This summer, Incarnation families are gathering weekly at Alcova Heights Park, or at home, or in another lovely natural spot for a relaxed time of family prayer and nature exploration—read this post for a quick primer. Here’s this Sunday’s wonder-worthy scripture:
Luke 12:27-31
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Nature focus: Flowers
If you’d like, bring your favorite flowers of the field to share, to the park or to zoom church!
Options for wondering all week:
For both kids and adults: Find a place outside where you can sit for 10-15 minutes and journal about what you notice. What gifts is God giving you through the beauty of this day?
Follow our own Kim McKnight on Instagram. Do you and your kids recognize any of the flowers she posts?
You might invite your kids to arrange flowers to use for zoom church or on the table for your Sunday family meal:
Set up a flower arranging station for 3-6 year olds. This is something we always have available in atrium, where our kids can create an arrangement to beautify the space or set on the prayer table, and might make a nice connection to church at home. Here’s a site with some nice examples of flower arranging trays. Gather:
Flowers
Scissors
Small pitcher with water
Funnel (optional)
Cloth, paper towel, or sponge for spills
One or more small vase options (or, let’s be honest: mason jars!)
Tray or mat to hold everything (optional)
Set your supplies up to be able to move from left to right, top to bottom. Adults or older siblings can demonstrate first: choose a vase, pour water, wipe up any spills, trim flowers to size, and arrange in vase. Clean up your leaves and trimmings. Choose a spot for your arrangement!
For older kids (or younger if it’s just too much to set up the whole flower arranging station ... I get it!), just send them outside with the scissors and mason jar to select flowers and greenery from the yard. Do remind them to clean up after themselves, but resist the urge to correct their flower arrangements!
With older kids, you might continue reading in Luke 12:
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
What do you think Jesus’ followers thought when they heard this? What did they think about God’s kingdom? What kind of treasures did they have? (That could be stolen? That moths could destroy?) How do you feel about this? What kind of treasures do we have?
Memorize the poetry of Song of Solomon 2:11-12:
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
What kind of things is your family looking forward to when this “winter” is over? (Can feel like Narnia: always winter and never Christmas! But then, we spot flowers… Aslan is on the move!)
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