Monday, January 14, 2013

52 Weeks of Giving: Week Four

Three weeks in and we have an 'incomplete.'

I knew we would have one of these weeks; who am I kidding, I knew we'd have more than one of these weeks! I just didn't think we'd have a fail just three weeks in. But we did. This week we failed to plan Dude's friendship party, we failed to give friendship.

Or did we?

We didn't have time to plan a friendship party because we were busy being friends. We had my friends' kids over for super a couple of times, we went out with friends, made cards, went out for coffee, had phone conversations, wrote letters and had playdates.  Our kids invited kids to sit with them at lunch, played with different kids at recess and made new friends at their weekly activities. None of these things were preplanned and non of them were written on my little index cards; they just happened.

In talking about friendship and serving one another our kids began to recognize opportunities to be a friend in their every day life. They followed their hearts and extended kindness without prompting or planning (or interference) from the adults in their world. They 'got it'  and did it, all on their own.

Another thing that happened in this Random House this week was a lot of fantastic conversation. Mr. Awesome and I have come to realize that the more we are intentional in teaching our kids things the more they become intentional in their learning. We have been asked fabulous questions about our faith, politics, the economy, developing countries, relationships and Middle Earth - seriously, the Middle Earth conversation was intense!

Our kids have become hungry for knowledge and understanding and in their hunger they have challenged us to have answers and not 'because I said so' answers. They want the truth, they want real, honest to goodness explanations to the things they see in their world. And when they get their answers they do the most marvellous thing ... they apply this new understanding to their lives!

Now, they're kids so there is a lot of repetition and 'doing better next time' happening but just the same, they are asking, learning and growing and that's all we can ask of them!

Now, we will complete Week Three's challenge at some point, only because Dude is looking forward to having some pals over but for now, I'm changing my mind and calling this week of giving a success!

Week Four: Be Fruity!

This week make a tree and add a piece of fruit for each virtue listed in Galatians 5:22 - 23. Then think of one way you can live each virtue this week.

Galatians 5:22 - 23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control... 

Let's Chat:

1. Read Galatians 5:22 - 23 and write down the meaning of each virtue. 
2. Why do you think these nine things are so important?
3.What does peace, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness look like in a friendship?
4.Choose one virtue to grow in your life. Think of one or two habits you can adopt to help this virtue grow in you.


Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it.  ~David Star Jordan

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