With the pressure and heat of the times we live in, there is nothing like a nice cool drink from the living waters of the scriptures. Time for some FHE Fun!
Opening Song: (In lieu of singing a hymn to begin FHE, we'll be singing it as part of the activity.)
Opening Prayer: By invitation.
Emergency Prep Tip: Why not take a few minutes each week during FHE to add to your family's preparedness plan? This week let's review the emergency phone number your family memorized in June for the Meridian FHE lesson, "Ye Are Not Cast Off."
Having memorized an out-of-state phone number is essential preparedness wisdom. If family members were separated from each other (such as what happened post-Hurricane Katrina), the lost members could call the out-of-state friend (or family member) to let the contact know where they were.
Memorizing an emergency out-of-state contact is one of the simplest emergency preps you can do (not to mention it's a free activity!). Decide as a family the best out-of-state person and write down the phone number on several index cards. Post them throughout the house and invite family members to work on memorizing them whenever they pass by the card (i.e. the fridge, the bathroom mirror, the back door).
Devotional: Devotionals are a great time for individuals in the family to share a spiritual "aha" moment from the past week, based on a scripture they read out loud to begin each FHE. It can be a beautiful time as family members become accustomed to sharing deep spiritual feelings with each other. Over time this brief moment can become more and more spontaneous.
Activity: Show the following pictures. Invite the family to imagine they are in each one. Ask them to notice what their body begins to feel like as they "feel the heat" shown in the picture.
What does it feel like to be hot? See if a volunteer can come up with as many as ten different descriptive terms (sticky, hair clinging to forehead, and so on).
Then ask, "What happens to our mouths when we are overheated? How thirsty do our lips feel?" After listening the responses you receive, ask them then to look at the next picture.
Ask them what it feels like to swallow a drink of water when you are very, very thirsty and hot. See if another volunteer can come up with at least ten descriptive words of how the body feels during and after drinking pure water (refreshing, soothing, and so on).
Invite the family to sing Hymn #277 As I Search the Holy Scriptures. After singing it, ask the family why it is that the Lord has compared the scriptures to living waters. Invite any who care to share an experience where the scriptures refreshed them after a long hard day. If no one has yet had an experience like that, invite everyone this week to approach scripture study as if it were a nice cool glass of water for the soul. Let them know they can report back at the next FHE during family devotional time to share what they discovered.
Application: The more we read the scriptures, the more we discover that they contain the ability to refresh our souls, no matter how "hot" the day.
Closing Song: #108 Seek the Lord Early
Closing Prayer: By invitation.
Refreshments: This "Perfect Lemonade" recipe not only is a fun way to bring this lesson and the summer to a close, but it is a seriously good ol' fashioned lemonade treat. Mmmm. Tasty and refreshing when chilled!
