it, holding out our hearts to its warmth and light. The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the world of God. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 4

5 I would look about us as Betsie read, watching the light leap from face to face. More than conquerors. It was not a wish. It was a fact. We knew it, we experienced it minute by minute poor, hated, hungry. We are more than conquerors. Not we shall be. We are! Life in Ravensbruck took place on two separate levels, mutually impossible. One, the observable, external life, grew every day more horrible. The other, the life we lived with God, grew daily better, truth upon truth, glory upon glory. Discussion Questions 1. How did Corrie and Betsie live the principle of? 2. Is it possible to embrace and love a terrible moment in time? Was Corrie s and Betsie s time in the concentration camp a gift? Why or why not? 3. How does their story inspire you to live the principle of? 5

6 To the First Robin by Orison Swett Marden The air was keen and biting, and traces of snow still lingered on the ground and sparkled on the tree tops in the morning sun. But the happy, rosy-cheeked children, lately freed from the restraints of city life, who played in the old garden in Concord, Massachusetts, that bright spring morning many years ago, heeded not the biting wind or the lingering snow. As they raced up and down the paths, in and out among the trees, their cheeks took on a deeper glow, their eyes a brighter sparkle, while their shouts of merry laughter made the morning glad. But stay, what is this? What has happened to check the laughter on their lips, and dim their bright eyes with tears? The little group, headed by Louisa, has suddenly come to a pause under a tree, where a wee robin, half dead with hunger and cold, has fallen from its perch. Poor, poor birdie! exclaimed a chorus of pitying voices. It is dead, poor little thing, said Anna. No, said Louisa, the leader of the children in fun and works of mercy alike; it is warm, and I can feel its heart beat. As she spoke, she gathered the tiny bundle of feathers to her bosom, and, heading the little procession, turned toward the house. A warm nest was made for the foundling, and, with motherly care, the little Louisa May Alcott, then only eight years old, fed and nursed back to life the half-famished bird. Before the feathered claimant on her mercy flew away to freedom, the future authoress, the children s friend, who loved and pitied all helpless things, wrote her first poem, and called it To the First Robin. It contained only these two stanzas:-- Welcome, welcome, little stranger, Fear no harm, and fear no danger; We are glad to see you here, For you sing, Sweet spring is near. Now the white snow melts away, Now the flowers blossom gay; Come, dear bird, and build your nest, 6

7 For we love our robin best. Source: Stories from Life, Orison Swett Marden, pp (1904). Librariesofhope.com Discussion Questions 1. How did Louisa embrace the moment in this story? 2. What did Louisa discover about herself by living the principle of? 3. Have you ever had an experience like this that changed your life? What was it? 7

8 Movies Foster (Angel in the House) Screen Media Looking to adopt a child, and unable to conceive a child of their own, the Morrison's lives are turned upside down when a 7-year-old boy unexpectedly shows up on their doorstep. 1. In times of challenge, whether current or in the past, evaluate how you have embraced the moment. When faced with financial, health, or unexpected setbacks, how would you like to apply better? 2. In the cemetery scene, Mr. Potts shared, Up from the ashes grow the roses of success." How can the principles of be applied to this thought? 3. How can being present in your life create more freedom? The Little Prince Netflix original film A little girl is being pushed to grow up too fast when she meets a kind, old man, the Aviator. He teaches her, through the story of the Little Prince, how to grow up without forgetting how to embrace the important things in life. 1. Which characters in the movie understood how to embrace the moment? Which characters didn't? What was the difference between them? 2. The Aviator said there was nothing wrong with growing up, only forgetting. What did the Aviator remember that some adults forget? What things from your childhood do you want to take into adulthood? 3. The little girl's mother was so focused on the future that she didn't embrace the moment. Should we focus on the future? How can you keep a balance between focusing on the future and living in the present? 4. In the movie, the moments when people were living in the present were shown in vivid color. How does living in the moment bring more color into your life? 5. The Little Prince said, "It is only with your heart you see rightly." What did he mean? How does your heart help you embrace each moment? 6. The people in the big city didn't seem to embrace the moment. What environments make it easier for you to live in the moment? Which make it harder? 7. What is the connection between embracing the moment and resilience? Saved For A Reason Crista Media and Thespis Motion Pictures This 60-minute documentary depicts the journey of the Kings Knight's Basketball Team. A midseason accident threatens to ruin their dreams of the State Championship, but players, coaches, and the community gain much more when they are inspired by the lessons learned along the way. 1. Why do you think people often look to the future for happiness instead of in the moment? 2. What did the basketball players learn from the accident? 8

9 3. How did their near-death experience change the way they looked at winning the state championship? 4. The basketball players' jerseys had the slogan, 'To Love God. To Love Others.' How can practicing help a person accomplish that goal? 5. How did Coach Skeen start living a life with more after the accident? 6. What ways did other people embrace the learning that came from the boys' experience? 7. Was the wreck a good thing or a bad thing? Why? 9

