Home Church: Honesty

Although I prefer getting out with other believers, the fellowship, the corporate worship, the teaching, etc., I have to say, I enjoy these opportunities to simplify things and just learn by teaching my boys.  Today I chose honesty as our theme since Koen has become a master of little white lies that make his life easier.  I found some great resources online.  First of all, I let them watch a Hermie & Friends DVD segment..."The Truth About Telling Lies."  Then we worked on our memory verse...

Psalm 34:13
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

I had that song on CD from "Hide 'em in your Heart" by Steve Green.  In the second verse you hold your tongue and sing the words (not easy!), Koen loved it.  Hopefully it helps the powerful words stick!  Koen pulled out his guitar for our worship time and he instructed that he was going to play along with the CD and that Tav and I could sing and hold our tongues.  Thanks, Koen.

Next I read an applicable Bible story that I had found from a great Focus on the Family website (it's actually Focus on the Family Canada!).  I chose to read the Jeremiah 28 story where Jeremiah calls out the prophet Hananiah on a lie.  I thought the summary sounded good last night when I read it before bed, so I figured it'd be great.  Yep, always read the text before plowing into it with your little ones.  Oops, God kills Hananiah for lying.  Well, I guess I got my point across.  You should've seen Koen's eyes open wide!  

Then we moved on to snacktime (which probably eradicated any fears of smiting due to lying).  And finally, craft time.  I also got this idea off of the Focus on the Family website I shared.  We made Certificates of Authenticity.  The boys wrote their names in, I signed it and then they decorated it to make it super special since it is such a big deal to say you are trustworthy.  The boys both loved this activity.  Glitter, glitter glue and glue were the most popular decor items.  I need to invest in much more of this stuff!  Here's Tav working.

And Koen...

Here's his finished product.  He was quite proud.

I have to say that home church was really the highlight of our morning.  I love doing this stuff with the boys.  I definitely missed getting out to church, but this was a great and special substitute.  Love you two and I do pray that the Lord will help you keep those tongues from evil and those lips from speaking lies.