THE GOLDEN RULE {summer school}

 

 

 

 

 

There are a few focused lessons I have been wanting to go over with the girls this summer. They are topics I want to be sure are fresh in their thinking.

I am calling this "summer school" and I wanted to share it with you in case you were beginning to suffer from a little cabin fever!

 

 

 

 

 

 

To apply mental "glue" I am trying to provide visual and hands on activities for each topic.

 

One of our first {that we seem to need to review} is the Golden Rule.   

 

 

 

 

THE GOLDEN RULE

 

 

 

 

 

 

So whatever you wish that others

would do to you, do also to them,

 for this is the Law and the Prophets.

 

~ Matthew 7:12

 

 

 

The Golden Rule sums up the Law and the Prophets, but when we boil it down, it means being kind.  And the method of being kind can vary from situation to situation.  So it is something I wanted us to open up and talk through.

 

Sometimes applying the Golden Rule means letting a little one help, even though it would be much faster to do something yourself.

 

Sometimes it means giving up your turn, even if you have been waiting a while.

 

Sometimes it means giving a soft answer that might cool down the person you are talking to.

 

It's a way of thinking of others, and it starts in the heart.  

 

 



 

 

 

 

I pre-typed some of the types of kindness we might need to work on, and while I read Kindness is a lot of things for the littles, then a section of Personal Help for Girls on kindness, the girls cut out the things they need to work on and pasted them on a colorful piece of paper. 

This paper is something they have hung by their beds so they might remember to pray and ask the Lord to help them specifically in these areas. 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT THE GOLDEN RULE ISN'T

 

 

We first went through what thinking of others is, then focused on the opposite angle, what the Golden Rule isn't. 

 

 

It isn't being envious of others (James 3:14-16);

It isn't being boastful (Romans 1:30);

It isn't being selfish (2 Peter 2:10) or

Thinking evil of others (Philippians 4:8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is so easy to be kind to others, when they are kind to us.  But God has asked us to do more than that.  We are even called to be kind to those who make themselves our enemies. 

 

He doesn't say to be kind when we feel like it.  We must train ourselves, as an athlete would, to respond kinder than we feel.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

I am a firm believer that developing patterns good of behavior, in conjunction with prayer, is critical in developing godly character. 

 

To help the children in applying these concepts we set up a "puff ball" station in the corner of the kitchen.  Above the station is a simple type written list of the goals we are trying to accomplish with the Lord's help. 

 

 



 



Every time a child chooses to apply the Golden Rule over their own will, they earn a puff ball in their cup, and you would not believe how excited they are to earn a puff ball! 

In our home, people get new toys on their birthday and Christmas and rare times in between.  Well, it's a long way until Christmas, but when a cup is full we have told the girls that they will be able to chose a toy at the store.  There is a lot of dreaming about dolls, paint by numbers and color in velvet posters right now.  ;)   

And while Faith and I don't have a puff ball cup, the hard work the younger girls are doing is inspiring us as well.   

Happy Summer to you!

P.S.  If you are attending the SCOPE Conference this weekend, be sure to stop by and say hello at the moms helping moms booth!  I'd love to meet you!