Bible Bites ~ LOVE Week 1

"Bible Bites exists to encourage us to talk with our tots about God's word when we are sitting in our houses, walking outside, going to bed, and waking up in the morning! Check in each week this month as I write, for a focus Scripture (the BREAD), a simple concept (the BITE) that will help us to apply the Scripture throughout our days, and a handful of lessons (the BELIEVING) that we can imitate, edit, or embellish. A Script is available simply as a suggestion of how to explain some abstract concepts to our little ones. May our tots hide God's Word in their hearts!" Love (1 Corinthians 13: 1 - 8)

Ah, February. The LUV month. Amidst all of the red puffy hearts, specially-wrapped chocolates, and retro valentine cards, let's take a few minutes each day to set each tot's heart on TRUE LOVE.

This month, we're going to be introducing our tots to the definition of LOVE that will carry them through the relational ups and downs of life. Besides, LOVE is God's greatest attribute, His most important commandment, and His most rewarding gift.

WEEK ONE...

BREAD: Aim to read 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a once a day to your tot during a meal or a snack. (This happens to be my favorite - or, most successful - tactic to increase my tot's attention span!) If this is a new habit for you, I suggest you choose a regular time and pattern for your reading and within a few days, you both will be accustomed to enjoying God's Word together.

BITE: Love is patient and kind! Love thinks of others first!

BELIEVE: Hang a poster with "Love..." at the top. Attach an envelope that contains paper hearts; each heart bearing a "Love" description from 1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 8a (is patient, is kind, etc.). Each day, your tot will choose a heart and tape it on the poster. Throughout the day, sing songs about that word, practice that word together, and pray that it would grow in your home.

'Need some examples to get ya going?

Patient: You might say, "Being patient means waiting for something. When you love someone, you will wait for them. God loves all of us so much that He is waiting patiently for more and more people to meet and believe in Jesus! Now, I know that you love me and that you can be patient. Let's practice! Run across the room and wait patiently until I can make it over to you for a hug."

(Let the child wait 10 - 20 seconds before walking over to the child and rewarding him with a big hug and, "You love me! You were patient with me!")

"Now, I'm going to call So-and-so for 3 minutes. Because you love me, you'll wait patiently and quietly while I talk on the phone." (You might want to ask, "do you need to go the bathroom before I make my call? I won't be able to help you until I've hung up the phone.") An egg timer will help your tot see that time IS passing and that your phone call will, actually, come to an end! In fact, egg timers seem to be so mesmerizing for older tots that you might even get in a SIX minute phone call tomorrow. Be sure to make this call reasonably short, but long enough to build a little "muscle" in your tot. After the phone call, encourage your tot's good behavior and read a book together. (You get bonus points if the book has ANYthing to do with patience and/or if it is the one-millionth time you have read it and doing so "one more time" builds your own patience muscle!)

Of course, all day long, you'll be singing, "Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry..." (Learn it here)

Kind: When your tot pulls "is kind" out of the envelope, you know you have a fun day ahead of you! All day long, look for ways that the two of you can do kind things for each other and other family members. Help your tot clean up big bro's toys, take Daddy's shoes off for him, fluff your pillow, or draw a picture for baby sister. Kindness is one of those qualities that our tots learn best by doing with us!

I'll be posting ideas for the other 1 Corinthians 13 words** at my personal blog: 10 Million Miles. Come on over! Here is the link to her direct post listing other words and ideas for you!

And, click here to see a Simply Made idea to help you with this Bible Bites activity!

**As Laura adds ideas to her personal blog, we'll add direct links to her specific post, so check her blog or check back here if you're looking for more specific ideas for the LOVE words!