A couple of years back, I went through a 16-week Bible study where we focused on a spiritual discipline a week. Regular practice with a reflective, supportive community was a wonderful, deepening experience at that time in my life. The disciplines drove me into a place of reflecting on God and God’s nature. Questions like: … Continue reading
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree Opening Activity: Empty all of the fruit out of your kitchen fruit bowl. Place the empty bowl in the middle of your family’s prayer place. Talk about how you feel when you see nothing where there should be fruit. Are you hungry because you want something to eat? … Continue reading
At bedtime, my son and I were reading a book given to us by one of my church members. The book told the story of a little boy visiting his grandmother’s house, each page decorated with soft pastels and script-fonted prayers. At lunch, the boy and his grandmother said grace before their peanut butter … Continue reading
I remember well the bedtime prayer I was taught as a child: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Who in the world thought of that second line?? OK, so I didn’t … Continue reading
God’s Covenant with Abraham Scripture: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Creative Reading Idea: If it isn’t too cold, go outside and enjoy reading this text under the stars! If you are a city dweller like my family, perhaps you put that Pillow Pet Dream Light to work. Memory Verse: The Lord took him outside and said, “Look … Continue reading
When I first heard about the exciting opportunity to write for Practicing Families, this new site focused on spiritual formation and families, I thought, Yes! I have to do that! Then I thought, Wait, when am I going to do that? Where in the schedule will that particular commitment go? Sound familiar to anyone? It … Continue reading
Every year at Ash Wednesday, a small group of folks from the congregation I pastor gather to give each other ashes, to be marked by each other as a symbol of our humanity, our mortality, our brokenness. And at this service, there are always a few parents that bring their children. This is not necessarily … Continue reading
Scripture: Luke 4:1-13 Scripture Reading Ideas Have three candles set out and light one candle each time Jesus resists a temptation Read through the story with Lego illustrations at the Brick Testament Memory Verse: “Worship the Lord your God and serve only God.” Luke 4:8 Prayer: Holy God, You are with us when things are … Continue reading
Practicing Families will post a family liturgy each Monday morning. Most of the time, these liturgies will be based on one of the lectionary scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday. This liturgy material is not designed as an order of worship or a rigid “to do” list of spiritual tasks. Rather it is intended to … Continue reading
by Joanna Harader I recently saw an article about artist Brent Christensen and the amazing ice sculptures that he creates. Sparkling walls of ice, up to twenty-five feet tall–the sculptures are beautiful. But it wasn’t the sculptures themselves that most impressed me. It was this little bit of information from the beginning of the article: … Continue reading
Practicing Families 