Lesson 1 in Light of a Good Character is on Prayer.
We started with the suggested song God Wants All Girls and Boys to Pray. I had learned it the night before from a songbook a friend copied for me years ago. I don't have the cover but many of the songs are by Roberta Christian and Eugene Babcock, including the one for this lesson.
We checked on memorizing the Remover of Difficulties (5yo has it) and added from the lesson "Greater is God than every great one." Then we read the story in the lesson, though I left out addressing them as "Children." ;)
Then I shared some quotes from 'Abdu'l-Baha.
"These children are even as young plants, and teaching them the prayers is as letting the rain pour down upon them, that they may wax tender and fresh, and the soft breezes of the love of God may blow over them, making them to tremble with joy."
"Praise be to God, thy heart is engaged in the commemoration of God, thy soul is gladdened by the glad tidings of God and thou art absorbed in prayer. The state of prayer is the best of conditions, for man is then associating with God. Prayer verily bestoweth life...."
Tying this back to the words in the lesson "We pray to God because we love Him," we did this craft. http://www.emmanuel.kiev.ua/Kids/Make5E.html (Hopefully I typed the link correctly. Not sure how to get this thing to copy and paste into the blog.)
There is a picture to print of hands that the kids can color, cut out, and fold into the praying hands shape. Then you cut out a heart and glue it inside the hands. I wrote "God's love" on the hearts and told the kids the prayer connects us to God's love. I also told them that you don't have to hold your hands that way to pray, but that is a symbol in our culture of praying.
Also, because my 5yo was asking me the day before about "What is spirit?" we read the article on page 8 of the November/December 2007 Brilliant Star called Working Out Your Body and Soul. It explains the soul and talks about prayer. And on page 17, there is an article called Listening to Your Spirit which is about meditation. I took them outside to read that, but their attention span had wandered. :)
We sang the new song again and headed home.
We started with the suggested song God Wants All Girls and Boys to Pray. I had learned it the night before from a songbook a friend copied for me years ago. I don't have the cover but many of the songs are by Roberta Christian and Eugene Babcock, including the one for this lesson.
We checked on memorizing the Remover of Difficulties (5yo has it) and added from the lesson "Greater is God than every great one." Then we read the story in the lesson, though I left out addressing them as "Children." ;)
Then I shared some quotes from 'Abdu'l-Baha.
"These children are even as young plants, and teaching them the prayers is as letting the rain pour down upon them, that they may wax tender and fresh, and the soft breezes of the love of God may blow over them, making them to tremble with joy."
"Praise be to God, thy heart is engaged in the commemoration of God, thy soul is gladdened by the glad tidings of God and thou art absorbed in prayer. The state of prayer is the best of conditions, for man is then associating with God. Prayer verily bestoweth life...."
Tying this back to the words in the lesson "We pray to God because we love Him," we did this craft. http://www.emmanuel.kiev.ua/Kids/Make5E.html (Hopefully I typed the link correctly. Not sure how to get this thing to copy and paste into the blog.)
There is a picture to print of hands that the kids can color, cut out, and fold into the praying hands shape. Then you cut out a heart and glue it inside the hands. I wrote "God's love" on the hearts and told the kids the prayer connects us to God's love. I also told them that you don't have to hold your hands that way to pray, but that is a symbol in our culture of praying.
Also, because my 5yo was asking me the day before about "What is spirit?" we read the article on page 8 of the November/December 2007 Brilliant Star called Working Out Your Body and Soul. It explains the soul and talks about prayer. And on page 17, there is an article called Listening to Your Spirit which is about meditation. I took them outside to read that, but their attention span had wandered. :)
We sang the new song again and headed home.
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