modeling I see Christ in others, and they can see Him in me. FAMILY FOOD TIME p. 4 GAME TIME p. 6 STORYTELLING p. 7 PRAYER p. 10 BLESSING p.

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1 A FAMILY RESOURCE VOL. 3, ISSUE 6 Illustration by Anne Berry ENVIRONMENT modeling I see Christ in others, and they can see Him in me. M O N T H L Y FAMILY FOOD TIME p. 4 GAME TIME p. 6 STORYTELLING p. 7 PRAYER p. 10 BLESSING p. 14

2 How to Use this Resource It s as easy as Start by deciding on a day and time that works well for your entire family. It can be an evening, afternoon, or morning. Just commit to building this time into your family s natural rhythm. (It s usually best to build this time around a meal!) 2 Look through the HomeFront Monthly and see what stands out. Choose one or two experiences that you would like to incorporate into your family times this week. Don t feel burdened to complete all the activities at once, but carefully select which ones will fit your family best. Each month provides more than enough experiences to last you throughout the month. 3 Remember to HAVE FUN! Strive to make each gathering unique to your own family as you enjoy spending time with God and each other. Editor s Note Come on, guys follow me! bellowed my threeyear-old granddaughter Grayson. My son and I looked at each other and smiled, knowing she had no business being the leader because she had no idea where we were going. 2 At times I find myself saying the same thing to God: Come on, God follow me! I m sure He smiles patiently, understanding that I too have no business being the leader because, just like Grayson, I have no idea where we re going and don t know how to lead myself there. Living in the environment of MODELING, we quickly recognize we have a strong leader in God. God not only knows where we re going but also sets the perfect example for us to imitate along the way. As we follow Christ, others will see Him leading us and recognize His actions in our lives faith in the flesh! In this issue of HomeFront Monthly you ll find ideas and encouragement to help bring the environment of MODELING to your life. We hope the activities provided will help you model for your children the way Christ modeled for us. DEBBIE GUINN EDITOR the Tru Team Costa Mesa, CA

3 ENVIRONMENT MODELING Biblical content needs a practical living expression in order for it to be spiritually impacting. This is a hands-on example of what it means for children to put their faith into action. Modeling puts flesh on faith and reminds us that others are watching to see if we live what we believe. Ephesians 5:1 says, Be imitators of God as dearly loved children. We know that children love to imitate, so what do we as parents want them to imitate? As a parent, one of my deepest desires is for my kids to imitate God s truth. Modeling, then, becomes an expression of that. We become living representatives of the truth and what it means, whether as a parent or a volunteer. We are people who have experienced God s love through Christ and God s forgiveness in the model of Christ. He is our living example. The environment of MODELING serves as a hands-on example of what it means for both our children and us to put this faith into action. This month, as you model for your family what it looks like to live out a compelling and authentic faith, our prayer is that your view of God s truth and love will be on display for others. VERSE OF THE MONTH Memorizing Scripture can be an incredible practice to engage in as a family. But words in and of themselves will not necessarily transform us; it is God s Spirit in these words that transforms. We come to know God more when we are willing to open our hearts and receive His Holy Spirit through the words we memorize. Have fun with these verses, and think of creative ways to invite your family to open up to God as they commit these verses to memory. I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12 3 MICHELLE ANTHONY FAMILY MINISTRY ARCHITECT the Tru Team Costa Mesa, CA Jesus answered Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. John 14: David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

4 by Debbie Guinn FAMILY FOOD TIME Recipe They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And it s very flattering when your adult children want to replicate a piece of their childhood by creating a familiar family meal. Even though my daughter and her family live in a different state, we don t let that stop us from making our favorite recipes together. Chicken & Dumplings Prep Time:15 min. Total Cooking Time: 1 hour Chicken water) or 2 cups chicken broth Dumplings 4 Directions: 1. Place the chicken, bouillon or broth, and 4 quarts of water in a large pot, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 2. Simmer the chicken until tender and the juices run clear, about 40 minutes. 3. Remove the chicken from the pot, and, when it s cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. 4. Return the chicken meat to the broth in the pot. Keep warm over low heat. 5. Add the cream of chicken soup and bring to a boil over medium heat. To make dumplings: 6. Stir biscuit mix and milk together until soft dough forms. 7. Drop by spoonfuls into the boiling chicken mixture; reduce heat. 8. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, then cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. 9. Ladle chicken, gravy, and dumplings into bowls.

