In this world of darkening gloom, it seems there is less and less to celebrate. Nothing could be further from the truth. Time for some FHE Fun!
Opening Song: #66 Rejoice, the Lord is King!
Opening Prayer: By invitation.
Emergency Preparedness Moment. What emergency preparedness activity would you like to do this week for your family? Make this a matter of prayer and you will be surprised at the promptings you can receive. These few minutes every seven days during FHE can help your children be ready for a variety of emergencies. Problem solving skills, first aid skills, putting together backpack 72-hour kits, or any other kind of creative endeavor shows your family you love them and teaches them how to take care of themselves in tough scenarios. What will you choose this week?
Devotional.Devotionals can be a way to bring a sweet spirit to FHE and to show your children you value the scriptures. Try using a “favorite verse” time to jumpstart the actual FHE lesson. A moment of short-verse-reading-and-testimony-sharing can bring a powerful spirit to your home and help settle the children for a more spiritual FHE learning time.
Lesson. We at Meridian Magazine offer you this lesson, but do make sure to go to the Lord in prayer to determine what your loved ones need. You will receive inspiration for your sweet family, perhaps very different than this lesson below!
Items Needed:
* An inexpensive pocket notebook for each family member (can be found at dollar stores, etc.)
* Pens or pencils
* A purse or bag to store the notebooks
* Scripture
Explain that this lesson is on rejoicing and celebrating. Ask your family: “What are the reasons we have to rejoice?” After listening to their answers, have the family read the following scriptures (or others of your choosing:
After talking about each scripture, let your children know that—in spite of these happy things—sometimes it can be hard to find nice things to think about. Some days we might feel we have to be detectives like Sherlock Holmes to find joy! With flat tires, sickness, and library fines our challenges can feel stressful. Some months might contain stunning difficulties. But Heavenly Father is filling this world with goodness to offset all the badness… if we just recognize where to look.
Let the family know there really are things to celebrate in life. The more we practice noticing, the better we get at finding them.
1. Explain for tonight’s FHE each person will have a chance to “play detective” in finding joy and in discovering things to celebrate. Invite everyone to think about something cool that happened to them during the last 24 hours.
2. You can start the “detective work” by talking about something nice you experienced today (no matter how tiny), truly some kind of happy moment for you. Perhaps a stranger held a door open for you at the grocery store when your hands were full. Maybe your youngest child gave you a kiss on the cheek in the afternoon. Or maybe you got a phone call from a friend saying how much they enjoyed your talk in Sacrament meeting on Sunday. Whatever it might be, say it out loud for your family to hear.
3. Then allow each person in the room to share one thing.
After everyone has shared, see if you can find more “clues” to celebrate by going around the room two more times. Have fun enjoying the expressions of these “detectives” as they search Sherlock-Holmes-like for happy events in their individual lives.
Helen Keller once said, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.”
Let your children know that feeling and finding the most beautiful things in the world takes practice. Show the family the bag holding the little pocket notebooks and pens. Distribute them amongst the family. (They can be decorated and personalized at a later date.)
Show your kids how to record today’s date and the three things they want to celebrate that happened to them in the past 24 hours. Have them record their first three celebrations.
Let them know each day during family scripture study the family will take just a few moments to record privately three or more happy moments from the last 24 hours. As they notice these things, they’ll begin to see the Lord’s hand in their lives. These are amongst the many things the Lord has given them to celebrate.
Each day, when finished, you’ll be storing the notebooks in a sturdy bag so none can get lost.
SUMMARY: In spite of the awfulness of what some news sources proclaim, in spite of the gloominess of some people’s words, in spite of hatred that exists in the hearts of some, your family can know the Lord is increasing His good works throughout the earth. And through daily celebrating, your family will be practiced in noticing this good. As the closing hymn suggests, let the rejoicing begin!
Closing Song: #9 Come, Rejoice
Closing Prayer: By invitation.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR CELEBRATIONS:
Celebrating “Pioneer Day”:
Read Elder L. Tom Perry’s beautiful talk, “A Meaningful Celebration.”
Celebrating Family Traditions:
Here is an article from the Ensign on the importance of “Traditions Worth Keeping.”
Celebrating Family Birthdays:
This article, “Many Happy Returns,” explores the benefits of finding joy in family time together.
May you enjoy your celebrations of any kind each day of the year!
Struggling with your teens? C.S. Bezas’ book is an essential help for parents and youth leaders. Powerful Tips for Powerful Teachers teaches you how to create powerful change. Visit your local LDS bookstore or get your copy online here.
