The Coat: A Family Home Evening Lesson

Opening Song:  Have I Done Any Good?  Hymn 223

Scripture:   Matthew 25:40

Verily I say unto you, 

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren 

ye have done it unto me.

Story:  The Coat

Read the story (print here), show a picture of President Heber J. Grant (Gospel Art Kit picture 512) and then watch the sweet animated video.

Activity: Make a service goal. Whom can we serve? What can we do for them? When will we do it?

Closing Song: Because I Have Been Given Much Hymn 219

This song is not included on the lds.org website because of copyright, but the words are:

Because I have been given much, I too must give.

Because of thy great bounty, Lord each day I live.

I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see,

who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been sheltered, fed by thy good care…

I cannot see another’s lack and I not share-

my glowing fire, my loaf of bread-my roof’s safe shelter over head,

that he too may be comforted.

Because I have been blessed by thy great love dear Lord,

I’ll share thy love again according to thy word.

I shall give love to those in need. I’ll show that love by word and deed,

thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

Treat:   Rice Crispie Treats

Our family mission statement...

Several years ago we decided to write a family mission statement.  I have to admit that at the time I brought this up to my family we were really struggling with finances, jobs, and life in general, and I thought that this would be a morale booster.  It would be a guide to get us through our days and something to draw us closer together.  (Maybe I should have written a personal mission statement.  I'll put that on my to-do list. :) )

I was introduced to the idea of a Family Mission Statement probably 10 years ago by a friend in a Family Home Evening preparation group.  She had read Stephen Covey's book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families" and made up a FHE on how to create a Highly Effective Family which included how to write a family mission statement.

In the book, Stephen Covey suggests that each of us begin with the end in mind and create a clear, compelling vision of what you and your family are all about.  He says,

"A family mission statement is a combined, unified expression from all family members of what your family is all about---what it is you really want to do and be---and the principles you choose to govern your family life."

So we wrote our mission statement:

Our Family works together as a loving family and strives to do our best in all that we do.  We treat others with respect and speak lovingly to each other.  We value each others opinions, and we are patient and tolerant of each other.  We won't demean or be critical of anyone's efforts.
The members of Our Family are Honest, Courteous and Helpful.  We work together until all work is done.  We can be kind by sharing and we don't throw toys.  We are safe by driving safely and going to school safely.
Our Family has family prayers and eats dinner together every night.  We clean up our own messes.  Each member of our family has personal prayers before bed and expresses their thanks to Heavenly Father for their blessings.
We will live to be worthy to go to the temple and to serve missions.
We eat healthy things to keep our bodies strong.
We Choose The Right! (CTR)

Looking back at it I can tell what the dynamics of our daily life and relationships were.  And I distinctly remember there being a toy-throwing incident that day.

We typed our mission statement out, I mounted it on scrapbook paper and hung it on the bulletin board where it stayed gathering dust for a couple of years.  Then we packed the house up to move and the family mission statement was tucked into a scrapbook until I dug it out yesterday for this post.  Not really keeping it a priority.

After reading Anne's post on Chocolate on my Cranium I've realized that our Family Mission Statement needs to be prominently displayed and used in our home.  I love her idea of reciting it every day, maybe before family prayers.  I have noticed that our family has been really critical of each other, and I'm hoping that utilizing Our Family Mission Statement will remind us what it's all about!

"Where there is great love there are always miracles."  Willa Cather

I've always got room for miracles!

I'm linking up here:

Seeking What's Good...

We've been listening to this song a lot lately. Natalia first heard it at a Young Women's meeting, and it's got a great message!

The song goes along with this year's theme for the Youth, the Thirteenth Article of Faith:

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."





For Family Home Evening we worked on the 13th Article of Faith. Monkey THINKS that he is in charge of FHE every Monday.  He wrote the agenda down on the bottom left hand corner of the board.  I'll translate for you:

• Oponing Prer = Opening Prayer
• Oponing Song = Opening Song (pretty obvious) 
• Toke = Talk (lesson)
• Aktevt = Activity (he wanted to watch 101 Damsos {Dalmations}) it didn't happen.
• Kosing Prer (Closing Prayer)

Artwork was provided by Natalia and Joe.

Here is a game on lds.org to reinforce and practice the Articles of Faith. There are three different levels, so it's fun for beginners or for those who already THINK they have them memorized!  We have used the songs to help learn and reinforce the Articles of Faith, too.  Joseph is memorizing them to sign off for the Faith in God program, too.

Most of the time, holding Family Home Evening is HARD!  I am tired at the end of the day.  I get up early, and by that time of night the house is a mess, the dishes need doing and the kids are all getting tired, too.  We try to keep FHE short, and sometimes the kids are cooperative and helpful.  Sometimes they are wrestling on the floor or pouting in the corner.  There is no telling how it will go, but again, we do try.  And I try NOT to pull my hair out.

Sunday Soliloquy (when I'm really just rambling on to myself and trying to make sense of it all)...

Last night was Stake Conference, just for the adults, and of course babes in arms are welcome, too.

Love being a part of a group of people who are trying their best to be their best.

Our Area Authority, Elder Scott D. Whiting was here from Hawaii.  He said "Aloha!" when he got up to speak.  Love that!

He spoke about keeping the family strong, and doing that by having a) family scripture study  b)family prayer  c)family home evening.  Radical ideas!

He also said that our main objective, what this all boils down to, is to have the Spirit in our home.

Now, I've been thinking.  How can I do this?  I suffer from a debilitating need to set the bar too high.  I have great expectations, and when those aren't met, I crash miserably.  I expect my children to participate in the above three activities, and when they cause problems, I get really irritated and, quite possibly, I will sometimes even overreact!  (I know, it's hard to believe.  I also know that my mom is laughing when she reads this.)

But then, do I just aim low and be grateful for whatever amount of participation I get out of them?

Is there a happy median?

It is also hard to feel the Spirit when I feel stressed so much of the time.  And again, I admit that some of that stress is self-induced -- if I were more organized, some of it would disappear -- but some of the stress comes from the day-to-day worries about money and kids.  Those are really the two biggest anxiety-producers that I have.  So, if anyone has some advice, I'm open to it.  And I'll just keep praying, and trying to knock some sense into my kids.  Because the older they get, the less they have.

FHE Games

+ = FUN!

We've had so much success with our "Scripture Spoons" that Andy had the idea to play "Scripture Candy Land" tonight. I'll let you know how it goes.