5 Cook with Your Kids If you re caught between finding time to prepare meals and spending quality time with your children, try cooking with them. Children enjoy helping in the kitchen and often are more willing to eat foods they ve helped to prepare. Make sure you assign kitchen tasks appropriate for each child s age. Two Year Olds: Bring ingredients from one place to another, wipe table tops, tear lettuce or greens, break cauliflower, play with utensils. Three Year Olds: Wrap potatoes in foil for baking, pour liquids, mix ingredients, shake liquids in a covered container, spread soft spreads, place things in the trash. Four Year Olds: Use hands to form round shapes, cut parsley or green onions with dull scissors, mash bananas with a fork, set table. Five to Six Year Olds: Measure ingredients, cut ingredients with blunt knife, use an eggbeater. Elementary-Age Kids: Assemble sandwiches, read recipe directions to you, roll dough, grate cheese, crack and beat eggs, etc. Middle and High School Kids: Involve them in meal planning, shopping, and even completely preparing the meal for a family night. 5 by Debbie Guinn Conversation Starters 1 Corinthians 11:1 says, Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. Get your children talking by posing this question to your family, and let everyone offer an answer. How do you see Jesus in me? Maybe your preschooler notices that Mommy consistently shows love to her. Or maybe your older child sees that Daddy faithfully helps with his homework and patiently leads him. You may need to guide everyone at first, but this will be a fun family exercise. Make it into a fun daily game looking for ways you see Jesus in each family member and recognizing those actions as ones you d like to follow so others can see Jesus in you!

6 by Erika Abdelatif Younger & Older Kids FAMILY GAME NIGHT! GAME TIME Fish Bowl! One of the best ways to connect with your family is to let your guard down and have fun together. This game provides an opportunity for family fun while also reinforcing the way Jesus modeled for us to live. People often watch our lives much like the way we watch a fish swimming around in a bowl. This game offers the opportunity to be the fish while others watch and wait to see if they can guess by our actions whom we re modeling our lives after: Christ! Divide into two teams. If your family is small, Setup this could be a great opportunity to invite friends, neighbors, or extended family to join in the fun. Get a sheet of paper for each family member playing the game and cut it into three strips. Give each person three strips, and without anyone peeking, have each person write on each strip a way Jesus calls us to live. (For younger children, you will need an older team member to help out.) For example: Love one another or Share with those in need. When you re finished writing, fold the strips in half, place them in a large bowl, and mix them up. How to Play read it to himself. (For younger children, you will need an older team member to help out.) paper without using any of the words on it. teammates should shout out their guesses. grab another strip. (Make sure she doesn t put her strip back into the bowl after it s been used!) bowl to the next player in the circle, and continue playing until the bowl is empty. strips each team correctly guessed. The second time around, consider changing things up and acting out the words or phrases on the strips without speaking! Keep playing until all the strips are gone. If you start a third round, consider having each person use only one word to describe the word or phrase written on the strip saying that one word only once! Tally your team s points after each round. The team that successfully guesses the most words or phrases wins! 6

