A is for Appreciate
Parent’s Corner- “For the Kids!” Series
Parent’s Corner began as a communication tool to inform parents what had been taught in Children’s Sunday school classes on a given Sunday morning, providing passages to read together and discussion questions to facilitate conversation between parents and their children during the week. This month, we are finishing up Year 3 of our curriculum series. The decision has been made to press “pause” in our Children’s ministry classes before beginning again with Year 1. While we are paused, I will be changing the focus of Parent’s Corner from curriculum notes, to teachable moments.
“For the Kids!”
This collection of topical journal entries will focus on teachable moments that parents can have with their kids. They will be grounded in Scripture, seasoned by stories and experiences, and distributed with love and prayers for many sweet times together as a family. In an effort to be organized and purposeful, I’ll be choosing topics by going through the alphabet. As I write this, please know that I don’t claim to have all of the answers. Not at all! What I do have is a genuine desire to have a teachable spirit, and a heart for the precious kiddos in our body.
Let’s get started!
A is for Appreciation
What does the word appreciation mean?
As a family, you can look up the definition in a dictionary right away, or you can talk about it first, comparing the variety of answers and variations between understandings of the word within your family.
When I looked it up, I found this definition. . . “recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.”
The other day, as I was looking through the memories that popped up on my Facebook feed, one caught my attention. I had forgotten all about it! It detailed an experience from a few years ago after I made dinner. Making dinner in and of itself was nothing special. I make dinner almost every night. Some days I enjoy it, some days I don’t. This dinner was nothing special. Very basic. Very simple. . . one of those meals where inspiration was lacking, but the need to put food on the table in front of my family was very real. The memory didn’t center around the food itself, but on the words of my son. . . “Mom! This is great! Can you make this every night? Can you teach me how to make it? I love it!” Again, the food was nothing special. It was the words of appreciation that made it a cherished memory.
What does the Bible say about appreciation?
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 ESV
“Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:12 ESV
We are called to be thankful and to respect those in authority over us. We are also called to give thanks to God and show our love for Him in how we live our lives.
This week:
1. As a family, what other verses can you find to enforce the concept of showing appreciation and respect to those around you? And to God?
2. Make a list of all of the things you appreciate about the life God has given you. Pray through that list thanking Him for His goodness and generous gifting of blessings!
3. Identify someone that you appreciate. Is it a parent? Is it a sibling? Is it a neighbor or someone from church? If you appreciate them, let them know! You have many tools at your disposal. You can speak words of appreciation. You can write a note. You can serve them or bless them in some way. Be creative! It’s all about the heart of appreciation behind the words and the actions.