Yak Pak Week of September 22nd – 28th

The Rise of Fall

Key Verse: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him”
(James 1:5)

Our hope is for our kids to know that: A self centered attitude hurts God and others

Read:
(Open the bible and read to your child 2 Samuel 15:1-12; 17:1-12; 18:1-8) Absalom was one of David’s sons. Before this story takes place however, David would not see Absalom because Absalom killed Amnon, who was also David’s son. After a few years David finally forgave Absalom, however David was unaware that Absalom was trying to win converts to join him so that he could overthrow David and become King himself. When David heard of this, he was planning to flee Jerusalem, however since Absalom did not attack David right away, David was able to form an army and fight Absalom.  

Share:
(This is an opportunity for you to ask some questions and to share your thoughts) Parents: Talk about a time self-centered attitudes played a role in your family. What happened? Then encourage your children to think about ways they’ve seen family members demonstrate love, rather than self-centeredness, toward one another—by taking out the trash, shoveling the walk without being asked, putting away clean dishes, or taking time to give a brother or sister encouragement, for example. Give a rousing family cheer for each person as stories are told about him or her. Be sure no one is left out. Then talk with your children about how self-centered attitudes hurt God and others.

Activity/Challenge for Families:
Give paper, pens, and $500 of play money to every member of your family and announce its Extremely Early Christmas Shopping Day. The goal: Go to a local mall, and “buy” Christmas presents for everyone in your family. The rules: 1) nothing can actually be purchased. 2) You can’t pick out anything for yourself 3) You can’t spend more than $500 total (all gifts) 4) You must agree on a time limit. When finished discuss the experience over pizza or ice cream.

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Yak Pak Week of September 15th – 21st

The Rise of Fall

Key Verse: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him”
(James 1:5)

Our hope is for our kids to know that: Being kind honors God and others.

Read:
(Open the bible and read to your child 2 Samuel 12:1-7; Psalm 51:1-12) Here we see the prophet Nathan confronting David about a wrong that he has done. This sin that David had committed resulted in consequences. David had killed one of his soldiers so that he could take that soldier’s wife as his own. This sin devastated David and his kingdom, but we read in Psalms that David expressed his remorse and repentance because he realized that sin separates us from God. This separation does not last because Jesus reunites us with God through his death and resurrection.

Share:
(This is an opportunity for you to ask some questions and to share your thoughts) Parents: Talk about a time you hurt someone else and then had to ask that person for forgiveness. Share how that person responded and how you felt afterward. Then talk about a time you hurt someone and were unable or unwilling to ask that person for forgiveness. Share what your relationship with that person is like now and how not asking for forgiveness has impacted you. Talk with your children about the effects of not confessing sins to God. Discuss how God is willing to forgive us when we confess our sins to him. Emphasize that no matter the sins we commit; God will forgive us and give us a clean start.

Activity/Challenge for Families:
Take a trip to the park as a family, and look for things that remind you of God’s forgiveness. As you find things, take pictures of them. You may take pictures of people, flowers, rocks, or anything that reminds you of God’s forgiveness. As a family, talk about what things you took pictures of and why they remind you of God’s forgiveness.

 

Yak Pak Week of Oct 7th – 13th

Harvest

Key Verse: “Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf!” –
(Psalms 66:5)

Our hope is for our kids to know that: Only God deserves our worship

Read:
(Open the bible and read to your child Exodus 32:1-25) Moses was up on the mountain for about six weeks receiving all the laws from God. Because of this, the people of Israel began to think Moses abandoned them or something happened to him. Since the Israelites were used to seeing “gods” in Egypt, and they could neither see God or Moses, God’s representative, they asked Aaron for a god that could get them moving again through the wilderness. Aaron did not stand up to the people and asked them for all their gold jewelry, which he used to make a golden calf. When Moses saw what happened, he grew angry and smashed the stone tablets that God had written the commandments on. It was God who freed the Israelites from Egypt and protected them, so it was God who deserved the worship. In our lives we need to recognize that God deserves our worship.

Share:
(This is an opportunity for you to ask some questions and to share your thoughts) Parents: Talk about a time you loved or focused on something more than God. Maybe you got so caught up in your new car that you spent all your time washing it and taking care of it, or maybe your personal appearance became so important to you that you became focused only on yourself. Share what effects worshiping that other thing had on your life, and talk about how you returned to worshiping only God. Then, as a family, think of other things you might be tempted to worship. Come up with ways you can encourage each other to only worship God.

Activity/Challenge for Families:
Go for a family walk. Along the way, call out as many reasons as possible for worshiping God. For example, you might call out such reasons as sunshine, air, friends, food, and animals. Have someone write down answers. When you get home, have a family worship time, praising God for the wonderful blessings he gives us.

Yak Pak for Week of Sept. 30th – Oct. 6th

The Exodus

Key Verse: “Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” – (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Our hope is for our kids to believe that: God tells us how to respect others

Read:
(Open the bible and read to your child Exodus 19:16 – 20:21) God gave Moses the Ten Commandments so that the people of Israel knew what was right and what was wrong. It was a guideline to show that it is difficult to live a perfect life. This is why Jesus came to live among us, live a perfect life, and die in our place so that we can be under grace and not the law of the Ten Commandments. This does not mean that we are free to sin and do whatever we want, but we are to honor God by loving him and loving others.