7 by RaeLynn Lott STORYTELLING A Prayer for Dolly My friends Mike and Tina have their hands full with two small children. The days get busy between changing diapers, playing with dolls, calming tears, and running a chaotic household. Though life is often crazy, they still believe that as parents their primary role is to model a living and active faith to their children. For them, one tangible way to show their faith to their children is through prayer. Mike and Tina believe that praying for their girls and modeling a prayer life are essential in parenting. Before they eat, they pray. When they celebrate something, they pray. When someone feels sick or is having a bad day, they model to their daughters how to lay hands on one another and pray. They want their girls to know from a young age that they serve a God who listens to and answers their prayers. Mike and Tina wonder if their prayers make a difference in the lives of their children. Do they understand what prayer means? Do they know who God is? While they may not know the answers to these questions, as parents, Mike and Tina continue to be faithful, believing that in His perfect timing, God will reveal Himself to each of their girls. laying them in their tiny beds a common nighttime ritual. To Tina s surprise, she saw something she had never seen before. As her daughter placed the dolls in their beds, she began to pray for them. She prayed in Jesus name that God would heal them from being sick. Tina smiled to herself as she watched this happen. Her daughter understood the power of prayer. She was demonstrating the prayers of faith that she had seen her parents model countless times. Those prayers had made an impression on her own life. Though it might have only been a prayer of healing for a doll, this act revealed to Tina so much more. She witnessed firsthand that her daughter whether pretending or in real life believed in a God who healed. And her daughter knew that she had the freedom to approach God with the things on her heart. She d seen her parents model a life of prayer, and now she too possesses the belief that prayer works. 7 Take for instance the night Tina walked past her two year old s room and peeked through the crack of the door. Her daughter was playing with some dolls and Imitation is all about seeing something a character trait, a style and desiring that for your life. When we model a living and active faith to our children, we re giving them the best possible example to emulate. MODELING A PRAYER LIFE IS ESSENTIAL IN PARENTING.

8 by Matt Barnes GOD S WORD Moses and Joshua In Exodus we see God reintroducing Himself to His people through the leadership of Moses. The Israelites, God s people, had been slaves in Egypt for more than 400 years. In comparison, the United States has been in existence for just a little more than 230 years! Think about how much cultures worldwide have changed and influenced in such a short time, and how much more the Israelites must have been influenced by being enslaved in a foreign culture for so long. God used Moses to model His power and care for His people as He led them out of Egypt. He also used Moses to bring His commandments to His people so they would know the best way to live with others and worship Him as the one true God. He led His people by a pillar of fire at night and a pillar of cloud by day into the Promised Land. GOD USED MOSES TO MODEL HIS POWER AND CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE. When God decided they weren t ready to enter the land due to their own fears and lack of trust, He provided their every meal for 40 years in the wilderness. An entire generation was raised to be completely dependent upon Him. After Moses died, Joshua took his place leading God s people. Just as He had used Moses powerfully, God used Joshua to continue to teach His people who He is and to model how we should respond to the living God. Having had Moses as a leadership model, Joshua was able to draw upon Moses example to follow God and lead His people. HEAR IT When God finally led Joshua and His people into the Promised Land, God quickly revealed to them that He would give this land to His people. The first city Joshua and the Israelites came to was called Jericho. Read Joshua 6:1 20 as a family, and consider the following questions for discussion. Israelites make sense as a battle plan (vv. 3 5)? crazy battle plans (vv. 6 7)? (v. 20)? (Hint: Can yelling at a wall really win a war?) God used Joshua to model trust in the Lord for all of His people. God had promised He would give His people this land, and He told Joshua to do something that didn t seem to make sense. But Joshua continued to model the proper response to God by obeying and trusting that He would win the battle. After days of walking around the city wall and yelling, the Israelites saw God remain faithful to do what He had said He would. 8

9 God s Word Continued DO IT We know that marching around walls and yelling at them doesn t usually cause them to fall. (Go ahead try it!) Obviously, God was the One who fought and won the battle of Jericho for His people. This must have been awe inspiring for Joshua! He didn t have to come up with the perfect battle plan or be the perfect leader. He simply had to follow God and trust that He would fight his battles. We can be distracted by many things and forget how faithful and trustworthy God is. Joshua modeled for his people (and models for us) how to respond to our trustworthy and faithful God. As a family, talk about the things you ve learned from one another. or siblings? Now, go a little deeper. have been unintentional by the person modeling them? perhaps they didn t even know they taught you (good or bad)? This is what modeling is all about. God uses us to show others who He is. Take some time to pray, and ask God to show you how He wants to teach others through your family. Did God s instructions for Joshua and the Israelites make sense as a battle plan? Did Joshua question God about these seemingly crazy battle plans? Who really fought and won the battle of Jericho? 9

