Hands-on Faith for Families – week of 10/22/12
Waiting for Good
Psalm 33:20
We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
Talking to God
Thank God for planning good things for your family. Ask God to teach you to rely on Him even while you're waiting for those good things to come.
Diving In
Gather Popsicle sticks, white glue (not contact cement) and a ball of yarn. Create a cross by gluing two Popsicle sticks together. Wait patiently until the glue dries completely — this will take awhile. Then, spread a thin layer of glue on the sticks and wrap yarn around each section of the cross. You may need to untangle the yarn as you work. When the cross is completely decorated in yarn, tie the loose ends together.
Going Deeper
Waiting for the glue to dry and untangling the yarn were not the fun parts of the craft, but they were necessary parts. Consider how patience played a key role in finishing the cross. Noah followed God's directions for building the ark. Then he waited 40 days and nights for the rain to stop. The Israelites followed God through the Red Sea. Then they all waited 40 years in the desert before they saw the Promised Land. Being patient isn't easy. We often want to overcome challenges and problems as quickly as possible. But waiting for a breakthrough is easier when we put our hope in the Lord, knowing that in time He will bring good things — such as the rainbow and the Promised Land. We can strengthen our hope in God, and learn how to wait on Him, as we pray and read His Word.
Talking to Each Other
• Describe a situation that took patience for you to work through.
• During your "wait," how did you find ways to be patient?
From Focus on the Family's Thrivingfamily.com. © [2011] [Kim Washburn]. Used by permission.
