Hello Little Church at Home members. Today we will think about what's going on in this picture. So download the two help sheets and crack on!

CRAFTY KIDS

THE BATHROOM

Mirrors can be fun. We get to pull funny faces to ourselves. We can take a close look at what is unique about us and what is similar to other members of the family. Have you worked out yet what colour your eyes are? Who else in the family has the same colour of eyes? This way we can begin to see some of the ways we look at bit like Mum and a bit like Dad, only the best bits of course. But we are also the children of God, we share his love, his kindness and his freedom from being influenced by false ideas and insults.

Many hurtful and unkind things can be said in school playgrounds and on social media. Sometimes we let these things have too much power over how we look at ourselves. At times like this it is extra important to remember what we learn from the Bible. The very first book of the Bible tells a story intended to underline some important things. First, whatever we look like, we are made in God’s image. We are absolutely unique, a one off, and that’s part of what God loves about us. Nothing anyone says can take that away from us.

So, how about sending this message to everyone who uses the bathroom. We can make a small sign, not much bigger than a fridge magnet. We can put a smiley face on it or a message like: “You are perfect just as you are!” or “Say hello to God’s Image!”

CRAFTY KIDS

MY BEDROOM

Jesus gave some very helpful advice about praying, he reminded us that there are some things we want to speak to God about in private. Our bedroom can be a great place to do this. This is what Jesus Said:

When you pray, go away by yourself, all alone, and shut the door behind you and pray to your Father secretly, and your Father, who knows your secrets, will hear you. (Matthew 6: 6)

Some of the ideas you could begin today are:

• 1.   Putting together a Prayer Box – find a handy box that you can use for some of the things that hep you to pray. Things that remind you of happy days, pictures of the people you love, things you have picked up out and about in our beautiful world; like pebbles, shells, pressed flowers, pine-cones, etc… Other things that can go in the box would be a set of rosary beads, a battery candle, any crosses, statues or prayer books and cards you have been given or collected. Try to find a small piece of coloured cloth. This can be used for displaying one or some of these things when you decide to have your own quiet prayer time. You might even find one of those egg timers a bit like an old-fashioned hourglass that lasts about three minutes, you could use this to help have short quiet moments. If you can decorate the box all the better.

• 2.     Make your own Book of Prayers. These can be prayers that you write yourself, prayers that you have learned or prayer cards that you glue in. This book could become a bit of a diary as well in which you write a little bit about the things you pray for. Like with the Prayer Box, this will be a special book so decorate it as colourfully as you like.

• 3.     If you stay in a hotel you often see door hangers with words like “Do Not Disturb” written on them, so how about making a Prayer Time Door Hanger of your own that you can hang on the door handle or perhaps use blue-tack. It can have words like “Quiet Please” on it as a message to other people that this is your prayer time. There is a template for a door hanger on the parish website, or if you are making a sign then it can be just as you want to make it.

Crafty Kids   -  The Dining Area

Jesus said: Where to or three of my followers are together I am with them. So, when we share a meal with our family it is always good to remind ourselves that Jesus is with us. Not spying on us but gently reminding us that it is good to be alive, it is good to be loved and it is good to be cared for by each other.

One way we do this is by praying a prayer before we eat. We call this prayer Grace Before Meals.

Sometimes we pray the words together, but it is also a god thing sometimes for one person to lead. choosing which prayer to pray can be tricky. So how about we make a Blessing Our Meals Dice. There is a template for this on the FAMILY CHURCH page of the parish website. Another idea would be to make our own prayer card with a choice of six prayers we would like to use at our meals. Then we can throw an ordinary dice to pick the one to use before our meal begins. 

HELLO EVERYBODY

This Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Lent

which means that Easter is just two weeks away. The gospel for this weekend is first sad and they joyful. It tells about something very special that Jesus did when one of his own friends died and his sisters were upset. Please take a look at the ideas on the parish website. They will help you to have a Sunday Church at Home. Fr Peter is also in his home thinking about you and praying with and for you all. Have a great weekend and may God bless you all this week!