AWANA Thursday

Thursday is here and that means it's time for another AWANA update.

This week, Alyssa's Sparkies discussed Genesis Chapter 6 which built upon a lesson that they had previously been assigned regarding Genesis Chapter 3.  In that lesson, they learned that the man and woman created by God had disobeyed him.  From that disobedience sin entered the world and man's sinful nature was born. The punishment for sin was death.  Their lesson this week focused on God's plans for the earth, his plans for Noah and his family as well as the animals taken upon the ark and the reason why some of the animals had multiple numbers and others only had pairs.

Alyssa getting prepared for her Blue Team Sparkies

Ashleigh completed two sections in her "Evidence of Grace" book this week. First, we discussed how God is all-knowing (omniscient) and that he knows and understand everything that has already happened or will happen.  We discussed how God knows the numbers of the hairs on her head and that there is nothing she has gone through or will go through that God doesn't already know about.

For the first section, Ashleigh had to recite Psalm 139:1-3

O LORD.  You have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up.  You discern my thoughts from afar. 

You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.  -- Psalm 139:1-3

To complete this section, Ashleigh also had to recite her previous verse, Psalm 139:7-10.

Ashleigh recites her verses for the week

For her second section, we discussed the Holy Trinity and how while God is one God, there are three "persons" - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  The kids always seem to find this a bit confusing - how is Jesus the Son of God but is still God?  I've always used an apple tree to explain.  You have the main part of the tree with its trunk and its branches (God the Father), then you have the apples (God the Son) and you have the leaves (God the Holy Spirit). While you can pluck a leaf or an apple from the tree, it's still part of the tree and comes from the same plant. They are all different but all part of that tree.  It might not be the best analogy but I thought it up when my oldest daughter was confused in regards to the Trinity and it has seemed to work in helping them to understand. 

To complete this section, Ashleigh had to recite 2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  - 2 Corinthians 13:14

With the completion of these sections, Ashleigh has achieved her first award for this year, however, they are giving awards out retrogradely this year, meaning she won't receive it until next week.  She was still very happy, however, as her team, Green team, not only got Team of the Week, but they also recited the most verses this week and were treated to two pieces of candy as a reward. 

Next week with be a review week for her as she will have to recite the five verses that she has learned so far. We will also begin the 2nd section of her book where she will be memorizing Genesis 12:1-2 (if she is comfortable doing so) as well as memorizing the names of the first 10 books of the Bible in order. 

For those wondering about Garrett.. He's not much for memorizing and reciting and tends to get overwhelmed in group situations, so, this week, Garrett and I headed across the street and we had a grand ole time swinging together on the swings ;) 

Going so high. (This was before mom actually got on the swings as well.)