10 Discussion Questions Lesson Ideas 1. Name one fact about the hummingbird and how it reminds you of embracing the moment. 2. What are some examples of your day to day living that you can embrace the moment and live in the present? Song Extensions COLOR: Invite your family to color the coloring page as they listen to the song. DISCUSSION: How can you EMBRACE THE NOW? Listen to the Hummingbird. ACTIVITY: RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHT. In this game, one person plays the "stop light" and the rest try to touch him/her. - All children form a line about 15 feet away from the stop light. - The stop light faces away from the line of kids and says "green light". At this point the kids are allowed to move towards the stoplight. - At any point, the stop light may say, "red light!" and turn around. If any of the kids are caught moving after this has occurred, they have to begin again. - Play resumes when the stop light turns back around and says "green light". - The first player to touch the stop light wins the game and earns the right to be "stop light" for the next game. After a few rounds of play ask them how embracing the green light moment helped them progress toward reaching their goal of touching the stop light. WORD PUZZLES: Do the word search, crossword, or coloring page while you listen to songs you have already learned. Additional Activities OPTIONAL ATTENTION ACTIVITY: Have everyone place their electronic devices in a basket and talk with family members about three things they did today. Listen as each member shares his/her experiences. Afterwards, discuss how it felt to be present with each other in the moment. VIDEO: Find a video clip about the hummingbird. 10

11 CHALLENGE: What role does recreation play in your life? Set a goal to embrace the moment with your family and enjoy a fun activity this week. ART: Get some sidewalk chalk and create an impromptu mural on your driveway or sidewalk. QUOTE ACTIVITY AND ART PROJECT: Choose a quote and invite your family to create a poster to illustrate it. Display your poster. Spend time memorizing the quote. Make the quote into a little song or chant! OBJECT LESSON: Wrap three presents, labeled past, present, and future. Discuss what gift can be opened and received right now. How does hanging on to the past prevent us from opening our present one? What gift matters the most in opening and receiving? 11

12 the Hummingbird ANIMAL FACTS Embrace the Moment 1. Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world, their eggs are smaller than a jelly bean. They are native to the Americas only. 2. Many hummingbirds have bright colored feathers, especially around the neck. They can flash these colors but also hide them when needed. 3. Hummingbirds drink the nectar from blooming flowers. They can remember every flower they visit and know how long it takes a blossom to refill. 4. A hummingbird s tongue is very long, sometimes as long as it s body. When a hummingbird feeds, it gets close to the flower and appears to embrace the flower as it laps up the nectar with its tongue. 5. A hummingbird is the only bird that can hover, and fly backward as well as forward. Flowers are very delicate and instead of landing on the flower, a hummingbird stays in one spot in the air to feed. 6. The male hummingbird is extremely territorial; it will chase other hummingbirds out of the area if it feels encroached upon. 7. What else can you learn about hummingbirds? PONDER 1. What does it mean to embrace the moment ()? How can you liken the hummingbird to embracing the moment? 2. When a hummingbird feeds, it gets close to the flower and appears to embrace the flower as it laps up the nectar with its tongue. What are things you can do to embrace the moment? How can you embrace difficult moments? 3. Hummingbirds can remember every flower they visit. What important moments/events in your life have you embraced and what have you done to remember those events? Why is it important to remember those things? 4. The male hummingbird is extremely territorial, and will chase other hummingbirds out of the area if it feels encroached upon. It is important to embrace moments with loved ones. What are some things that get in the way of embracing moments with your family and what can you do to chase these things away? 12

13 the Hummingbird, the hummingbird, can only be discovered by Embracing in reverence the presence of each golden moment of time. Embrace the now, this moment now. Embrace the now, this moment now. The principle of effectiveness is acting in the now. The past is gone, the future yet to be, and only in the present is reality. Recognize, respect the gift it is. So EMBRACE, this moment and you will discover The power of creation In loving each golden moment of time. Embrace the now, this moment now. Embrace the now, this moment now. The principle of effectiveness is acting in the now. The past is gone, the future yet to be, and only in the present is reality. Recognize, respect the gift it is. 13

14 14

15 The past is gone; learn from it. The future is yet to come; prepare for it. The present is now; act upon it. ~ Roger Anthony 15

16 Embrace the moment! Each moment is a gift to be cherished, not discarded by regrets from the past or worries about the future. ~Roger Anthony 16

17 ETMO CROSSWORD Across 2. Embracing in reverence the presence of each golden moment of. 4. the, can only be discovered The principle of effectiveness is acting in the. 7. Recognize, respect the it is. Down 1. The past is gone, the future yet to be, and only in the is reality. 3. So this moment and you will discover the power of creation. 5. Embrace the now, this now. *Hint: The answers can be found in the song. If you need additional help refer to the word bank at the end of the document. 17

18 ETMO WORD SEARCH G E R J U K U K I E A X K D S D S N Y J H I S N C R S D X E C O J T I M E F E K E S W F B W F S F D G V M M H T W M O M E N T F O J B J G E R L H K H G K C T R K C R E A T I O N H S R A L R T U S K H O C L I V C I S Y K E H H M G U D F E Y G J G T R G T K T E R H P K S F D W R E Y E R E D R I B G N I M M U H T W Q U C V B H D D N X C G ETMO HUMMINGBIRD NOW CREATION MOMENT EMBRACE TIME DISCOVER 18

19 19

20 ETMO CROSSWORD Word Bank Present Time Now Moment Embrace Hummingbird Gift 20