Family Time with God: March

How to use this section: On this page, you'll find Fun Stuff, monthly activities for your family, and Did You Know, an interesting story to tell your kids. On the pages that follow, you'll learn a new Bible verse a week. The verses are divided into three parts: Preschoolers memorize the words in bold. Elementary kids memorize the words in bold and italics. Teens and parents learn the complete verse.

Heart Pillows (February 27)

You'll need:

10" x 10" squares of red, white, or pink fabric, two squares for each person in your family
scissors, a Sharpie marker
a piece of cardboard or a heart-shaped stencil
red or white yarn, and a sewing needle
cotton balls

Use the cardboard to make a heart template. Trace the template to draw a heart on each piece of fabric. Cut out the hearts. Use a Sharpie to write "Jesus Loves _______ (insert friend's name)" on each heart. Lay one heart on top of the other with the words showing on top. Use the yarn to sew the hearts together, leaving a small opening. Stuff the heart with cotton, then sew the rest of the way. Give the heart to your friend.

Fish Food (March 8)

You'll need:

1 package of blue Jell-O
1 package of gummy fish
1 clear bowl

Mix the Jell-O according the package, then pour into the clear bowl. When Jell-O is slightly set (about 11/2 hours), stir in gummy fish. Refrigerate until Jell-O is completely set. Let your kids "fish" with toothpicks, skewers, or chopsticks.

Flower Power (April 28)

Making pictures of pressed flowers has been a popular hobby since the 1800s. In Victorian times, children often made pressed-flower pictures right in the garden, covering the arranged "picture" with glass to make a stepping-stone. Here's how your family can make homemade pressed-flower pictures.

You'll need:

a variety of flowers, leaves, and grasses
an easy-to-assemble frame
pretty stationery, wrapping paper, or plain paper to use as a background for your flowers

Take the frame apart and cut your paper to fit the frame. Arrange your flowers on the paper. Children might want to draw a scene and include the real flowers in their picture, or use the flowers and leaves to make a collage or abstract image. Place the glass from the frame over the flowers, making sure the flowers are pressed down the way you want them. Carefully reassemble the frame and hang your flowers someplace special.

Did You Know …

The tilapia fish (March 18) is found in the Sea of Galilee. In Matthew 17:24-27 we read the story of a man collecting the temple tax. Jesus told Peter to go down to the Sea of Galilee, and that the first fish Peter caught would have the tax money in its mouth.

People thought the story was a myth, until scientists discovered the tilapia fish. These fish carry their eggs, then their young fish in their mouths. Sometimes the young fish come back to their mother and try to return to her mouth. To prevent this, the mother fills her mouth with anything she can find; many tilapia fish are found with coins or bottle caps in their mouths. Sounds like Jesus knew what he was talking about!

What Is Awana?

Awana® is a nondenominational youth ministry committed to reaching boys and girls with the gospel of Christ and training them to serve him. To learn more about Awana and locate an Awana club near you, visit www.awana.org/about.asp

March

Faithful Friends

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Week 1 Gone Fishing Matthew 4:19"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
	1. Read Matthew 4:18-22.	2. Learn Matthew 4:19.	3. Play Follow the Leader with a friend or sibling.	4.Family Forum: What does it mean to follow Jesus?	5. Show God's love to someone today.	6. Visit an aquarium with your family.
Week 2 Who Are You? Mark 8:29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."
7.Family Fact: Did you know there are more than 28,000 different kinds of fish? God is the awesome Creator!	8. Make a fishy treat!	9. Learn five facts about fish.	10. Read Mark 8:1-10	11.Family Forum: What if you had been listening to Jesus on the day described in Mark 8? Would you have believed he was the Son of God?	12. Learn Mark 8:29.	13. God promised to send a Messiah. Thank God for keeping his promises.
Week 3 Miracle at Sea John 21:25Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
14. Invite a friend to church today.	15.Family Forum: Share your favorite story about Jesus.	16. Tell a friend about Jesus.	17. Read Matthew 17:24-27.	18. Learn about the tilapia fish.	19. Learn John 21:25.	20. Look at your family photo album. How does it tell your family story?
Week 4 The Whole Truth John 20:31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
21.Family Forum: What did you discover about God today?	22. Read John 21:1-6.	23. Draw or write about something you did today.	24. Learn John 20:31.	25.Family Forum: Why is it important for us to know about Jesus' life?	26.Family Fun: Today is National Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. What would you like to celebrate?	27. Draw a picture of one of the stories of Jesus you've read this month.
Week 5 Another Miracle Luke 24:44"Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
28. Enjoy a seafood lunch today! Don't forget to thank God for the food.	29. Read John 21:7-14.	30. Learn Luke 24:44.	31. Can you recite the five verses you learned this month?