Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy- The Class

I was asked to do a  H, F, & P Enrichment class on Keeping the Sabbath Day holy the day after I posted this beauty. I thought it was a joke but it wasn't. So I asked my friends and family what they did on Sundays and this is a list of the response I got back. Thanks so much to everyone who responded! I really appreciate the help!

PS- I chose to focus on things we CAN do.

Pres Ezra Taft Benson said, "The purpose of the Sabbath is for spiritual uplift, for a renewal of our covenants, for worship, for rest, for prayer.  It is for the purpose of feeding the spirit, that we may keep ourselves unspotted from the world by obeying God's command." 

DOs - He has outlined some specific suggestions of activities that are in keeping with these guidelines:

* activities that contribute to greater spirituality

* essential church meetings in the house of prayer

* acquisition of spiritual knowledge - reading the scriptures, church histories & biographies, & inspired words of the brethren

* resting physically, getting acquainted with family, relating scriptural stories to children, bearing testimony, building family unity

* visiting the sick & aged shut-ins

* singing the songs of Zion & listening to inspiring music

* pay devotions to the Most High - prayer, personal & family; fasting, administrations, father's blessings

The List

GO TO CHURCH

The Living Scriptures- Animated videos, coloring books, etc.

Games-promoting family bonding- Board games, LDS related games can be found at the bookstore

Quiet Time- Napping, meditating, praying

Reading- Bible, Book of Mormon, Ensign, New Era, Friend

Writing- Journaling, letters to missionaries, letters to relatives

Prepare a lesson or Talk

Service- Visit the sick, visit the Elderly, invite those with out family over for dinner

Family Dinner- Talk about what was learned at church, Have family help in preparing and cleaning meal

Cookies- Spend time baking and decorating cookies. Good time spent with children and great for dessert or delivering as a service.

Take a Walk to get out wiggles

Do Personal Progress, Duty to God

The Sabbath Box- Have a Box of things that only comes out on Sundays. You can change/edit/delete items as your children grow older. Books (tape record of Grandparents reading the books), Prophet Match game, Books on CD, Playing Primary Songs on Piano, Listening to Church music on Headphones, Reading Book of Mormon Stories, Plastic Noah’s Ark, BOM Action Figures, etc.

Family Counsel- Spiritual lesson, Go over upcoming weeks schedule, Set temporal goals as well as spiritual goals for the week, talk about problems in the house and how to fix them.         

Recommended BOOKS

Big Ideas for Little Budgets by John Bytheway & Brad Wilcox

The LDS Game Book by Alma Heaton

Games With Gospel Themes by Alma Heaton

Videos

The Living Scriptures, Saturday’s Warrior, My Turn on Earth, Legacy, The Testaments, The Best Two Years, The Other Side of Heaven

Good resources as well as printable worksheets

www.lds.org

            click “gospel library", click “magazines”, click “The Friend”, click “find and print activities”

www.sugardoodle.net

click “my file box”, click “S”, click “Sabbath Day Observance”

www.ldsfamilyfun.com

click “downloads”

http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2008/sharing_stations/1.html

http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/bl101sabbath.htm

http://www.meridianmagazine.com/littlethings/040318delight.html

http://www.truelightacademy.com/sabbath.html

Other DIY

My sister Rochelle sent this cool little booklet which I copied and made for my kidlets. It is about 3X3 inches, laminated, and is put together with a book ring. It is a cute book to help your kids decide what to do.

Here are the templates. Just right click save and print (they are jpeg so print full size). I couldn't get my scanner to work so hopefully just a picture will do. My apologies if it doesn't work!

Fun Things for your Sabbath box:

I Spy Bag

click here for tutorial "I Spy Bag"

I have also made one of these in an empty water bottle with rice. I superglued the lid on it. Works the same!

 and if you are ambitious, check out this QUIET BOOK. Too much work for me but super cute!

or you can do this Sunday ABC Book. My mom made this book for my kids a couple of years ago and I love it. She used a combination of pass along cards and clipart as well as photos. It is in a 8x8 Scrapbook/Photo album. Here is a picture of each page...

and here is the Verbage. Just right click save and print (they are jpeg so print full size).

I firmly believe that it starts with the adults. Set an example of how you would want your children to act on the Sabbath. If you enjoy it, more than likely your children will enjoy it. If you focus on the things they CAN do instead of the things your children CAN'T do, then You as a family will learn to Delight in the Sabbath! Also, allow yourself to be inspired. Pray and discuss together as a family what is and is not appropriate. Good Luck and have many Happy Sunday's!

PS- Let me know if you have any questions on how to make the above. I don't know how people put together tutorials and craft sites on a daily basis! It's way too time consuming! I will prob. never do this again! :)