10 by Amy Palmerton PRAYER & TRADITIONS Traditional Prayer Every week our family anticipates Sunday Family Movie Night. We make popcorn on the stove (the old-fashioned way), with butter and salt, and then we move all the furniture so it feels like a movie theater. Next we find a movie suitable and enjoyable for everyone in our family of six to watch. Finally we nestle into a sea of blankets and snacks for a couple of hours. Other family traditions include what we observe in Scripture. Prayer can be one of those traditions. When my son was about five years old, at the end of a family prayer he said with passion, And all God s people say? Amen! As we all joined in with a hearty Amen! a new tradition in our family prayer life was born. Now, at every family gathering, every meal, and even during daytime prayers, it s not uncommon for our family to close with this phrase. This story speaks to the simple way we can start new traditions in our daily family life. Jesus started a new tradition with His own disciples and modeled for them how to pray. He did this through what s known as the Lord s Prayer. This prayer connected the disciples to each other as well as modeled a way for others to approach God, even to this day. As a family, one way to start a new tradition is to find or create a prayer you can all pray together. This can become a beautiful backdrop to your family s spiritual life. Many ancient prayers have been modeled from one generation to the next and can be absorbed into your family practices. Traditional prayers don t have to be stagnant and rehearsed. This ancient tradition of practiced prayer connects us to our greater community of faith and provides us with a way to model our intentional life with God. Read the following simple paraphrase of the Lord s Prayer and perhaps use it as a starting point for a new tradition in your own family. 10 Hello, Daddy! We want to know You And be close to You. Please show us how. Make everything in the world right again. And in our hearts too. Do what is best just like You do in heaven. And please do it down here too. Please give us everything we need today. Forgive us for doing wrong, for hurting You. Forgive us just as we forgive other people When they hurt us. Rescue us! We need You. We don t want to keep running away And hiding from You. Keep us safe from our enemies. You re strong, God. You can do whatever You want. You are in charge. Now and forever and for always! We think You re great! Yes, we do! Amen! Excerpt from The Jesus Storybook Bible - Zonderkids

11 by Alyson Crockett WORSHIP A View of Worship From their earliest age, my children loved music. Though we went to a church where we had the option to leave them in the nursery, we would often choose to keep them with us as we worshipped in song. This became a special time for our family. Before they could speak, our kids would watch intently as we closed our eyes or raised our hands as we sang. At times they would imitate the things they saw us doing. I loved to see them echoing my movements, which reflected the posture of my heart. But, more importantly, I realized they were learning how to worship God through music. They were able to see their parents connecting with Him in a way they would not have been able to experience if we hadn t brought them into church with us. This month, invite your child into your own worship time. When do you worship God in your day-to-day routine? Is it during your quiet time with your morning cup of coffee? If so, offer your children a cup of hot chocolate and ask them to join you as you read through His Word. Is it through giving to others? Then ask your son or daughter to come with you as you bring a meal to a new mom, and include them as you pray for the family. Choose a Sunday to include your children in your corporate worship experience with your faith community. If your kids can t read yet, help them in reading the words from the screen or from the hymnal so they can sing along with you. By modeling these worship experiences for your children, they will learn how to worship God in their own daily experiences as well. 11 WE OFTEN THINK OF WORSHIP AS ONLY SINGING, BUT WE CAN WORSHIP GOD IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS: PRAYER, SILENCE, ART, DANCE, GIVING, SHARING, AND THANKSGIVING, JUST TO NAME A FEW. MAKE PLANS FOR YOUR FAMILY WORSHIP TIME, BUT PREPARE YOURSELF TO HOLD THESE PLANS LOOSELY IF THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS YOU IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

