Thankfulness Murals

Today, Tyson and I did the 2nd devotional in the book titled, "52 Fun Family Devotions". The focus was on thankfulness. We were asked to read Luke 17:11-19 where Jesus healed 10 men with leprosy and only 1 man came back to simply say "thanks" to Him.

When was the last time your family paused to thank God for what he has given to you? Was it last Thanksgiving? Christmas? This devotional was used to encourage Tyson to make thankfulness a part of his everyday life.

Equipment:

Bible, white paper, and colored markers

Exploration:

Spread the paper over the dining room or kitchen table. Have each family member take a seat around the table. Pass out markers to everyone and instruct them to make a mural full of pictures of things for which they are thankful for.

When everyone is finished, take turns sharing your pictures with the whole family. Then remove the pictures from the table and hang it in the kitchen or hallway. These pictures will allow them to be reminded of what they have been given.

Discovery:

Discuss the following questions:

• Was it difficult or easy to think of things to draw? Why?
• Why did you choose to draw the things you did? What other things could you add to the mural?
• How do you show your thankfulness to God? To others?
• Why do you think only one leper came back to thank Jesus?
• How would you have felt if you had been Jesus? How do you think Jesus actually felt?
• Who in the story are you most like? What can we do to help ourselves become better at expressing our gratitude to God and to others?

Prayer:

Sit in a circle. Have everyone hold hands. FIRST, make each person in the circle take turns telling one specific reason they're thankful for each person in the circle. Then close in prayer of thanks for the way each family member contributes to your family as a whole.

Tyson really enjoyed this devotional. He loves to draw. We spent about 30 minutes drawing things we are thankful for. A few of the things he drew were: food, Jesus' blood, animals, his family, the cross, sports and silverware. Random and funny.

I stated a few things myself: my husband, my kids, the cross, Jesus' blood, my Church, family, friends, my car, food, water, toothbrush, and my house.

A few things that we didn't have on the paper but mentioned afterwards that we were also thankful for were shoes, toilet paper, blankets, and our beds.

Ty said he was thankful for me because I "cook him lunch". He was thankful for Jax because "he was born healthy". Daddy was at work and Lilah was asleep.

He said that the way he shows God how thankful he is is by "praying and being respectful to others".

I am most grateful to God for revealing His word to Tyson (as well as myself) through these devotionals, through his school teachers, and through the hard work and preparation Jill Higginbotham puts into the children's ministry, which tremendously helps these children learn God's word. Before I even began reading Luke 17:11-19, I said, "We are going read about how God healed 10 lepers." Ty said, "Yeah, I already learned about that mom in Church and in school." We actually read that same story to him the other night using his children's bible. So he got it in EVERY direction. He began teaching me the lesson. He's a human sponge. It's my prayer that this knowledge becomes not just head knowledge, but heart knowledge as well.

Finally, I encourage and challenge you to sit down with your child and help them to be reminded of how much they have to be greatful for. Even things such as a toothbrush that I am sure they take for granted.

God Bless!