Dear Friend,
I am continuing with the fruit of the Spirit study! The first fruit is Love. Hillary Krippaehne wrote this devotional:
"In every writing class I have ever attended, the teacher always talks about how writers put the most important idea in a piece first or last, because that is what readers will remember. Love is the first word on the list in Galatians 5:22-23. Love is the most important.
As I was preparing for the Produce in Me class, I had a great conversation with a friend about the passage that lists the fruit of the spirit. She specified, it is not fruits, with an “s” at the end. It is “fruit.” Love is the only fruit. Through love, we produce joy, patience, kindness, etc. As I began studying the passage, I realized how much the nine ideas in Galatians 5:22-23 intertwine. God did this on purpose.
Every story from the Old Testament to the New Testament points to Jesus. His death on the cross for us is the ultimate example of extreme love. Love is the key to it all: The cross, Jesus, and life itself.
Everything points to Jesus.
Earlier in Galatians 5:6, Paul tells readers the only point that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Join me in this prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to remember this truth today. All that matters is how we share Your amazing love for us with others. Help us to show this love each and every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Going Deeper:
Read Romans 8:38-39 and 1 Corinthians 16:14. Journal how these verses connect to love.
What can you do to show Jesus’ extreme love to others in your daily life?
Draw a heart over a cross to symbolize the ultimate example of love.
Use an arrow to illustrate how your life points to Jesus."
I am praying that God will open your eyes to His amazing love for you, and in doing so, increase your love for Him and that love would pour out of you to bless others.
Love,
Hannah
I included the illustration that goes along with the lesson and a coloring page of Colossians 3:14.
Over the past year I have been sharing some folktales with my kids (check out my Letter Writing page to see more). In October, we studied West Africa, and since my kids enjoyed the Anansi tales so much, I thought I'd share one with our Compassion kids! For more information on the history of Anansi tales, check out this post from Kid World Citizen. And the specific Anansi story I shared with my kids was from Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock by Eric Kimmel. And this Storypath page shares a great synopsis with questions for reflection.
Dear Friend,
Since I am Juanito and Rosie's school teacher at home, I love studying geography and history with the kids! We recently studied West Africa, including the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Burkina Faso! The kids really enjoyed the Anansi Tales, which are folktales that are sometimes about a man and other times about a spider, but in both versions, Anansi is a trickster. These stories are originally from West Africa, and most historians attribute the original story to the Ashanti and the Akan people in Ghana, but the stories traveled over to the Caribbean and there are versions told in Haiti and the Dominican Republic! I want to share you a version of the story by the author Eric Kimmel and illustrated by Janet Stevens. This story is called "Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock."
~~~
Anansi the Spider is walking, walking, walking through the forest when he finds a strange, moss-covered rock. After saying “Isn’t this a strange moss-covered rock?” Anansi falls down senseless. After an hour he wakes up. While trying to discover what had happened, he repeats the phrase “Isn’t this a strange moss-covered rock?” and again falls down senseless. Upon awaking, he realizes what happened and how to use this knowledge to trick others... He sees Lion's yams and tricks Lion into walking with him and saying "Isn't this a strange moss-covered rock?" When Lion is lying senseless, Anansi steals Lion's yams. Anansi does this again to Elephant to steal Elephant's bananas. He uses his knowledge to trick all the animals, Rhino, Hippo, Giraffe, and Zebra, so that he could steal their food. While all this is happening, Little Bush Deer is watching from the sidelines. Little Bush Deer has a plan to turn the tables on Anansi and get the animals’ food returned to the rightful owners. Little Bush Deer picks coconuts and Anansi asks her to walk with him in the forest. Anansi hopes to steal the coconuts. But Little Bush Deer won't say, "“Isn’t this a strange moss-covered rock?” And Anansi gets so frustrated that he yells, “Isn’t this a strange moss-covered rock!!" When Anansi falls down senseless, Little Bush Deer returns the stolen food to the other animals!
~~~
What do you think about this story? I would love to hear and see how you would write and illustrate your own Anansi story!
How do you think the other animals felt about Anansi? Why?
Is it ever all right to trick people? How do people feel when they have been tricked?
How does God want us to treat others?
~~~
In closing, I would like to share Matthew 7:12, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you."
Sending much love! Hannah
I found the coloring pages through a Google Images search, and the illustrations are from the book. I am sending the cute one wit the kids to those under age 10, and the one with the cross to those over age 10.
Happy Writing!