12 by Kayla Adams & Debbie Guinn CREATE Modeling Dough God made us, and He sent His Son to be the perfect model for us to follow. Colossians 1:15 20 tells us that Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we will be like Him. As we follow Jesus, we can be models to others. Supplies: Instructions: 1 coloring) in a large pot on the stove. 2 until a doughy consistency forms. 3 This month, use this recipe to make play dough, and together create an image of each person in your family. Put your creations in a prominent place in your home, and let them serve as a reminder that others are watching you and your actions. 20 minutes to cool. 4 it into four equal parts and put them into separate plastic storage bags. Each bag will hold a different color. 5 6 of dough by kneading the bag until the color permeates the whole lump. (You can model how to do it.) More dye equals more saturated color! Color Chart

13 by Roger Tirabassi MARRIAGE What Do You See in Me? When I was seven years old, I remember my dad telling me, Do what I say, not what I do. I remember as a child thinking that didn t make sense. Why could my dad do something and then tell me not to do it? I remember him getting angry and yelling at either me or my sister but then telling me I shouldn t yell when I got upset. Dad would make us go to church, but he would miss many times. I remember thinking the whole thing didn t make sense. And I was right. But as I got older, I found myself becoming more like what I saw my dad do than what I heard my dad say. In I Corinthians 4:16, Paul says, Therefore I urge you to imitate me. Later in the book, Paul goes on to say, Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. And in Philippians 3:17, he says, Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. Research confirms the following truth: Children attend to, respond to, and follow the behavior of models more than they follow verbal instructions or demands. Kids do what we do, not what we say. They watch us. Our behaviors become embedded in their minds. If you re married and realize your children will model what they see in your marriage, how will they act when they get married? Thoughtfully consider modeling the following: Showing patience with your spouse when you disagree. Finding win-win solutions to problems. Dating your spouse on a regular basis. Showing affection to your spouse in front of others. Praying with your spouse. Going to church together (and not fighting on the way to and from church). Eating meals together as much as possible. Showing your spouse love through acts of service, physical touch, and gifts. Affirming one another on a regular basis. Submitting to one another in loving ways without resentment. Reading your Bibles and sharing what you re reading and discovering. Going on mission trips. Reaching out to your neighbors. Listening and sharing your feelings in loving and caring ways. Laughing and having fun as a couple and a family. Most of us will have to be intentional if we re going to pass on to our children something more than we received from our families. As a couple, look at the list above and check off three of the items you think you re doing fairly well. Give your spouse a high-five, letting your spouse know how much you appreciate him or her. Next, choose two items from the list that you would like to improve upon as a couple. Don t let this turn into a blame and shame experience. Share a couple of specific ideas for putting these items into practice. Take a small step this week, and celebrate it when you succeed. 13

14 by Erika Abdelatif BLESSING Imitators of God BLESS This month, take time to bless your children by reading Ephesians 5:1 2 over them. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1 2 PRAY After blessing your children, take some time to pray together. Have your children ask God to help them live a life of love and be a blessing to their siblings. Then discuss together one way they can model Christ s love in your family today. A BLESSING CAN BE A PRAYER OF COMMISSION, A BIBLE PASSAGE, OR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. AS YOUR CHILDREN ARE BLESSED, TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS. ENCOURAGE THEM TO FREELY SHARE WITH OTHERS THE JOY AND LOVE THEY HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD. BLESSINGS CAN ALSO BE SPOKEN OVER CHILDREN FOR THE PURPOSE OF DECLARING GOD S PROTECTION, JOY, AND WISDOM OVER THEM. 14 HomeFront Weekly: Don t forget to grab your HomeFront Weekly: A resource to get parents and kids talking about God s Word together.

15 What s Happening in Your FAITH COMMUNITY? 15