Sunday School~Home School
Make Every Minute Count
By Darlene Schacht
It’s Sunday morning, and you have 60-90 minutes to instill the word of God into children whose hearts are open and ready for God. To light a fire that will continue to burn long after they grow up and leave your Sunday School class. Some of those children will be there for years, but some you only have for a day--make each minute count.
You’re a homeschooling mom, and you see that the kids are growing tired of the same old lesson plans around the dining room table. Step out of the box--make each minute count.
Anybody can throw a match to light a fire, but a truly gifted woman will light a fire that continues to burn long after she’s gone.
Learning the
Gifts of the Spirit
 Every child loves gifts; why not encourage them to love the gifts of the Spirit? There is a little game I played with my Sunday School class that is one I’m sure they will long remember. It’s best for children 10 years old or older because it involves a bit of memorization work. It took a little preparation time, but the impact it had that Sunday morning was well worth it.
Saturday give yourself a little budget, and then go shopping at the dollar store in search of The Gifts of the Spirit. There are nine:
- The word of wisdom
- The word of knowledge
- Faith
- The gift of healing
- The working of miracles
- Prophecy
- Discerning of spirits
- Divers kinds of tongues
- Interpretation of tongues
Find items that represent each of these gifts, and that the children would be able to make a connection to. Wisdom could be an owl, or something with an owl on it. Knowledge could be a Q&A book. A little ornamental bottle of mustard seed well represents faith. A child’s stethoscope could represent healing. Feel free to re-gift things you have around the house to keep the budget down, or to buy small things such as a package of cinnamon gum for tongues. Once all of the shopping is done, wrap up the gifts.
On Sunday morning have the children sit around the table facing the wrapped items. Tell the children that there are nine--each representing the gifts of the spirit. Name them out loud before starting the game, but do not disclose what is in each package.
You need nine people, so arrange ahead of time for some adults to join your class if you need extra people. Begin the game.
Number the children and draw their numbers one by one. When it’s their turn, they can either open a gift, or take a gift that someone else has already opened. The goal of the game is to covet the best gifts.
“But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”
1 Corinthians 12:31
Once the gift is open, tell that child which gift of the spirit they have opened, and why that gift reminded you of that.
Once all nine gifts are opened, draw the numbers one by one and see if that child can remember which gifts each of the other children are holding. After nine people recite the gifts, it’s hard to ever forget them. At the end of the class the children keep the gift they have won.
Continue the lesson the next week discussing the importance of gifts, and how they each help to strengthen the church. See if the children remember all nine.
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This "Make Every Minute Count" article was written
by Darlene Schacht
 In this modern world where chaos is the norm, Darlene's goal for her family is not one of perfection, but rather one of direction as they are lead by the Father--enjoying every step of the way.
She is a quirky forty-something-year-old Christian mother of four whose children range in ages from four to fourteen. She and her husband Michael live in Manitoba, Canada.
Darlene has written over a hundred humorous short stories, some of which have been published in part on her blog site entitled, What Would Jesus Blog? where she has a strong Internet presence.
Darlene has published stories through four papers in Winnipeg—The Lance, The Herald, The Metro, and the Times, and online at A Strand of Three. She is currently the editor and founder of Christian Women Online, and the author of the newly realeased book, "The Mom Complex."
Read her monthly column here:
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