Share:
(This is an opportunity for you to ask some questions and to share your thoughts) Parents: Talk about a time you felt you were disrespected by a close friend. How did it feel? What did you do about it? Then talk about why being shown respect is important to each person—no matter what age he or she is. As a family, discuss ways you can show respect to other members of your family and the people around you. Give specific examples such as “I can show respect by turning off the TV and listening when you talk to me” or “I can show respect by not talking about friends behind their backs.”

Activity/Challenge for Families:
With your family, brainstorm different activities that you can do together to show love and respect for others – for example, helping out once a month at a homeless shelter, mowing and cleaning your elderly neighbors yard, or taking cookies to a local hospital or a nursing home. Choose one thing that your family can do together this month to show love and respect to others. Plan it then do it!

Yak Pak For Week of Sept. 23rd – 29th

The Exodus

Key Verse: “Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” – (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Our hope is for our kids to believe that: We honor God by loving Him

Read:
(Open the bible and read to your child Exodus 19:16 – 20:21) The Israelites journeyed to Mount Sinai where God had descended. They knew God was there because there was thunder, lightning and the sound of a large trumpet. The people were in awe over the awesomeness of God who was at the top of the mountain. Moses and Aaron were the representatives for the people, so they walked to the top of the mountain to meet God. God told Moses and Aaron that they (all of the Israelites) were their prize possessions, his holy people. God is honored when we love Him, because he has unconditional love for us, and He is worthy of our praise.

Share:
(This is an opportunity for you to ask some questions and to share your thoughts) Parents:Talk with your kids about what the word honor means to you. Then have each person think of one way he or she can honor God this week. Having a hard time coming up with a way to honor God? Look at what Jesus is most important. Love. Matthew 22:34-40 as a family.

Activity/Challenge for Families:
After discussing how you as a family have seen God’s power in your lives, discuss Exodus 19:16-18 and make a volcano to simulate what it may have been like at Mount Sinai. Mix 2 cups of salt, 1 cup of flour, and a 7/8 cup of water in a bowl. Take turns kneading the dough until it becomes firm and holds its shape. Place a baby food jar in the center of a paper plate. Mold the dough around the jar, leaving the top of the jar open as a crater. Put a teaspoon of baking soda in the jar. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar in a cup and mix in food coloring (any color will do). Then pour the vinegar and food coloring mixture into the volcano. Watch as your mountain erupts with colored foam!

Yak Pak for Week of Aug 16th – 22nd

The Exodus

Key Verse: “Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” – (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Our hope is for our kids to know that: God is patient, even when we complain

Read:
(Open the bible and read to your child Exodus 17:1 – 7) The Israelites enjoyed manna every morning and quail every evening form God as he continued to provide. However, they were not having success in finding water, so they once again began to complain. God in his patience told Moses to take his leaders to a rock at Horeb and strike it. When Moses did as God had told him, water began to pour out, and not just a little bit of water, but enough water to provide for the 2 million or so people. Moses acted on faith and did not question God, and because his leaders were present they witnessed God’s work firsthand. What a wonderful thing it is that God provides for us even when we complain.

Share:
(This is an opportunity for you to ask some questions and to share your thoughts) Parents: Talk about a time you complained about a situation. Maybe you complained to one of your neighbors about another neighbor, or perhaps you complained to a friend about your spouse. Share what happened when you complained and how complaining affected the situation. Then encourage each person to think of things he or she complains about most and when. Discuss ways your family can work together to encourage each other to “make do” with a situation or need—without complaining.

Activity/Challenge for Families:
Sit down with your family and make a list of as many good gifts from God as you can think of – food to eat, a good family, and a job, for example. Ask your family members to think of times God helped them, and write those too. Post the list where everyone can find it, and ask everyone to look at the list when he or she feels like complaining. The list can help you and your family remember to trust God and to be thankful when you feel like complaining.

Yak Pak for Week of Sept. 9th – 15th

The Exodus

Key Verse: “Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” – (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Our hope is for our kids to know that: God helps us when we’re afraid

Read:
(Open the bible and read to your child Exodus 16:1-26) The Israelites had been free from the Egyptians for approximately 30 days. It was at this time that their food started to run out. This caused great concern and the Israelites began to grumble and complain. It was then that God provided food from heaven every morning that they decided to call manna. This manna (which means “what is it”) was not to be stored and saved, but to be gathered day by day. If they decided to store the manna it would spoil This taught the Israelites to trust that God will provide what they needed when they needed.

Share:
(This is an opportunity for you to ask some questions and to share your thoughts) Parents: Talk about a time your family faced a serious need that God provided for. Maybe it was a miraculous answer to prayer for healing or maybe God used other people around you to provide for a financial need. Then come up with ways you as a family can reach out to others in need as God leads you to.

 Activity/Challenge for Families:
Have everyone in the family work together to create a chart of things God provides for your family. Make the chart out of construction paper – maybe it could look like a big present – and hang it on your refrigerator. Throughout the week, have family members draw or write on the chart things God provides for them. At the end of the week, sing the song “Psalm 23” together to thank God for providing.